phd with no funding

Unfunded Ph.D.s: To Go or Not To Go

By  Natascha Chtena

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When applying to Ph.D. programs, I was often advised to consider an acceptance without departmental funding as a polite rejection. I chose to pursue an unfunded Ph.D. regardless. Partly because I really wanted to go back to school, partly because I really wanted to work with my current advisor, partly because I really wanted to move to the States and this was an opportunity to do so. After securing partial funding from a private institution overseas, I felt empowered, special and, even, unbreakable.

Looking back, I think that more than anything I was delusional. Wearing pink glasses and riding a unicorn, I repeatedly told myself that "everything will be ok." Some people tried to warn me, but most — especially from within academia — simply fed those delusions. They told me how big an achievement it was to get accepted in the first place, and they highlighted how "confident" they felt that my "excellent" credentials and "past accomplishments" would enable me to get funding "eventually."

And they weren't all wrong, actually. I have secured a TAship for the rest of the year and my external scholarship has been renewed. I also love my new life and am grateful for the doors this Ph.D. has opened. So no, this isn't a story about failure. I am not writing this to convince you that pursuing an unfunded (or partially funded) Ph.D. will be the greatest mistake of your life. I am writing this because I am a firm believer that reality shouldn't be sugarcoated and struggle shouldn't be romanticized. Whether you make the "smart" or "crazy" choice, I hope this post will help you make an  informed  choice.

1. Invisibility:  It sounds harsh but if your department is unwilling to fund you, they probably don’t care that much about you OR your project. This means essentially two things: a) you will work under the radar in terms of the departmental/faculty focus and thus most likely will receive limited moral support and superficial feedback to your work and b) even if money does “show up” somehow, nobody will be familiar or interested enough in your work to hand it to you. Of course, if you’re the ambitious type, you might be inclined to use the absence of funding as an opportunity to impress your advisor and show everyone how brilliant you are. Don’t forget, however, that a Ph.D. is exhausting even without the pressure to “blow minds.”

2. Envy:  Kaitlin recently wrote about  how big a role envy plays  in the postgrad academic experience. Envy for that person with the published research, the better advisor, the better supervisor, and the “more awesome” resume in general. No matter how balanced or self-confident you are, that little green monster will strike at some point in your graduate career. Don’t get me wrong, envy can certainly be a good thing: it can boost motivation, admiration, inspiration, and creativity, among others. But if you’re unfunded, on top of this potentially useful envy, comes an envy that I have personally found useless, wearing and, frequently, depressing. It’s the envy for basic human pleasures that you simply cannot enjoy because of your second part-time job, that funding application you are permanently working on, or the extra course-load that you have inflicted upon yourself in hope of graduating early; envy for those students who can take Sundays off, develop hobbies, go on road-trips, cook complex dinners, and build and sustain deep, meaningful relationships.

3. Self-depreciation:  Intensity will vary depending on personality and whether the program you are entering is overall well-funded or not. Finding yourself in a cohort of unfunded Ph.D.s who are going through similar struggles can enhance feelings of community and collegiality and make for an otherwise positive Ph.D. experience. But if your cohort is mixed (funded and unfunded) or, even more, if you are in the unfunded minority, you will sooner or later be confronted with feelings of insecurity, inferiority, and self-loathing. Ask yourself if you have the kind of network that will support you in your darkest hours.

4. Psychosomatic Disorders:  Time,  workload , and performance-related stress are synonymous with grad school, and they’re often more than even the most well-balanced and positive Ph.D. student can handle. For unfunded students, those stress levels are even higher. Now add to that the  depression, anxiety, and other emotional burdens related to serious financial stress —how long do you think you can keep going without crashing? Even if you have a family that is willing to support you, ask yourself if you are truly and honestly willing to be supported for 5+ years. After all, what feels fine or “cool” at 25, can be unbearable at 30.

5. Limited prestige:  While many like to highlight the autonomy, flexibility, and sense of personal ownership that an unfunded status can enable, the reality of being unfunded carries a stigma that shouldn’t be romanticized or swept under the carpet. Most people will not admire your resilience, determination, or devotion to a given cause or subject. Most people will consider you defective, second-tier or, quite frankly, a loser for paying your way through grad school. It doesn’t matter if your department is the poorest in the country or if everyone else in your cohort is unfunded as well. What most people will see when looking at you (including faculty and future employers) is the popular image of the unfunded Ph.D., and that image says that you aren’t quite cutting it.

6. Low market value:  If upon graduation you’re hoping for a tenure-track position at a prestigious institution, you’d better think twice before accepting an unfunded Ph.D. offer. Getting private, government, or university funding demonstrates you're able to attract money, something that is highly prized by academic employers. Thus, many jobs ask for evidence of successful funding, and not being able to offer that is going to put you at serious disadvantage within an  already exclusive, and occasionally cruel, job market.

Have you pursued or are pursuing an unfunded Ph.D? What have your own experiences with it been like? What advice would you share with someone considering taking an unfunded offer?

[Image by Flickr user  Xeni Jardin  and used under Creative Commons License.]

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The Myth of the Fully-Funded PhD: Using Scholarships to Mitigate the Financial Realities of Research Degrees

When you decide to go to graduate school of any kind, you are making a financial decision that will dramatically affect your earning capacity for the duration of the program and throughout your life. While the caliber of school, available mentorship opportunities, and research resources are important factors to consider when making a decision about which university to attend, students often forget to carefully assess the financial realities associated with each opportunity.

The financial decision surrounding attending graduate school

Unlike students in professional graduate programs, most PhD students do not plan to pursue high-paying careers, and they depend on the fact that doctoral programs automatically include “full funding” to offset the cost of long-term research degrees. Though many graduate students receive admissions offers that are referred to as “fully-funded,” such funding packages require PhD students to teach multiple years in exchange for tuition waivers and teaching stipends. Once students start to work for the university and balance their many responsibilities, they quickly realize that “full-funding” isn’t exactly the same as a “scholarship” or a “full-ride. ”

Common misconceptions about what it means to be “fully-funded”

Depending on the university and its location, the value of one’s teaching stipend in relationship to workload and cost of living can vary greatly. In reality, graduate student teaching stipends for students who live in large United States cities are not enough to cover basic necessities. As a result, most graduate students go into additional debt to complete their programs.

Since tenure-track jobs have become increasingly elusive in the United States university system, today’s doctoral students must also satisfy a growing list of requirements to be considered for well-paying and stable teaching positions upon graduation. The added responsibilities associated with producing early publications, progressing through the degree quickly, regularly attending conferences, and pursuing ongoing professionalization or certification opportunities all require significant time commitments.

However, since doctoral students must work for the university in order to waive tuition and fees, they cannot devote all of their time to academic and professional progress. To avoid burnout and set aside more time for completing research, I suggest that prospective and current graduate students continuously apply for extramural funding, research fellowships, and community-based scholarships throughout their degrees.

Accepted’s clients received over $3.5 million dollars in scholarship offers in the last application cycle.  Explore our scholarship essay services   to find out how we can help you!

How the academic culture deemphasizes the financial aspects of the work

The common phrase “no one goes into a PhD to make money” is thrown around frequently in academic settings, and seems to suggest that pursuits related to funding are selfish and “anti-intellectual.” Especially in the humanities and social sciences, there is significant cultural importance placed on the fact that academia is not about money, and that academic careers are shaped by intellectual merit, not an individual’s financial capacity to stay in school.

Historically, however, the option to waive tuition in return for a few years of university teaching was an affordable way to enable individuals to pursue intellectual projects in the not-for-profit environment of the public university. One generation ago, doctoral students transitioned into tenure-track jobs with much more ease than those currently on the market. They also entered public institutions carrying far less student debt, and upon employment, they received guaranteed state pensions and salaries commensurate with the cost of living.

In today’s public university, the labor commitments of teaching assistants have grown significantly while the pay has not caught up with the steep rise in the cost of living for most university hubs. For example, throughout my graduate program at UCLA, I received between $15,000 and $22,000 in annual pay as a teaching or staff stipend. Given that my Los Angeles rent was upwards of $1,200 per month and rising, I was unable to continue my degree without applying for extramural grants and taking on work outside of the university.

Furthermore, the number of tenure track positions is diminishing so it is unlikely that I will ever make the stable and generous income to which my advisors have access. So the cultural norms of the intellectual community, which eschew any discussion of financial wellness, are no longer sustainable for most graduate students.

Though most graduate programs do not emphasize the financial aspects of navigating life as a student researcher and university employee, I have found that the pursuit of additional funding is neither a greedy nor an “anti-intellectual” use of my time in graduate school. Rather it is a great way to empower myself to set aside more time for conducting critical research and preparing for a successful career.

Strategies for applying for funding throughout your doctoral degree

In addition to my own efforts to build funding applications into my graduate studies, as a Student Affairs Advisor at the UCLA Scholarship Resource Center, I have worked with graduate students to generate strategies for incorporating annual cycles of grant writing into their studies.

Here are some of the most important takeaways from that work:

Most applicants are so anxious about whether or not they will be accepted to their desired PhD program that they don’t think about funding until after they’ve found out where they have gotten in. But there are a number of organizations, like the Ford Foundation , the Paul & Daisy Soros Foundation , the Stanford-Knight Hennessey Scholars Program , the National Science Foundation, and the Fannie and John Hertz Foundation , that offer funding for prospective graduate students.Like university admission applications, these also run on an annual cycle that requires students to apply one year before they plan to enroll in school. So, if you are planning to spend this fall putting together applications for graduate school, it is well worth it to add a number of fellowship applications to your list as well. Even if you aren’t successful with your first round of applications you will be well prepared to add scholarship applications to your graduate school routine. This is an activity that you should engage in throughout your entire degree, and you have to start somewhere!

Below are some questions that you should be able to answer by carefully analyzing your letter of admission. If you can’t answer them, try to find out the answers before you make your decision.• How many years of teaching assistantship does the university commit to you? How many students are you responsible for teaching, assessing, and holding office hours with for each term?• Are there stipulations related to your progress through the degree that may create limitations on your access to university funding or campus work opportunities?

• Does your status as university student or staff come with health benefits?

• Does your university have a union for teaching assistants? If so, what employee rights do you have through your union membership? Pay close attention to issues of pay related to maternity leave, medical leave, absence in the case of the death of a family member, and access to childcare.

• Is there an employee handbook for student staff and teaching assistants?

• What is the pay scale associated with the teaching positions that the university has offered you?

Before you decide where to go to school, do the research about your housing options. How much does university housing cost? Are there other options?Some universities offer annual budgets on their websites that include the cost of housing, but you have to analyze these carefully to understand how these budgets translate to your degree. For instance, UCLA’s estimated cost of attendance for graduate students only lists the annual budget for the academic year, which consists of 8 months. So you’d have to add four months of summer expenses in order to get a true sense of the living costs associated with each calendar year.

Once you’ve chosen a university, I would suggest that you map out the various phases of the program, the skillsets that you wish to build, and the accomplishments that you will achieve as you progress through the degree. There are different types of funding for every step of progress that you make, and if you are intentional about identifying related funding you can apply for specific opportunities throughout.Here are some examples of different achievements or degree phases associated with specific funding opportunities:• 2-3 years of coursework

• Conference travel

• Master’s exam period

• Master’s thesis writing year

• Language study

• Building a technical or quantitative analytical methodology

• Preliminary fieldwork or archival research

• Prospectus development

• Qualifying exam period

• Preliminary dissertation research

• Primary fieldwork or archival research

• Dissertation writing year

Most research-related funding opportunities do not pay out until a full academic year after the application submission period. This means that you should plan out your goals an entire year in advance, and apply for funding in the year before you carry out the projects and goals that you propose in your application materials. If you can continuously conceptualize your degree in the long-term, you will be able to anticipate the types of funding that will support your progress.

Whether you work for the institution or not, it will likely be up to you to cover the cost of your summers during graduate school. Rather than wait until summer starts to figure out how you’re going to pay the bills, start making plans the preceding fall. You may find paid opportunities to conduct research, fieldwork, or language study during your summer. But you also have the option to take on paid internships in a number of research fields in both the public and private sectors.

Do you need help with your PhD admissions or PhD funding applications? Our expert advisors are here to walk you through the PhD application process, from strategy-building to final send-off. Check out our Graduate School Admissions Consulting & Editing Services for more information on how we can help you GET ACCEPTED…with funding!

Student Affairs Advisor and scholarship expert, Rebecca has six years experience reviewing and editing large grant applications, research-based proposals, statements of purpose, personal statements and fellowship materials. Want Rebecca to help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

• 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your Grad School Statement of Purpose , a free guide
• How to Write About Your Research Interests
• The Personal Statement That Got Me a Large Scholarship to Cambridge

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PhDLife Blog

Sharing PhD experiences across the University of Warwick and beyond

How to survive doing your PhD when you have no funding? (1)

How to secure funding for your PhD, if you get admitted, is probably one of the most stressful issues the majority of  prospective PhD students are facing. The number of scholarships, grants and awards is limited compared to the number of applications, and very often the main obstacle is not getting an offer, but sorting out your finances. This begs another question: how to do your PhD and fund yourself at the same time?

Navigating the funding opportunities at the same time while preparing your PhD application requires an incredible amount of time, especially if you are an international student and you have no previous experience with the higher education in the country where you are applying for.

Seven years ago I started exploring my PhD options and the first thing I learned about the UK system was that finding a supervisor who is an expert in the topic you would like to write about and who is also willing to supervise you is the key thing. Even if you are the best candidate in the world, without a suitable supervisor you cannot get on board. At that point, I already had six years of research experience and I basically had all the data for my chosen topic collected. Luckily for me, I got two offers at the UK universities and chose Warwick. However, little did I know that while my efforts were focused on supervisors, transcripts, IELTS and references, I completely missed all the deadlines for funding opportunities thinking that scholarship applications take place once you get admitted, and not before or at the same time.

Doing a full-time PhD with no funding is extremely hard, but not impossible. Although I did apply for a scholarship in my first year, I didn’t get it. I also couldn’t get a student loan in my home country because the banks rejected an idea of funding something which is down abroad. Also, my government only offered scholarships to those studying in the country. I found myself in the dead end. My family helped me as much as they could, but due to unforeseen circumstances, I couldn’t afford my third year and, despite upgrading to PhD in my first year, I had to give up and finish my study earning an MPhil degree instead. After years of research and three years at Warwick, not completing a PhD I dreamed about was devastating.

Meanwhile, with a lot of sacrifices, I managed to save enough to start another PhD at Warwick hoping that this time my chances for getting a scholarship would be higher as I already completed an MPhil, had many years of work and research experience and published works. However, this didn’t happen and once again I found myself struggling as a self-funded student supported only by the small Frankopan Fund grant for Croatian students.

The moment I learned the reason behind my unsuccessful scholarship applications felt like going down the rabbit hole at warp 9. Academic grades counted for 50 % of points, while a research proposal, experience and published works meant much less. As a result, my entire CV and everything I had achieved meant very little because my academic grades were very good, but not excellent. The make things worse for me, I got them 10 years before coming to Warwick in the educational and grading systems which were very different and where having First Class was extremely rare. Also, I have been visually impaired since birth with autism which went undiagnosed until I came to the UK, but, as such, I managed to complete three university degrees in my home country with no rights to reasonable adjustments and struggling on an everyday basis to actually read and write. This certainly had a huge impact on my grades, and, unfortunately, my funding opportunities.

My PhD journey has been exceptionally daunting, but it did help me grow personally and professionally. Not many students will be lucky enough to have supervisors with grant money aside or to get a scholarship, which does make entire PhD experience much easier because, instead of focusing on survival, you can actually focus on your thesis. Some students have more opportunities than others because their governments or employers are supporting them, or they are eligible for doctoral loans . However, this doesn’t mean that if you are not one of them, you should give up on your dream. In the second half of this blog post, I will discuss some ideas and tips that can help you to achieve your academic goals when the universe is sending you a not very subtle message that it is not meant to be.

To be continued… 🙂

Have you been struggling with securing funding for your research degree? Are you a self-funded student? Tweet us at  @ResearchEx , email us at [email protected], or leave a comment below.

Blanka Matkovic is the 4 th year PhD candidate in Politics and International Studies at the University of Warwick, where she previously completed an MPhil degree in History department. Her MPhil thesis was published in the USA in 2017. Blanka’s primary interests are peace and war studies, conflict resolution, migrations and diaspora, human rights violations, the Second World War and war crimes, and dealing with the past and memory. She is the Blog Editor for the PhD Life and the Study Blog. Blanka can be contacted via email and followed on Twitter at @bmsplit .

Cover image:  career-road-away-way-of-life-479578 / geralt /  CC0 1.0

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• CAREER FEATURE
• 13 November 2019

PhDs: the tortuous truth

• Chris Woolston 0

Chris Woolston is a freelance writer in Billings, Montana.

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Getting a PhD is never easy, but it’s fair to say that Marina Kovačević had it especially hard. A third-year chemistry student at the University of Novi Sad in Serbia, she started her PhD programme with no funding, which forced her to get side jobs bartending and waitressing. When a funded position came up in another laboratory two years later, she made an abrupt switch from medicinal chemistry to computational chemistry. With the additional side jobs, long hours in the lab, and the total overhaul of her research and area of focus, Kovačević epitomizes the overworked, overextended PhD student with an uncertain future.

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Nature 575 , 403-406 (2019)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-019-03459-7

Woolston, C. Nature 550 , 549–552 (2017).

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Auerbach, R. P. et al. J. Abnorm. Psychol. 127 , 623–638 (2018).

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Oswalt, S. B. et al. J. Am. Coll. Health https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2018.1515748 (2018).

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Implications of being accepted without funding to a computer science PhD in the United States?

I was accepted into Ohio State University CS PhD without funding.

I have heard that people who can show their capability may get funding after getting into the program. Is this understanding correct?

Is being accepted without funding a dangerous sign? Does this means that the faculty doesn't care about you?

• graduate-admissions
• computer-science
• united-states

• 23 One possible implication is "hunger". –  Dave Clarke Commented Mar 31, 2014 at 16:03
• 10 By "hunger" I mean: if you do not have any funding, you will not be able to buy food, and you will get hungry. More to the point: how will you support yourself? –  Dave Clarke Commented Mar 31, 2014 at 16:15
• 1 Eat clay and drink wind? kd. I don't plan to go there. I will go to work instead. Just asking about the phenomenon, as well as ranting about how impolite OSU CS department is. I honestly believe that it is unethical to admit a phd student without funding. –  user1745048 Commented Mar 31, 2014 at 16:42
• 7 @user1745048 The question of "is it ethical to admit a phd student without funding in a field where funding is standard" is another (interesting IMO) question entirely... –  ff524 Commented Mar 31, 2014 at 17:16
• 1 I cannot comment on the US, but in the UK, funding is scarce. So, not getting funding doesn't mean they do not like you, but it means that they have no money to fund you (which is a slight, but important difference). Nevertheless, I discourage to do a PhD without funding, for various reasons: in short, motivation of the supervisor, motivation of the student, motivation of the department. In the US, they may have more money, so not getting any of it may be a bad sign. But, in the UK, apart from above downsides, it does not necessarily mean much. –  Captain Emacs Commented Jan 28, 2016 at 17:43

5 Answers 5

My answer applies exclusively to CS in the United States, or other scenarios in which the standard PhD offer comes with guaranteed funding .

Implication #1: How the department feels about you

First, I will quote from an answer by JeffE (who is a member of the admissions committee at a top CS department in the US) to another question (also about CS PhD offers in the US):

A typical PhD offer from a strong department includes guaranteed funding in some form.

That may come in the form of guaranteed RA/TA work, or something else, but whatever it is will be promised at acceptance. Therefore, the main implication of a PhD offer without funding is that (as you have intuited), the department does not consider you a top candidate for their program. As JeffE remarks in the same answer :

Do not accept a PhD admission offer without funding. If they really want you, they'll pay for you.

You asked: "I have heard that people who can show their capability may get funding after getting into the program. Is this understanding correct?"

It's not impossible to get funding after beginning the program (e.g., if you really hit it off with a potential PhD advisor who has grant money to spare). But this depends very much on luck and circumstance , not just on merit ; so unless you like living dangerously, it's not an advisable strategy.

Implication #2: How it will affect your future prospects

Having said that, if you somehow manage to support yourself while doing a PhD, it probably won't matter to anyone that you were self-funded. Per Suresh's answer to another question:

There's nothing on your CV that needs to indicate exactly how you were supported during your Ph.D.

• 5 You know you've made it when your answer get cited in other answer. Academia h-index, anyone ? –  Suresh Commented Mar 31, 2014 at 17:27
• Seconded. If they want you, they'll pay. Most likely they'd be using your tuition dollars to fund stipends for the other students. The only way I could imagine you getting them to give you funding after a year would be to get into a better program with funding. I doubt that's going to happen, frankly or you wouldn't be considering this offer. –  user10636 Commented Apr 1, 2014 at 0:03
• 2 I was about to post this answer; looks like I already did! In case there's any doubt: Ohio State has a strong enough CS department that it can offer funding to the students it really wants. –  JeffE Commented Apr 1, 2014 at 0:37
• is this answer only true in US, or it can also work in Europe? –  Ooker Commented Jan 28, 2016 at 8:38
• 1 @Ooker the first sentence of this answer says "My answer applies exclusively to CS in the United States, or other scenarios in which the standard PhD offer comes with guaranteed funding. " (regardless of where, or what field) –  ff524 Commented Jan 28, 2016 at 8:40

It might be worth checking if you have been:

• Admitted and told that you will not get funding,
• Admitted with no funding decision made as of yet.

My university has a central admissions process for graduate students that is entirely decoupled from the process by which I make funding offers to my students. The university sends out an letter of admission that has language about "without funding," which has led to students expressing concerns similar to yours.

(This year, the faculty in my area are heading this off by sending informal "recommended for admission" letters to the admitted students, with a note that funding decisions are made at a later date and that they should interpret the University letter as being of the second type.)

I was part of Student Association in my university and I used to get this question many times from newly admitted students for CS PhD programs. I have told those students also that PhDs in CS without funding is not a common scenario in US universities. Usually projects come along with the funds and part of these funds get redirected to you in order to conduct the research. You may want to try out other options. I am sure you will find something better. All the best.

Yes and Yes. I've never known a PhD student to be accepted without funding of some sort. Generally, the number of PhDs a department admits is also the number of students the department can cover with RAs/TAs. I have no insider information, but my guess would be the school had a dearth of qualified applicants to the CS Masters program, and gave you one of their slots.

Self funding a PhD puts you at a tremendous dis-advantage, as all the other students are funded to do their research, but you will have to find outside work, and do research "on the side."

Also, consider what incentive your advisor (if you are lucky enough to find one) has to work with you. The prof invested in other PhD students by funding them, he's got skin in the game (so to speak), and incentive to make them succeed. As an unfunded PhD, your priority will be near the bottom of any prof.

I would recommend following one of the two options below

1) Don't accept the unfunded PhD slot and re-apply. Since you were accepted, you may be able to ask why you weren't funded. They may provide suggestions to help you re-apply.

2) Switch to the masters program. Masters students aren't usually funded, so you will be competing with others like you. You will work with the same profs, and will still have a chance to impress them. One of them may fund you.

