<p>Hi, can someone tell me how paying for grad school works? specifically the M.S. program at UCLA. I have no merit or skills of any kind. There is no chance for any fellowships or anything like that. I have never gotten any kind of financial aid. Will they provide me with work as a TA or research or something? What if I fail at that? How much will that pay for, theoretically? Will they try to take all the money I have away?</p>
<p>In an unrelated question, is it possible to "defer" once you have an offer of admission from UCLA?</p>
<p>I'm not from the M.S. program at UCLA but in a Ph.D. program in the Social Sciences.</p>
<p>Generally, TA or RA work here is tough to find if you are a masters student. Most program admits more Ph.D. student than masters and usually gives the limited number of TA and RA to the Ph.D. How this works is different in each program, but in the end, it always doesn't cover everything you need to pay for. So unless you have a fellowship, expect to fork out at least U.S. $5000 per quarter if you are a international. A lot less if you're in-state resident.</p>
<p>Universities don't try to take money away from you, the system is transparent and you choose if you want to give your money away.</p>
<p>You could probably defer, but you had better call up and ask.</p>