<p>My story is very similar to originaloog's. Because of the problems I had after I was originally accepted/rejected/provisionally accepted to the PhD program at Ga Tech (long story posted before in another thread), I was NOT supported for my first year of grad school. I paid for it by getting a teaching position at DeVry University. After the first year mess had straightened itself out, I had a fellowship from (what was then called) the U.S. Public Health Service. It was an outside fellowship that paid a fixed amount per year that was enough to cover tuition and a small stipend per month ($$$ amt slips my mind also). I had certain course specialization and research requirements for the fellowship.</p>
<p>That outside fellowship was a bit unusual. In my day ("The Dark Ages") a lot of MS students were supported by the companies that sent them (it was common back then for large companies to support advanced degrees for their employees) or by the military. Almost all PhD students were supported by research grants. The thesis - obviously - was related to the research that paid you.</p>