The Graduate School has implemented a new “Admissions with Contingent Funding” option to address current budget constraints in the graduate admissions process. This approach allows departments to manage their limited funding resources while maintaining admission options for qualified candidates.
How it works
The contingent funding process operates as follows:
- Departments may offer admission to applicants who rank lower on their priority list, with funding contingent on higher-ranked candidates declining their offers after the April 15 deadline.
- When using this option, programs initially will use the standard recommend admission without funding in the myWSU Application Evaluation system. This will trigger the Graduate School’s admissions team to begin reviewing the applicant.
- Applicants receive a specialized admission letter explaining that they are admitted to the program. However, it will also indicate that funding availability will be determined later as the incoming cohort is finalized. This letter template is now offered as a secondary option within the ASE Admissions Offer Letter template, following the primary version.
- If funding becomes available, the department will provide a separate funding offer letter by date specified in the admission letter.
Practical Considerations
The contingent funding option provides several practical considerations:
- Departments can allocate limited assistantships and fellowships based on actual enrollment
- Qualified applicants remain in consideration for funding without needing to reapply
- Programs can adapt to budget uncertainties while managing cohort sizes
The Graduate School notes that this option may not be viable for international students who require assistantships to obtain an I-20 visa document.
Letter Templates
For more information, including access to the template admission letters, graduate program coordinators and directors should visit the Graduate School Admissions Offer Letter page.