I've know several Masters student who were employed by a prof after proving themselves in class. Generally, the prof fast-tracked them to the PhD program.

It means you may want to look around for jobs on campus, like TA positions to pay for living expenses and tuition. Not having funding upon acceptance is not a mark against you, it just means exactly that. In biology funding is more common because the scientist will need to pay for materials and reagents. I'm assuming there aren't many inherent costs in CS research aside from a computer.

• 2 I don't think this answer applies to CS PhDs in the US, which are usually funded (e.g., the student is promised a stipend, subject to some RA/TA work which is guaranteed.) –  ff524 Commented Mar 31, 2014 at 16:26
• As @ff524 said, most of the cs phd application results I saw online are funded. And some applicants of OSU said they received email of guaranteed TA/RAship. –  user1745048 Commented Mar 31, 2014 at 16:42
• I think it would depends on the institution as well as the department. Some departments will find by e requiring the student to TA, and this goes towards tuition. It may also be that student funding is dependent on the supervisor's funding. –  user479 Commented Mar 31, 2014 at 16:54

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Phd students in the humanities and social sciences programs of the faculty of arts and sciences, phd students in humanities and social sciences programs offered in partnership with other harvard schools, acceptance of financial support.

The Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Harvard Griffin GSAS) offers incoming PhD students full financial support—including tuition, health insurance fees, and basic living expenses—for a minimum of five years (typically the first four years of study and the completion year). This funding package includes a combination of tuition grants, stipends, traineeships, teaching fellowships, research assistantships, and other academic appointments.

Each student is provided a Notice of Financial Support at the time of admission and is assigned a financial aid officer who administers this funding and is available to assist with financial concerns. Each spring, continuing students supported by Harvard Griffin GSAS-administered funding sources are required to activate their funding for the upcoming academic year using the Student Aid Portal, an online financial aid management system.

A typical funding package* includes:

• grants toward tuition and the Harvard University Student Health Program  paid in full for years G1 through G4 and the dissertation completion year
• a combination of stipend, teaching fellowships, and/or research assistantships during years G1 through G4
• summer research support from Harvard Griffin GSAS or faculty grants following the first four academic years.
• subsidy payments to defray dental insurance and transportation costs.

*In some programs, the timing and structure of living expense support may vary from this pattern.

The initial Notice of Financial Support assumes continuous enrollment as a full-time resident student; students not enrolled are not eligible for Harvard Griffin GSAS financial aid programs. Students may find that their actual enrollment patterns necessitate adjustments to the timing of their funding. Students wishing to defer Harvard Griffin GSAS-administered funding indicate this in the Student Aid Portal during the annual financial aid acceptance process. The options for deferring financial support vary by type of aid; please refer to the applicable sections of the financial aid policy web pages for details. Students who are considering deferring financial support are strongly encouraged to contact their financial aid officer to review how such actions may impact their funding in future years.

While funding packages vary by program, PhD students in the sciences typically receive full funding until they complete their programs of study. Contact your department administrator or financial aid officer for details.

See more detailed information about funding for students in humanities and social sciences programs of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

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A number of humanities and social sciences PhD programs are offered in partnership with Harvard's professional schools. While funding packages vary by program, PhD students in these interfaculty programs generally receive at least four years of financial support for tuition, health fees, and living expenses; most programs provide dissertation completion fellowships as well. For more information, refer to your Notice of Financial Support or contact your financial aid officer .

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Each student is provided a Notice of Financial Support at the time of admission and is assigned a financial aid officer who administers this funding and is available to assist with financial concerns. Students are required to formally accept their financial aid offers and acknowledge their understanding of financial aid policies. Students should also consult their academic programs to determine whether program-specific conditions apply.

Each spring, continuing students supported by Harvard Griffin GSAS-administered funding sources are required to activate their funding for the upcoming academic year using the Student Aid Portal, an online financial aid management system. Continued eligibility for financial aid is contingent upon an annual report by the faculty that the student is making  satisfactory progress toward the degree.

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Financing Your Education - Doctoral Programs

A doctoral degree is a significant investment in your future, and financing your education is a critical factor to consider. While the funding we provide covers the basic standard cost of attendance determined by Stanford University for a modest life as a graduate student, accepting an offer from a doctoral program has significant personal, professional, and financial implications. Below you’ll find information on GSE and Stanford financial support for doctoral students, as well as other important considerations when it comes to financing your PhD.

Funding guarantee

Stanford GSE offers all admitted PhD students a five-year funding package that provides tuition aid, fellowship stipend, and assistantship salary which covers the standard cost of attendance. The funding is based on meeting the basic financial need of the student alone for the first five academic years of the doctoral program and entails assistantship work. The cornerstone of the GSE doctoral experience is the apprenticeship that all students undertake, typically under the guidance of their academic advisor, but often with other Stanford faculty as well. In this apprenticeship model, doctoral students are provided with a funding package that consists of opportunities to serve as teaching and research assistants for faculty members' courses and research projects. By this means, and in combination with the coursework, students are prepared to excel as university faculty, education researchers, and leaders in the field.

All funding is contingent upon satisfactory academic progress and performance on the research and teaching assistantships. There is no separate application for this funding.

Assistantships

As part of the academic and professional training and development, students undertake assistantships which provide both salary and tuition. Research assistantships are funded by faculty research grants, other faculty funds or as needed, by the GSE Dean’s Office, and can lead to joint publications with faculty or to dissertation topics. Students who have sufficient expertise and experience may also be selected as teaching assistants for courses at the GSE or other Stanford schools and departments. Assistantships are typically secured in consultation with faculty advisors. Students work 10 hours (25% assistantship) or 20 hours (50% assistantship) a week depending on their year in the program. 

• Research assistantship (RA): Various duties for research projects
• Teaching assistantships (3 types):
• Course Assistant (CA)—course preparation and grading
• Teaching Assistant (TA)—leads regularly-scheduled discussion sections
• Teaching Affiliate (TF)—full responsibility for course

Funding Details 2023-2024

Note: The above figures reflect 2023-2024 rates. Actual amounts will be adjusted to the rates for 2024-25 and future years.

Cost of attendance

Tuition depends on the units taken by the student. In addition to tuition expenses, the cost of attendance of a PhD program involves living expenses such as rent, food, and transportation. The sum of tuition and non-tuition expenses constitutes the standard cost of attendance. 

As you consider applying to graduate school, you can use the standard cost of attendance of your program —plus any additional expenses you might have—to create your financial plan, keeping in mind that tuition and non-tuition expenses of the standard cost of attendance are set by the university on an annual basis.

What you can do now to prepare financially if admitted

• Prepare for how your standard of living may change as a graduate student, especially if you are coming from a full-time job.
• Consider the length of your program, any dependents, existing debt, and additional financial commitments you may have. Students with children may review Stanford support programs for families.
• If you have personal or special circumstances that require additional expenses above and beyond the standard cost of attendance, plan accordingly.
• Start saving as much as you are able to cover any unexpected expenses you may incur while in graduate school.
• Familiarize yourself with federal as well as private student loans, their interest rates, fees, repayment options, deferment policies, and eligibility requirements, so that you are informed if you need to borrow.
• Be ready to cover all initial expenses, since fellowships and stipends will not be disbursed until a few weeks into your first quarter. Onboarding into a PhD program often requires up front out of pocket expenses for relocation.

Additional GSE resources

Once PhD students matriculate, the GSE has a variety of resources available to support academic work and unanticipated needs.

Students are eligible for up to three travel fellowships during their time at GSE if they are attending a conference or other professional development opportunity.

GSE Student Emergency Fund assists graduate students who experience a financial emergency or unanticipated expenses causing financial hardship. This fund is meant to support those who cannot reasonably resolve their financial difficulty through fellowships, loans, or personal resources. 

GSE Dissertation Support Grants help advanced PhD students who require additional financial support for dissertation research activities. These grants, available at up to $6,500 total per student, are available to students who do not have access to other funds to cover their dissertation costs.

Stanford University resources

Knight-Hennessy Scholars (KHS) program aims to prepare the next generation of global leaders to address the increasingly complex challenges facing the world. The program selects up to 100 students each year and provides three years of financial support that is integrated into the GSE’s funding package for PhD students.

Vice Provost for Graduate Education awards various fellowships for doctoral students and maintains a list of other Stanford fellowships that students may consider.

Cardinal Care subsidy is an automatic university-wide subsidy program for graduate students. Vaden Health Center manages the university’s Cardinal Care student health insurance.

Stanford Financial Aid Office oversees a number of financial support programs specifically for graduate students with challenging financial situations. 

Additional hourly work is available to students who wish to work for pay as "casual labor" at Stanford up to eight hours a week, provided work does not adversely affect the academic program. Requires approval from the student’s advisor and the Academic Services team.

Other funding sources

External fellowships are integrated into the GSE’s funding package. There are many funding opportunities offered outside of Stanford. The GSE admissions team has compiled an external fellowships and grants document for you to explore, though you should plan to do your own research as well. International students can find additional sources of funding on the Institute of International Education’s (IIE) Funding for U.S. Study website and this publication .

Stanford is committed to providing benefits through the Yellow Ribbon Program of the Post-9/11 GI Bill® to students in degree-seeking programs. GSE students who qualify for Chapter 33 benefits at the 100% level may be eligible for additional funding through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Please note that for GSE students receiving tuition fellowship funding, the Yellow Ribbon match may reduce and in some cases replace institutional grants and scholarships. For instructions, visit the page, Activate VA Education Benefits at Stanford .

International students are guaranteed the same funding package as domestic students. However, there may be restrictions regarding the number of hours and opportunities to work during the summer months. To learn more, please contact the Bechtel International Center .

To meet immigration regulations, international students must show proof of adequate financial support to cover the length of time of their graduate program. While international students are not eligible for U.S. federal loan programs, they may qualify for private/alternative loans. Many lenders, however, require that a U.S. citizen or permanent resident co-sign the loan. You can find information and tools to help you choose private loan programs most frequently used by Stanford students here. A comprehensive list of private loan programs is available at FinAid.org .

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How to Get PhD Funding

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• Introduction

How much does a PhD cost? 

Phd funding from national research councils, phd funding from universities, living costs and opportunity costs, career prospects with a phd .

By Elke Schwarz

Professor Daniel Drezner of Tufts University once quipped: “Should you get a PhD? Only if you are crazy or crazy about your subject.” If you fit one of those two categories, you’ll no doubt be keen to find out how to finance your mad endeavor. Here’s a quick guide to getting  PhD funding …

First things first,  how much does a PhD cost ? Here, the answer varies considerably by country. In the UK, being a self-funded PhD student can be an expensive undertaking, with an annual tuition bill of approximately £3,000 to £6,000 (about US$3,800-7,670) for domestic students and up to £18,000 ($23,000) for international students for the first three years.

In the US, the price tag for a PhD is even higher, ranging from US$28,000 to US$40,000 per year. In Germany, on the other hand, PhD students face no tuition fees at all, aside from a nominal semester contribution of €250 (~US$320).

Before some of these high figures deter you, be reassured that there are many PhD funding opportunities available; few PhD students are self-funded.

In the UK, PhD funding is provided via seven research councils, each covering a specific academic sector. Across Europe, such funding is offered by the European Research Council . Both the US and Canada have the equivalent in their National Research Councils, which give financial support to students either individually, via scholarships, or for funded research projects, via a research group or department.

Most universities provide substantial scholarships, studentships and other PhD funding opportunities. These schemes typically cover the cost for a good proportion of the annual tuition fees, if not more. Universities often also provide some funding for doctoral students to cover the costs of field trips and conference attendance.

A further means to fund a PhD is by obtaining a PhD position, sometimes also called PhD studentships or assistantships. These are essentially jobs tied to the PhD program, involving work in teaching, research or both. This is an ideal way to support your research, while being involved in a larger, often team-based, funded research project and gaining work experience.

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Other costs to be considered when calculating PhD funding are living costs and opportunity costs. Living expenses will of course vary significantly by country and city. Studying in Paris (France) or Oslo (Norway) will likely incur a substantially higher annual cost than completing a PhD in Bangkok (Thailand), for example.

In addition, opportunity costs can be high. Unlike a master’s degree, which usually takes just one or two years full-time, a PhD demands a markedly higher time investment – most programs require an absolute minimum of three years, and some require five to six, depending on the country.

During this time, full-time employment is possible only if it is in relation to the PhD program itself. Some may opt to continue working and attempt to complete a PhD part-time – but this has proven to be exceptionally challenging; some studies suggest that drop-out rates for part-time PhDs are as high as 66 percent.

But while this might all sound daunting, there are considerable benefits and advantages to getting a PhD. In other words: the prospects for careers with a PhD are good. While entry-level salaries may not be considerably higher compared to those for master’s graduates, those with a PhD do have better long-term prospects for faster career- and pay-scale advancements. And a growing number of PhD students consider a post-doc life outside of academia.

There has been a clear trend in non-academic employers (such as consultancies, think tanks, media and others) increasingly valuing not only the specialist knowledge of PhD graduates but also their maturity and soft skills. Attributes valued by PhD employers across a wide range of industries include diligence, research abilities, focus, discipline, presentation skills and the demonstrated ability to work under pressure and to a deadline.

For all those aspiring doctoral students who aim to have a quick return on their investment, a word of caution: the benefits of a PhD are not to be had in the fast lane. The value of a PhD qualification is to be found in the long-term benefits it brings, financially, professionally and intellectually. It is a labor of love, and, as we know there is always some madness in love, but for those with realistic expectations and the discipline and tenacity to complete this highest of academic degrees, it is a tremendously rewarding experience, in more ways than one.

This article was originally published in November 2013. It was last updated in December 2018. 

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Google PhD fellowship program

Google PhD Fellowships directly support graduate students as they pursue their PhD, as well as connect them to a Google Research Mentor.

Nurturing and maintaining strong relations with the academic community is a top priority at Google. The Google PhD Fellowship Program was created to recognize outstanding graduate students doing exceptional and innovative research in areas relevant to computer science and related fields. Fellowships support promising PhD candidates of all backgrounds who seek to influence the future of technology. Google’s mission is to foster inclusive research communities and encourage people of diverse backgrounds to apply. We currently offer fellowships in Africa, Australia, Canada, East Asia, Europe, India, Latin America, New Zealand, Southeast Asia and the United States.

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Program details

Application status, how to apply, research areas of focus, review criteria, award recipients.

Applications are currently closed.

Update on 2024 Announcement : Decisions for the 2024 application cycle, originally planned for July 2024, will now be announced via email in August 2024. We apologize for the delay and appreciate your patience as we work to finalize decisions.

• Launch March 27, 2024
• Deadline May 8, 2024
• Awardees Notified By Aug. 31, 2024

The details of each Fellowship vary by region. Please see our FAQ for eligibility requirements and application instructions.

PhD students must be nominated by their university. Applications should be submitted by an official representative of the university during the application window. Please see the FAQ for more information.

Australia and New Zealand

Canada and the United States

PhD students in Japan, Korea and Taiwan must be nominated by their university. After the university's nomination is completed, either an official representative of the university or the nominated students can submit applications during the application window. Please see the FAQ for more information.

India and Southeast Asia

PhD students apply directly during the application window. Please see the FAQ for more information.

Latin America

The 2024 application cycle is postponed. Please check back in 2025 for details on future application cycles.

Google PhD Fellowship students are a select group recognized by Google researchers and their institutions as some of the most promising young academics in the world. The Fellowships are awarded to students who represent the future of research in the fields listed below. Note that region-specific research areas will be listed in application forms during the application window.

Algorithms and Theory

Distributed Systems and Parallel Computing

Health and Bioscience

Human-Computer Interaction and Visualization

Machine Intelligence

Machine Perception

Natural Language Processing

Quantum Computing

Security, Privacy and Abuse Prevention

Software Engineering

Software Systems

Speech Processing

Applications are evaluated on the strength of the research proposal, research impact, student academic achievements, and leadership potential. Research proposals are evaluated for innovative concepts that are relevant to Google’s research areas, as well as aspects of robustness and potential impact to the field. Proposals should include the direction and any plans of where your work is going in addition to a comprehensive description of the research you are pursuing.

In Canada and the United States, East Asia and Latin America, essay responses are evaluated in addition to application materials to determine an overall recommendation.

What does the Google PhD Fellowship include?

Students receive named Fellowships which include a monetary award. The funds are given directly to the university to be distributed to cover the student’s expenses and stipend as appropriate. In addition, the student will be matched with a Google Research Mentor. There is no employee relationship between the student and Google as a result of receiving the fellowship. The award does not preclude future eligibility for internships or employment opportunities at Google, nor does it increase the chances of obtaining them. If students wish to apply for a job at Google, they are welcome to apply for jobs and go through the same hiring process as any other person.

• Up to 3 year Fellowship
• US $12K to cover stipend and other research related activities, travel expenses including overseas travel
• Google Research Mentor
• 1 year Fellowship
• AUD $15K to cover stipend and other research related activities, travel expenses including overseas travel
• Up to 2 year Fellowship (effective from 2024 for new recipients)
• Full tuition and fees (enrollment fees, health insurance, books) plus a stipend to be used for living expenses, travel and personal equipment
• US $10K to cover stipend and other research related activities, travel expenses including overseas travel
• Yearly bursary towards stipend / salary, health care, social benefits, tuition and fees, conference travel and personal computing equipment. The bursary varies by country.

Early-stage PhD students

• Up to 4 year Fellowship
• US $50K to cover stipend and other research related activities, travel expenses including overseas travel

Late-stage PhD students

• US $10K to recognise research contributions, cover stipend and other research related activities, travel expenses including overseas travel
• US $15K per year to cover stipend and other research related activities, travel expenses including overseas travel

Southeast Asia

• US $10K per year for up to 3 years (or up to graduation, whichever is earlier) to cover stipend and other research related activities, travel expenses including overseas travel

Is my university eligible for the PhD Fellowship Program?

Africa, Australia/New Zealand , Canada, East Asia, Europe and the United States : universities must be an accredited research institution that awards research degrees to PhD students in computer science (or an adjacent field).

India, Latin America and Southeast Asia : applications are open to universities/institutes in India, Latin America (excluding Cuba), and in eligible Southeast Asian countries/regions (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam).

Restrictions : All award payments and recipients will be reviewed for compliance with relevant US and international laws, regulations and policies. Google reserves the right to withhold funding that may violate laws, regulations or our policies.

What are the eligibility requirements for students?

All regions

• Students must remain enrolled full-time in the PhD program for the duration of the Fellowship or forfeit the award.
• Google employees, and their spouses, children, and members of their household are not eligible.
• Students that are already supported by a comparable industry award are not eligible. Government or non-profit organization funding is exempt.
• Past awardees from the PhD Fellowship program are not eligible to apply again.
• Grant of the Fellowship does not mean admission to a PhD program. The awardee must separately apply and be accepted to a PhD program in computer science (or an adjacent field) at an eligible institution.
• Grant of the Fellowship will be subject to the rules and guidelines applicable in the institution where the awardee registers for the PhD program.

Nominated students in Africa, Australia and New Zealand, Canada and the United States, East Asia and Europe.

Universities should only nominate students that meet the following requirements:

• Africa: Incoming PhD students are eligible to apply, but the Fellowship award shall be contingent on the awardee registering for a full-time PhD program in computer science (or an adjacent field) within the academic award year of the Fellowship award, or the award shall be forfeited.
• Australia and New Zealand : early-stage students enrolled in the first or second year of their PhD (no requirement for completion of graduate coursework by the academic award year).
• Canada and the United States : students who have completed graduate coursework in their PhD by the academic award year when the Fellowship begins.
• East Asia: students who have completed most of graduate coursework in their PhD by the academic award year when the Fellowship begins. Students should have sufficient time for research projects after receiving a fellowship.
• Europe: Students enrolled at any stage of their PhD are eligible to apply.

Direct applicant students in India, Latin America and Southeast Asia

• Latin America : incoming or early stage-students enrolled in the first or second year of their PhD (no requirement for completion of graduate coursework by the academic award year).

What should be included in an application? What language should the application be in?

All application materials should be submitted in English.

For each student nomination, the university will be asked to submit the following material in a single, flat (not portfolio) PDF file:

• Student CV with links to website and publications (if available)
• Short (1-page) resume/CV of the student's primary PhD program advisor
• Available transcripts (mark sheets) starting from first year/semester of Bachelor's degree to date
• Research proposal (maximum 3 pages, excluding references)
• 2-3 letters of recommendation from those familiar with the nominee''s work (at least one from the thesis advisor for current PhD students)
• Student essay response (350-word limit) to: What impact would receiving this Fellowship have on your education? Describe any circumstances affecting your need for a Fellowship and what educational goals this Fellowship will enable you to accomplish.
• Transcripts of current and previous academic records
• 1-2 letters of recommendation from those familiar with the nominee's work (at least one from the thesis advisor)

Canada, East Asia, the United States

• Cover sheet signed by the Department Chair confirming the student passes eligibility requirements. (See FAQ "What are the eligibility requirements for students?")
• Short (1-page) CV of the student's primary advisor
• 2-3 letters of recommendation from those familiar with the nominee's work (at least one from the thesis advisor)
• Research / dissertation proposal (maximum 3 pages, excluding references)
• Student essay response (350-word limit) to: Describe the desired impact your research will make on the field and society, and why this is important to you. Include any personal, educational and/or professional experiences that have motivated your research interests.
• Student essay response (350-word limit) to: Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time. (A leadership role can mean more than just a title. It can mean being a mentor to others, acting as the person in charge of a specific task, or taking the lead role in organizing an event or project. Think about what you accomplished and what you learned from the experience. What were your responsibilities? Did you lead a team? How did your experience change your perspective on leading others? Did you help to resolve an important dispute at your school, church, in your community or an organization? And your leadership role doesn’t necessarily have to be limited to school activities. For example, do you help out or take care of your family?)

Students will need the following documents in a single, flat (not portfolio) PDF file in order to complete an application (in English only):

• Student applicant’s resume with links to website and publications (if available)
• Short (one-page) resume/CV of the student applicant's primary PhD program advisor
• 2-3 letters of recommendation from those familiar with the applicant's work (at least one from the thesis advisor for current PhD students)
• Applicant's essay response (350-word limit) to: Describe the desired impact your research will make on the field and society, and why this is important to you. Include any personal, educational and/or professional experiences that have motivated your research interests.
• Applicant's essay response (350-word limit) to: What are your long-term goals for your pathway in computing research, and how would receiving the Google PhD Fellowship help you progress toward those goals in the short-term?

How do I apply for the PhD Fellowship Program? Who should submit the applications? Can students apply directly for a Fellowship?

Check the eligibility and application requirements in your region before applying. Submission forms are available on this page when the application period begins.

India, Latin America and Southeast Asia: students may apply directly during the application period.

Africa, Australia, Canada, East Asia, Europe, New Zealand, and the United States : students cannot apply directly to the program; they must be nominated by an eligible university during the application period.

How many students may each university nominate?

India, Latin America and Southeast Asia : applications are open directly to students with no limit to the number of students that can apply from a university.

Australia and New Zealand : universities may nominate up to two eligible students.

Canada and the United States : Universities may nominate up to four eligible students. We encourage nominating students with diverse backgrounds especially those from historically marginalized groups in the field of computing. If more than two students are nominated then we strongly encourage additional nominees who self-identify as a woman, Black / African descent, Hispanic / Latino / Latinx, Indigenous, and/or a person with a disability.

