Costs & Financial Aid
The UW Master of Science in Computational Linguistics program is a self-sustaining, fee-based program administered by the Department of Linguistics in partnership with UW Continuum College.
Costs
Course fees are charged on a per-credit basis and are the same for resident (Washington state) students and nonresident students. The estimate below is based on 2025–2026 rates and is subject to change without notice.
In addition to course fees, students pay other required fees each quarter, including registration, technology and U-PASS fees. Payment is due by the third Friday of the quarter. Costs for textbooks and other course materials are extra.
| Cost per credit | $1,027 |
|---|---|
| Total number of credits required | 43 |
| Estimated total course fees | $44,161 |
Financial Aid & Other Funding
Students in fee-based programs can apply for various forms of financial aid to help cover their educational costs, including federal financial aid, scholarships and loans. For more information, visit the fee-based programs page of the UW Student Financial Aid website. Fee-based students are not eligible for tuition exemptions or university grants.
Scholarships, Fellowships & Grants
Scholarships, fellowships and grants may be a great funding option because they don’t have to be paid back. If you’re interested in pursuing any of these, it’s recommended that you start your search as early as possible — deadlines for many scholarships and grants are usually 6-12 months before funds are disbursed. Others, like the program scholarships and the Ryan Neale Cross Memorial fellowship, require providing information through your graduate school application.
Program Scholarships
The department offers a small number of program scholarships to incoming students, each amounting to about a third of the student’s total course fees. Applicants interested in being considered for a scholarship should complete the scholarship questionnaire section of the Graduate School application. Scholarships are open to both U.S. and international students.
Scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit (academic record, evidence of personal initiative and research potential) and financial need. Academic merit is evaluated based on the application materials submitted by the prospective student, and financial need is assessed through the application questionnaire.
Ryan Neale Cross Memorial Fellowship
The Ryan Neale Cross Memorial Fellowship supports students studying computational linguistics with the goal of improving accessibility through assistive technology.
Applicants interested in the fellowship should indicate their interest in their statement of purpose and describe the ways in which they plan to apply their work in computational linguistics to the development of assistive technology. The Ryan Neale Cross Memorial Fellowship is awarded independently of program scholarships and an individual may receive both.
Specialized Funding Sources
Students in the Master of Science in Computational Linguistics program may be eligible for the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, which supports outstanding graduate students in STEM disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees.
Support for Ph.D. Students
The UW Department of Linguistics offers four-year funding packages to Ph.D. students admitted from the Master of Science in Computational Linguistics who have no other funding sources and who meet the department's criteria for satisfactory progress toward the degree. The support typically takes the form of research assistantships and teaching assistantships and is subject to funding availability.
Resources
The UW offers some resources to help you with your search:
- Graduate School Funding Research Guide: A UW Libraries guide that explains different funding options and how to find them.
- Scholarships, Fellowships & Grants Research Guide: A UW Libraries’ collection of comprehensive databases you can use to search for a wide variety of scholarships, fellowships and grants for graduate students.
- Scholarship Search: A database from the UW Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships & Awards that allows you to search by field of interest, deadlines and graduate standing.
- Graduate Funding Information Service: Once you’re admitted to a UW program, you can request to meet one-on-one with a GFIS representative to search for funding opportunities. GFIS also hosts workshops and posts funding announcements.
- UW Graduate School: A resource for information on how to apply for assistantships and fellowships, as well as some helpful videos from students and staff to guide you through the funding process.
- International Students Research Guide: A UW Libraries guide to funding resources for international graduate students.
Veterans Benefits
If you're a current or former service member or a military dependent, you may be able to use VA education benefits to pay program costs. Visit the UW Veterans Education Benefits page for more details.
Employer Assistance
Some employers may cover all or part of the cost of your graduate education. Check with your employer to see if such a program is available. If your employer does offer this benefit, learn about steps you can take to request educational assistance.