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UNR international graduate students detail the financial struggles they face

A square sculpture with the letter N in the middle is located on the University of Nevada, Reno campus. It’s casting a shadow over a sidewalk in front of a brick building.
Jose Davila IV
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KUNR Public Radio
The University of Nevada, Reno campus.

Abdulsalam Shaik, 23, checks emails on his phone several times a day with the hope of receiving a congratulatory message.

Shaik does so with his laptop while preparing class assignments. But he feels saddened time and again, checking emails that contain “unfortunately we are not able to consider your application.”

"At first, the rejection would hurt me. Now, it is my daily routine [to receive these types of emails]. I get used to it," said Shaik, who’s from Hyderabad, India, and pursuing a master’s degree in computer science and engineering at the University of Nevada, Reno.

He said he’s applied to more than a hundred on-campus jobs, including graduate assistantships, but hasn’t received any offers so far.

An international graduate student is standing in front of a campus building.
NH Sajjad
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KUNR Public Radio
Abdulsalam Shaik poses for a photograph in front of the Joe Crowley Student Union at UNR in Reno, Nev., on June 25, 2024.

“Everything is very tough here, especially getting on-campus jobs and assistantships,” said Shaik who arrived in Reno in January 2024 with a study loan – scheduled to be repaid after securing a job.

Securing an on-campus job is not only challenging for a self-funded student like Shaik but also for funded international grad students at UNR, especially during summer – a time when most departments don’t offer teaching and research assistantships.

Students interviewed for this story said the stipend they receive monthly for working as graduate teaching and research assistants is barely enough to survive. With extending the scholarships, they have asked the university to increase the on-campus jobs and research opportunities for international grad students.

According to the university, the minimum monthly stipend for master’s students – working 20 hours a week as graduate teaching or research assistants – is $1,700. For doctoral students, the stipend varies by field: $2,100 in humanities, $2,150 in business, and $2,200 in STEM fields – all before taxes. However, some master’s and doctoral students may earn slightly more if they are funded by research grants.

Leaders with the university’s graduate school program and the Graduate Student Association (GSA) acknowledge the students’ financial burden but also say there are no immediate solutions. However, they have made medium- and long-term plans to alleviate the problem.

Lack of jobs in summer for graduate students

Lacking funds in the summer exacerbates the financial hardships of international students as, according to federal laws, individuals holding student status are not allowed to work off campus. They are only permitted to work 20 hours a week on campus during the semesters and 40 hours during summer break.

"Not getting an on-campus job during summer is a huge drawback for me right now because I am not allowed to work outside [the campus]," said Diwan Raimajhi, 27, from India, studying for her Ph.D. in political science.

An international graduate student is standing in front of a campus building.
NH Sajjad
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KUNR Public Radio
Diwan Raimajhi poses for a photograph in front of the Joe Crowley Student Union at UNR in Reno, Nev., on June 18, 2024. 

Raimajhi said she tried her best to find a job on campus in the summer, but it was to no avail. She said departments told her they are looking for full-time employment throughout fall, rather than short-term positions of two to three months.

Yasir Zamil, 27, a Ph.D. student in electrical engineering, is facing a similar situation as Raimajhi. "It’s an open-secret matter that most of the jobs offered at UNR Career Studio are for undergrad students," said Zamil, from Bangladesh, who is now using his credit card to buy groceries and pay for rent.

An international graduate student is standing in front of his apartment.
NH Sajjad
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KUNR Public Radio
Yasir Zamil poses for a photograph in front of his apartment in Reno, Nev., on June 18, 2024.

Both Raimajhi and Zamil are working as teaching assistants in their respective departments.

Raimajhi proposed that the school can conduct a survey to know the financial conditions of the international students, especially in summer, and release some emergency funding.

However, Shaik said the university should allocate more funds for research because, along with generating stipends, it will enhance the student’s research skills.

To Zamil, the school should focus on expanding the scholarship programs as graduate students are eligible for a limited number of scholarships.

The dean of the UNR Graduate School, Dr. Markus Kemmelmeier, said the school is exploring opportunities to expand funding sources possible through fundraising campaigns.

The dean of UNR’s graduate school is standing in his office on campus.
NH Sajjad
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KUNR Public Radio
Dr. Markus Kemmelmeier poses for a photograph in his office at the Fitzgerald Student Services Building at UNR in Reno, Nev., on June 26, 2024.

GSA president Tania Akter said funding students in the summer is tough. Even GSA couldn’t hire student workers during this time due to the reduced pace of activities.