Africa, East Asia and Europe : Universities may nominate up to three eligible students. We encourage nominating students with diverse backgrounds especially those from historically marginalized groups in the field of computing. If more than two students are nominated then we strongly encourage the additional nominee who self-identifies as a woman.

*Applications are evaluated on merit. Please see FAQ for details on how applications are evaluated.

How are applications evaluated?

In Canada and the United State, East Asia and Latin America, essay responses are evaluated in addition to application materials to determine an overall recommendation.

A nominee's status as a member of a historically marginalized group is not considered in the selection of award recipients.

Research should align with Google AI Principles .

Incomplete proposals will not be considered.

How are Google PhD Fellowships given?

Any monetary awards will be paid directly to the Fellow's university for distribution. No overhead should be assessed against them.

What are the intellectual property implications of a Google PhD Fellowship?

Fellowship recipients are not subject to intellectual property restrictions unless they complete an internship at Google. If that is the case, they are subject to the same intellectual property restrictions as any other Google intern.

Will the Fellowship recipients become employees of Google?

No, Fellowship recipients do not become employees of Google due to receiving the award. The award does not preclude future eligibility for internships or employment opportunities at Google, nor does it increase the chances of obtaining them. If they are interested in working at Google, they are welcome to apply for jobs and go through the same hiring process as any other person.

Can Fellowship recipients also be considered for other Google scholarships?

Yes, Fellowship recipients are eligible for these scholarships .

After award notification, when do the Google PhD Fellowships begin?

After Google PhD Fellowship recipients are notified, the Fellowship is effective starting the following school year.

What is the program application time period?

Applications for the 2024 program will open in March 2024 and close in May 2024 for all regions. Refer to the main Google PhD Fellowship Program page for each region’s application details.

A global awards announcement will be made in September on the Google Research Blog publicly announcing all award recipients.

How can I ask additional questions?

Due to the volume of emails we receive, we may not be able to respond to questions where the answer is available on the website. If your question has not been answered by a FAQ, email:

Africa: [email protected]

Australia and New Zealand: [email protected]

Canada and the United States: [email protected]

East Asia: [email protected]

Europe: [email protected]

India: [email protected]

Latin America: [email protected]

Southeast Asia: [email protected]

See past PhD Fellowship recipients.

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Browse our library of open source projects, public datasets, APIs and more to find the tools you need to tackle your next challenge or fuel your next breakthrough.

How to Fully Fund Your PhD

Last updated March 27, 2024

By ProFellow Founder, Dr. Vicki Johnson

When I first began looking into master’s and PhD programs early in my career, I wasn’t aware that many universities “fully fund” their doctoral students. “Full funding” is a funding package from the university, usually offered at acceptance, that includes full tuition remission and an annual stipend for living expenses for the four to six years a student is in the doctoral program. In most cases, doctoral students are expected to serve in a Graduate Teaching or Research Assistantship. This part-time position with the university includes work that is typically complementary to your PhD research and provides students with valuable teaching experience.

Because I wasn’t aware of full funding opportunities, I considered a PhD impossible and pursued a master’s degree instead, taking out both a federal and private loan to fund my studies. I learned of fully funded PhD programs while looking for fellowships for others, and I was very fortunate to enter a PhD program at Massey University in Wellington, New Zealand that fully funded my studies. I wouldn’t have considered pursuing a PhD if I had to pay for my doctoral studies.

In most cases, finding and entering a doctoral program with full funding is easier than winning a competitive external fellowship or scholarship, like the Hertz Foundation Graduate Fellowship . Not only are these external fellowships more competitive, but often they only fund the 3rd, 4th and 5th year of your PhD studies, when you are completing your dissertation research. Therefore, when considering a doctorate, research all the potential PhD programs in your academic field, including small and lesser-known schools both in the U.S. and abroad, and ask the admissions office if they fully fund every admitted student. This may have a major impact on the schools you consider applying to.

Just a small sample of PhD programs that are fully funded:

All PhD students at  Columbia University  get full funding. Columbia has particularly strong programs in medicine and sciences, as well as public administration and policy.

Boston College’s Department of Psychology offers a four- to five-year, full-time, fully-funded, research-oriented doctoral program.

Students admitted  Duke University’s PhD program in Military History receive multi-year funding packages from the graduate school, including tuition waivers, a stipend, and a teaching assistantship or gradership.

The Joint Program in Social Work and Social Science at the University of Michigan  gives all incoming doctoral students a multi-year funding package. This is a package of fellowship awards, graduate student research assistant positions, and graduate student instructorships that covers tuition, stipends, and health care.

One thing to keep in mind is that a PhD stipend may be substantially less than what you are earning in the private sector. Yearly stipends normally range from $18,000 – $30,000. Small cities and towns have lower costs of living, so another major factor in your consideration should be location.

Below are links to my ongoing series of articles on fully funded PhD programs (these articles are regularly updated).

Would you like to receive the full list of more than 1,000+ fully funded PhD and master’s programs? Get your copy of ProFellow’s FREE Directory of Fully Funded Graduate Programs and Full Funding Awards !

Here’s our complete list of fully funded PhD programs by discipline:

Fully Funded PhD Programs in Accounting Fully Funded PhD Programs in African American and Africana Studies Fully Funded PhD Programs in Agricultural Sciences Fully Funded PhD Programs in Archaeology Fully Funded PhD Programs in Architecture Fully Funded PhD and MFA Programs in Art and Design Fully Funded PhD Programs in Anthropology Fully Funded PhD Programs in Biomedical Engineering Fully Funded PhD Programs in Biology Fully Funded PhD Programs in Business Fully Funded PhD Programs in Business and Entrepreneurship Fully Funded PhD Programs in Chemical Engineering Fully Funded PhD Programs in Chemistry Fully Funded PhD Programs in Cinema and Media Studies Fully Funded PhD Programs in Civil Engineering Fully Funded PhD Programs in Classics Fully Funded PhD Programs in Clinical Psychology Fully Funded PhD Programs in Communications Fully Funded PhD Programs in Computer Science Fully Funded PhD and MFA Programs in Creative Arts, Writing and Film Fully Funded PhD Programs in Creative Writing Fully Funded PhD Programs in Criminal Justice & Criminology Fully Funded PhD Programs in Data Science Fully Funded PhD Programs in Economics Fully Funded PhD Programs in Education Fully Funded PhD Programs in Electrical Engineering Fully Funded PhD Programs in English Fully Funded PhD Programs in Environmental Conservation Fully Funded PhD Programs in French Fully Funded PhD Programs in Gender Studies Fully Funded PhD Programs in Genetics Fully Funded PhD Programs in Geography Fully Funded PhD Programs in German and Germanic Studies Fully Funded PhD Programs in Health Informatics Fully Funded PhD Programs in History Fully Funded PhD Programs in Information and Library Science Fully Funded PhD Programs in International Relations and International Development Fully Funded JD and PhD Programs in Law Fully Funded PhD Programs in Linguistics Fully Funded PhD Programs in Mathematics Fully Funded PhD Programs in Machine Learning Fully Funded PhD Programs in Mechanical Engineering Fully Funded MD-PhD Programs (Medicine) Fully Funded PhD Programs in Music Fully Funded PhD Programs in Neuroscience Fully Funded PhD Programs in Nursing Fully Funded PhD Programs in Nutrition and Food Science Fully Funded PhD Programs in Peace and Conflict Resolution Fully Funded PhD Programs in Pharmacology Fully Funded PhD Programs in Philosophy Fully Funded PhD Programs in Physics Fully Funded Ph.D. Programs in Political Science Fully Funded PhD Programs in Psychology Fully Funded PhD Programs in Public Health Fully Funded PhD Programs in Public Policy And Public Administration Fully Funded PhD Programs in Religion and Theology Fully Funded PhD Programs in School Psychology Fully Funded PhD Programs in Social Work Fully Funded PhD Programs in Sociology Fully Funded PhD Programs in Spanish and Portuguese Fully Funded PhD Programs in Statistics Fully Funded PhD Programs in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL)

Other lists:

Fully Funded PhD Positions in Germany Fully Funded PhD Programs in the United Kingdom

Fully funded master’s degrees and full funding awards:

Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Accounting Fully Funded Master’s Programs in American and Africana Studies Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Anthropology Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Architecture Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Biology Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Biomedical Engineering Fully Funded MBA (Business) Alternatives: Graduate Degrees and Fellowships Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Chemistry Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Chemical Engineering Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Civil Engineering Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Classics Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Communications and Journalism Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Computer Science Fully Funded MFA Programs in Creative Writing Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Criminal Justice Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Economics Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Education Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Electrical Engineering Fully Funded Master’s Programs in English Fully Funded MFA (Fine Arts) Programs in Film Fully Funded Master’s Programs in French Fully Funded MFA (Fine Arts) Programs in Studio Art and Visual Art Fully Funded MA and MFA (Fine Arts) Programs in Graphic Design Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Gender Studies Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Geography Fully Funded Master’s Programs in History Fully Funded Master’s Programs in International Affairs and International Development Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Linguistics Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Math Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Mechanical Engineering Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Modern Languages Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Music Education Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Nursing Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Philosophy Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Political Science Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Psychology Fully Funded Master’s Programs in School Psychology Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Public Health and Global Health Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Public Policy and Public Administration Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Physics Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Religion and Theology Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Social Work Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Sociology Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Statistics Fully Funded Master’s Programs in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL)

For application tips and more information, see:

How to Find Fully Funded Graduate Programs in Any Discipline What You Need to Know About Graduate School Fellowships and Scholarships How to Get Into a Fully Funded PhD Program: Contacting Potential PhD Advisors 3 Tips for Applying to Fully Funded PhD Programs Master’s or PhD? My Advice – Follow the Funding 5 Reasons Why You Should Not Pay for Graduate School Out of Pocket

With or without full funding, doctoral students are encouraged to apply for fellowships to fund their dissertation research.  Sign up to check out our fellowships database to learn about other opportunities to fund graduate and doctoral study.

Dr. Vicki Johnson is Founder and CEO of ProFellow, the world’s leading online resource for professional and academic fellowships. She is a four-time fellow, top Ph.D. scholar, Fulbright recipient and an award-winning social entrepreneur. She is the Creator and Director of  Fully Funded , an award-winning online course and mentorship program for graduate school applicants seeking to find and win full funding. 

© ProFellow, LLC 2013-2023, all rights reserved.

Related Posts:

• Fully Funded PhD Programs in School Psychology
• Fully Funded PhD Programs in Accounting
• Fully Funded PhD Programs in Mathematics
• Fully Funded PhD Programs in English
• Fully Funded Master's Programs in English

Dr. Vicki Johnson , Fellowships For Doctoral Study , Fully Funded , Fully Funded PhD Programs , PhD Fellowships , PhD Funding

Summer Policy Fellowship For Boston-Area Graduate Students

Funding for entrepreneurs (and we don’t mean venture capital), 76 thoughts on “how to fully fund your phd”.

Your low end of the stipend is too low. I’ve seen 13-15K/year, even in fairly expensive parts of the country. These were humanities degrees, which may make a difference.

Wow, that is low! But I suppose better than nothing. Haven’t seen much of a rise in PhD stipends in the past few years despite the rise in cost-of-living. Any thoughts on getting by on a $13K stipend?

The strategy specified in the last paragraph is frowned upon and is exactly why my university does not do a “walk through” masters option with its PhD students, and also why different courses are required for each program. And in my opinion, is not very ethical.

For what it is worth, the minimum PhD stipend at my uni is $15k plus tuition and fees waiver. I am currently getting more, but I am funded by an external project and I also have to teach.

Many think it is unethical to make a commitment to do a PhD and stop at ABD, but there are some who choose this route because they cannot complete the dissertation for financial, professional or personal reasons. It would be interesting to hear from some who chose to stop at ABD.

I from Ghana and have a BSc. Computer Science and Executive MBA degrees . I wish to pursue a Phd degree in a school where I will receive full funding. Could you please give any lead/advice on that eg. the school, Phd degree etc

It takes a little research but there are several universities that offer full-funded to all of their PhD students in Computer Science: University of Birmingham (UK), Duke University (USA), University of Michigan, School of Engineering (USA), Brown University (USA), Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey (USA) and Columbia University (USA).

Executive MBA normally do not normally offer funding or scholarships because students in these programs are working full-time in mid-management to executive level careers.

pls provide me the full funding US universities which offer phd in image processing field . what score is needed to join in those universities.Please provide me the information,

Please help me to find any fully funded phd programme in psychology…

How to Fully Fund Your PhD ? I have master of science, biotechnical and medical apparatus and system. kiev,national aviation university ,nau ,kiev.ukraine. ———————————— Bachelor of science ,medical engineering. National technical university of ukrain , kiev polytechnic institute, ————————————

Is there any fully funded phd programme in religion?

l HAVE COMPLETED Msc In Mathematics at KNUST in Ghana

i want to find out whether there are full funded scholarships for capacity building and Development program at phd level in any university

Hi Kennedy – check out our article Fully Funded Programs in International Relations and International Development: http://www.profellow.com/announcements/fully-funded-phd-programs-in-international-relations-and-international-development/

hi. i dont know how i can find a good university with full-funded for biomedical engineering phd. thanks a lot.

Any information on fully funding doctorate in Education? I used to teach college and would love to go back and need a doctorate for that. Any information would help.

Hi Laura – we do! We have posted an article on Fully Funded PhD Programs in Education: http://www.profellow.com/fellowships/fully-funded-phd-programs-in-education/

I’m from Iran and right now I’m preparing my thesis on Teaching English.I would really like to know about American universcities I could get a full fund in. Please help me.

Hey thank you for your article , but could you please provide some details regarding fully funded english phd courses?

Please, I hold MSC In International Business from Coventry University,UK. I want to know if there are fully funded PHD in Business related area.

I’ll be positing on fully-funded PhDs in Business next!

Hey Please list the universities that offer scholarships for PhD.

Please assist me to find a funded programme for a PHD in Sociolinguistics

l want fully funded PHd in sports science. thanks.

i want fully funded PHD in fisheries management/science. thanks

I want to do fully funded phd in ICT for Sustainable development. Can someone suggest a good university to pick up and how to avail funding.

Any clue on fully funded phd in economics in the US?

Is it necessary to write both TOEFL and GRE to get full funded PhD program.??? Please give me the necessary details about it… Thank you…

Hi Joseph, it depends on the program. Most U.S. programs require both the TOEFL and GRE for admission. Programs outside the U.S. may have different requirements.

Sir, i have completed my M.Sc in Biotechnology in May 2014. I am planning to do PhD in California…. Sir, i got my TOEFL score and its only 68/120. When i asked them that i am ready to retake the test, then they are telling that there is no point in retaking the exam, as the average of the two scores is considered. I need minimum 104/120 inorder to fund my PhD… So now they have asked me to write GRE exam…So how much should i score for GRE????…. Sir, could please tell me about retaking of TOEFL exam?? For how many times we can take the exam??? And which score is been considered???

Vicki, thanks for your thoughts and observations. Josna, a lot of it comes down to the specific program you’re applying for. I was fully funded for my MA and PHD programs at the University of California Santa Barbara. For smaller programs your acceptance is dependent on a professor willing to work with you. My research interests aligned with a professor and we communicated before I applied. The professor then “represented” me at the admissions meeting and asked that I be accepted. So my GRE scores and GPA were taken into consideration (all were high) but it was the professional relationship that helped. At the end of the day they want to make sure you’ll be a good fit in the program.

For the GRE I’ve heard that you should only take it once unless you really mess up and think you could do a lot better the second time. If you submit one bad test score you can at least make the argument that you just had a bad day. However if you submit two bad test scores then they’ll know for sure you can’t get a good score.

Hi, I got a doctoral offer from Baylor University. It’s not fully funded but the tuition fee is waived off and there are various assistantships that the university offers which will allow me fund my living expenses. However, I wont receiving a stipend in the initial semester. Please share any similar experiences. What are the chances of receiving assistantships?

It really depends on your field. In the sciences you have a pretty good chance of getting an assistantship – there’s a lot of funding available for medical research, for example, relative to other fields – but you should definitely call and ask.

My field is Electrical and Computer Engineering.

I will start a Ph.D. program this fall. I have already obtained verbal confirmation of my teaching assistantship (from the program director); however, I will receive the official offer letter in a few days. I will be moving across the country; thus, I’m wonder if any one knows what I can expect to receive for a yearly stipend. I am looking at housing options as graduate level students are not allowed to stay on campus. The university is located in a very large metropolitan city with an exceptionally high cost of living. Any insight would be extremely helpful as I plan my transition…. Thanks in advance! 🙂

Your stipend will cover the cost of living but it won’t be a lot of money. I’d recommend calling the program director and asking how much money you will receive. This is not rude, for some reason many grad students seem to feel embarrassed to talk about this but it is not rude to ask. Congratulations and good luck! 🙂

I’m looking for fully funded masters programs in psychology . Could you please help me out

Hi! I Finished my Msc Analytical chemistry in 2013. Since then i am working as a research chemist in UAE. Need some information as how to apply for P.hd in US or UK ?

Only IELTS is ok ?

and how much is the average stipend in US ?

Iamlooking for fully fund PHD program in molecular biology, could you help me ??

I’m looking for fully funded phD programe in disease biology especially incancer biology,could you please help me to earn this?

I am registered to study for a DPhil degree in Tourism and Hospitality at one of the State Universities in Zimbabwe in Africa. I am seeking sponsorship.

I am starting a PhD Education this fall. The program is fully funded with a small stipend/assistantship. However, it is not nearly enough to live off of. Are there grants that help with living expenses while pursuing a PhD? Since the program is fully funded, you don’t get a refund check either, correct?

Hi Nina, typically stipends are well less than $30K per year, so no matter where you live, this might not be enough for all your living expenses. If you need additional part-time work, grants or financial aid to meet your expenses the best place to ask is your university’s financial aid office. There are also some external fellowships that you can apply for which are listed in the ProFellow database under “Type – Doctoral Study”

HELLO, I JUST GOT A DOCTORAL OFFER FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND NEW ZEALAND AND I WILL BE PAYING NZ$23,000 PER YEAR FOR A PERIOD OF 3 YEARS. THIS COVERS ALL I NEED. PLEASE IS THERE ANYONE THAT KNOWS HOW I COULD BE ASSISTED TO RAISE THE MONEY? I WILL REALLY APPRECIATE.

New Zealand offers International Doctoral Research Scholarships for three years of full PhD funding – and applications are now open! Apply by July 15 at http://www.enz.govt.nz/our-services/scholarships/nzidrs#overlay=node/729/edit

Pls I’m in need of useful links and information on how to obtain full funded ph.d programme in area of public health..Your urgent response will be greatly appreciated .Thanks

In a word, wow!! I can’t believe the funds are in my account already. Thank you, thank you, thank you! You made what is usually a long, drawn out and intimidating chore into a very pleasant and streamlined experience. I can’t thank you and Mr. Amazing Loans enough. Mr. Amazing Loans for the terrific system, and you for the wonderful service. You are both quite awesome! if you need an urgent loan you can email them at [email protected]

Vansaders Raymond,NV

Hello, any programs for PhD in nursing?

Yes, Johns Hopkins gives full funding for 2 years: http://nursing.jhu.edu/academics/programs/doctoral/phd/funding.html

Nice work you are doing here. Pls I’m in need of useful links and information on how to obtain full funded ph.d programme in area of public health..Your urgent response will be greatly appreciated .Thanks

Hi Philip – we haven’t yet prepared an article on PhD programs in Public Health but it is on the list and we hope to publish one soon!

Thanks for the prompt reply..Please can you give me something to work with before the article is published. Atleast from your wealth of experience and research…Its an urgent need for me..Thanks

Hi Philip – I just published an article on fully funded PhD programs in Public Health. See: https://www.profellow.com/tips/fully-funded-phd-programs-in-public-health/

Hey guys, my wife is starting her PhD in the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. She is going to research on topic related to perception of child sexual assault and her data will be taken in Nigeria. She will be spending about 6 months there. Is there any fellowship that provides field work stipend for PhD researches. Thanks

Yes! Please check out the fellowships in ProFellow’s database. There is a filter under type for “Doctoral study” that includes fellowships for field work. She should also ask her university if there are department grants for field work.

Hi. Looking for a fully funded PhD program in Conflict Analysis and Resolution. It is not the same thing as International Studies or Development. Any ideas? Thanks for the article.

HI. I am a graduate student in MS of International Management Technology from Shahid Beheshti University, in Iran. i would be interested in receiving information about the PhD funding program in your university. Thank u in advance

HI. I am a graduate student with an MSc in Energy, Water and Environmental Management from University Of Abertay in Scotland. I would be interested in receiving information about the PhD funding, sponsorship or scholarship program in any University. Thank u in advance

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hello. I am trying to purse my phD in TESOL in the states. Are there any schools offer fully funded

I am doing doctorate studies in Tourism and Hospitality in Zimbabwe. The tourism industry is a multi – billion dollar industry and has a lot of potential particularly for developing countries such as Zimbabwe where I am a university lecturer. Doctorate holders in tourism and hospitality in Zimbabwean universities are very few indeed. At some of the local universities, you could actually count them on the fingers of one hand. The lack of highly qualified academics is militating against the development of the sector in the country in particular and in Southern Africa in general. This is what has motivated my appeal for funding. I am looking for funding for my DPhil studies so that i may add to the statistics of doctorate holders in an area that wields tremendous potential but sadly, is deficient of highly qualified personnel. My email is [email protected] . Cell phone 00263 735 501 896. Thank you and God bless!

I am interested in fully funded PhD Control System Engineering programs any recommendations

Our next article will be on Fully Funded PhD Programs in Engineering, stay tuned!

Hi, I am interested to study in Fully Funded PhD Positions in chemistry. I am graduated of the Master’s Degree in Organic Chemistry from Iran. Please guide me.

Florida Atlantic University

Hi, I have a Masters degree in Political Science with a 3.1 GPA. I would like to know if anyone knows a fully-funded PhD programme in Diplomacy, Public Policy or any related programme. Kindly share the opportunity with me on my mail [email protected]

hie..im a masters degree graduate of agricultural extension education.is there any possibility of me finding a fully funded fellowship?

Did you find anything? I’m looking for the same thing.

I have an MSc Public Sector Management with 3.29 GPA , please do anyone have information on a PHD. Scholarship in Public Management , financial regulation or Public Policy ?

I got fellowship doctorate degree in any Australia , and get prepared thesis already I have passed M.A (English ) and M.A (history) 1st year passed this year 2017 completed final year in Himalayan university (India). now interested to doctorate degree. My date of birth 31/07/1956 now age 61 years,

My name is shelly moore i want to talk about something that I am just very excited about; I had a small bakery and in my apartment, I had a bad credit. It became very though for me, because people do not want to loan; banks and other financial institution do not want to loan money to us due to bad credit. So I needed to find someone that was very lenient and also could pay really quick to us. We wanted to add on to our restaurant in other words we needed an $75,000 loan which was really difficult at that time. So a friend of mine ‘Helen Waters’ said check: [email protected] . I was scared because I didn’t want to get scammed. On a second thought i took the risk and applied for the loan. That day I got a response and I got funded the next day, I am so happy, I couldn’t believe how quick it was. I now have a decent credit and my business has expanded and I have a decent credit.

