how to apply for phd funding

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•       Financial Aid       PhD Scholarships and Financial Aid

PAYING FOR YOUR PHD Expert Tips, Scholarships Opportunities and Resources for Financing an Advanced Degree

The average yearly tuition for a PhD program is slightly above $16,000, which means students will invest about $80,000 in tuition fees alone for a five-year program. Add in fees, cost-of-living, travel expenses and the figure can easily surpass six figures. Yet, it is possible to fund a PhD program without breaking the bank and going into debt.

Featured Online Schools

• PhD Cost Breakdown
• PhD Financial Aid Options
• Expert Spotlight: Lawrence Burns, PhD
• Earning Outlook for Phd Students
• Most Lucrative PhD Careers
• Expert Spotlight: Darren Pierre, PhD
• PhD: By The Numbers
• Additional Financial Aid Resources

PHD COST BREAKDOWN

The value of a college education should not be understated, but neither should its actual cost. Earning a doctoral degree can be an expensive proposition. According to the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics, the average tuition and fees for a graduate program of study was $16,435 in 2012-2013. The table below outlines the 2012-2013 graduate tuition and fees by academic institution.

• All Institutions $16,435
• Public $10,408
• Private Non-Profit $23,698
• Private For-Profit $14,418

Source: National Center for Education Statistics

A rough calculation of the number of years it takes to complete a doctoral program, multiplied by the average 2012-2013 tuition and fees from the NCES, reveals the following total cost figures by academic field of study.

A five- to six-figure education is something to take seriously as there are debt implications after leaving finishing a PhD program. Graduating doctoral students in 2013 left school with an average debt of just over $15,000, according to the National Science Foundation. By field, students in the Social Sciences, Education and Humanities graduate with the highest levels of student debt:

• Education: $26,566
• Social Sciences: $26,222
• Humanities: $21,485

Conversely, the science and technology fields graduate students with the lowest debt figures:

• Physical Sciences: $6,342
• Engineering: $7,031
• Life Sciences: $11,905
• Physical Sciences 78.2%
• Engineering 75.1%
• Life Sciences 67.2%
• Humanities 48.4%
• Social Sciences 46.5%
• Education 44.1%

Source: National Science Foundation, Survey of Earned Doctorates, 2013

While these figures may seem alarming, a deeper dive into survey data from the National Science Foundation actually paints a more positive picture. Overall, more than 62 percent of all doctoral recipients graduate from school without a single dollar of debt.

Prospective students can use the table below to get a better sense of the percentage of students who take on debt at incremental levels in each field of academic study. A majority of students graduate with $10,000 or less in debt after finishing their doctoral degree.

PhD Cost Factors

The total cost of earning a doctoral degree is variable because of the sheer number of different factors involved. Tuition is not the only cost to consider when thinking about applying to a PhD program.

Typically, students pay full tuition rates during their first three years of doctoral study and receive reduced tuition rates for the remainder of the program. However, the actual cost of tuition does vary and may be dependent on the student’s actual degree program.

Graduate students pay a range of fees, with the most common including:

• Health Services (access to health facilities on campus)
• Health Insurance (personal health insurance)
• Student Activity (subsidizes athletics and other clubs)
• Student Recreation (access to recreational facilities on campus)

Some programs estimate students should be prepared to pay between $3,000 and $4,500 per academic year in student fees and health insurance costs.

Students with a master’s degree or coursework in a similar graduate program may be able to transfer credits into their doctoral program. That can lower the total number of credits required to graduate, which can lower the total cost of the degree. However, some institutions do limit the amount of tuition credits that can be applied for graduate work done in a related field at other institutions.

Whether or not the student has an assistantship does not affect the cost of textbooks and other academic materials. Books are a revolving charge, one a student should plan upon each semester or quarter.

Housing, utilities and food are considered indirect expenses students incur during their education. PhD students should plan on anywhere from $12,000 to $25,000 and up for living expenses each year. Again, this figure is highly variable based on the location of the university and the cost-of-living in that area.

Owning a car means additional budgeting for insurance, car payments and gas. Additionally, students may need to travel for conferences and research. Without funding from a graduate student association or grant program, the student will have to cover these costs individually.

PhD students with children may have to account for childcare costs. Purchasing a new computer and other supplies may also be required. This type of budgeting will vary from individual to individual, program to program.

Most PhD programs allow students to progress at their own pace, requiring them to complete and defend their dissertation within a certain time period (e.g. six years). However, the time it takes to complete a dissertation depends on the student, area of study, research, etc. This can impact cost of attending a doctoral program.

Example Cost of Attendance

A student’s budget should include the total cost of attendance—that is both direct (tuition and fees) and indirect costs (e.g. housing). This budget is the starting point for determining the student’s financial need, how much financial aid they require, and if they can afford to attend a doctoral program. Below is a sample five-year total cost of attendance chart based on an in-state tuition program, with a budget that assumes fixed costs for fees and indirect costs, such as housing. It also does not take into account assistantships and tuition waivers for assistants.

Based on a figure that’s slightly below the 2012-2013 average graduate tuition cost, the total cost of attendance can still produce sticker shock. An average student in a program that charges $12,000 per year in tuition could have to pay between $30,000 and $45,000 year in total costs.

PhD FINANCIAL AID OPTIONS

Prospective PhD candidates have an abundance of financial aid options to help fund their graduate studies. Typically, students are fully funded by a combination of sources, including scholarships, fellowships, research assistantships, teaching assistantships, or student loans.

It is important for students to note that most sources of aid are awarded by individual academic programs, so they should follow-up with their department for up-to-date information.

Below is a high-level overview of the common types of graduate financial aid.

Prospective PhD candidates can turn to a variety of funding sources, including scholarships, grants, and fellowships to support their education financially. As discussed, most students use a combination of one or more of these funding sources to finance their degree program and research.

PhD students can apply for a variety of scholarships that award students with funds that can be used to help cover the cost of tuition, books and other fees.

Grants are similar to scholarships and are academic-based awards that can be used to augment other sources of financial aid.

Fellowships are a different type of funding that may encompass a scholarship or grant and can be used to fund research, study and teaching in the US and internationally. Many fellowships provide full tuition and a yearly stipend to students.

A PhD should never be an end in itself but rather a means to an end. The path to a PhD is an arduous one and should never be undertaken without serious thought to what it will bring the student. That said, there is money available for graduate study in most fields, and a student in the humanities should be very careful to apply to appropriate programs which fund their grad students.