"If the graduate students demand the advocacy of increasing job opportunities on campus, then we can do that through a collaboration with the Career Studio," said Akter, also a Ph.D. candidate in the UNR chemistry department.

Stipend for graduate assistantships not enough

Students need to enjoy life, which is necessary for their development, said Rami Skaff, 27, a Ph.D. student in civil and environmental engineering from Lebanon.

“The money we receive as a stipend is spent on necessary stuff, including house rent, food, and mandatory school fees per semester,” Skaff said. “There is nothing left for us to enjoy life.”

An international graduate student is sitting in his office on campus.
NH Sajjad
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KUNR Public Radio
Rami Skaff poses for a photograph in his office at the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at UNR in Reno, Nev., on June 28, 2024.

The monthly stipend is not increasing in line with the rising cost of groceries and rent, said Zamil.

“I am paying more for the same foods that used to cost less,” Zamil said.

Raimajhi believes the stipend is not enough as “rent, and groceries are very expensive here.” She pays about $1,000 per month for rent.

According to a report from HelpAdvisor, a financial information website, Nevadans spend the second highest in the country per week on groceries — $294; Californians rank first, spending $297 weekly.

“Beyond the house rent and groceries, we need to calculate the monthly expenses of transportation, Wi-Fi, and SIM line which add up to almost $200,” Zamil said.

Dr. Kemmelmeier said he sees the struggle many international students endure.

"I believe no graduate student should worry about payments for house rents and groceries when they focus on research and scholarly pursuits," he said.

The dean said he consistently supports raising stipends, but the university won’t be able to do that in the upcoming academic year.

“It is a clear situation where we are aware that things need to be done,” he said.

Akter said the GSA is planning to propose a resolution to the Nevada Legislature next year to increase the students’ stipends as they are facing mounting financial pressure due to hikes in housing near campus and school fees caused by recent inflation.

“We need more budget to reach out to more grad students,” added the GSA president.

The president of the Graduate Student Association is sitting in her office on campus.
NH Sajjad
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KUNR Public Radio
Tania Akter poses for a photograph in her office at the Graduate Student Association (GSA) at UNR in Reno, Nev., on June 20, 2024.

Plans for future housing 

To alleviate the financial challenges of students, the university has mapped out some medium- and long-term plans that include building new houses for students.

Regarding housing, the dean of the Graduate School said the university is planning to purchase some houses and apartments with money that cannot be used for other purposes to create a much more rent-stabilized situation for graduate students. It will be cheaper than regular market rates.

“However, that’s not going to be next year,” he said. “We are starting this next year and maybe the year after will help this.”

Dreaming despite the financial burden

Skaff said he is from a well-off family, which is the reason why he doesn’t need to send money home. However, the situation is different for Shaik and Raimajhi, as both are from middle-class families.

Raimajhi used to support her family, comprising three members: her parents and her younger brother. But she stopped sending money home in April.

“I don’t come from a wealthy family,” she said. “That’s why I need to send money to the family. But I am not able to do so for a couple of months as I lack summer funding.”

Despite the challenging summer, Raimajhi is working hard to materialize her dream, believing the opportunity to study in the United States is a privilege.

“After obtaining my degree, I want to move back to India and work for people living in the rustic area, with a focus on improving their education and health,” she said.

Shaik’s four-member family, including two siblings, rely solely on the income of their father, who earns 15,000 rupees (around $150) monthly.

“I feel disappointed when I see some of my friends sending money home every month. I haven’t sent a penny to my family since I have been here,” said Shaik, who wants to contribute to the field of artificial intelligence.

Having failed to secure any assistantship, job, or internship, Shaik felt distraught and stopped working for a month — a challenging time during which his father stepped in and began to motivate him.

“Stay calm and chase your dreams,” Shaik recalled from his father’s advice. “Don’t worry about the assistantship; make use of your loans.”

He holds out hope for the future. "I haven’t given up,” he said. “I am just trying my level best."


Nur Hossain, writing as NH Sajjad, is a student reporter and digital production intern at KUNR. He is a graduate student at the Reynolds School of Journalism and plans to graduate with his master’s degree in May 2025.

Updated: July 23, 2024 at 3:10 PM PDT
This story was updated to provide additional context about the compensation for master’s and doctoral students working as graduate teaching or research assistants.
Nur Hossain, writing as NH Sajjad, was born and raised in Chattogram, Bangladesh, and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno.