Graduate and Professional Students’ Financial Hardships During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from the gradSERU COVID-19 Survey

Abstract

While approximately one-third of graduate and professional students did not experience financial hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic, 27% experienced unexpected increases in their living expenses, 24% experienced unexpected increases in spending for technology, and 24% experienced a loss or reduction in income from other family members (Figure 1). According to the Graduate Student Experience in the Research University (gradSERU) COVID-19 survey of 7,690 graduate and professional students enrolled at five large, public research universities, an additional 19% experienced the loss or cancellation of an expected job or internship offer and 16% experienced loss of wages from off-campus employment (Figure 1).

Furthermore, the gradSERU COVID-19 survey data suggest that fewer graduate and professional students experienced additional hardships, including loss of wages from on-campus employment (8%), loss or reduction of a scholarship (3%), loss or reduction of insurance coverage (2%), loss or reduction of grant aid (2%), and loss or reduction of student loan aid (1%) (Figure 2).

There are also disparities in the financial hardships encountered by students based upon students’ parental education levels, caretaking responsibilities for adults or children, and social class background, as reported below.