• Engineering
• Physical Sciences

The SMART program is designed to support graduate students studying in STEM disciplines and offers a range of other benefits, including supplies and health insurance allowances and employment placement services with the DoD after graduation.

The National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship is a three-year graduate fellowship that is designed to support doctoral students across fifteen engineering disciplines.

This three-year fellowship program supports the research efforts of doctoral students in STEM-related fields of study and allows them to pursue their work at any accredited graduate program in the country.

Renewable award for graduate students enrolled in a full-time APA-accredited doctoral program of study in psychology. Underrepresented, minority students are encouraged to apply.

This fellowship is open to female scholars and is designed to help offset the doctoral student’s living expenses during her final year of working on a dissertation.

This fellowship is a single-year of funding that is designed to support the doctoral research of a student working in child psychology.

The Javits Fellowship is provided on a needs- and competitive-basis to graduate students pursing graduate degrees in the humanities, social sciences, and the arts.

Two fellowships are awarded to support doctoral students who plan to study at the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, Greece for a year.

The Richard M. Weaver Scholarship is open to graduate student members of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute and supports the academic work of scholars pursuing teaching careers at the college level.

The AICPA fellowship is designed for minority students pursuing or planning to pursue a doctorate in accounting.

Five scholarships are available to provide financial assistance to graduate students pursuing studies in accounting and plan on earning CPA licensure.

This fellowship provides financial support to female scholars conducting research and economic analysis into natural resource, food, or agricultural issues.

This renewable, four-year fellowship is designed to support a scholar’s work in the field of stewardship science: nuclear science, high density physics, and materials under extreme conditions and hydrodynamics.

This multi-year fellowship supports doctoral research in several fields, ranging from chemistry to geology, materials science to physics and connects fellows with NPSC employer partners.

The NWRI fellowship program is open to full-time doctoral students conducting water-based research in areas such as water quality, water treatment and technologies, water supplies and water resources.

Really think about your reasons for getting a PhD. Critically exam the support systems you have in place to get you through the journey: 50 percent of doctoral students suffer from depression. Utilize services like the counseling center on your college/university campuses to help you respond to the stressors that may occur with the transition.

ASSISTANTSHIPS, FELLOWSHIPS AND LOANS

Graduate assistantships.

Graduate assistantships are a form of academic appointment and are provided by individual departments. Competitive in nature, they are typically awarded on the basis of the student’s academic accomplishments and potential in the graduate program of study. Most programs provide appointments for one year at time and students receive a tuition credit or waiver and monthly stipend. There are three types of assistantships: Teaching Assistantships, Assistant Lecturers, and Research Assistants.

Teaching assistants perform a range of support duties for faculty members at a university, including grading papers and teaching classes.

Lecturers may serve as instructors in the academic department where they are studying.

Research assistants conduct and assist faculty members with research projects in the student’s area of interest.

Fellowships

Fellowships are short-term funding opportunities (typically 9- to 12 months) provided to students in the form of tuition credits and/or stipends. They support a student’s graduate study in their field of choice, may assist them in their research, or gain professional training in an area of interest. Fellowships are competitive and are available in two types: University-based and External.

Individual schools, colleges, and departments at a university (e.g. College of Science, Department of English) may have endowed fellowships. Students are either nominated for an award by their department or may be open to an application process.

External fellowships are funded by foundations, government agencies and other groups and provide opportunities to study both in the US and abroad. For example, the Department of Defense offers the National Defense Science & Engineering Graduate Fellowship to engineering students studying in one of sixteen engineering specialties.

Corporations

Many companies and businesses have created scholarship, fellowship, and tuition reimbursement programs for their employees. Depending on the company, there may be a possibility it supports the graduate school efforts of its employees. Speak to the Human Resources department to learn more about the potential funding avenues available.

Graduate students may borrow funds from the federal government under two loan programs: William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program and the Federal Perkins Loan Program.

Private financial institutions, including banks and credit unions, offer unsecured educational loans to graduate students. These loans must be repaid with interest. The interest rates, loan amount, and repayment terms are based on the credit worthiness of the borrower.

Federal work study provides students with demonstrated financial need part-time job opportunities that allow them to earn income while they are in graduate school. The program focuses on placing students in community service situations related to the student’s academic course of study. A majority of jobs are on-campus, but some schools may have some off-campus jobs with nonprofit agencies and other groups. It is important to note that some universities may not allow students to use their federal work study for tuition, but other related expenses (e.g. books, fees).

EXPERT SPOTLIGHT: Lawrence Burns, PhD

What should a future phd student consider when selecting a program of   study .

Speaking in the humanities, a student is best advised, I think, to select the faculty member with whom he or she wishes to study rather than simply a program. This faculty member becomes the student’s mentor, a relationship that lasts well beyond graduate school years. Because the mentor becomes the student’s primary reference, his or her standing in the field can and does have an impact on pre- and post-doctoral grants a student might win as well as on the student’s success on the academic job market.

It is a delicate balance though, because one must also look at programs that have standing in a particular field and at institutions that can afford to fund their PhD students throughout their graduate years.

Much is made about the saturation of PhD graduates and not enough   positions — both in academic and the private sector. Should that dissuade   a student from pursuing a PhD?

Yes, of course. Again, a PhD is not something that comes easily, and it should not be pursued without a reason for it. On the other hand, for students who are committed to their fields, and for whom that field is a career choice, the PhD is still the only way into the university job market. 

There is a catch-22 in the world of post-graduate education. Research universities need to turn out research, and researchers often depend on their grad students to assist them–in all fields–and departments on their PhD candidates to teach many undergraduate courses. PhD students are thus recruited regardless of the job market for the PhD holders.

The challenges in funding the PhD for me were less about how am I going to pay for this degree, but making the adjustment from being a full-time salaried employee to now, taking a significant pay cut to serve as a graduate assistant.

EARNING OUTLOOK FOR PHD STUDENTS

Potential career earnings should be a significant part of the discussion when considering whether or not to pursue a doctoral degree. Completing an advanced program of study could increase an individual’s earning potential with their current or future employers.

Research from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals a direct correlation between educational attainment and career success—both in employment opportunities and annual salaries. Doctoral degree holders are some of the highest paid professionals in the country. The table below outlines the difference in earnings by degree level in 2014.

source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Earnings and Unemployment by Educational Attainment

• Industry or Business $97,700
• Government $82,000
• Nonprofit Organizations $72,500
• Other $70,000
• Academia $60,000

Source: National Science Foundation, Survey of Earned Doctorates

In turn, prospective students should consider how their sacrifice of time and money will pay off when they embark in their careers. Some professional fields have a higher return on investment than others. A majority of PhD candidates endeavor to become tenured-track faculty members, but they should realize that academia is one of the lowest paying sectors for individuals with a doctoral degree.

A review of National Science Foundation survey information shows that the best paying professional areas for PhD graduates include Industry and Business—with an average salary of $97,700. At the bottom of the list? Academia.

MOST LUCRATIVE PHD CAREERS

So, which PhD degrees pay the best?

According to the NSF, business, economics, and engineering are consistently among the best earning academic fields regardless of industry. The following tables outline the highest paying academic fields by professional area of work after graduation.

• Business Management and Administration $110,000
• Economics $82,000
• Engineering $79,000
• Health Sciences $70,000
• Education $60,000
• Business Management and Administration $135,000
• Economics $115,000
• Mathematics and Computer Information Sciences $115,000
• Geosciences $110,000
• Engineering $98,000
• Economics $112,500
• Business Management and Administration $96,590
• Engineering $96,500
• Mathematics and Computer Information Sciences $95,300
• Health Sciences $94,000
• Business Management and Administration $105,000
• Economics $100,000
• Mathematics and Computer Information Sciences $100,000
• Health Sciences $98,000

At the occupational level, 2012 employment research from the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed the best paying doctoral career was Physicist ($109,600), followed by Astronomers ($105,410), and Engineering Professors ($94,130).

Overall, the top 10 most lucrative PhD careers include the following:

• 1 Physicists $109,600
• 2 Astronomers $105,410
• 3 Engineering Professors $94,130
• 4 Economics Professors $90,870
• 5 Health Specialties Professors: $90,210
• 6 Agricultural Sciences Professors $86,260
• 7 Biochemists and Biophysicists $84,940
• 8 Forestry and Conservation Science Professors $84,090
• 9 Physics Professors $80,720
• 10 Medical Scientists $79,930

EXPERT SPOTLIGHT: Darren Pierre, PhD

How has earning a phd impacted you personally and professionally.

Personally, the PhD was an incredibly introspective process. I believe for many, they go into the PhD thinking one thing, and come out transformed by the experience. I learned and grew personally in how I harness my self-worth, I grew professionally in my ability to humble myself and authentically listen to the feedback given about my work.

Professionally, I move with a greater level of confidence, I have more insight into my own potential in ways I could have never imagined, and all of that propelled me to write my book, The Invitation to Love.

Through your own experience, what are the biggest mistakes   prospective PhD students make when choosing and/or funding their PhD?

The biggest mistake that perspective students make is doing the degree for the wrong reason. If you are doing the degree for any other reason that self-motivated factors, you will falter. Doing the PhD to cover areas of insecurity, or low self-worth; doing the PhD for the prestige or title sake, those reasons will have you floundering and faltering when the psychological stressors being to weigh heavy.

Did you create a roadmap--financially or academically--to stay on track to   completing your PhD?

Absolutely, you have to have a plan and work that plan. Each Sunday, I would develop the week's action plan, I would carve out everything from when I was doing assignments/research to when I would work out, everything was on a schedule so that even when the fog of the process set in, I had headlights (my schedule) that allowed me to drive consistently when the road ahead was hard to see.

PHD: BY THE NUMBERS

Doctoral education in the U.S. is a varied and broad system, one that has been growing in popularity. In the 2013-2014 academic year, more than 178,000 doctoral degrees were conferred to students nationally, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics.

• Doctoral Education Continues to Grow
• Engineering and Physical Sciences Dominate
• STEM Fields are the Most Popular
• Only Half of Students Earn a PhD in the Same Academic Field as their Master’s Degree
• Doctoral Degrees are an Investment in Time
• Primary Source of Funding Varies by Program

In its survey of earned doctorates, the National Science Foundation learned the number of doctoral recipients increased by nearly 30 percent between 2003 and 2013.

The most popular academic areas of study were Engineering and the Physical Sciences.

• Engineering 69.80%
• Physical Sciences 59.30%
• Health Sciences 53.60%
• Life Sciences 44.60%
• Other 38.90%
• Social Sciences 19.90%
• Humanities 9.10%
• Education -25.70%

Within the engineering and physical sciences disciplines, multiple sub-fields have been experiencing explosive interest and enrollments, with some programs (e.g. physics, materials science engineering) growing by more than 70 percent between 2003 and 2013.

• Other engineering 127.5%
• Materials science engineering 86.5%
• Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 74.5%
• Mechanical engineering 70.5%
• Electrical, electronics, and communication engineering 53.6%
• Chemical engineering 46.0%
• Computer and information sciences 119.1%
• Mathematics 83.0%
• Physics and astronomy 76.7%
• Geosciences 28.8%
• Chemistry 22.0%

According to NSF, the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields are the most popular doctoral areas of study.

• Life Sciences 23.3%
• Physical Sciences 17.6%
• Engineering 17.0%
• Social Sciences 15.9%
• Humanities 10.7%
• Education 9.4%

Interestingly, slightly more than 56 percent of graduate students continue into a doctoral program in the same field as their master’s degree. Rates are highest in the humanities, engineering, and social sciences fields.

• Humanities 67.6%
• Engineering 65.7%
• Social Sciences 65.6%
• Education 61.5%
• All Fields 56.1%
• Physical Sciences 53.4%
• Life Sciences 35.5%

It requires approximately 7.5 years of study for the average graduate student to complete a doctoral degree after enrolling in graduate school. Education takes the longest — more than 11 years, while the physical sciences and engineering fields only require 6.5 to 6.6 years of study to complete.

• Education 11.7
• Humanities 9.2
• Social Sciences 7.7
• All Fields 7.5
• Life Sciences 6.9
• Engineering 6.6
• Physical Sciences 6.5

According to the NSF, the most common source of funding for doctoral students are teaching and research assistantships. The table below details the primary source of funding for students by academic area of study.