Hello, Are there any online fully funded doctoral programs in education

I took admission in phd through project( part time), but the project is now completed . `what type of fellowship available for part time students to continue phd. I have no GATE and NET score

I have a B.S. in chemistry 2002 would like to get masters/PhD in engineering- interested in robotics/computers what would be the best path to take without me having to go back for a second B.S. degree?

Hi, I am Sharada completed my ME from Pune University (India), moving to US on H4 visa. I am willing to do Phd from any university in Ohio, US. Please refer me any engineering college or university who can fund for my further study. Please share the procedure to get it funded.

I just turned 60, have both an MBA and an MSCS, and 28 years as a software developer, mostly for defense contractors. I cannot get full-time work in software development (having never worked on a website or smartphone app), and have been teaching math, business and CS part-time. All the choice full-time teaching positions require of prefer PhDs. Are there any online PhD programs in math, CS or business that don’t cost $50K?

Hi Norm, I’m not aware of any free or low-cost online PhD programs. These are typically run by for-profit universities that do not offer tuition offsets and stipends.

Comments are closed.

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PhD Student Funding Overview

At Yale, you can earn your doctorate at our expense. 

Our funding packages for Yale PhD students are among the most generous in the world. Every PhD student receives a fellowship for the full cost of tuition, a stipend for living expenses, and paid health coverage, though the details of your funding package will differ depending on your academic program. On average, doctoral students receive more than $500,000 in tuition fellowships, stipends, and health premium benefits over the course of their enrollment. Full PhD funding normally extends for a minimum of five years, unless your doctoral program is of shorter duration, e.g., Investigative Medicine, Law, Nursing, and Public Health. 

The main categories of funding available to PhD students are detailed below. Our Programs & Policies handbook contains additional information about funding and fellowship opportunities available at the Graduate School, along with applicable policies. 

If you have questions about your funding, you can ask your program registrar or DGS, Graduate Financial Aid, or Associate Dean Robert Harper-Mangels.

Types of Funding for PhD Students

University Fellowships (UFs) are provided through the Graduate School and do not require teaching in Yale's Teaching Fellow Program. UFs are often used during the initial year(s) of your doctoral program to cover your stipend and tuition, when you are engaged in coursework and identifying an adviser.

For official policies governing University Fellowships, including information on deferring a UF, please see our Programs & Policies Bulletin .

In subsequent years and in most programs, your stipend will be funded by a teaching fellowship or a research assistantship.

Teaching Fellowships (TFs) are contingent on teaching Yale's Teaching Fellow Program (TFP). While you are on a TF, a portion of your stipend is compensation for teaching. The rest of your stipend will come from other sources, depending on your department or program. See the Teaching Fellow Funding page for more information.

The teaching portion of your stipend is subject to federal tax withholding, so you will notice a difference in your paycheck in teaching versus non-teaching semesters.

In lieu of teaching in the Teaching Fellow Program, PhD students in the humanities and social sciences may choose to undertake one of the available Professional Development Opportunities . These positions allow you to gain professional experience at a library, museum, or other office on campus relevant to your studies. 

If you are in the natural sciences, your funding will likely come from training grants and faculty research grants at some point during your enrollment. In most programs, you may only join a research group that has active grant funding. Please consult with your DGS, if you have questions about this aspect of your funding package.

We strongly encourage you to compete for external fellowships. Winning an external award in a national competition, whether sponsored by a public or private agency, is a significant honor. External fellowships may be subject to our Combined Award policy. Please be sure to review our External Fellowships & Awards page to understand how external awards interact with university funding.

An external fellowship may also offer you added flexibility in your program. 

• If you are a student in the natural sciences, an external fellowship may allow you to pursue a project or idea that is otherwise not eligible for financial support through your adviser’s research funding. 
• If you are a student in the humanities or social sciences, an external fellowship might allow you to defer a University Fellowship (UF) to a subsequent term or year. 

You can search for external fellowships through the Yale Student Grants Database , other university search engines (e.g., UCLA ), and commercial sites .

You must notify the Graduate School of any external awards you receive. 

• Send a copy of your award letter to the Financial Aid Office at [email protected] .
• If your award is subject to the Combined Award policy, then you will receive a combined award letter via email when your award has been processed, outlining your updated funding package. 

For any questions and concerns regarding your combined award letter, please contact the Graduate School Financial Aid Office via email at [email protected]. Associate Dean Robert Harper-Mangels can also advise regarding our Combined Award policy.

Additional GSAS Financial Support

Phd stipends.

An overview of information relevant to the PhD stipend.

Health Award

The Graduate School provides Yale Health Basic Coverage at no cost to all students (Master's and PhD) who are enrolled at least half-time in degree-seeking programs. In addition, all PhD students registered at least half-time receive a Health Fellowship Award that covers the cost of Yale Health Hospitalization/Specialty Care Coverage.

Featured Resource

Family Support Subsidy for Parenting PhD Students

PhD students who are registered full-time in any year of study are eligible for the family support subsidy to assist with child-related expenses.

Dean's Emergency Fund

The Dean’s Emergency Fund enables terminal master’s and PhD students in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences to continue making academic progress despite unanticipated, extreme financial hardships that cannot be resolved through fellowships, loans, or personal resources. The maximum award for eligible requests is $2,000.

Conference Travel Fellowship (CTF)

https://gsa.yale.edu/ctf

By partnering with the MacMillan Center and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, graduate students with representatives in the Graduate Student Assembly are eligible for annual conference travel funding of up to $800.

PhD Student Travel Health Fellowship

If you are a PhD student traveling for dissertation research, the Graduate School provides a Travel Health Fellowship to cover the cost of required immunizations and prescription drugs at Yale Health.

Graduate Financial Aid Office

Office Address

• [email protected]
• 203-432-2739
• 246 Church Street, 2nd Floor

No need to fork out US$40,000 for a PhD – here are 10 fully-funded PhD programmes

The journey to obtaining a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is a long and expensive one.

From completing a diploma or A-level programme to getting a bachelor’s degree, the journey only gets more expensive as you embark on a three to seven-year journey of obtaining your PhD. 

It’s why competition for a fully-funded PhD can be fierce.

On average, the total cost of a PhD programme is somewhere between US$30,000 to US$40,000 per year, depending on where you enrol. This expense does not include the cost of living if you are moving to a different city or country to study.

Multiply that with the number of years it’ll take for you to complete your studies, and you’ll see why it’s not an easy decision to make. 

Still, there are always ways to pursue higher education at a more affordable cost. While student loans are an option, you might want to aim for a fully-funded PhD instead.

Universities are not the only ones funding your PhD. Source: AFP.

What is a fully-funded PhD programme?

A fully-funded programme usually means full tuition reimbursement and a stipend to help cover the cost of living while pursuing the degree.

However, requirements differ according to the university.

Some universities offer a “no-strings-attached” fellowship where they receive funding but do not owe the university anything aside from their research. In many cases, a student will need to work part-time for the university by providing teaching or administrative assistance which might be useful in their professional career.

It’s also important to take note that universities are not the only ones funding your PhD.

Some grants might come from government bodies to support national research objectives and train future professionals to carry them out. Others could come from independent charities that have similar goals or businesses that see potential benefits to achieve their targets.

Financial aid typically does not include the cost of living. Source: AFP.

Things to know before you attempt to secure a fully-funded PhD programme

Before we jump into introducing some fully-funded PhD programmes, let’s take a closer look at how PhD funding starts out. 

Seek advice 

Reach out to an academic advisor or supervisor for advice on the next steps to take. Chances are that they can provide suggestions or even recommendation letters. Otherwise, they can leverage on their own knowledge and networks to redirect you to a better source of information. 

If an advisor isn’t available, try reaching out to the university’s graduates to get a clearer viewpoint from someone with first-hand experience.

Many PhD projects are actually advertised with generous funding, and this is particularly so for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) projects. 

However, it doesn’t mean you won’t find funding in other subjects like education, sociology or even English. 

Be sure you don’t single out universities in your search. Explore opportunities with external parties, such as business or industry partners too. 

Build a funding portfolio

Getting into the PhD scene is competitive, more so when you’re looking to score a fully-funded PhD. To help secure funding, put together a portfolio to make your case as strong as possible. 

Similar to a resume, your portfolio should outline what you plan to study, how long for, and above all else, why you wish to take the PhD. 

This demonstrates your commitment and understanding to the subject and its industry field.

Living costs and expenses

Not all funded PhDs offer to cover your living expenses, especially if you’re an international student. But even if they do, it’s a good idea to set aside some funds for your day-to-day life.

Some fully-funded PhDs offer accommodation for up to a certain amount of years, so if you intend on staying on for a longer period of time, it may be wise to have some finances ready for living on your own.

Determine your timeframe

It’s common for PhD students to work while studying. Part-time study offers that flexibility, but it also stretches out the length of your PhD and increases your maintenance expenses. 

Carefully consider your options before deciding on a part-time or full-time PhD, especially if you’re employed or have other commitments.

Don’t feel discouraged if you’re nervous about your chances of securing a fully-funded PhD. There are many other universities and programmes that readily offer generous funding and high stipends , such as MIT and Stanford University.

These stipends often cover tuition, living expenses, and healthcare, so don’t count them out.

10 fully-funded PhD programmes to check out

1. university of debrecen.

Stipendium Hungaricum provides fully-funded scholarships for international students to study their undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at the University of Debrecen . This programme was designed to support the internationalisation of higher education institutions in Hungary, as well as strengthen relationships with those abroad.

The university is one Hungary’s best, home to almost 30,000 students from over 70 countries and territories. It offers a whopping amount of over 23,000 courses with over 600 degree programmes, so you’ll be sure to find what you need here. 

Apply here .

2. University of Iowa

The Tippie College of Business at the University of Iowa offers a fully-funded PhD programme in fields such as accounting, economics, business analytics, and marketing. 

Tuition and fees are covered, and students are provided with a generous nine-month stipend of about US$20,000. On top of that, they are provided with annual adjustments and a fantastic health insurance plan that covers up to 90% of their medical bills.

Want additional funding? Some departments provide funding for research presentations at conferences, summer fellowships and paid time off for independent research. 

Learn more here .

Columbia University prides itself on offering guaranteed housing beyond the first year. Source: Columbia University Facebook.

3. Columbia University

PhD students at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Columbia University benefit from a robust compensation and benefits package – not just for themselves, but for their dependents too.

The university provides financial support, full tuition remission, summer stipends, affordable Columbia housing, health and dental coverage, and childcare subsidies. They pride themselves on offering guaranteed housing beyond the first year – Arts and Sciences doctoral students are eligible for five academic years of student housing right from their first day.

Learn more here . 

4. Washington University in St. Louis

Doctoral students taking computer science or computer engineering at Washington University in St. Louis receive full tuition support and health insurance, among other perks.

The university is home to cutting-edge degrees and offers doctoral students a chance to qualify for one of three fellowships – The Ann W. and Spencer T. Olin – Chancellor’s Fellowship , McDonnell International Scholars Academy , and the Dean’s International Award .

The university provides financial support for up to six years , as long as the student makes progress towards completion of their degree. On top of that, students receive a free Apple laptop in the latest model.

More information here .

5. University of Michigan

The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor offers generous funding to their doctoral students in engineering. Students can specialise in numerous areas of specialisation, such as aerospace engineering, biomedical engineering, macromolecular science and engineering, and robotics.

This fully-funded PhD provides students with guaranteed funding between four to six years, a monthly living stipend and a comprehensive health insurance plan. Additional funding is available from a range of sources, including graduate student instructor positions and fellowships.

6. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Pursuing your PhD at the MIT Sloan School of Management demands a great deal of time, initiative, and discipline from every candidate. Only 19 students are selected from hundreds of applicants, but the rewards are worth it.

The school’s financial package will cover a period of five years guaranteed to doctoral students, given that you stand out academically. This includes a full academic year tuition, 12 terms of fellowship stipend, medical insurance, a new laptop, and a budget for conference travel or ongoing research.

Assistantship at Rice University could earn you full financial assistance. Source: Rice University Facebook.

7. Rice University

The PhD in business at Rice University is intended for those aspiring to become faculty members at business schools in prestigious research universities around the world. This assistantship could earn you full financial assistance which will come in the form of a tuition waiver and a generous stipend.

The Jones Graduate School of Business houses the PhD programme here where you can choose to focus on various areas of study including Accounting, Finance, Organisational Behaviour, and Strategic Management.

8. Brown University

Students admitted to any PhD programmes at Brown University are guaranteed five years of support including a stipend, tuition remission, health services fee, and health insurance subsidy.

There are also additional forms of financial aid too like federal loans specially for US citizens and permanent residents, private educational loans for both domestic and international students, and resources for scholarships, fellowships, and grants.

More here .

The University of Pennsylvania offers two ways for students to get full funding. Source: University of Pennsylvania Facebook.

9. University of Pennsylvania

There are two ways for Penn Graduate School of Education students to get full funding at the University of Pennsylvania .

The first is through the Dean’s Fellowship and Research Apprenticeship which includes tuition and fees, health insurance, and a living stipend. Students would also receive a fellowship and research apprenticeship package which covers four years of study.

The other is the IES Predoctoral Training Programme which offers financial and skill-building support to selected applicants. This multi-year training programme is designed to prepare PhD students committed to learning rigorous methods for conducting research.

10. Yale University

At Yale University , the School of Nursing offers fully-funded PhD degrees to its students. There are three types of scholarships available through programmes namely the Merit-Based Programme, Need-Based Programme, and Community Scholars Programme.

The Merit-Based Programme is awarded through admissions. All incoming students, both domestic and international, can sign up where they will go through a holistic review process. The Need-Based Programme is for US citizens and permanent residents.

Lastly, the new Community Scholars Programme provides complete remission of tuition, fees, and health insurance along with an annual stipend for selected students.

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Top Fully Funded PhD Programs

Karla Ibarra is a content writer at Scholarships 360. She has worked as an English teacher and writing tutor. As a writing tutor, she has experience editing scholarships and college application essays. Karla graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in Communication and a minor in English.

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Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.

Fully funded PhD programs offer students seeking their doctor of philosophy degrees the ultimate experience. With the average cost of a PhD at nearly $81,000 , students are able to focus on their studies without worrying about paying for their degrees or living expenses. Keep reading to learn about some of the top fully funded PhD programs in a variety of majors.

What is a “Doctorate of Philosophy” degree?

A “doctorate of philosophy” degree, better known as a PhD, is among the highest level degrees in the United States. A PhD is awarded after the successful completion of an extensive research and writing project known as a dissertation. Students can earn a PhD in a variety of fields, with most majoring in the humanities or social sciences. 

Further reading: What is a PhD?

How we chose the fully funded PhD programs on our list

We looked for programs that have stellar reputations in their respective majors. It makes sense that the most reputable programs offer the resources that are most important to  PhD students. Working with distinguished professors in their field and having access to outstanding libraries, PhD students will be immersed in the ideal learning environment. 

Opportunities to learn under and network with the most well regarded academics is invaluable for students’ future careers. Finally, we looked for fully funded programs that include not only full tuition coverage, but also living stipends and health insurance. A few of the programs might require students to “give back” in the way of graduate assistantships , so keep that in mind as you read the fine print on each website. 

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The top fully funded phd programs.

The following list is in alphabetical order with no preference for one particular program. We included a variety of majors in different regions, but remember, this is just the start of an exhaustive listing of fully funded PhD programs across the USA and the world!

Boston College

The PhD in English Program at Boston College prepares students for careers in academia or other English related fields. With a focus on critical thinking, writing, and research, the program explores  literature through abstract, cultural, and historical contexts. Students are able to focus on various literature periods, creative writing, and literary theory. Working closely with renowned faculty, the program offers abundant resources and support services including fellowships and publishing opportunities. 

• Location: Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
• Focus of study : Creative writing, critical theory, and literary and cultural studies
• What is included : Full tuition remission, health insurance, and a living stipend

Brown University

Brown University offers a PhD program in Computer Science for students interested in a strong foundation in computer science theory and applications and opportunities to conduct research in collaboration with faculty and peers. Brown’s computer science department has research strengths in artificial intelligence, data science, cybersecurity, computer graphics, and theory. The program is designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge needed to conduct independent research in computer science and to prepare them for academic or industrial careers.

• Location: Providence, Rhode Island
• Focus of study : Algorithms, artificial intelligence, computer systems, databases, and more
• What is included : Full tuition, health insurance, and living stipend

Cornell University

Cornell University offers a PhD program in Chemical Engineering to provide students with a broad foundation in chemical engineering principles and their application to solving real-world problems. The program aims to train students in core courses in chemical engineering, including transport phenomena, thermodynamics, and reaction engineering, while providing them with opportunities to conduct original research. Students in the program have access to state-of-the-art research facilities, funding opportunities, and a supportive community of faculty and fellow students.

• Location: Ithaca, New York
• Focus of study : Chemical engineering principles and research topics including biotechnology, energy, materials science, and process systems engineering
• What is included: Full tuition waiver, stipend, and health insurance

Duke University

Duke University’s PhD program in literature prepares students for careers in academic research and teaching. The program offers a variety of courses in literary theory, criticism, and methodology, as well as opportunities to specialize in specific genres, periods, and cultures. The program also encourages interdisciplinary work, with opportunities to collaborate with scholars in other fields across the university. Graduates of the program have gone on to careers in academia, publishing, journalism, and other areas.

• Location: Durham, North Carolina
• Focus of study : Literary theory, research methods, and a range of cultural and literary texts
• What is included : Five years of living stipend, tuition, and fees support as well as six years of health and dental insurance

Harvard University

The PhD program in Biological Sciences in Public Health at Harvard University is designed for students who want to pursue research in the field of public health with a focus on biological sciences. The program focuses on the intersection of biology and public health, specifically emphasizing understanding the biological mechanisms underlying disease and developing strategies to prevent and treat illness. PhD students receive a rigorous education in both biological and public health sciences, preparing them to become leaders in advancing our understanding of human health and disease.

• Location: Boston, Massachusetts
• Focus of study : Cancer biology, environmental health, genetics, global health and infectious diseases.
• What is included : Competitive funding packages, including tuition waivers, stipends, and health insurance

Johns Hopkins University

The PhD in Nursing program at Johns Hopkins University is designed to prepare nurse scientists who will conduct research to advance nursing science and improve the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities. The program is designed to be interdisciplinary, integrating knowledge from nursing, social and behavioral sciences, and biostatistics. PhD students may work as nursing faculty members, researchers, or policymakers, contributing to advancing nursing practice and developing nursing knowledge.

• Location: Baltimore, Maryland
• Focus of study : Aging and dementia care, cardiovascular and chronic care, community and public health, health systems and outcomes, and more
• What is included: Full tuition with a stipend for the first three years of study

New York University

New York University offers a PhD in Education through its Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. The program provides a solid foundation in education theory and research methods, including coursework, research apprenticeships, and independent research. Upon graduation, students are well-prepared to pursue careers in academia, research, policy, and leadership in educational organizations. They are also equipped with the skills and knowledge to contribute to developing and implementing policies and practices in education.

• Location: New York, New York
• Focus of study : Learning sciences, educational policy, educational technology, and curriculum development. 
• What is included: Annual stipend, tuition coverage for required course work, and health insurance through the fifth year

Princeton University

Princeton University offers a PhD program in mathematics that is designed to prepare students for careers in academia, industry, or government. The program aims to provide a rigorous and comprehensive mathematics education, emphasizing both the theoretical foundations and applications of the discipline. Students take advanced courses in various mathematical fields, such as algebra, geometry, analysis, topology, and applied mathematics. Princeton’s program in mathematics is widely regarded as one of the world’s most prestigious and rigorous programs.

• Location: Princeton, New Jersey 
• Focus of study : Algebraic geometry, mathematical physics, number theory, and topology
• What is included: Full tuition and student health plan coverage

Rice University

Rice University offers a PhD in Business through its Jones Graduate School of Business, designed to prepare students for academic careers and research-oriented positions in industry and government. Students in the program take courses in microeconomics, econometrics, statistics, research methods, and business ethics. In addition to coursework and research, students in the program are encouraged to work as teaching or research assistants. Rice University’s PhD program provides students with a strong foundation in business theory and research methods, with opportunities to work with world-class faculty on cutting-edge research projects.

• Location: Houston, Texas
• Focus of study : Accounting, finance, management, marketing, and strategic management
• What is included : Waived tuition fees, a stipend to cover living expenses, health insurance, and may be eligible for research and travel funding to support their research projects

University of Chicago

The PhD program in History at the University of Chicago is a demanding but rewarding experience that prepares students for a career in academia as scholars or teaching in the field of history. The program focuses on developing students’ knowledge of cultural, intellectual, economic, political, and social history under the guidance of highly qualified faculty advisors. PhD students also have the opportunity to present their research at conferences and publish articles in academic journals.

• Location: Chicago, Illinois
• Focus of study : Ancient, contemporary, early modern, medieval, or modern history 
• What is included: Tuition, student health insurance, and a stipend for living expenses and research support

University of Michigan

The PhD in Engineering at the University of Michigan is a top-rated program that prepares students for research and academic careers in various engineering disciplines, including biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, civil and environmental engineering, electrical engineering, and many more. PhD students are equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to conduct independent research, develop new technologies, and advance the engineering field. The University of Michigan has a strong reputation for research and innovation, and the PhD program in Engineering provides students with ample opportunities to collaborate with faculty and industry partners.

• Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan 
• Focus of study : Materials science, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science.
• What is included: Tuition waiver, monthly living stipend, and health insurance 

University of North Carolina

The PhD program in Media and Communication at the University of North Carolina provides students with advanced knowledge and skills in media and communication theories, research methods, and critical analysis. Students can tailor their studies to their research interests by choosing from a variety of electives and seminars offered by the department. Graduates of the program have gone on to work in academia, media organizations, research institutions, and other industries where communication skills and media literacy are highly valued.

• Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina 
• Focus of study : Media and politics, journalism studies, digital media, global media, media effects, and cultural studies
• What is included: Tuition and fees for three years, health insurance, a $20,000+ annual stipend, and support for research and travel

Keep reading: PhD vs. Doctorate: Everything You Need to Know

Frequently asked questions about fully funded PhDs

What does 'fully funded phd' mean, can international students apply for fully funded phds, how long does a fully funded phd program take, do i need to have a master's degree to apply for a phd, what is the difference between a phd and a professional doctorate, scholarships360 recommended.

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Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

Women’s, gender, and sexuality studies (wgss) graduate student research funding application.

The WGSS Program is happy to announce a new funding resource for graduate students in the WGSS Certificate or Combined PhD program.  Up to seven WGSS graduate students per academic year will receive up to $700 each towards travel to an academic conference related to their work in the Certificate or Combined PhD program.  WGSS understands that those who do interdisciplinary scholarship often need to attend multiple conferences a year, and we are grateful to be able to support the professional development of our Certificate and PhD students.  Applications will be accepted twice per academic year, in February and October, with priority given to those who are presenting papers and who lack other sources of funding.  Note that the award does not cover food expenses.

These funds cannot provide reimbursement for expenses already incurred.

The Fall 2024 deadline is Wednesday, October 9, 2024 by 11:59 PM. The Spring 2025 deadline is Wednesday, February 5, 2025 by 11:59 PM.

Commonwealth PhD Scholarships

by Alumni Team | Aug 2, 2022

COMMONWEALTH PHD SCHOLARSHIPS

How to apply, supporting documentation, advice for applicants, choosing a university/course, applicant eligibility.

• Eligible countries

Completing the application form

• Selection process and criteria

Tenure and placement

Financial assistance, general conditions, faqs and enquiries.

Commonwealth PhD Scholarships are for applicants from least developed countries and vulnerable states, as classified by the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC), in the Commonwealth, for full-time doctoral study at a UK university.

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) provides the UK government scholarship scheme led by international development objectives. It operates within the framework of the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) and offers a vivid demonstration of the UK’s enduring commitment to the Commonwealth. By attracting individuals with outstanding talent and identifiable potential from all backgrounds and supporting them to become leaders and innovators on returning to their home countries, the CSC’s work combines sustainable development with the UK national interest and provides opportunities for international partnerships and collaboration.

Purpose: Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) , Commonwealth PhD scholarships contribute to the development needs of Commonwealth countries by supporting research that will have a developmental impact. They also enhance individual teaching and research capacity leading to increase institutional capacity in academic and other sectors in Commonwealth countries, and will contribute to UK higher education and research by attracting high-calibre international applicants and encouraging links and collaboration, and are aimed at those who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK.

Intended beneficiaries: Commonwealth PhD scholarships are for high-quality graduates who have the potential to undertake world-class research of a developmental nature and to become influential leaders, teachers, or researchers in their home countries.

These scholarships are offered under the six  CSC Development themes .

Applications for Commonwealth PhD scholarships for the 202 5 /2 6 academic year are now open . The deadline for submitting an application is 16:00 hours BST (15:00 GMT) on 1 5 October 202 4 . The s cholarships are for study in the UK beginning in September/October 2 02 5 .  

Applications to the CSC must be made using the CSC’s online application system .

The CSC is unable to accept any applications or documentation not submitted via the online application system .

Applicants are advised to complete and submit applications as early as possible, as the online application system will be very busy in the days leading up to the application deadline.

As well as applying to the CSC, applicants must apply to a nominator.

There are three types of nominator invited to participate in the PhD scholarship programme:  

• National nominating agencies  – this is the main route of application.
• Selected universities/university bodies  – which can nominate their own academic staff.
• Selected non-governmental organisations and charitable bodies .

Participating n ominators put forward an agreed number of candidates to the CSC for consideration . The CSC does not accept direct applications for these scholarships.

Each nominator oversees its own selection process and may have additional eligibility criteria. Applicants must check with the nominator for their specific advice and rules for applying, and their own eligibility criteria.

Nominators may set their own closing dates for applications. They will nominate candidates to the CSC in December 2024.  

Selections are made from the pool of nominations. Candidates are asked to note that a nomination is no guarantee of selection.

Applicants can expect to hear the outcome of their applications by July 2025. We will contact all applicants by email and they should ensure all folders of their email accounts are monitored, including junk mail and spam folders. A scholarship offer may be withdrawn if a candidate is emailed but does not respond within a specified time.  

Applications must include supporting documentation to be eligible.

Please note that applicants are required to collect references and supporting statements, either on institution letterhead or an email clearly showing the sender’s details, from referees and proposed supervisors in the UK, and then upload them in PDF format to the application system with their other supporting documentation.

The references and supporting statements must be uploaded to the application system by the deadline for applications and we are unable to accept references and supporting statements any other way or after this date.

Applicants must upload the following documents with the application:

• Proof that they are a citizen or have refugee status in an eligible Commonwealth country: a copy of a valid passport (or national ID card) showing a photograph, date of birth, and country of citizenship.
• Full transcripts detailing all higher education qualifications, including to-date transcripts for any courses currently being studied, with certified translations if not in English. Where any transcripts are missing or do not include all pages, the application will be considered ineligible.
• References from at least two individuals, in PDF format, signed and on institutional letterhead or an email clearly showing the sender’s details.
• A supporting statement, in PDF format, signed and either on institutional letterhead or an email clearly showing the sender’s details, from a proposed supervisor in the UK from at least one of the institutions named on the application form.

Applications will be considered ineligible if any of the required documentation is not included by the closing date.

The CSC will not accept supporting documentation submitted outside the online application system.

When completing the references, referees should be asked to comment as fully as possible on the applicant, keeping in mind the following points for inclusion, as appropriate:

• How long, and in what capacity, the referee has known the applicant.
• The referee’s views on the applicant’s suitability for the proposed Scholarship and the need for the particular subject of study in the UK.
• capability to grasp concepts and reason analytically;
• capacity for original thought;
• and motivation and perseverance in achieving objectives.
• Assessment of the applicant’s particular strengths and weaknesses.
• The applicant’s potential to impact development in their home country.
• Any other general qualities which the referee considers would make the applicant a good recipient of a Scholarship.

Please note that the CSC does not charge apply for any of its scholarships or fellowships through its online application system.

When completing supporting statements, proposed supervisors should be asked to confirm that they are, in principle, prepared to have the applicant working with them and that they have the facilities to undertake the research. They should also be asked how the applicant’s plan of study fits with the expertise of their department and to indicate how much of the applicant’s plan of study, if any, they wrote. Any additional comments they make will be appreciated by the Commission.

Applicants can find general information about applying for a Commonwealth Scholarship on our advice for applicants page .

Applicants may find the following resources useful when researching their choices of institution and course of study in the UK:

• Study UK – British Council website, with guidance for international students and a course and institution search
• Steps to Postgraduate Study – a guide to asking the right questions about taught postgraduate study in the UK
• Postgrad.com  – information for postgraduate students, with a course search
• Prospects – information on postgraduate study in the UK
• Research Excellent Framework 2021 results – results of a system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions
• UCAS Postgraduate – guidance on how to find and apply for a postgraduate course
• Discover Uni – the official website for comparing UK higher education course data
• UKCISA (UK Council for International Student Affairs) – advice for international students on choosing a course of study

The CSC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Applicants can also discover how Commonwealth Alumni are making an impact and leading change across critical development issues by visiting our development impact stories page .

To apply for this scholarship, applicants must:

• Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person.
• Be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country.
• Be available to start academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September 2025.
• By September 2025, hold a first degree of at least upper second-class (2:1) honours standard, or a lower second-class degree and a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree)*.
• Not be registered for a PhD, or an MPhil leading to a PhD, at a UK university or in their home country before September/October 2025.
• Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship.
• Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format.

*The CSC recognises that disabled people have often faced and overcome challenges or barriers in their education journey which have prevented them achieving the academic requirement for a Commonwealth Scholarship. Disabled applicants who can demonstrate their potential to contribute to international development but who do not hold a 2:1 Undergraduate degree may be considered for a contextualised nomination through the Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum (CDPF) nominator. For more information, please contact CDPF directly using the details on our NGOs and charitable body nominators page .

The CSC aims to identify talented individuals who have the potential to make change. We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity and non-discrimination and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants. For further information on the support available to scholars who share that they have a disability, see the  CSC disability support statement .

There is no age limit for CSC applications. Applicants are advised to confirm with their employers any age restrictions on leave entitlement they may have in place.

Eligible Countries

Please note that only candidates from the eligible countries listed below can apply for Commonwealth PhD Scholarships .

Bangladesh Cameroon The Gambia Kenya Kiribati Lesotho Malawi Mozambique Nigeria Pakistan Rwanda Sierra Leone Solomon Islands Sri Lanka Tanzania Togo Tuvalu Uganda Zambia

In the application form, applicants are asked to:

• List all undergraduate and postgraduate university qualifications obtained.
• List up to 10 publications and prizes.
• Provide details of employment history and explain how the experience gained supports and is relevant to the programme to be undertaken in the UK.
• List names and positions of three referees who are qualified to comment on both their capacity to benefit from the proposed Scholarship in the UK and their ability to deliver development impact afterwards. One of the referees must be a current employer (if applicable) and at least two references must be included with the application.
• Provide a Development Impact statement in four parts.

In the first part applicants should explain how the proposed scholarship relates to:

• Development issues at the global, national, and local level
• Development issues connected to the chosen CSC development theme and the wider sector

The second part should explain how they intend to apply their new skills once the Scholarship ends.

The third part should outline what they expect will change in development terms following the Scholarship, including:

• The outcomes that they aim to achieve
• The timeframe for their implementation
• Who the beneficiaries will be

In the fourth part applicants should write about how the impact of their work could be best measured and evidenced.

Applicants are also asked to:

• Confirm what their award objectives are and how each of them will be met by the Scholarship programme.
• Confirm what their career plans are for the 5 years following the Scholarship.
• Confirm their long-term career plans.
• Provide a detailed plan of study.
• Provide a personal statement to summarise the ways in which their personal background has encouraged them to want to make an impact in their home country. Applicants may wish to highlight any areas where they have already made significant contributions, including overcoming personal or community barriers in accessing higher education or within their field.
• Summarise the ways in which they have engaged in voluntary activities and the opportunities they have had to demonstrate leadership.

Selection Process and criteria

Applications will be considered according to the following selection criteria:

• Academic merit
• Quality of research proposal
• Potential impact on the development of the candidate’s come country

For further details, see the Commonwealth Scholarships selection criteria .

Applicants should note the criteria carefully and link their answers in the application form to each point listed.

Scholarships are tenable at any approved UK university or higher education institution with which the CSC has a part-funding agreement for a specific programme of research for 36 months of full-time study only. For the full list, see here: cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk/uk-universities

Scholarships are to obtain one degree; funding will not be extended to enable candidates to complete a qualification in addition to or higher than that for which the selection was made.

Scholarships are made in respect of full-time study only and no other course of study may be undertaken at the same time.

The CS C does not support four-year PhDs.  

The CSC does not provide new direct financial or promotional support for the fossil fuel energy sector overseas, defined as the extraction, production, transportation, refining and marketing of crude oil, natural gas or thermal coal, as well as any fossil-fuel fired power plants.

Applicants must make clear in the application which qualification they are applying for. This will enable the CSC to consider the application in the correct category. Applications which do not make this clear may be considered ineligible.

Applicants are advised to list three universities and supervisors that they think are the most appropriate for their study, in order of preference, and to explain their reasons. This is important because the CSC will not change the university or supervisor (or the order of preference) of a provisionally selected candidate after the point of selection, unless exceptional information becomes available that could not have been foreseen at the time of application.

The CSC will make the final decision on institution of study, and reserves the right to overrule any preferences indicated by the candidate. The CSC will consider the suitability of the course and its value for money when deciding on any overrule.

Applicants must take the necessary steps to apply for admission to their preferred universities in advance of their scholarship application. Many courses have strict admission deadlines and candidates should check admission requirements carefully when applying. If an applicant is selected for a scholarship and has not applied and been accepted for a course, it may not be possible to proceed with the scholarship.

Applicants must provide a supporting statement for a named supervisor from at least one of the UK universities to which they are applying. Details of what the supporting statement should include are outlined in the supporting documentation section. Applicants are strongly advised to provide a supporting statement from a supervisor at the first choice university. If not, the CSC reserves the right to select for placement at another university for which a statement is provided.

Each scholarship provides:

• Approved airfare from the Scholar’s home country to the UK and return at the end of the award (the CSC will not reimburse the cost of fares for dependants, nor the cost of journeys made before the award is confirmed).
• Approved tuition fees: full fees are covered by agreement between the CSC and the UK university, and Scholars are not liable to pay for any part of the tuition fee.
• Stipend (living allowance) at the rate of £1,378 per month, or £1,690 per month for those at universities in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at current levels).
• Warm clothing allowance, where applicable.
• Study travel grant towards the cost of study-related travel within the UK or overseas.
• Provision towards the cost of fieldwork undertaken overseas (the cost of one economy class return airfare to the fieldwork location), where approved.
• Paid mid-term visit (airfare) to the Scholar’s home country, unless they have claimed or intend to claim spouse and/or child allowances during their scholarship or have received a return airfare to their home country for fieldwork.
• If a Scholar is accompanied by their spouse but no children: spouse allowance of £297 per month for a maximum period of nine months, if they and their spouse are living together at the same address in the UK (unless the spouse is also in receipt of a scholarship; other conditions also apply).
• If a Scholar is accompanied by their spouse and children: spouse allowance of £297 per month and child allowance of £297 per month for the first child, and £146 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if their spouse and children are living with them at the same address in the UK (unless their spouse is also in receipt of a scholarship; other conditions also apply).
• If a Scholar has children and is widowed, divorced, or a single parent, child allowance of child allowance of £590 per month for the first child, and £146 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if their children are living with them at the same address in the UK.

If a Scholar shares that they have a disability, a full assessment of their needs and eligibility for additional financial support will be offered by the CSC.

The CSC’s family allowances are intended to be only a contribution towards the cost of maintaining a Scholar’s family in the UK. The true costs are likely to be considerably higher, and Scholars must be able to supplement these allowances to support any family members who accompany them to the UK.

For more information, see the current Handbook for Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows .  

Please note that the conditions outlined in the Handbook are subject to change.

A Commonwealth Scholarship covers fees, approved fares, and personal maintenance. Other scholarships, awards, or bursaries that cover the same costs may not be held concurrently.

For the CSC to administer the application effectively and efficiently after submission, it will be necessary to create a record in the applicant’s name. If they apply for an award to the CSC, their details will be kept on file. Basic anonymised demographic data for all applicants will be kept for analytical research. The CSC is committed to protecting personal information and to being transparent about the information we are collecting about applicants and what we do with it. To find out more, see our privacy notice .

Applicant’s personal information will be used to conduct necessary due diligence checks to CSC’s satisfaction, before CSC proceeds with any type of formal agreement or contractual relationship. In most cases, the due diligence checks will be straightforward, however further information may be requested, so we ask for full co-operation to speed up the process.

If an applicant does not agree to personal data being used for the purpose of conducting due diligence, unfortunately CSC will not be able to proceed further with the application process.

If an application is successful, the CSC will notify the applicant that they have been provisionally selected (selected for an award subject to the CSC agreeing terms of admission to the university) at which point they will be a provisional scholarship candidate.

The CSC does not require any applicants to take an IELTS (English language) test.

The CSC will not be able to offer a scholarship if it would contravene the terms and conditions of another scholarship previously held.

When terms of admission to the university have been agreed, the CSC will provide a Notification of Award (formal offer of a scholarship).

When all conditions of the Notification of Award have been met, the CSC will provide a formal Confirmation of Award.

Candidates will be required to submit a Health and Disability Form  before the Confirmation of Award can be issued.

Candidates will be required to sign an undertaking to return to their home country as soon as possible after the end of the award.

Candidates are expected to start the award on the date stated in the Notification of Award.

If a candidate requires a Student visa to come to the UK to study, they must meet all relevant immigration requirements set by UK Visas and Immigration. They should check the GOV.UK website for updated information.

All UK immigration regulations are set by UK Visas and Immigration and are subject to change. The CSC has no control over these regulations.

Candidates will be selected for an award based on the plan of study outlined on the application form, which is not expected to change significantly during the award. Any such changes must be agreed by the CSC.

Throughout their award, Scholars are expected to reside in the UK, and must seek approval from the CSC in advance of any overseas travel.

Scholars must not undertake paid employment during the award without approval from the CSC in advance.

Collaboration is a feature of doctoral research. The CSC expects that participants in collaborative projects will develop a collaborative agreement to clarify the contributions and rights of each partner. The CSC will not get involved in negotiating an exploitation agreement but will need to be assured that an arrangement acceptable to all parties exists. Arrangements should be made to identify, protect, and value any arising intellectual property and to secure a suitable return to the institution and the investigators through exploitation. The CSC considers the intellectual property ownership to lie initially with the student; however, many universities have their own locally applicable policy. In many cases, it is in the best interest of a student for ownership to be vested with the university, which will have greater negotiating powers and will be likely to be able to seek the best returns in any exploitation agreement. Award holders are expected to notify the CSC when CSC-funded intellectual property is exploited.

The CSC will consider a request to extend a Scholar’s leave to remain in the UK after their award only if they wish to move from Master’s to PhD study. Strict conditions will apply.

The CSC cannot provide a letter of support or permission for Scholars to remain in or return to the UK after the award to enable them to work or undertake postdoctoral study.

The following are not eligible to apply for a Commonwealth Scholarship or Fellowship; an employee, a former employee, or relative of an employee of the Government of the United Kingdom; or a staff member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities or the British Council; or a Commonwealth Scholarship Commissioner, former Commonwealth Scholarship Commissioner or a relative of a Commonwealth Scholarship Commissioner. Former employees of the organisations listed above are eligible to apply three years after ceasing their employment with them.

In line with the UK Bribery Act 2010, any applicant convicted of bribery will be banned from reapplying for a Commonwealth Scholarship or Fellowship for a period of up to five years.

Applicants are expected to adhere to the CSC’s Code of Conduct for award holders and the Disciplinary Policy and Procedure .

An award may be terminated at any time for reasons of unsatisfactory conduct, progress, or attendance, or if registration is suspended or terminated by the university for any reason.

The CSC is committed to administering and managing its scholarships and fellowships in a fair and transparent manner. For more information, see the CSC Anti-Fraud Policy and Procedure at and the FCDO guidance on reporting fraud .

The CSC is committed proactively to safeguard and promote the welfare of our beneficiaries, and to protect its staff, Commissioners, beneficiaries and all those with whom the CSC comes into contact. The CSC requires staff, members of the Commission, applicants for and recipients of CSC awards and suppliers to act consistently with its requirements for safeguarding. Applicants should note the  CSC Safeguarding Policy which sets out the obligation for staff, members of the Commission, applicants for and recipients of CSC awards and suppliers to act consistently with its requirements for safeguarding.  Any safeguarding concerns should be reported to the Commission at:   [email protected]

All conditions of award are subject to UK local law and practices and are subject to change by the CSC.

For more information, see the current Handbook for Commonwealth Scholars . Please note that the conditions outlined in the Handbook are subject to change.

For general information about applying for Commonwealth Scholarships or Fellowships, please see our FAQs page.

For queries not covered on the website, please use the contact us form .

Privacy Overview

Research opportunities

Litac – bio-based fibres of bacteria-generated bioplastics for a decarbonised textile industry.

Polyester fibres are the predominant raw material in the textile industry, and so, significantly contribute to global carbon emissions. Their annual global production exceeds 60 million metric tons, equating to over 570 kg of carbon emissions. <br /> <br /> To support the industrial transition from fossil-derived to biobased polymers, sustainable approaches to polyester fibre manufacture are essential, working at the intersection of organic waste valorisation, microbial synthesis and green biopolymer processing. <br /> <br /> This project aims to harness the knowledge gained with the conversion of coffee waste (i.e. spent coffee grounds) into biobased polyester fibres (i.e. based on polyhydroxyalkanoates), aiming to accomplish sustainable textile raw materials with comparable chemical composition and functionalities with respect to the current, unsustainable fossil-derived variants. <br /> <br /> Applicants are invited to apply for a fully funded PhD programme to deliver on this vision by exploiting the use of salt-loving microorganisms, industry-compliant fibre manufacturing routes developed in-house and green physiochemical approaches. This research ultimately aims to develop biodegradable fibres from inedible biomass with the required textile manufacturability for industrial uptake and that can be safely degraded at the end of life for subsequent re-manufacture repeatedly.

<p>To nurture the best talent, the post fully covers domestic fees, providing living-costs commensurate to those offered by the UKRI, as well as a flexible £10k budget for consumables and travel. </p> <p>As standard with the PhD positions, the post-holder will also join the vibrant LITAC researcher community, who meet in sessions that are designed to enhance additional skills relevant to their academic career. </p> <p>Topics include:</p> <ul> <li>developing speaking and presentation skills, </li> <li>delivering compelling research posters, </li> <li>maximising the use of a travel allowance and more</li> </ul> <p><strong>Industrial Collaborations:</strong></p> <p>The successful applicant will join the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/leeds-institute-textiles-colour">Leeds Institute of Textiles and Colour (LITAC)</a>, a collaborative international research Institute that applies academic expertise, working together with external partners, both industrial from across the world, to address global challenges and sustainable development in textile and colour industries. We are focused on the development of innovative science and technology, materials, methods and processes. Technology-driven sustainable development is a major part of our work, hosted by the <a href="https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/design">School of Design</a> at the University of Leeds. </p> <p>The School of Design is a world leading research centre with a focus in creativity and developing innovative materials and manufacturing solutions with interdisciplinary researchers and industrial partners.</p> <p>We have a strong industrial collaboration with UK and international based textiles and natural polymers manufacturing industries. These industrial collaborators will work closely with the PhD student throughout the project.</p> <p>Please include the following subheadings and update as required</p> <p><strong>Duration of the Award</strong></p> <ul> <li>Full-time (3 years), pro-rata for part-time. The award will be made for one year in the first instance and renewable for a further period of up to 2 years (pro-rata for part-time), subject to satisfactory academic progress. </li> </ul> <p><strong>Funding</strong></p> <ul> <li>Full Fees</li> <li>Maintenance (£18,622 in Session 2023/24 for full-time study, part-time will be pro-rata at 60%). This amount increases per annum in line with the Research Council UK rate.</li> <li>Please be aware that any expenses related to the relocation of international students to the UK (visa, insurance, NHS fees, flights, etc) would be their responsibility and is not covered by this award.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Other Conditions</strong></p> <ul> <li>Applicants must not have already been awarded or be currently studying for a doctoral degree.</li> <li>Applicants must live within a reasonable distance of the University of Leeds whilst in receipt of this scholarship.</li> </ul>

<p><u><strong>Stage 1</strong></u></p> <p>First, apply for a research place of study, through the <a href="https://studentservices.leeds.ac.uk/pls/banprod/bwskalog_uol.P_DispLoginNon">online application form</a>. Please state clearly that the funding you wish to be considered for is “Biobased fibres of bacteria-generated bioplastics for a decarbonised textile industry” with Professor Giuseppe Tronci  and Dr Thuy Do as your proposed supervisors. You will be expected to meet our <a href="https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/design-research-degrees/doc/apply-9">eligibility criteria</a> for PhD candidates.</p> <p>To be considered for the Studentship you must submit all the required supporting documents for your application for PhD study.</p> <p>Please note that you will not need to submit a Research Proposal as part of your application for this project. In place of a Research Proposal please can you submit a statement which conveys your motivation and enthusiasm for the project as outlined in the Scholarship advert. See stage 2 below.</p> <p>Once you have received your student ID number (a 9-digit number) move onto stage 2</p> <p><u><strong>Stage 2</strong></u></p> <p>Apply for the “Biobased fibres of bacteria-generated bioplastics for a decarbonised textile industry” by completing the <a href="https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/leeds/litac-bio-based-fibres-of-bacteria-generated-bioplastics">Scholarship Application Form</a>. You must submit your scholarship application by 1 November 2024.</p> <p>The scholarship application includes the supporting statement referenced in Stage 1. This statement should demonstrate your suitability for your intended PhD Project and not be longer than two pages. The statement should specifically include details on your interest in the project and why you have chosen to apply for this in particular. The statement should also include how you will apply your current skills, knowledge and experience to undertake the PhD and the approach you would take to develop the project.</p> <p><em>As an international research-intensive university, we welcome students from all walks of life and from across the world. We foster an inclusive environment where all can flourish and prosper, and we are proud of our strong commitment to student education. Across all Faculties we are dedicated to diversifying our community and we welcome the unique contributions that individuals can bring, and particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to Black, Asian, people who belong to a minority ethnic community, people who identify as LGBT+ and people with disabilities. Applicants will always be selected based on merit and ability.</em></p>

The applicant must have a good background in biopolymer chemistry and/or microbiology, with a good understanding of polymer fibres and technical textiles also desirable. <br /> <br /> Applicants to research degree programmes should normally have at least a first class or an upper second-class British Bachelors Honours degree (or equivalent) in Chemistry or another appropriate undergraduate or Masters discipline. <br /> <br /> Applicants who are uncertain about the requirements for this research degree course are advised to contact Professor Giuseppe Tronci ([email protected]) or Dr Thuy Do ([email protected]) prior to making an application.

The minimum English language entry requirement for research postgraduate research study in the School of Design is an IELTS of 6.5 overall with at least 6.0 in each component (reading, writing, listening and speaking) or equivalent. The test must be dated within two years of the start date of the course in order to be valid.

<p>For further information please contact the PGR Admissions team at [email protected].</p>

• Contact QUT Contact QUT

Modelling cumulative physical load during performance and relationships to injury (PhD scholarship)

Scholarship details, study levels, student type.

Future students and Current students

Data science, Mathematics, Science, Science, technology and engineering and mathematics

Eligibility criteria

Indigenous Australian, Academic performance, Struggling financially, From regional, rural or remote areas, Sporting excellence, Women and From a non-English speaking background

Citizenship

Australian or New Zealand

Application dates

What you'll receive.

• You'll receive a stipend of $41,600 per annum for a maximum duration of 3.5 years while undertaking a QUT PhD.  The duration includes an extension of up to six months (PhD). This is the full-time, tax exempt rate which will index annually.
• You will receive a tuition fee offset/sponsorship, covering the cost of your tuition fees for the first four full-time equivalent years of your doctoral studies.
• As the scholarship recipient, you will have the opportunity to work with a team of leading researchers, to undertake your own innovative research in and across the field.
• PhD students will receive $20,840 in allowances (training, travel, thesis).

Eligibility

• You need to meet the entry requirements for a  QUT Doctor of Philosophy , including any English language requirements.
• Enrol as a full-time, internal student (unless approval for part-time and/or external study is obtained).
• You must be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, Australian permanent resident, or a person entitled to stay in Australia, or enter and stay in Australia, without any limitation as to time.

How to apply

If you are (will be) a graduate (recently or otherwise) from any discipline, complete an expression of interest (EOI).  The steps are:

• Complete the EOI available at  Next Generation Graduates Program (NGGP): Sports Data Science & AI - Centre for Data Science (qut.edu.au)
• Peruse the projects on offer at  Next Generation Graduates Program (NGGP): Our Projects - Centre for Data Science (qut.edu.au) .  Those that have already been awarded have a student name listed against them.
• Email your top three project preferences, along with your CV and academic record, to  [email protected] .  We will be in touch with next steps.

About the scholarship

Complex systems modelling

Sports research objectives/questions

In sports like rugby, training is monitored carefully by sports scientists, such that risks to injury can be reduced.  In game time, performance is less constrained, heightening the risks that players might endure physical load at higher levels of risk.  There is little understanding of how available data might be used to provide better information on individual player loads during a game.

• How to mitigate risk of injury in a game by identifying a real-time measure of cumulative physical load.
• What are the key contributing factors in physical load?
• To what extent does a physiological baseline combined with cumulative physical load contribute to adverse outcomes?

Discover the right scholarship for you

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Center for Environmental Research and Technology

We Engineer Excellence

CE-CERT Graduate Students Awarded ITS California Scholarships

Two graduate students from the Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT) at the University of California, Riverside —Saswat Priyadarshi Nayak and Dongbo Peng—have been recognized for their innovative contributions to the field of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). Both have received the prestigious Intelligent Transportation Society of California (ITSCA) and California Transportation Foundation (CTF) scholarships, celebrating significant achievements in their academic careers.

Innovative Research Shaping the Future of Mobility

Dongbo Peng, a third-year Ph.D. student, is leading efforts in sustainable freight dispatching methods within the ITS domain. His research focuses on developing solutions that significantly reduce the environmental impact of freight operations and addressing key challenges in urban planning and environmental sustainability. 

"I am greatly honored to be awarded the ITSCA and CTF scholarship. It is a significant milestone in my academic journey,” says Dongbo. “It represents not only recognition of my past work but also a powerful motivator encouraging me to continue pursuing innovative research in sustainable freight transportation.” 

Saswat Priyadarshi Nayak, a fourth-year Ph.D. student, is focused on enhancing the accuracy and reliability of Connected and Automated Vehicle (CAV) technologies through his work on vehicle positioning and multi-sensor fusion.

 "Being awarded the ITSCA and CTF scholarship is a significant honor,” says Saswat. “It validates my hard work and commitment to contributing to intelligent transportation systems and underscores the importance of this research area in shaping the future of mobility." 

Mentorship and Support at CE-CERT

Both students credit the dynamic and supportive academic environment at CE-CERT as instrumental to their success. 

“I am incredibly grateful to my advisors, Dr. Barth and Dr. Boriboonsomsin, for their exceptional guidance and supervision throughout my research journey,” says Dongbo. He also attributes his success to Dr. Wu and his peers for their steadfast support and enthusiasm. 

Saswat also shares his gratitude for the support from his advisors, "My experience at CE-CERT over the past five years has been incredible. Dr. Barth and Dr. Wu have been exceptionally supportive, providing key guidance at every stage of my Ph.D. journey."

Endorsements from Advisors

Dr. Matthew Barth, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education at the Bourns College of Engineering, commended both students, "Saswat and Dongbo exemplify the type of scholarly dedication and innovative thinking we nurture at CE-CERT. Their work not only contributes to academic knowledge but also has the potential to significantly impact real-world transportation systems."

Dr. Kanok Boriboonsomsin, Research Engineer and Associate Director at CE-CERT, praised their contributions, noting, "Both students have a unique ability to translate complex theoretical concepts into practical solutions that address real-world problems. It’s this practical application of their research that has already begun to influence our approach to projects at CE-CERT, paving the way for more sustainable transportation solutions."

Dr. Guoyuan Wu, Adjunct Professor and Research Engineer, also expressed his admiration for the progress and dedication of the students. "Both Saswat and Dongbo are not just focused on results but are truly passionate about understanding and solving the underlying challenges in transportation systems. Their innovative approaches and diligent work ethic are impressive," said Dr. Wu.

Professional Development at the ITSCA Annual Meeting

The scholarships also include invitations to the ITSCA Annual Meeting—a key event for professional development in the ITS field. This opportunity allows Saswat and Dongbo to engage with industry leaders, share their research, and expand their academic and professional horizons.

Looking Forward

Both scholars are excited about the potential for their research to make a lasting impact. 

"It’s an exciting time in ITS research. The technological advancements are opening new doors for innovation,” says Saswat. “It’s never too late to contribute to this evolving field, be it in policymaking, planning, or research." 

Dongbo encourages his peers to embrace new challenges:"embrace challenges as opportunities to innovate and explore new research ideas and career opportunities."

As representatives of the Transportation Systems Research (TSR) group at CE-CERT, Saswat and Dongbo are prime examples of how dedicated research and innovative thinking can profoundly influence the future of ITS. We celebrate their achievements and the continued impact of their work in pushing the boundaries of sustainable transportation technologies and services.

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Accepted Offer for a PhD... but have no funding!

I have been given an unconditional offer for a PhD in Psychology at a university in the UK. I am an EU citizen, and because of Brexit (smh), I am considered an international student and therefore have international tuition fees for my program (£25,000 per year). I have been searching endlessly the past 3 months for funding opportunities, but unfortunately, my opportunities are very limited.

I've known my supervisors for years as they supervised my bachelor's and master's dissertations, and they're the ones that said they would like to supervise me on a PhD. So, as it stands now, I think it's very unlikely I'll find any funding for my PhD in time for the start of the upcoming academic year.

I'm wondering if there is anyone here who has experienced having to leave a PhD program due to lack of funding... this makes me very sad, and I hate feeling like I am disappointing my supervisors too. If anyone has experienced something similar, I would love to hear about how you managed to cope and deal with this!

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Archived funding opportunity

Nsf 23-605: graduate research fellowship program (grfp), program solicitation, document information, document history.

• Posted: July 18, 2023
• Replaces: NSF 22-614
• Replaced by: NSF 24-591

Program Solicitation NSF 23-605

Application Deadline(s) (received by 5 p.m. local time of applicant’s mailing address):

     October 16, 2023

Life Sciences

     October 17, 2023

Computer and Information Science and Engineering, Materials Research, Psychology, Social Sciences, STEM Education and Learning

     October 19, 2023

Engineering

     October 20, 2023

Chemistry, Geosciences, Mathematical Sciences, Physics and Astronomy

Important Information And Revision Notes

• This solicitation covers the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 competition.
• Applicants must use the Research.gov/GRFP site ( https://www.research.gov/grfp/Login.do ) to register in Research.gov and submit their applications through the GRFP Application Module. Do not send application materials outside of the GRFP Application Module.
• Applications are due on the deadline date at 5:00 p.m. local time of the applicant’s mailing address.
• Currently enrolled second-year graduate students are strongly advised to provide official Registrar-issued transcripts as part of their application.
• NSF will continue to emphasize high priority research in alignment with the priorities laid out in pages 127-128 of the FY2024 budget https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/budget_fy2024.pdf
• Portions of the eligibility criteria have been rewritten for clarity.
• Reference letter writers must use the Research.gov/GRFP site ( https://www.research.gov/grfp/Login.do ) to register in Research.gov and submit reference letters through the Reference Letter System. Reference letters are due October 27 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET).
• Applicants and reference letter writers requiring accessibility accommodation are asked to notify the GRF Operations Center at least four weeks before the deadline to coordinate assistance with NSF in submitting the application or reference letter.

Summary Of Program Requirements

General information.

Program Title:

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)

The purpose of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is to help ensure the quality, vitality, and diversity of the scientific and engineering workforce of the United States. The program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students who are pursuing full-time research-based master's and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) or in STEM education. The GRFP provides three years of support over a five-year fellowship period for the graduate education of individuals who have demonstrated their potential for significant research achievements in STEM or STEM education. NSF actively encourages submission of applications from the full spectrum of diverse talent in STEM. NSF GRFP was established to recruit and support individuals who demonstrate the potential to make significant contributions in STEM. Thus, NSF especially encourages applications from undergraduate seniors and Bachelor's degree-holders interested in pursuing research-based graduate study in STEM. First- and second-year graduate students in eligible STEM fields and degree programs are also encouraged to apply.

Cognizant Program Officer(s):

Please note that the following information is current at the time of publishing. See program website for any updates to the points of contact.

Contact: GRF Operations Center, telephone: (866) 673-4737, email: [email protected]

• 47.041 --- Engineering
• 47.049 --- Mathematical and Physical Sciences
• 47.050 --- Geosciences
• 47.070 --- Computer and Information Science and Engineering
• 47.074 --- Biological Sciences
• 47.075 --- Social Behavioral and Economic Sciences
• 47.076 --- STEM Education
• 47.079 --- Office of International Science and Engineering
• 47.083 --- Office of Integrative Activities (OIA)
• 47.084 --- NSF Technology, Innovation and Partnerships

Award Information

Anticipated Type of Award:

Estimated Number of Awards: 2,500

NSF will support at least 2,500 new Graduate Research Fellowships per fiscal year under this program solicitation pending availability of funds.

Anticipated Funding Amount: $159,000

Per award (Fellowship), pending the availability of funds.

Each Fellowship provides three years of support over a five-year fellowship period. For each of the three years of support, NSF provides a $37,000 stipend and $16,000 cost of education allowance to the graduate degree-granting institution of higher education for each Fellow who uses the support in a fellowship year. The Fellowship is portable and can be transferred to a different institution of higher education if a Fellow chooses to transfer to another institution after completion of the first Fellowship year. While the Fellowship is offered to the individual, the Fellowship funds are awarded to the institution of higher education at which a Fellow is enrolled and the institution is responsible for disbursement of the stipend to the Fellow.

Eligibility Information

Organization Limit:

Fellowship applications must be submitted by the prospective Fellow. Applicants must use the GRFP application module in Research.gov ( https://www.research.gov/grfp/Login.do ) to submit the application. Confirmation of acceptance in a graduate degree program in STEM or STEM education is required at the time of Fellowship acceptance, no later than the deadline indicated in the fellowship offer letter, of the year the Fellowship is accepted. Prospective Fellows must enroll in a non-profit university, college, or institution of higher education accredited in, and having a campus located in, the United States, its territories or possessions, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico that offers advanced degrees in STEM and STEM education no later than fall of the year the Fellowship is accepted. All Fellows from the date of Fellowship Start through Completion or Termination of the Fellowship must be enrolled in a graduate degree-granting institution of higher education accredited in, and having a campus located in, the United States its territories or possessions, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

See the Detailed Eligibility Requirements in Section IV for full information. Eligibility is based on the applicant's status at the application deadline. Applicants must self-certify that they are eligible to receive the Fellowship. To be eligible, an applicant must meet all of the following eligibility criteria at the application deadline: Be a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident Intend to enroll or be enrolled full-time in a research-based Master's or doctoral degree program in an eligible Field of Study in STEM or STEM education (See Appendix and Section IV.3 for eligible Fields of Study) Have completed no more than one academic year (according to institution's academic calendar) while enrolled in a graduate degree program Never previously accepted a Graduate Research Fellowship Declined any previously offered Graduate Research Fellowship by the acceptance deadline Never previously applied to GRFP while enrolled in a graduate degree program Never earned a doctoral or terminal degree in any field Individuals holding joint Bachelor's-Master's degrees who did not progress directly to a doctoral program the semester following award of the joint degree must apply as returning graduate students (see below) Individuals with prior graduate enrollment who have: (i) completed more than one academic year in any graduate degree-granting program, (ii) earned a previous master's degree of any kind (including Bachelor's-Master's degree), or (iii) earned a professional degree must meet the following requirements: not enrolled in a graduate degree program at application deadline two or more consecutive years past graduate degree enrollment or completion at the application deadline Not be a current NSF employee Number of Times An Individual May Apply Undergraduate seniors and Bachelor's degree holders who have never enrolled in a graduate degree program have no restrictions on the number of times they can apply before enrolling in a degree-granting graduate program. Currently enrolled graduate students who have completed no more than one academic year (according to institution's academic calendar) while enrolled in a graduate degree program can apply only once . Non-degree coursework does not count toward the one academic year limit. Individuals applying while enrolled in a joint Bachelor's-Master's degree program are considered graduate students who: i) must have completed three (3) years in the joint program, and; ii) are limited to one application to GRFP; they will not be eligible to apply again as doctoral students. For GRFP, joint Bachelor's-Master's degrees are defined as degrees concurrently pursued and awarded . Individuals holding joint Bachelor's-Master's degrees, currently enrolled as first-year doctoral students, who (i) have not previously applied as graduate students and (ii) enrolled in the doctoral program the semester following award of the joint degree, may only apply in the first year of the doctoral program. Applications withdrawn by November 15 of the application year do not count toward the one-time graduate application limit. Applications withdrawn after November 15 count toward this one-time limit. Applications not reviewed by NSF do not count toward the one-time graduate application limit.

An eligible applicant may submit only one application per annual competition.

Application Preparation and Submission Instructions

A. application preparation instructions.

Letters of Intent: Not applicable

Preliminary Proposal Submission: Not applicable

Application Instructions: This solicitation contains information that deviates from the standard NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) proposal preparation guidelines. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

B. Budgetary Information

Cost Sharing Requirements:

Inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited.

Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations:

No indirect costs are allowed.

Other Budgetary Limitations:

Other budgetary limitations apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

C. Due Dates

Application review information criteria.

Merit Review Criteria:

National Science Board approved Merit Review Criteria (Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts) apply. Additional Solicitation-Specific Review Criteria also apply (see Section VI.A below).

Award Administration Information

Award Conditions:

NSF GRFP awards are made to the institution of higher education at which a Fellow is or will be enrolled. The awardee institution is responsible for financial management of the award and disbursement of Fellowship funds to the individual Fellow. The institution will administer the awards, including any amendments, in accordance with the terms of the Agreement and provisions (and any subsequent amendments) contained in the document NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Administrative Guide for Fellows and Coordinating Officials . All Fellowships are subject to the provisions (and any subsequent amendments) contained in the document NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Administrative Guide for Fellows and Coordinating Officials .

Reporting Requirements:

See reporting requirements in full text of solicitation and the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Administrative Guide for Fellows and Coordinating Officials . Fellows are required to submit annual activity reports and to declare fellowship status by the deadline specified in the notification sent by email each year. Additional reporting requirements are presented in Section VII.C of this solicitation.

I. Introduction

The Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is a National Science Foundation-wide program that provides Fellowships to individuals selected early in their graduate careers based on their demonstrated potential for significant research achievements in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) or in STEM education. Three years of support over a five-year period are provided for graduate study that leads to a research-based master's or doctoral degree in STEM or STEM education (see eligible Fields of Study in Appendix).

The program goals are: 1) to select, recognize, and financially support early-career individuals with the demonstrated potential to be high achieving scientists and engineers, and 2) to broaden participation of the full spectrum of diverse talents in STEM. NSF actively encourages submission of applications from the full spectrum of diverse talent in STEM.

GRFP is a critical program in NSF's overall strategy to develop the globally-engaged workforce necessary to ensure the Nation's leadership in advancing science and engineering research and innovation. The ranks of NSF Fellows include numerous individuals who have made transformative breakthrough discoveries in science and engineering, become leaders in their chosen careers, and been honored as Nobel laureates.

II. Program Description

The Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) awards Fellowships for graduate study leading to research-based master's and doctoral degrees in STEM or in STEM education. GRFP supports individuals proposing a comprehensive plan for graduate education that takes individual interests and competencies into consideration. The plan describes the academic achievements, attributes, and experiences that illustrate the applicant's demonstrated potential for significant research achievements. The applicant must provide a detailed profile of their relevant education, research experience, and plans for graduate education that demonstrates this potential.

Prospective applicants are advised that submission of an application implies their intent to pursue graduate study in a research-based program in STEM or STEM education at an accredited, non-profit institution of higher education having a campus located in the United States, its territories or possessions, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. All applicants are expected to either have adequate preparation to enroll in a research-based master's or doctoral program, or be enrolled in such a program by fall of the year the Fellowship is accepted. From the date of the Fellowship Start through Completion or Termination of the Fellowship, applicants accepting the award (Fellows) must be enrolled in an accredited graduate degree-granting institution of higher education having a campus located in the United States, its territories or possessions, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

In FY2024, NSF will continue to fund outstanding Graduate Research Fellowships in all areas of science and engineering supported by NSF and continue to emphasize high priority research areas in alignment with NSF goals and priorities listed in pages 127-128 of the FY2024 budget ( https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/budget_fy2024.pdf ). Applications are encouraged in all disciplines supported by NSF.

III. Award Information

Fellowship funding will be for a maximum of three years of financial support (in 12-month allocations, starting in fall or summer) usable over a five-year fellowship period. The anticipated announcement date for the Fellowship awards is early April each year.

The Fellowship is portable and can be transferred to a different institution of higher education if a Fellow chooses to transfer to another institution after completion of the first Fellowship year. While the Fellowship is offered to the individual, the Fellowship funds are awarded to the institution at which a Fellow is enrolled and is considered the official NSF awardee institution. The awardee institution receives up to a $53,000 award per Fellow who uses the support in a fellowship year. The awardee institution is responsible for disbursement of fellowship funds to the Fellow. The Graduate Research Fellowship stipend is $37,000 for a 12-month tenure period, prorated in whole month increments of $3,083. The Cost of Education allowance provides payment in lieu of tuition and mandatory fees to the institution of $16,000 per year of fellowship support.

During receipt of the fellowship support, the institution is required to exempt Fellows from paying tuition and fees normally charged to students of similar academic standing, unless such charges are optional or are refundable (i.e., the institution is responsible for tuition and required fees in excess of the cost-of-education allowance). Acceptance of fellowship funds by the awardee institution indicates acceptance of and adherence to these and other terms and conditions of the NSF GRFP award. Refer to NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Administrative Guide for Fellows and Coordinating Officials for restrictions on the use of the cost-of-education allowance.

GRFP awards are eligible for supplemental funding as described in Chapter VI of the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) ( NSF 23-1 ).

Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED) provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons with disabilities to work on NSF-supported projects as described in Chapter II.F of the PAPPG . Fellows with disabilities may apply for assistance after consulting the instructions in the document NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Administrative Guide for Fellows and Coordinating Officials.

Career-Life Balance Supplemental Funding Requests (Dear Colleague Letter NSF 21-021 ) can be requested by the awardee institution to provide additional personnel (e.g., technician) to sustain the research of Fellows on approved medical leave due to family leave situations.

Fellows are eligible to apply for non-academic INTERN supplements following guidance specific to GRFP.

Honorable Mention

The NSF accords Honorable Mention to meritorious applicants who do not receive Fellowship offers. This is considered a significant national academic achievement.

IV. Eligibility Information

Applicant Eligibility:

Limit on Number of Applications per Applicant: 1

Additional Eligibility Info:

Eligibility is based on the applicant's status at the application deadline. Detailed Eligibility Requirements: Described in detail below are the eligibility requirements for the Graduate Research Fellowship Program: (1) citizenship, (2) degree requirements, and (3) field of study, degree programs, and proposed research. Applicants are strongly advised to read the entire program solicitation carefully to ensure that they understand all the eligibility requirements. Applicants must self-certify that they meet all eligibility criteria. 1. Citizenship Applicants must be United States citizens, nationals, or permanent residents of the United States by the application deadline. The term "national" designates a native resident of a commonwealth or territory of the United States. It does not refer to a citizen of another country who has applied for United States citizenship and who has not received U.S. citizenship by the application deadline, nor does it refer to an individual present in the U.S. on any type of visa. 2. Degree Requirements Applicants are eligible to apply: 1) as current undergraduates, or Bachelor's degree holders who have never enrolled in a degree-granting graduate program, and who will be prepared to attend graduate school in fall of the award year; 2) as current graduate students who have not completed more than one academic year (according to institution's academic calendar) of any degree-granting graduate program; or 3) as returning graduate students who are not currently enrolled and who have had an interruption of at least two consecutive years in graduate study since their most recent enrollment in any graduate degree-granting program, regardless of whether the degree was completed or awarded. Below are detailed guidelines to determine eligibility: a) Applicants not currently enrolled in a graduate degree program, with no prior enrollment in a graduate degree-granting program (including joint Bachelor's-Master's programs): With no prior graduate degree program enrollment Undergraduate students on track to receive a Bachelor's degree by the fall of the year following the application (e.g., senior or final year of Bachelor's degree) and Bachelor's degree holders never enrolled in a graduate degree program can apply an unlimited number of times prior to enrolling in a graduate degree program. They must be prepared to enroll in a full-time graduate degree program by fall of the year they are offered a Graduate Research Fellowship. With one year or less of prior graduate degree-granting program enrollment Applicants must not have completed more than one academic year (according to institution's academic calendar) of graduate study as indicated in the academic transcript issued by the Registrar of the universities attended as of the application deadline (see exception below). Applicants re-entering graduate study : applicants who have completed more than one academic year (according to institution's academic calendar) of graduate study or earned a previous Master's or professional degree are eligible only if they have had an interruption in graduate study of at least two consecutive years immediately prior to the application deadline, and are not enrolled in a graduate program at the deadline . Applicants must not have engaged in any graduate coursework during the interruption. Applicants should address the reasons for the interruption in graduate study in the Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement. b) Applicants pursuing a Master's degree concurrently with a Bachelor's degree (joint Bachelor's-Master's degree program in which both degrees are awarded at the same time as indicated on the transcript): Individuals applying while enrolled in a joint Bachelor's-Master's degree program are considered graduate students, who: 1) must have completed three years in the joint program, and; ii) are limited to one application to GRFP; they will not be eligible to apply again as doctoral students. Individuals holding joint Bachelor's-Master's degrees, currently enrolled as first-year doctoral students, who have not previously applied as graduate students and enrolled in the doctoral program the semester following award of the joint degree, may only apply in the first year of the doctoral program. Individuals holding joint Bachelor's-Master's degrees who did not progress directly to a doctoral program the semester following award of the joint degree must apply as returning graduate students (see above). c) Applicants currently enrolled in a graduate degree program: Applicants must not have completed more than one academic year of graduate study as indicated in the academic transcript issued by the Registrar of the universities attended, as of the application deadline. Participation in non-degree summer activities PRIOR TO graduate status as indicated in the academic transcript issued by the Registrar before the start of the fall graduate program is not included in this total. Graduate status is understood to begin on the date indicated on the Registrar-issued transcript and ALL activities after that date will be considered graduate activities. Second-year graduate students are strongly advised to include official Registrar-issued transcripts with their application. If the transcript does not clearly indicate the start date of graduate status, applicants are strongly advised to include documents from the Registrar confirming the start of their graduate status. Graduate coursework taken without being enrolled in a graduate degree-granting program is not counted in this limit. 3. Field of Study, Degree Programs, and Proposed Research Fellowships are awarded for graduate study leading to research-based Master's and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) or in STEM education, in eligible Fields of Study listed below: Chemistry Computer and Information Sciences and Engineering Engineering Geosciences Life Sciences Materials Research Mathematical Sciences Physics & Astronomy Psychology Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences STEM Education and Learning Research A complete list of eligible Major Fields of Study and their subfields are listed in the Appendix. If awarded, Fellows must enroll in a graduate degree program consistent with the Major Field of Study proposed in their application. A fellowship will not be awarded in a different Major Field of Study from that indicated in the application. Only research-based Master's and doctoral degrees in STEM or STEM education are eligible for GRFP support. Professional degree programs and graduate programs that are primarily course-based with no thesis are ineligible for GRFP support. Within eligible fields of study, there are ineligible areas of study and ineligible areas of proposed research. See below for ineligible areas of study and proposed research. Applications determined to be ineligible will not be reviewed. a) Ineligible degree programs Individuals are not eligible to apply if they will be enrolled in a practice-oriented professional degree program such as medical, dental, law, and public health degrees at any time during the fellowship. Ineligible degree programs include, but are not limited to, MBA, MPH, MSW, JD, MD, DVM and DDS. Joint or combined professional degree-science programs (e.g., MD/PhD or JD/PhD) and dual professional degree-science programs are also not eligible. Individuals enrolled in a graduate degree program while on a leave of absence from a professional degree program or professional degree-graduate degree joint program are not eligible. b) Ineligible areas of study Individuals are not eligible to apply if they will be enrolled in graduate study focused on clinical practice, counseling, social work, patient-oriented research, epidemiological and medical behavioral studies, outcomes research, and health services research. Ineligible study includes pharmacologic, non-pharmacologic, and behavioral interventions for disease or disorder prevention, prophylaxis, diagnosis, therapy, or treatment. Research to provide evidence leading to a scientific basis for consideration of a change in health policy or standard of care is not eligible. Graduate study focused on community, public, or global health, or other population-based research including medical intervention trials is also not eligible. c) Ineligible proposed research (i) Research for which the goals are directly human disease- or health-related, including the etiology, diagnosis, and/or treatment of disease or disorder is not eligible for support. Research activities using animal models of disease, for developing or testing of drugs or other procedures for treatment of disease or disorder are not eligible. (ii) Research focused on basic questions in plant pathology are eligible, however, applied studies focused on maximizing production in agricultural plants or impacts on food safety, are not eligible. (iii) Research with implications that inform policy is eligible. Research with the expressed intent to influence, advocate for, or effect specific policy outcomes is not eligible. d) Limited exceptions to ineligible proposed research (i) Certain areas of bioengineering research directed at medical use are eligible. These include research projects in bioengineering to aid persons with disabilities, or to diagnose or treat human disease or disorder, provided they apply engineering principles to problems in medicine while primarily advancing engineering knowledge. Applicants planning to study and conduct research in these areas of bioengineering should select biomedical engineering as the field of study. (ii) Certain areas of materials research directed at development of materials for use in biological or biomedical systems are eligible, provided they are focused on furthering fundamental materials research. (iii) Certain areas of research with etiology-, diagnosis-, or treatment-related goals that advance fundamental knowledge in engineering, mathematical, physical, computer or information sciences, are eligible for support. Applicants are advised to consult a faculty member, academic advisor, mentor, or other advisor for guidance on preparation of their research plans, and selection of Major Fields of Study and subfields.

V. Application Preparation And Submission Instructions

Fellowship applications must be submitted online using the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Application Module at https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/grfp/Login.do according to the deadline corresponding with the Field of Study selected in the application .

Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. local time as determined by the applicant’s mailing address provided in the application. Applications received after the Field of Study deadline will not be reviewed . Applications submitted to a Field of Study deadline not in alignment with the proposed research plan will not be reviewed.

All reference letters must be submitted online by the reference writers through the GRFP Application Module ( https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/grfp/Login.do ) and must be received by the reference letter deadline (see Application Preparation and Submission Instructions/C. Due Dates of this Solicitation), of 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). Reference letter writers cannot be family members of the applicant. Applicants are required to provide the name and contact information for three (3) reference writers from non-family members. Up to five (5) potential reference letter writers can be provided. Two reference letters from non-family members must be received by the reference letter deadline applications to be reviewed. If fewer than two reference letters (one or none) are received by the reference letter deadline, the application will not be reviewed.

Applicants must submit the following information through the GRFP Application Module: Personal Information; Education, Work and Other Experience; Transcript PDFs; Proposed Field(s) of Study; Proposed Graduate Study and Graduate School Information; the names and email addresses of at least three reference letter writers; Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement PDF; and Graduate Research Plan Statement PDF.

Only the information required in the GRFP Application Module will be reviewed. No additional items or information will be accepted or reviewed. Do not provide links to web pages within the application, except as part of citations in the References Cited section. Images must be included in the page limits. Review of the application and reference letters is based solely on materials received by the application and reference letter deadlines. Do not email application materials.

Applicants must follow the instructions in the GRFP Application Module for completing each section of the application. The statements must be written using the following guidelines:

• standard 8.5" x 11" page size
• 11 point or higher font, except text that is part of an image
• Times New Roman font for all text, Cambria Math font for equations, Symbol font for non-alphabetic characters (it is recommended that equations and symbols be inserted as an image)
• 1" margins on all sides, no text inside 1" margins (no header, footer, name, or page number)
• No less than single-spacing (approximately 6 lines per inch)
• Do not use line spacing options such as “exactly 11 point,” that are less than single spaced
• PDF file format only

Compliance with these guidelines will be automatically checked by the GRFP Application Module. Documents that are not compliant will not be accepted by the GRFP Application Module. Applicants are strongly advised to proofread and upload their documents early to ensure they are format-compliant and that non-compliant documents do not delay upload of the complete application for receipt by the deadline. Applications that are not compliant with these format requirements will not be reviewed.

The maximum length of the Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement is three (3) pages (PDF). The maximum length of the Graduate Research Plan Statement is two (2) pages (PDF). These page limits include all references, citations, charts, figures, images, and lists of publications and presentations. Applicants must certify that the two statements (Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement, and Graduate Research Plan Statement) in the application are their own original work. As explained in the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG): “NSF expects strict adherence to the rules of proper scholarship and attribution. The responsibility for proper scholarship and attribution rests with the authors of a proposal; all parts of the proposal should be prepared with equal care for this concern. Authors other than the PI (or any co-PI) should be named and acknowledged. Serious failure to adhere to such standards can result in findings of research misconduct. NSF policies and rules on research misconduct are discussed in the PAPPG, as well as 45 CFR Part 689."

Both statements must address NSF’s review criteria of Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts (described in detail in Section VI). " Intellectual Merit" and "Broader Impacts" sections must be present under separate headings in both Personal and Research Plan statements. Applications that do not have separate headings for Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts will not be reviewed.

In the application, applicants must list their undergraduate institution, and all graduate institutions attended with a start date prior to the fall term in which the application is submitted. Transcripts are required for all degree-granting programs listed. Transcripts may be included for all other institutions listed in the Education section. If the applicant started at the current institution in the fall of the application year and the institution does not provide unofficial or official transcripts prior to completion of the first term, the applicant may submit a class schedule/enrollment verification form in place of a transcript. At least one transcript must be included for the application to be accepted by the GRFP Application Module.

Transcripts must be uploaded through the GRFP Application Module by the Field of Study application deadline. Applicants should redact personally-identifiable information (date of birth, individual Social Security Numbers, personal financial information, home addresses, home telephone numbers and personal email addresses) from the transcripts before uploading. Transcripts must be uploaded as a PDF to be accepted by the GRFP Application Module. Transcripts must not be encrypted; the GRFP Application Module does not accept encrypted or password-protected transcripts.

Applicants who earned master’s degrees in joint Bachelor's-Master’s degree programs should submit transcripts that clearly document the joint program. If the transcript does not document the joint program and does not show that the Bachelor's and Master's degrees were conferred on the same date, applicants must upload a letter from the registrar of the institution certifying enrollment in a joint program, appended to the transcript for that institution. Failure to provide clear documentation of a joint program may result in an application being returned without review.

Failure to comply fully with the above requirements will result in the application not being reviewed.

Applications that are incomplete due to missing required transcripts and/or reference letters (fewer than two letters received), or that do not have "received" status in the Application Module on the application deadline for the selected Field of Study) will not be reviewed. Applicants are advised to submit applications early to avoid unanticipated delays on the deadline dates.

Reference Letters Reference writers cannot be family members of the applicant. Applicants are required to provide the name and contact information for three (3) reference writers from non-family members. Up to five (5) potential reference letter writers can be provided. Two reference letters from non-family members must be received by the reference letter deadline for an application to be reviewed. If fewer than two reference letters (one or none) are received by the reference letter deadline, the application will not be reviewed.

No changes to the list of reference writers are allowed after the application is submitted. Applicants are strongly advised to check the accuracy of email addresses provided for reference writers before submitting their application.

All reference letters must be received in the GRFP Application Module by 5:00 p.m. ET (Eastern Time) on the letter submission deadline date (see the deadline posted in GRFP Application Module and in Application Preparation and Submission Instructions/C. Due Dates of this Solicitation). No exceptions to the reference letter submission deadline will be granted. Each letter is limited to two (2) pages (PDF). The GRFP Application Module allows applicants to request up to five (5) reference letters and to rank those reference letters in order of preference for review. If more than three reference letters are received, the top three letters according to ranked preference will be considered for the application. Reference writers will be notified by an email of the request to submit a letter of reference on behalf of an applicant. Reference writers will not be notified of the ranked preference for review provided by the applicant.

To avoid disqualifying an application, reference writers should upload the letter well in advance of the 5:00 p.m. ET deadline . No letters will be accepted via email. Letter writers will receive a confirmation email after successful upload via the GRFP Application Module.

For technical assistance with letter upload: NSF Help Desk: [email protected] ; 1-800-381-1532

Applicants must enter an email address for each reference writer into the GRFP Application Module. An exact email address is crucial to matching the reference writer and the applicant in the GRFP Application Module. Applicants should ask reference writers well in advance of the reference writer deadline, and it is recommended they provide copies of their application materials to the writers.

Applicant-nominated reference writers must upload their letters through the GRFP Application Module. Reference letter requirements include:

• Institutional or professional letterhead, if available
• SIGNED by the reference writer, including the name, professional title, department, and institution
• Two (2) page limit (PDF file format)
• Standard 8.5" x 11" page size
• 11-point or higher Times New Roman font and 1" margins on all sides
• Single spaced using normal (100%) single-line spacing

The reference letter should address the NSF Merit Review Criteria of Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts (described in detail below). It should include details explaining the nature of the relationship to the applicant (including research advisor role), comments on the applicant's potential for contributing to a globally-engaged United States science and engineering workforce, statements about the applicant's academic potential and prior research experiences, statements about the applicant's proposed research, and any other information to aid review panels in evaluating the application according to the NSF Merit Review Criteria.

Application Completion Status

Applicants should use the "Application Completion Status" feature in the GRFP Application Module to ensure all application materials, including reference letters, have been received by NSF before the deadlines. For technical support, call the NSF Help Desk at 1-800-381-1532 or e-mail [email protected] .

Interdisciplinary Applications

NSF welcomes applications for interdisciplinary programs of study and research; however, data on interdisciplinary study is collected for informational purposes only. Interdisciplinary research is defined as "a mode of research by teams or individuals that integrates information, data, techniques, tools, perspectives, concepts, and/or theories from two or more disciplines or bodies of specialized knowledge to advance fundamental understanding or to solve problems whose solutions are beyond the scope of a single discipline or area of research practice" (Committee on Facilitating Interdisciplinary Research, Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy, 2004. Facilitating interdisciplinary research . National Academies. Washington: National Academy Press, p. 2). Applications must be received by the deadline for the first Major Field of Study designated in the application. Applications will be reviewed by experts in the first Major Field of Study listed. If awarded, Fellows will be required to enroll in a degree program consistent with the Major Field of Study in which the application was funded. Withdrawal of a GRFP application

To withdraw a submitted application, the applicant must withdraw their application using the Withdrawal option in the GRFP Application Module.

Applications withdrawn by November 15 of the application year do not count toward the one-time graduate application limit. Applications withdrawn after November 15 count toward this limit.

Cost Sharing:

Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations:

NSF awards $53,000 each year to the GRFP institution to cover the Fellow stipend and Cost of Education allowance for each NSF Graduate Research Fellow "on tenure" at the institution.

The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Fellowship stipend is $37,000 for a 12-month tenure period, prorated in monthly increments of $3,083. The institutional Cost of Education allowance is $16,000 per tenure year per Fellow.

D. Application Submission Requirements

Applicants are required to prepare and submit all applications for this program solicitation through the GRFP Application Module. Detailed instructions for application preparation and submission are available at: https://www.research.gov/grfp/Login.do . For user support, call the NSF Help Desk at 1-800-381-1532 or e-mail [email protected] . The NSF Help Desk answers general technical questions related to the use of the system. Specific questions related to this program solicitation should be referred to the NSF program staff contact(s) listed in Section VIII of this solicitation.

VI. Application Review Information

A. merit review principles and criteria.

Applications are reviewed by disciplinary and interdisciplinary scientists and engineers and other professional graduate education experts. Reviewers are selected by Program Officers charged with oversight of the review process. Care is taken to ensure that reviewers have no conflicts of interest with the applicants. Applications are reviewed in broad areas of related disciplines based on the selection of a Field of Study (see Fields of Study in Appendix). Selection of a Major Field of Study determines the application deadline, the broad disciplinary expertise of the reviewers, and the discipline of the graduate degree program if awarded a Fellowship. Applicants are advised to select the Major Field of Study in the GRFP Application Module (see Fields of Study in Appendix) that is most closely aligned with the proposed graduate program of study and research plan. Applicants who select “Other” must provide additional information describing their studies.

Each application will be reviewed independently in accordance with the NSF Merit Review Criteria using all available information in the completed application. In considering applications, reviewers are instructed to address the two Merit Review Criteria as approved by the National Science Board - Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts ( NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide ). Applicants must include separate statements on Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts in their written statements in order to provide reviewers with the information necessary to evaluate the application with respect to both Criteria as detailed below . Applicants should include headings for Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts in their statements.

The following description of the Merit Review Criteria is provided in Chapter III of the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) :

All NSF proposals are evaluated through use of the two National Science Board approved merit review criteria. In some instances, however, NSF will employ additional criteria as required to highlight the specific objectives of certain programs and activities.

The two merit review criteria are listed below. Both criteria are to be given full consideration during the review and decision-making processes; each criterion is necessary but neither, by itself, is sufficient. Therefore, proposers must fully address both criteria. (PAPPG Chapter II.C.2.d.i. contains additional information for use by proposers in development of the Project Description section of the proposal.) Reviewers are strongly encouraged to review the criteria, including PAPPG Chapter II.C.2.d.i., prior to the review of a proposal.

When evaluating NSF proposals, reviewers will be asked to consider what the proposers want to do, why they want to do it, how they plan to do it, how they will know if they succeed, and what benefits could accrue if the project is successful. These issues apply both to the technical aspects of the proposal and the way in which the project may make broader contributions. To that end, reviewers will be asked to evaluate all proposals against two criteria:

• Intellectual Merit : The Intellectual Merit criterion encompasses the potential to advance knowledge; and
• Broader Impacts : The Broader Impacts criterion encompasses the potential to benefit society and contribute to the achievement of specific, desired societal outcomes.

The following elements should be considered in the review for both criteria:

1. What is the potential for the proposed activity to:

a. Advance knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields (Intellectual Merit); and

b. Benefit society or advance desired societal outcomes (Broader Impacts)?

2. To what extent do the proposed activities suggest and explore creative, original, or potentially transformative concepts?

3. Is the plan for carrying out the proposed activities well-reasoned, well-organized, and based on a sound rationale? Does the plan incorporate a mechanism to assess success?

4. How well qualified is the individual, team, or organization to conduct the proposed activities?

5. Are there adequate resources available to the PI (either at the home organization or through collaborations) to carry out the proposed activities?

Additionally, Chapter II of the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide states:

Broader impacts may be accomplished through the research itself, through the activities that are directly related to specific research projects, or through activities that are supported by, but are complementary to, the project. NSF values the advancement of scientific knowledge and activities that contribute to achievement of societally relevant outcomes. Such outcomes include, but are not limited to: full participation of women, persons with disabilities, and underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); improved STEM education and educator development at any level; increased public scientific literacy and public engagement with science and technology; improved well-being of individuals in society; development of a diverse, globally competitive STEM workforce; increased partnerships between academia, industry, and others; improved national security; increased economic competitiveness of the US; and enhanced infrastructure for research and education.

B. Application Review and Selection Process

Applications submitted in response to this program solicitation will be reviewed online by Panel Review.

The application evaluation involves the review and rating of applications by disciplinary and interdisciplinary scientists and engineers, and other professional graduate education experts.

Applicants are reviewed on their demonstrated potential to advance knowledge and to make significant research achievements and contributions to their fields throughout their careers. Reviewers are asked to assess applications using a holistic, comprehensive approach, giving balanced consideration to all components of the application, including the educational and research record, leadership, outreach, service activities, and future plans, as well as individual competencies, experiences, and other attributes. The aim is to recruit and retain a diverse cohort of early-career individuals with high potential for future achievements, contributions, and broader impacts in STEM and STEM education.

The primary responsibility of each reviewer is to evaluate eligible GRFP applications by applying the Merit Review Criteria described in Section VI.A, and to recommend applicants for NSF Graduate Research Fellowships. Reviewers are instructed to review the applications holistically, applying the Merit Review Criteria and noting GRFP’s emphasis on demonstrated potential for significant research achievements in STEM or in STEM education. From these recommendations, NSF selects applicants for Fellowships or Honorable Mention, in line with NSF’s mission and the goals of GRFP. After Fellowship offers are made, applicants are able to view verbatim reviewer comments, excluding the names of the reviewers, for a limited period of time through the NSF GRFP Module.

VII. Award Administration Information

A. notification of the award.

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program applicants will be notified of the outcomes of their applications by early April of the competition year. The NSF publishes lists of Fellowship and Honorable Mention recipients on the GRFP Module at https://www.research.gov/grfp/Login.do in early April.

B. Award Conditions

NSF GRFP awards are made to the institution of higher education at which a Fellow is or will be enrolled. The awardee institution is responsible for financial management of the award and disbursement of Fellowship funds to the Fellow. The NSF GRFP award consists of the award notification letter that includes the applicable terms and conditions and Fellowship management instructions. All Fellowships are made subject to the provisions (and any subsequent amendments) contained in the document NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Administrative Guide for Fellows and Coordinating Officials .

NSF GRFP awards provide funds for NSF Fellows who have "on tenure" status. The institution will administer the awards, including any amendments, in accordance with the terms of the Agreement and provisions (and any subsequent amendments) contained in the document NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Administrative Guide for Fellows and Coordinating Officials .

The applicant must accept or decline the Fellowship by the deadline indicated in the award notification letter by logging into the GRFP Module at https://www.research.gov/grfp/Login.do with the applicant User ID and password. Failure to comply with the deadline and acceptance of Fellowship Terms and Conditions by the deadline will result in revocation of the Fellowship offer and render applicants ineligible to re-apply.

Terms and Conditions

Awardees must formally accept and agree to the terms and conditions of the Fellowship award. Acceptance of the Fellowship constitutes a commitment to pursue a graduate degree in an eligible science or engineering field. Acceptance of a Fellowship award is an explicit acceptance of this commitment and assurance that the Fellow will be duly enrolled in a graduate degree program consistent with the field of study indicated in their application by the beginning of the following academic year. Major changes in scope later in the graduate career require NSF approval. NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Administrative Guide for Fellows and Coordinating Officials includes the terms and conditions that apply to the Fellowship and subsequent institutional award, in addition to the eligibility requirements (U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident, degree requirements, and field of study) and Certifications in the application. Each institution, in accepting the funds, also certifies that the Fellows are eligible to receive the Fellowship under these terms and conditions. Fellows are expected to make satisfactory academic progress towards completion of their graduate degrees, as defined and certified by the Fellow's GRFP institution. In cases where Fellows have misrepresented their eligibility, or have failed to comply with the Fellowship Terms and Conditions, the Fellowship will be revoked, and the case may be referred to the Office of the Inspector General for investigation. This action may result in requiring the Fellow to repay Fellowship funds to the National Science Foundation.

An individual may not accept the Graduate Research Fellowship if the individual accepts or is supported by another federal graduate fellowship.

Responsible Conduct of Research

It is the responsibility of the Fellow, in conjunction with the GRFP institution, to ensure that all academic and research activities carried out in or outside the US comply with the laws or regulations of the US and/or of the foreign country in which the academic and/or research activities are conducted. These include appropriate human subject, animal welfare, copyright and intellectual property protection, and other regulations or laws, as appropriate. All academic and research activities should be coordinated with the appropriate US and foreign government authorities, and necessary licenses, permits, or approvals must be obtained prior to undertaking the proposed activities.

In response to the America COMPETES Act, all Fellows supported by NSF to conduct research are required to receive appropriate training and oversight in the Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research.

Research Involving Human Subjects

Projects involving research with human subjects must ensure that subjects are protected from research risks in conformance with the relevant Federal policy known as the Common Rule ( Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects , 45 CFR 690 ). All projects involving human subjects must either (1) have approval from an Institutional Review Board (IRB) before issuance of an NSF award; or, (2) must affirm that the IRB has declared the research exempt from IRB review, in accordance with the applicable subsection, as established in 45 CFR § 690.104(d) of the Common Rule. Fellows are required to comply with this policy and adhere to the organization's protocol for managing research involving human subjects.

Research Involving Vertebrate Animals

Any project proposing use of vertebrate animals for research or education shall comply with the Animal Welfare Act [7 U.S.C. 2131 et seq.] and the regulations promulgated thereunder by the Secretary of Agriculture [9 CFR 1.1-4.11] pertaining to the humane care, handling, and treatment of vertebrate animals held or used for research, teaching or other activities supported by Federal awards. In accordance with these requirements, proposed projects involving use of any vertebrate animal for research or education must be approved by the submitting organization's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) before an award can be made. For this approval to be accepted by NSF, the organization must have a current Public Health Service (PHS) Approved Assurance.

Projects involving the care or use of vertebrate animals at an international organization or international field site also require approval of research protocols by the US grantee’s IACUC. If the project is to be funded through an award to an international organization or through an individual fellowship award that will support activities at an international organization, NSF will require a statement from the international organization explicitly listing the proposer’s name and referencing the title of the award to confirm that the activities will be conducted in accordance with all applicable laws in the international country and that the International Guiding Principles for Biomedical Research Involving Animals (see: http://www.cioms.ch/ ) will be followed.

Legal Rights to Intellectual Property

The National Science Foundation claims no rights to any inventions or writings that might result from its fellowship or traineeship grants. However, fellows and trainees should be aware that the NSF, another Federal agency, or some private party may acquire such rights through other support for particular research. Also, fellows and trainees should note their obligation to include an Acknowledgment and Disclaimer in any publication.

C. Reporting Requirements

Acknowledgment of Support and Disclaimer

All publications, presentations, and creative works based on activities conducted during the Fellowship must acknowledge NSF GRFP Support and provide a disclaimer by including the following statement in the Acknowledgements or other appropriate section:

"This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program under Grant No. (NSF grant number). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation."

Annual Activities Report and Annual Fellowship Status Declaration

Fellows are required to submit an Annual Activities Report and to complete Fellowship Status Declaration by the deadline date each year (deadline notification sent by email), using NSF's GRFP Module. The GRFP Module permits online submission and updating of activity reports, including information on research accomplishments and activities related to broader impacts, presentations, publications, teaching and research assistantships, awards and recognitions, and other scholarly and service accomplishments. These reports must be reviewed and satisfactory progress verified by the faculty advisor or designated graduate program administrator prior to submission to NSF.

Fellows must declare their intent to utilize the Fellowship for the following year using the NSF GRFP Module. Failure to declare Fellowship status by the established deadline violates the terms and conditions for NSF Fellowship awards, and results in termination of the Fellowship.

Program Evaluation

The Division of Graduate Education (DGE) conducts evaluations to provide evidence on the impact of the GRFP on individuals' educational decisions, career preparations, aspirations and progress, as well as professional productivity; and provide an understanding of the program policies in achieving the program goals. Additionally, it is highly desirable to have a structured means of tracking Fellows beyond graduation to gauge the extent to which they choose a career path consistent with the intent of the program and to assess the impact the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship has had on their graduate education experience. Accordingly, Fellows and Honorable Mention recipients may be contacted for updates on various aspects of their employment history, professional activities and accomplishments, participation in international research collaborations, and other information helpful in evaluating the impact of the program. Fellows and their institutions agree to cooperate in program-level evaluations conducted by the NSF and/or contracted evaluators. The 2014 GRFP evaluation is posted on the "Evaluation Reports" Web page for NSF's Directorate for STEM Education.

GRFP institutions are required to submit the GRFP Completion Report annually. The Completion Report allows GRFP institutions to certify the current status of all GRFP Fellows at the institution. The current status will identify a Fellow as: In Progress, Graduated, Transferred, or Withdrawn. For Fellows who have graduated, the graduation date is a required reporting element.

VIII. Agency Contacts

Please note that the program contact information is current at the time of publishing. See program website ( https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=6201 ) for any updates to the points of contact.

General inquiries regarding this program should be made to:

For questions related to the use of GRFP Application Module, contact:

NSF Help Desk: telephone: 1-800-381-1532; e-mail: [email protected]

The Graduate Research Fellowship Operations Center is responsible for processing applications and responding to requests for information. General inquiries regarding the Graduate Research Fellowship Program should be made to:

Graduate Research Fellowship Operations Center, telephone: 866-NSF-GRFP, 866-673-4737 (toll-free from the US and Canada) or 202-331-3542 (international). email: [email protected]

IX. Other Information

The NSF website provides the most comprehensive source of information on NSF Directorates (including contact information), programs and funding opportunities. Use of this website by potential proposers is strongly encouraged. In addition, "NSF Update" is an information-delivery system designed to keep potential proposers and other interested parties apprised of new NSF funding opportunities and publications, important changes in proposal and award policies and procedures, and upcoming NSF Grants Conferences . Subscribers are informed through e-mail or the user's Web browser each time new publications are issued that match their identified interests. "NSF Update" also is available on NSF's website .

Grants.gov provides an additional electronic capability to search for Federal government-wide grant opportunities. NSF funding opportunities may be accessed via this mechanism. Further information on Grants.gov may be obtained at https://www.grants.gov .

Students are encouraged to gain professional experience in other countries through their university graduate programs, and to participate in international research opportunities offered by NSF at: Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE) | NSF - National Science Foundation . Other funding opportunities for students are available at http://www.nsfgrfp.org/ .

About The National Science Foundation

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent Federal agency created by the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended (42 USC 1861-75). The Act states the purpose of the NSF is "to promote the progress of science; [and] to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare by supporting research and education in all fields of science and engineering."

NSF funds research and education in most fields of science and engineering. It does this through grants and cooperative agreements to more than 2,000 colleges, universities, K-12 school systems, businesses, informal science organizations and other research organizations throughout the US. The Foundation accounts for about one-fourth of Federal support to academic institutions for basic research.

NSF receives approximately 55,000 proposals each year for research, education and training projects, of which approximately 11,000 are funded. In addition, the Foundation receives several thousand applications for graduate and postdoctoral fellowships. The agency operates no laboratories itself but does support National Research Centers, user facilities, certain oceanographic vessels and Arctic and Antarctic research stations. The Foundation also supports cooperative research between universities and industry, US participation in international scientific and engineering efforts, and educational activities at every academic level.

Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED) provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons with disabilities to work on NSF-supported projects. See the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide Chapter II.F.7 for instructions regarding preparation of these types of proposals.

The National Science Foundation has Telephonic Device for the Deaf (TDD) and Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) capabilities that enable individuals with hearing impairments to communicate with the Foundation about NSF programs, employment or general information. TDD may be accessed at (703) 292-5090 and (800) 281-8749, FIRS at (800) 877-8339.

The National Science Foundation Information Center may be reached at (703) 292-5111.

The National Science Foundation promotes and advances scientific progress in the United States by competitively awarding grants and cooperative agreements for research and education in the sciences, mathematics, and engineering. To get the latest information about program deadlines, to download copies of NSF publications, and to access abstracts of awards, visit the NSF Website at 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22314 (NSF Information Center) (703) 292-5111 (703) 292-5090 Send an e-mail to: or telephone: (703) 292-8134 (703) 292-5111 Privacy Act And Public Burden Statements The information requested on the application materials is solicited under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended. It will be used in connection with the selection of qualified applicants and may be disclosed to qualified reviewers as part of the review process; to the institution the nominee, applicant or fellow is attending or is planning to attend or is employed by for the purpose of facilitating review or award decisions, or administering fellowships or awards; to government contractors, experts, volunteers and other individuals who perform a service to or work under a contract, grant, cooperative agreement, advisory committee, committee of visitors, or other arrangement with the Federal government as necessary to complete assigned work; to other government agencies needing data regarding applicants or nominees as part of the review process, or in order to coordinate programs; and to another Federal agency, court or party in a court or Federal administrative proceeding if the government is a party. Information from this system may be merged with other computer files to carry out statistical studies the results of which do not identify individuals. Notice of the agency's decision may be given to nominators, and disclosure may be made of awardees' names, home institutions, and fields of study for public information purposes. For fellows or awardees receiving stipends directly from the government, information is transmitted to the Department of the Treasury to make payments. See System of Record Notices , NSF-12, "Fellowships and Other Awards," 63 Federal Register 265 (January 5, 1998). Submission of the information is voluntary; however, failure to provide full and complete information may reduce the possibility of your receiving an award. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, an information collection unless it displays a valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. The OMB control number for this collection is 3145-0023. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 12 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions. Send comments regarding this burden estimate and any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: Suzanne H. Plimpton Reports Clearance Officer Policy Office, Division of Institution and Award Support Office of Budget, Finance, and Award Management National Science Foundation Alexandria, VA 22314 X. Appendix NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION GRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS Major Fields of Study Note: Applications are reviewed based on the selection of a Major Field of Study. As an example, CHEMISTRY is a Major Field of Study, and Chemical Catalysis is a subfield under CHEMISTRY. Selection of a Major Field of Study determines the application deadline, the broad disciplinary expertise of the reviewers who will review the application, and the discipline of the graduate program if the Fellowship is accepted. The subfield category designates specific expertise of the reviewers. Applicants can select “Other” if their specific subfield is not represented in the list of subfields under the Major Field of Study. The "Other" subfield category should be selected only if the proposed subfield is not covered by one of the listed subfields, and should not be used to designate a subfield that is more specific than the subfields listed. Artificial Intelligence Chemical Catalysis Chemical Measurement and Imaging Chemical Structure, Dynamics, and Mechanism Chemical Synthesis Chemical Theory, Models and Computational Methods Chemistry of Life Processes Computationally Intensive Research Environmental Chemical Systems Macromolecular, Supramolecular, and Nanochemistry Other (specify) Quantum Information Science Sustainable Chemistry COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCES & ENGINEERING Accessibility Algorithms and Theoretical Foundations Artificial Intelligence Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality, Graphics, and Visualization Bioinformatics and Bio-inspired Computing Communication and Information Theory Computationally Intensive Research Computer Architecture Computer Security and Privacy Computer Systems Computer Vision Cyber-Physical Systems and Embedded Systems Data Science, Data Mining, Information Retrieval and Databases Electronic Design Automation and Design of Micro and Nano Computing Systems Fairness, Explainability, Accountability and Transparency in Analytics Formal Methods, Verification, and Programming Languages Human Computer Interaction Information Sciences Machine Learning Natural Language Processing Other (specify) Parallel, Distributed, and Cloud Computing Quantum Information Science Robotics Scientific Computing Social Computing Software Engineering Wired and Wireless Networking ENGINEERING Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering Artificial Intelligence Bioengineering Biomedical Engineering Chemical Engineering Civil Engineering Computationally Intensive Research Computer Engineering Electrical and Electronic Engineering Energy Engineering Environmental Engineering Industrial Engineering & Operations Research Manufacturing Engineering Materials Engineering Mechanical Engineering Nuclear Engineering Ocean Engineering Optical Engineering Other (specify) Quantum Engineering Quantum Information Science Systems Engineering Wireless Engineering GEOSCIENCES Aeronomy Artificial Intelligence Arctic-Antarctic Atmospheric Chemistry Biogeochemistry Biological Oceanography Chemical Oceanography Climate and Large-Scale Atmospheric Dynamics Computationally Intensive Research Geobiology Geochemistry Geodynamics Geomorphology Geophysics Glaciology Hydrology Magnetospheric Physics Marine Biology Marine Geology and Geophysics Other (specify) Paleoclimate Paleontology and Paleobiology Petrology Physical and Dynamic Meteorology Physical Oceanography Quantum Information Science Sedimentary Geology Solar Physics Tectonics LIFE SCIENCES Artificial Intelligence Biochemistry Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Biophysics Cell Biology Computationally Intensive Research Developmental Biology Ecology Environmental Biology Evolutionary Biology Genetics Genomics Microbial Biology Neurosciences Organismal Biology Other (specify) Physiology Proteomics Quantum Information Science Structural Biology Systematics and Biodiversity Systems and Molecular Biology MATERIALS RESEARCH Artificial Intelligence Biomaterials Ceramics Chemistry of Materials Computationally Intensive Research Electronic Materials Materials Theory Metallic Materials Other (specify) Photonic Materials Physics of Materials Polymers Quantum Information Science MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES Algebra, Number Theory, and Combinatorics Analysis Applied Mathematics Artificial Intelligence Biostatistics Computational and Data-enabled Science Computational Mathematics Computational Statistics Computationally Intensive Research Geometric Analysis Logic or Foundations of Mathematics Mathematical Biology Other (specify) Probability Quantum Information Science Statistics Topology PHYSICS & ASTRONOMY Artificial Intelligence Astronomy and Astrophysics Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics Computationally Intensive Research Condensed Matter Physics Nuclear Physics Other (specify) Particle Physics Physics of Living Systems Plasma Physics Quantum Information Science Solid State Physics Theoretical Physics Artificial Intelligence Cognitive Neuroscience Cognitive Psychology Comparative Psychology Computational Psychology Computationally Intensive Research Developmental Psychology Industrial/Organizational Psychology Neuropsychology Other (specify) Perception and Psychophysics Personality and Individual Differences Physiological Psychology Psycholinguistics Quantitative Psychology Quantum Information Science Social/Affective Neuroscience Social Psychology SOCIAL SCIENCES Anthropology, other (specify) Archaeology Artificial Intelligence Biological Anthropology Communications Computationally Intensive Research Cultural Anthropology Decision Making and Risk Analysis Economics Geography History and Philosophy of Science International Relations Law and Social Science Linguistic Anthropology Linguistics Medical Anthropology Other (specify) Political Science Public Policy Quantum Information Science Science Policy Sociology Urban and Regional Planning STEM EDUCATION AND LEARNING RESEARCH Artificial Intelligence Computationally Intensive Research Engineering Education Mathematics Education Other (specify) Quantum Information Science Science Education Technology Education 298 IMAGES How to get a Bachelors, Masters, and PhD with NO Student Loans What To Do If You Have No Grad Funding!? Strategies to Pay for Your PhD Program! The 10 Best Online Ph.D. Programs With No Application Fees Online PhD The 10 Best Online Ph.D. Programs With No Application Fees Online PhD The 10 Best Online Ph.D. Programs With No Application Fees Online PhD How I Got a Bachelors, Masters, and PhD with NO Student Loans VIDEO 15 June 2024 My PhD Student Funding (USA STEM) #psychology #phd #funding #admissions Guaranteed Full Funding for PhD in Business Norway Scholarships in 2023 Without IELTS What if No Job after PhD or Postdoc? COMMENTS I got admitted for a PhD without Funding : r/AskAcademia In my field, "PhD funding" refers to a fellowship that has no teaching or research assistant obligations. This funding can be internal (an award from the university) or external (like NSF). That said, the vast majority of funding packages awarded to incoming students include a few years of teaching and research assistantship obligations. graduate school 2. I have some experience: I got into a PhD program in mathematics without funding (this was in 2006). I had a bad undergrad GPA, mediocre subject GRE scores, but good grades in my math courses and some strong letters of recommendation. So they were willing to take a chance by admitting me, but I had to "prove myself" to get funding. Unfunded Ph.D.s: To Go or Not To Go 3. Self-depreciation: Intensity will vary depending on personality and whether the program you are entering is overall well-funded or not. Finding yourself in a cohort of unfunded Ph.D.s who are going through similar struggles can enhance feelings of community and collegiality and make for an otherwise positive Ph.D. experience. Admitted to PhD without funding. Is there even a point? In my opinion, no funding completely defeats the purpose of doing a PhD. You're supposed to get paid to work in your field, not pay to do work. Shit, an unpaid internship is a better deal. But if I don't get into any of the other schools I applied to or if they make similar offers, it may be my only way to a PhD. PhD offer without funding or job offer? : r/PhD Admitted to a PhD program without garunteed funding. Is it worth it? For context I was a biochemistry and molecular biology undergrad, worked in the biotechnology industry while getting a biotechnology masters degree and a final research project got me thinking of going further for a PhD so I threw out some applications. The Myth of the Fully-Funded PhD: Using Scholarships to Mitigate the The common phrase "no one goes into a PhD to make money" is thrown around frequently in academic settings, and seems to suggest that pursuits related to funding are selfish and "anti-intellectual." ... Do you need help with your PhD admissions or PhD funding applications? Our expert advisors are here to walk you through the PhD ... How to survive doing your PhD when you have no funding? (1) How to secure funding for your PhD, if you get admitted, is probably one of the most stressful issues the majority of prospective PhD students are facing. The number of scholarships, grants and awards is limited compared to the number of applications, and very often the main obstacle is not getting an offer, but sorting out your finances. PhDs: the tortuous truth A third-year chemistry student at the University of Novi Sad in Serbia, she started her PhD programme with no funding, which forced her to get side jobs bartending and waitressing. When a funded ... graduate admissions So, not getting funding doesn't mean they do not like you, but it means that they have no money to fund you (which is a slight, but important difference). Nevertheless, I discourage to do a PhD without funding, for various reasons: in short, motivation of the supervisor, motivation of the student, motivation of the department. Financial Support for PhD Students While funding packages vary by program, PhD students in the sciences typically receive full funding until they complete their programs of study. Contact your department administrator or financial aid officer for details. PhD Students in the Humanities and Social Sciences Programs of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. 30 Fully Funded Ph.D. Programs Full-time NYU Steinhardt Ph.D. students are eligible for a funding package that includes an annual stipend - $32,000 for the 2022-2023 academic year - tuition coverage for required coursework ... Financing Your Education A doctoral degree is a significant investment in your future, and financing your education is a critical factor to consider. While the funding we provide covers the basic standard cost of attendance determined by Stanford University for a modest life as a graduate student, accepting an offer from a doctoral program has significant personal, professional, and financial implications. Below you ... How to Get PhD Funding In the UK, being a self-funded PhD student can be an expensive undertaking, with an annual tuition bill of approximately £3,000 to £6,000 (about US$3,800-7,670) for domestic students and up to £18,000 ($23,000) for international students for the first three years. In the US, the price tag for a PhD is even higher, ranging from US$28,000 to ... Find PhD Scholarships Find Education Scholarships for PhD Students. Every little bit helps, get a head start funding your doctoral degree using the U.S. News scholarship database. Apply for money now. 318 results. Google PhD fellowship program Google PhD Fellowships directly support graduate students as they pursue their PhD, as well as connect them to a Google Research Mentor. Nurturing and maintaining strong relations with the academic community is a top priority at Google. The Google PhD Fellowship Program was created to recognize outstanding graduate students doing exceptional ... How to Fully Fund Your PhD All PhD students at Columbia University get full funding. Columbia has particularly strong programs in medicine and sciences, as well as public administration and policy. Boston College's Department of Psychology offers a four- to five-year, full-time, fully-funded, research-oriented doctoral program. Students admitted Duke University's PhD ... PhD Student Funding Overview Dean's Emergency Fund. The Dean's Emergency Fund enables terminal master's and PhD students in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences to continue making academic progress despite unanticipated, extreme financial hardships that cannot be resolved through fellowships, loans, or personal resources. The maximum award for eligible requests is ... No need to fork out US$40,000 for a PhD This fully-funded PhD provides students with guaranteed funding between four to six years, a monthly living stipend and a comprehensive health insurance plan. Additional funding is available from a range of sources, including graduate student instructor positions and fellowships. Apply here. 6. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Top Fully Funded PhD Programs Updated: June 4th, 2024. Fully funded PhD programs offer students seeking their doctor of philosophy degrees the ultimate experience. With the average cost of a PhD at nearly $81,000, students are able to focus on their studies without worrying about paying for their degrees or living expenses. Keep reading to learn about some of the top fully ... PhD in Education I'm getting a PhD in education. I was offered a place in a program in my home state with no funding, and out of state with full funding. I'm glad I went with the full funding package. Working while doing your coursework is challenging to say the least. Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) Graduate Student Research About. The WGSS Program is happy to announce a new funding resource for graduate students in the WGSS Certificate or Combined PhD program. Up to seven WGSS graduate students per academic year will receive up to $700 each towards travel to an academic conference related to their work in the Certificate or Combined PhD program. Commonwealth PhD Scholarships How to apply. Applications for Commonwealth PhD scholarships for the 202 5 /2 6 academic year are now open.The deadline for submitting an application is 16:00 hours BST (15:00 GMT) on 1 5 October 202 4.The s cholarships are for study in the UK beginning in September/October 2 02 5.. Applications to the CSC must be made using the CSC's online application system. NSF 24-591: NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Anticipated Funding Amount: $159,000. Per award (Fellowship), pending the availability of funds. ... current graduate students with no more than one academic year completed according to institution's academic calendar of any degree-granting graduate program; or 3) currently unenrolled individuals who wish to return to graduate study and are at ... LITAC <p>To nurture the best talent, the post fully covers domestic fees, providing living-costs commensurate to those offered by the UKRI, as well as a flexible £10k budget for consumables and travel. </p> <p>As standard with the PhD positions, the post-holder will also join the vibrant LITAC researcher community, who meet in sessions that are designed to enhance additional skills relevant to ... QUT The duration includes an extension of up to six months (PhD). This is the full-time, tax exempt rate which will index annually. You will receive a tuition fee offset/sponsorship, covering the cost of your tuition fees for the first four full-time equivalent years of your doctoral studies. Best Graduate Student Loans of September 2024 Graduate school is a big undertaking, both academically and financially. According to the College Board, graduate students borrowed an average of $17,490 in federal student loans in the 2022-23 ... CE-CERT Graduate Students Awarded ITS California Scholarships Two graduate students from the Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT) at the University of California, Riverside—Saswat Priyadarshi Nayak and Dongbo Peng—have been recognized for their innovative contributions to the field of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). Both have received the prestigious Intelligent Transportation Society of California (ITSCA) and ... Got a Phd offer but no funding : r/academia Got a Phd offer but no funding. Hello! I am an international student. I am from India. I applied for a PhD in the USA. As of now I have three offers for a masters program from Penn State University, Rutgers university, and University of Buffalo. All are STEM designated courses but there is not financial support. Accepted Offer for a PhD... but have no funding! : r/PhD The universities are not helpful or eager to help facilitate funding as they will look at you as a tuition cow--free $ 100,000 over 4 years with minimal institutional expenditure as it will be an independent research. A hard no for a PhD without funding for me, I would rather not do a PhD than have $100,000 debt afterwards. NSF 23-605: Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Fellowship funding will be for a maximum of three years of financial support (in 12-month allocations, starting in fall or summer) usable over a five-year fellowship period. ... With no prior graduate degree program enrollment. Undergraduate students on track to receive a Bachelor's degree by the fall of the year following the application ... assignment essay homework paper phd report resume review speech thesis