• Life Sciences Fellowships/ Grants
• Physical Sciences Research Assistantships
• Social Sciences Teaching Assistantships
• Engineering Research Assistantships
• Education Own Resources
• Humanities Teaching Assistantships
• All Fields Research Assistantships

The following table includes a breakout of the primary funding source by major field of study, according the National Science Foundation.

Source: http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/sed/2013/data-tables.cfm

ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL AID RESOURCES

The ultimate financial goal of any PhD student should be to complete their program successfully and move into a professional career with as little debt as possible. The resources below are available to help students locate scholarships and other funding sources that can help make that goal a reality.

Unigo offers a selection of financial assistance resources for graduate students, including a scholarship directory, a scholarship match tool, educational information on student loans and funding options, and more.

Scholarships.com is a website that provides a selection of financial aid information, including a searchable scholarship directory, insights into funding trends, financial aid calculators, and information about grants and fellowships.

Peterson’s is an educational resource site that includes a searchable scholarship database, articles and advice columns, and a catalog of graduate school profiles.

FinAid.org is an educational resource site that focuses on financial aid and offers information about student loans, federal financial aid, financing a doctoral education, and includes a scholarship search option.

An office of the U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid is the country’s largest provider of financial aid. Graduate students can learn about and pally for loans, grants, and work-study funds to pay for their doctoral education.

FastWeb is a financial aid-focused website that offers a searchable scholarship directory that allows students to focus their search to their major area of study, work experience, and personal and professional activities.

Chegg is an online educational portal that not only offers used textbooks, but a scholarship database as well.

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Scholarships & Grants for Doctoral Students

A doctorate is a significant investment, but it’s within reach thanks to thousands of scholarships and grants available. Find dozens of opportunities right here, and learn how to apply for the money you need.

Search hundreds of top schools for the doctorate YOU want.

PhDs.me Staff

Last updated

Aug 09, 2023

Earning your doctorate is a major investment. In addition to time and energy, you need to pay for tuition, fees, and a host of other expenses that go along with it. Yet with thousands of funding options out there, the commitment doesn’t have to put your bank account to the test. Scholarships and grants can defray many of the grad school costs, and put that PhD or professional doctorate within reach. Use this guide to take your first step with funding.

Explore Doctoral Scholarships and Grants by Student Group

• Black Students
• Latino and Hispanic Students
• Minority Students

PhD and Doctorate Scholarships

Grants and scholarships are financial aid recipients don’t need to pay back. In general, grants are need-based while scholarships are based on character or merit.

For graduate students, particularly PhD and doctoral candidates, scholarships are often career specific. In contrast, undergraduate scholarships are usually open-ended and merit based. PhD scholarships sometimes include teaching requirements, and some ask for recent GMAT or other graduate-level test scores.

Scholarship donors set the criteria for recipient selection. The list below, while not exhaustive, offers a glimpse of doctorate-level scholarships available.

Fulbright U.S. Student Program

August 1 st

Eligibility

Be a citizen or U.S. national and hold a bachelor’s degree. Meet language requirements of application country and declare any other scholarships or grants. Cannot have previously lived or studied in the application country, except for undergraduate study abroad.

Description

Funds a year of study, research, and culture-sharing abroad. Can support studies in various countries around the world that focus on areas such as teaching, business, public health, journalism and communications, arts, sciences, and humanities.

AMA’s Valuing Diversity PhD Scholarship

$1,000 to $2,500

Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and member of an underrepresented population (e.g. African American, Hispanic, or Native American). Completed at least one year of doctoral study in marketing or advertising.

Represents an effort to uplift unheard voices and bring diverse perspectives into the industry. Awards several scholarships yearly for marketing or advertising PhD candidates representing underserved populations. Previous applicants not selected can apply again.

The Beinecke Scholarship Program

$4,000 immediately + $30,000 while attending graduate school

2 nd  Wednesday of February

College juniors planning graduate studies in arts, humanities, or social sciences. Be a citizen or US national and received need-based financial aid as an undergraduate. Students planning to pursue advanced degrees in neuroscience, law, business, public health, public policy, or social work should not apply.

Supports highly motivated college juniors pursuing graduate and doctoral degrees in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. Purposes to motivate younger students to strategize a further future.

William (Bill) Ezzell Scholarship for CPAs

Be a CPA and hold an undergraduate or master’s degree in accounting. Have a GMAT score of 650 or higher (or GRE equivalent), intend to teach accounting after graduation, and be enrolled in an accounting PhD program.

A career-based scholarship aimed at supporting the passionate pursuit of a profession and giving back to the industry and community of accounting.

Irzyk Veteran Scholarship

August 31 st

Be a U.S. citizen and a veteran enrolled in an accredited university. Emphasis is on students with distinctions for combat and honorable service.

Named for Brigadier General Albin F. Irzyk who led tanks in WWII. One example of a broad category of scholarships available for veterans by veterans.

ALA Century Scholarship

$2,500 annually

For library sciences students with documented medical disabilities. Must exhibit financial need and be a U.S. or Canadian citizen.

An annual scholarship sponsored by the American Library Association to provide accommodations for students with disabilities pursuing graduate degrees in library science.

PhD and Doctorate Grants

Grants are financial aid packages aimed at helping professionals deepen their involvement and impact within their fields. They’re often awarded to recipients whose work benefits the broader community, especially if the work helps underserved people.

Federal and state grants are also available to qualifying applicants. These public grants frequently connect demonstrated financial need with public service requirements. Private grants also may come with stipulations set by the institutions funding them. Many PhD programs also have their own grants in different specialties, often founded by former recipients or alumni.

Esther Katz Rosen Fund Grant

$1,000 to $50,000

Available to psychologists and scholars working with gifted and talented children. Must be affiliated with an educational institution and hold a doctoral degree or be enrolled as a graduate student.

A post-doctoral research grant focused on supporting and advancing innovation in the studies of gifted and talented children and adolescents. Best suited for practicing psychologists or active researchers.

Berkman Charitable Fund Marketing Research Grant

Tenured or tenure-track faculty in marketing departments.

This grant drives efforts for science-based solutions to modern marketing disciplines and business administration. It supports marketing PhDs and faculty in developing research projects and encourages knowledge creation.

Wenner-Gren Foundation Anthropology Grants

Up to $20,000

Anthropology doctoral students and researchers. For students of all nationalities, though some awards require a master’s degree.

Seeks to further the understanding of our collective past through fieldwork, research, and educational support. Offers multiple grants for different pursuits in anthropology.

Mariam K Chamberlain Award

$8,500 to the graduate student; $1,500 to their advisor

October 20 th

First-generation doctoral students, including immigrant scholars, and their advisor. Dissertations must relate to Re:Gender’s mission.

A partnership scholarship for first-generation doctoral students working on a dissertation related to social justice, women’s rights, and/or gender studies. Designed to support mentorship and cooperation in keeping with the values of Mariam K. Chamberlain’s foundational institution, Re:Gender.

Hannah Beiter Graduate Student Research Grants

$500 to $1,500

February 1 st

Membership in the Children’s Literature Association (ChLA). Must have a research proposal and be a graduate student at any level.

Established to support research advancements within children’s literature. Recipients must publish and/or present their findings at a conference and acknowledge ChLA’s supporting role.

PhD and Doctorate Fellowships

Even more than doctoral grants and scholarships, fellowships are career- and research-oriented and aimed at furthering the interests not only of the fellow but also of the community, the institution, and the industry itself. Fellowships are generally awarded to PhDs and researchers already established in their fields.

Fellowships often include teaching, speaking, and/or research requirements as well as terms of residency. Some fellowship programs also require community-building projects and local collaboration. Fellowships also tend to confer prestige and enhanced networking with past fellows, which can lead to future career opportunities.

Eileen Blackey Doctoral Fellowship

$4,000 to $6,500

March 11 th

Social work PhD candidates studying welfare policy. Must have a National Association of Social Work (NASW) membership.

The NASW offers this annual fellowship to advance the field of social work, particularly as it relates to diversity and welfare policy. In addition to relevant dissertation work, recipients must participate in community events and the annual NASW National Leadership Conference.

IAF’s Grassroots Development Program

$6,000 initially + $1,500 monthly

See website

U.S. doctoral candidates in various fields. Research must be related to grassroots development. There are also language requirements, and a collaboration proposal is required.

The Inter-American Foundation (IAF) supports grassroots development in Latin America and the Caribbean in fields impacting lives and building community. Awarded to PhD candidates in fields like sustainable agriculture, economics, education, healthcare and public policy, and small-enterprise development.

Marie Tharp Visiting Fellowship

January 16 th

Women scientists in the natural sciences and engineering. Must hold a PhD.

Visiting fellowships fund experts in a particular field who take temporary residence for teaching and researching at the university. The Marie Tharp Visiting Fellowship is a 3-month program at Columbia University for women in natural sciences and engineering.

Guggenheim Fellowships

September 17 th

Citizens of North, Central, and South American countries. Must submit samples of work.

Supports scholarship and creativity across various artistic fields. About 175 Guggenheim fellowships are awarded each year. Applicants are evaluated by experts in their field or medium and then selected by former Guggenheim fellows.

American Association of University Women Fellowship

$6,000 to $30,000

November 1 st

U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Women scholars in any field of study.

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) offers this annual doctoral fellowship in three separate categories: dissertation support, long-term postdoctoral research, and short-term publication support. The foundation’s goal is to increase the number of women in tenure-track faculty positions around the country.

Woodrow Wilson MBA Fellowship in Educational Leadership

Stipend for tuition and expenses

Nominations due February 22 nd

Leaders with passion, dedication, and unorthodox approaches to education. Nomination by a local educator (i.e., no self-nomination). Commitment to three years in approved school/district leadership position.

Aims to produce leaders in education who are ready to address the myriad problems facing 21st-century educators, both from a policy perspective and human interest and social justice standpoints. The fellowship supports innovation and creativity in educational leadership.

Fully Funded Doctoral Programs

Many universities offer opportunities for fully funded doctoral study and often include tuition and living expenses as well as research and material support for the four to six years it usually takes to complete a PhD. Fully funded PhDs often come with teaching or research requirements and require participation in the department’s conferences and events. Depending on the field, candidates may also be required to publish papers.

Some schools fully fund all their doctoral candidates, while others offer packages based on financial need, community commitments, or other stipulations. This is true across most fields, so it’s worth your time and effort to research the options. Below are details of some fully funded doctoral programs in several different concentrations.

At Rice University , business school PhD candidates are fully funded in exchange for 20 hours per week of research or teaching assistant work. Tuition is waived, and business doctoral candidates receive a stipend of $40,000 per year for living expenses. Candidates also get their own workspace and technology support as well as additional funding for specific research projects conducted with faculty oversight. The school offers this support throughout the field, including business administration, marketing, accounting, and so forth.

Communications

Fully funded doctorates in communications can lead to a broad field of career choices, from media to academia. Syracuse University’s doctorate in Mass Communications, for example, is funded for the three years it takes to complete the coursework and dissertation. Candidates participate in interdisciplinary studies in communications, taking classes in other departments before specializing with the help of a faculty advisor who also typically forms part of the dissertation committee.

Computer Science

For graduate students hoping to study computer sciences or engineering, George Washington University in St Louis offers a fully-funded PhD that includes tuition, a stipend, and a high-end Apple laptop. Students work with renowned faculty and visiting fellows to solve real-world problems through research and practical applications. Candidates can also apply for additional fellowship support through the school, which sometimes means representing the program through residencies at other universities.

University of California, Irvine’s education PhD is fully funded for up to five years and includes tuition and living expenses. Candidates learn about education theory and practices through research and fieldwork. Some specializations require classroom observation and other practical studies depending on whether the candidate focuses on policy, human development, or teaching strategy. Candidates may teach undergraduate education classes or assist with research.

Research opportunities abound in the humanities. For a field like political science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) fully funds all PhD students for five years as long as they meet certain academic requirements. MIT’s political science department also supports candidates doing fieldwork abroad or researching an array of fields from international relations to American politics. Candidates engage with interdisciplinary teams to solve modeling problems and expand their understanding of human behavior and interaction.

All PhD candidates in Emory’s School of Nursing get a tuition waiver as well as $31,000 per year for living expenses. For the four years of their program, candidates teach and do research. Candidates learn the theories and practices of nursing and go on to research policy, systems, recruiting, education, and other elements of the field. They work closely with advisors to develop their dissertations.

The Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at Boston College offers a five-year, fully funded doctoral program focused on research. Beginning with coursework and research development, candidates build their original research projects through one-on-one mentorship with faculty for whom they work as teaching assistants. In addition to direct research, candidates also participate in academic conferences, publish papers, and apply for research grants to prepare them for a career in research.

Social Sciences

The University of Michigan School of Social Work  fully funds most doctoral candidates through their five-year joint program in social work and social science. Through fellowship awards, research assistant positions, and classroom instruction, candidates cover their costs and give back to the university community. They combine coursework and research with fieldwork and community outreach to deepen their sense of the micro and macro elements of sociocultural policy and practice.

Timeline for Financing Your Doctorate

The timeline below can help you keep track of steps in the process of financing your doctorate. Use it to mark your calendar with specific deadlines for all your applications.

Start researching your options. If you’re already in a PhD program, look for scholarships and grants aimed at candidates already deep into doctoral study. Organize your research in a spreadsheet that includes the amount, deadline, type of award, application requirements, and any other important information.

Make sure your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is updated so loans remain an option if needed. Then, set weekly application goals based on specific deadlines. Strategize the process for a steady stream of applications, and approach anyone who might write a letter of recommendation. These individuals are also good to ask about other funding opportunities.

Follow up on recommendation letter requests, and continue checking off your application schedule. Revisit your mission statement to make sure it represents who you are and how you want to improve people’s lives. If you’re in a doctoral program and have time off for the summer, use it to write papers about different elements of your interests and how they’re relevant to people or communities.

July-August

As the academic year approaches and doctoral work takes up most of your time, having a strategy ahead of time can help in keeping up with your funding search. Take time to sharpen your pitch about the importance of your research, so you can explain why institutions should support your efforts.

Keep going!

Repeat the process. A PhD’s quest for funding never stops. Pay attention to rolling deadlines and be persistent. Most financial awards allow for yearly application.

How to Stand Out on Your Doctorate Scholarship and Grant Applications

Applying for doctoral scholarships, grants, and fellowships may seem daunting, but it just takes a little persistence and organized research. Be methodical. Use this page as a launching point, and keep track of opportunities relevant to your goals. Apply one by one until you’re done, keeping in mind the following list of dos and don’ts to help you stand out.

Be thorough in your research. Read the detailed eligibility requirements. Check out the faculty and the work of current candidates. Make a spreadsheet of all your parameters and options.

Contact program advisors with questions. Browse the school’s website first and note any questions you want to ask.

Fill out your application materials with a positive mindset about the value you’ll bring to the university, the award, and the field itself.

Read about previous recipients’ work, not to compare yourself but to better understand the award’s focus. Many scholarships and grants have narrow specifications and reviewing previous work may help you home in on them.

Avoid applying for opportunities that don’t fit. Whatever your niche, there’s probably another way to fund it.

Hesitate to apply for out-of-reach opportunities. Instead, think about what sets you apart and what unique experiences or perspectives you bring to the table and focus on opportunities that fit.

Don’t beg for funding in your application. Instead, structure your pitch to demonstrate how you’ll use the award to empower those around you and improve the field itself.

Don’t give up. Apply for everything that appears to be a fit. Don’t stop after a couple of months of trying since many awards have application deadlines throughout the year.

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Funding Options for PhD Students

Pursuing a PhD is a significant commitment of your finances and time. From tuition, living expenses, books, travel, research, and other costs, doctoral programs can cost over $100,000. Determining how to pay for this investment in your education and future career can feel like a full-time job all on its own.  The good news is that PhD candidates have several funding options beyond taking out daunting student loans. 

Whether you’re currently applying to PhD programs or you’re already admitted, this blog will teach you how to reduce the financial burden of a doctoral program through scholarships, assistantships, employer assistance, and more. With the right planning, funding your PhD without breaking the bank is possible. 

How Do I Fund My PhD? 

There are more ways than ever to fund a PhD program . Below, we’ve broken down some of the best ways to pay for your graduate education. 

Look for Fully-Funded PhD Programs 

In a fully-funded PhD program , students typically join the department as faculty members. This means working for the university in some capacity, like through teaching assistantships and research assistantships. In these positions, PhD students get paid to teach courses, TA for professors, and help students in their own academic journeys. Research assistantships allow PhD students more time to focus on the research for their dissertation and provide research to their institution.  Fellowships are also a popular option for PhD students. These programs can be paired with assistantships or other funding opportunities, and they help you focus on your research. 

Apply for Scholarships and Grants 

Both scholarships and grants are helpful ways to cover your tuition costs and other expenses like travel and rent. Most schools have special scholarships for graduate students, so research what opportunities they provide for students to make the most of their PhD experiences. 

Don’t Forget the Small Scholarships 

If you only focus on the more prominent and national fellowships, you’ll miss out on smaller scholarships and niche funding options . Scholarships exist for countless circumstances and unique research paths, so make sure you know all the options available and apply to more than one scholarship. 

Choose a Graduate Program With More Than One Fellowship and Grant 

Sometimes, the competition for funding can get intense, especially if there are only a few options for PhD students at your institution. When you’re considering PhD programs, take some time to research each school’s fellowships, grants and scholarships to find a school that has plenty of options for their programs. Doing this research ahead of time will help you stress less in the application process. 

Ask Your Employer to Help 

Depending on your field of interest, your employer may be willing to help cover some of your expenses if you prove that a PhD will help you excel in your position and field. Even if they can’t help you cover the total cost of tuition, your employer can help you manage your workload as you start PhD classes, and they might be able to connect you with relevant industry partners and internships. 

Don’t Rely On Just One Funding Source 

As you apply for PhD funding, you should ensure you can receive funding from multiple sources. Take funding preparation seriously and have an action plan in case one of your supporters falls through. Not only will it set you up for success in your program, but it might take worrying about your funding off your plate. 

SMU: Fully-Funding PhD Students Every Semester

At SMU, we understand the importance of getting a graduate education and how crucial proper funding is. That’s why we offer various funding options for our graduate students, including scholarships, assistantships, grants, and more.

To learn more about what funding opportunities are available for SMU students, check out our guide to getting your doctoral degree . You can also request more information .  Ready to make SMU part of your PhD experience? Apply now to secure your spot! 

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Applying for a phd: step-by-step guide.

Studying a PhD is a big decision and submitting your application can feel like a long process. Though with the right guidance, applying for a PhD will be a lot more straightforward than you think. 

There is a lot of PhD application advice out there. To help you make sense of it all, we’ve put together a comprehensive step-by-step guide on how to apply for a PhD. We cover the PhD application process, what you need to consider, what to prepare and how to submit your application.

Follow the steps below to understand everything you need to know when applying for a PhD.

PhD application checklist

• Choose your subject area
• Choose your type of PhD
• Check application deadline
• Draft a research proposal
• Contact potential PhD supervisors
• Check PhD entry requirements
• Check PhD fees and funding
• Make your PhD application
• Submit your PhD application 

In this article, we’re going to look at all these different elements in greater detail to help you with the PhD application process.

1. Choose your subject area

You will be  studying your PhD for a long time – between three- and four-years’ full time and up to eight years part time – so it is essential you choose to study a subject you are passionate about.

Most PhD students study a subject area that they have studied previously, but in much greater detail. Most PhD courses require some previous academic experience in the research area, for example if you choose to study your PhD on William Shakespeare, you are likely to have studied the works of Shakespeare as part of an English Literature masters degree. Similarly, if your PhD research is in a science-based topic it is likely to be going more in depth into a science-related field you studied as an undergraduate and then as a masters student.

However, your PhD does not have to be directly related to your masters degree, for example an English Language masters graduate could expect to be successful if applying to do research in an  English literature PhD if they have achieved the necessary grades.

There are many areas that you can consider when choosing the subject area for your PhD. These could come from the  Arts ,  Humanities , STEM , Social Sciences and  Business .

Research the department at your chosen university to find the perfect PhD program to apply for.

2. Choose your type of PhD

Whilst most PhDs follow a traditional route (completing an independent research project under a supervisor), there are alternatives.

The two main types of PhD include: self-proposed PhD projects and predesigned PhD projects.

Self-proposed PhDs are the most common and traditional type of doctoral degree, although universities also offer predesigned PhD courses that integrate aspects of taught study.

Make sure you’ve considered your PhD options fully before applying for a PhD. Here are the main differences between self-proposed and predesigned PhD projects.

Self-proposed PhD projects

Self-proposed PhDs are the most common type of PhD, where students propose and design their own research.

With a self-proposed PhD, the student has a lot of control over their work and can specialise in any area that interests them with the support and approval of their academic supervisor.

Not all self-proposed PhDs receive funding, so applicants will need to make sure they have appropriate funding in place to pursue their self-proposed PhD.

There may also be some additional steps in the application process for self-proposed to ensure success in their PhD application. The student will have to dedicate a lot of time to their PhD application as it will need to include their PhD study proposal.

Predesigned PhD projects (Doctoral Training Centres)

Many universities now have something known as ‘DTC centres’, or ‘ Doctoral Training Centres ’. Many of these are in economic, social or scientific research areas, so if this is your area of interest, PhDs run out of DTC centres are worth exploring, as they can have substantial funding included. 

Predesigned PhD projects are usually slightly longer in course length than most traditional PhDs, as they’re likely to include a year of lectures and a variety of projects in the first year, before choosing to specialise in the second year.

This option is great if you know you want to do a PhD but aren’t entirely certain of what you’d like to do beyond a general area. Best of all, they often offer fully funded  studentships .

3. Check application deadlines

When applying for a PhD it is important to ensure you meet all application deadlines, this includes the deadlines for your PhD application form and PhD proposal as well as any PhD funding deadlines.

Different universities will have different deadlines, and some universities may even have rolling deadlines, this means it is important to check on the website of the university and department you are interested in, to make sure you get your application in on time.

4. Draft a research proposal

It’s important to draft a PhD proposal when you are applying for a PhD. This is a requirement of most self-proposed PhD applications and can also be necessary when applying for other PhDs.

To ensure the success of your PhD research proposal, it’s a good idea to do some research around the subject area before submitting your research proposal. This will give you a better idea of what it is you want to research and will also help you to present your proposal more clearly.

How to write a PhD research proposal

When writing a PhD research proposal, you will need to include the following:

• A TITLE that clearly conveys the theme of your research project.
• The main RESEARCH QUESTION that will be the focus of your research.
• An EXPLANATION of why your research topic is important.
• Brief LITERATURE REVIEW demonstrating your knowledge to answer the question.
• Proposed METHODOLOGY for answering your research questions.
• TIMELINE SCHEDULE of the research project.  

5. Contact potential PhD supervisors

You want to make sure you choose your potential PhD supervisor in plenty of time. Of course, you should always leave plenty of time for any application, but this is especially important for a PhD, as you will often be applying to a particular supervisor who is a specialist in your area of study.

Therefore, you need to ensure you have enough time to research into suitable PhD supervisors and get in contact with them before you apply for the doctorate.

You shouldn’t rush this research, as  getting the most out of your supervisor is the first step to doing well in PhD study – it’s important to make sure you pick the one best for you.

Another important consideration is  where you choose to study . You’ll want to look at the department’s reputation, and to make sure it excels in research in the area you intend to study do you get the support you need.

6. Check PhD entry requirements

To be eligible to study a PhD, you will usually need a  masters qualification in the subject area or in a closely related subject to the subject upon which you wish to base your PhD research.

However, entry requirements will differ depending on the university, so it is important to check the PhD eligibility requirements of the PhD and university that you are interested in studying at.

Applying without a masters

Some PhD courses will allow you to apply without a masters degree although you will need a bachelors degree. These are only usually offered as integrated masters and PhD programs which include a year of masters study before PhD.

Applying for a PhD as an international student  

If you are an international student applying to study a PhD in the UK, check the  visa requirements that you need to meet.

To apply for a PhD in the UK, international students need a Student Route visa.

The Student Route visa is a points-based visa system for all international students – including EU, EEA and Swiss students – who want to study in the UK. This has replaced the Tier 4 (General) student visa.

You can apply for a  student visa if you meet the following criteria:

• You have been offered a place on a course by a licensed student sponsor.
• You have enough money to support yourself and pay for your course.
• You can speak, read, write and understand English – you may need to prove this through a recognised English language test.

Student visas can only be issued for certain courses, and if your course is eligible, your education provider (Student sponsor) will give you a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) which you use to apply for a student visa.

The earliest you can apply for a student visa is six months before the start date of the course.

7. Check PhD fees and funding

Before committing to PhD study, it is important to check the PhD tuition fees and these will differ depending on the university and the course.

PhD tuition fees in the UK will be more expensive for international students than for home students. Tuition fees in the UK usually range from £3,000-£6,000 per year for home students and up to £18,000 per year for international students.

As a PhD student you will need to cover tuition fees, living expenses and any other unforeseen costs.

PhD scholarships and studentships are available, as is funding from various research councils, so make sure you investigate all your options and find out what financial help is available.

Funding your PhD

There are various funding options available to PhD students – here are the main ones:

University funding – some universities offer alumni funding support for students continuing their studies at their university. Check funding webpages for details.

PhD loans –  PhD loans are available from the  UK government .

PhD scholarships – many universities and companies offer  PhD scholarships , this includes our  Postgrad Solutions Study Bursaries .

PhD studentships –  PhD studentships at your university are a great option as they usually include a stipend that covers full PhD tuition fees and some living costs.

Research councils – there are seven research councils in the UK that can provide funding for PhD students, these are:

• Arts and Humanities Research Council
• Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
• Economic and Social Research Council
• Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
• Medical Research Council
• Natural Environment Research Council
• Science and Technology Facilities Council . 

Their funding can come as PhD studentships.

Self -funding – as a postgraduate student, you may have saved up money through work to enable you to  self-fund your PhD.

Don’t just apply to the standard big research funding bodies, but do your research and look into charities too. There are plenty of funds, foundations and other sources of money available to people with the right interests – and you might just be one of them!

8. Making your PhD application

Now you’ve done most of the preparation for your application, what about the actual application for a PhD? What does it involve?

When applying for a PhD, you usually apply directly to the university, rather than via a third party such as  UCAS .

PhD applications will differ from university to university, so check on the admissions page of the course you are interested in to make sure you include everything they ask for. You are likely to have to include:

• Completed application form
• Research proposal
• Personal statement
• Academic CV
• Academic references
• Proof of English language proficiency
• Student visa documentation

Ideally, you should have already contacted your intended supervisor and talked about it with them, via email or perhaps in person. They will give you a run through of everything to include in your application to help ensure you don’t leave anything out by mistake. 

You should ensure that you’re not too modest in applying for a PhD! If you’ve been published in a relevant area, or if you did exceptionally well or presented a particularly successful paper at a conference, mention it. You don’t need to brag, but you shouldn’t hide your achievements either.

PhD interviews

Unlike with bachelors degrees and many masters degrees, you will probably need to have a PhD interview as part of your application. If you’ve not had a university interview before, make sure you prepare well for it.

Ideally, if you’re still in education, see if a tutor you know can give you tips, or potentially a mock interview. If not, many universities’ careers service will remain open to you after graduating,,so contact them and see what advice they can offer you. 

Ensure you read up on anything you mentioned in your application and have good solid reasons for why you wish to do a PhD, and why you’ve chosen to do it at in that particular topic  at that particular university.

You should already know by now  what it takes to study a PhD and be able to answer convincingly when asked about these things during your interview.

9. Submit your PhD application

  Now you’ve reached the final step – it’s time to submit your PhD application!

This is likely to be online, although it’s important to check this with your chosen university in case you need to send any hard copies of original certificates or documentation in the post.

Follow the university guidelines. They will usually indicate how to submit your application, what to include, and when you should hear back about the success of your PhD application.

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NSF 101: Graduate and postdoctoral researcher funding opportunities

The U.S. National Science Foundation supports research opportunities and provides stipends for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows and scholars.

There are multiple ways to find these programs, including the funding search on NSF’s website and the NSF Education & Training Application , which is growing its list of opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.

To help begin your search, opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers are listed below. The principal investigator, or PI (a researcher who oversees a project), is often listed on these grants, along with their graduate students or postdoctoral researchers.

Graduate Student 

While funding for graduate students is often included in a PI’s research proposal, the following opportunities are also available for early career researchers. 

• Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Awards/Grants (DDRI/DDRIG) These programs help fund doctoral research in a variety of fields to help provide for items not already available at the academic institution. The funding provided cannot be used for items such as, but not limited to, tuition, stipends, textbooks or journals. The monetary amount listed in each DDRI/ DDRIG section does not include indirect cost associated with the project. The doctoral student should be listed as a co-PI on the grants with their advisor listed as the primary PI.

Archaeology Program- DDRIG : This program supports doctoral laboratory and field research on archaeologically relevant topics, with the goal of increasing anthropologically focused understanding of the past. Awards provide funding up to $25,000 per awardee.  

Arctic Science Section DDRIG : The Arctic Sciences Section offers opportunities for DDRI proposals in the following programs: Arctic Social Sciences supports research in any field of social science. Arctic System Science supports projects that address the relationships among physical, chemical, biological, geological, ecological, social, cultural and/or economic processes to advance our understanding of the Arctic system. Arctic Observing Network supports projects focused on scientific and community-based- observations; development of in situ or remote sensors and automated systems; design and optimization of coordinated and scalable observation networks; and management of Arctic Observation Network data, data accessibility and data discovery. Awards provide funding up to $40,000 for a maximum of 3 years. 

Biological Anthropology Program- DDRIG : This program supports research on human and non-human primate adaptation, variation and evolution. Awards provide funding up to $25,000 for up to two years.  

Cultural Anthropology Program- DDRIG : This program supports research that is focused on cultural anthropology research, including topics such as: Sociocultural drivers of anthropogenic processes (i.e., deforestation, urbanization); resilience and robustness of sociocultural systems; scientific principles underlying altruism, conflict, cooperation, and variations in culture and behaviors; economy, culture migration and globalization; kinship and family norms. Awards provide funding for up to $25,000 for up to two years.  

Decision, Risk and Management Science DDRIG : This program supports research on decision, risk and management sciences. This includes research in the areas of judgement and decision making; decision analysis and decision aids, risk analysis; perception and communication; societal and public-policy decision making; and management science and organizational design. Awards are for a maximum of 12 months. 

Economics DDRIG :This program provides funding for research focused on improving the understanding of the U.S. and global economy from macroscale to microscale, including all field of economics such as macroeconomics, microeconomics, econometrics, economic theory, behavioral economics and empirical economics.  

Human-Environment and Geographical Sciences Program- DDRI : This program supports basic scientific research about the nature, causes and/or consequences of the spatial distribution of human activity and/or environmental processes across a range of scales. The program welcomes proposals for empirically grounded, theoretically engaged, and methodologically sophisticated, generalizable research in all sub-fields of geographical and spatial sciences. Awards may not exceed $20,000 in direct costs. 

Linguistics Program- DDRI : This program supports research on human language, including syntax, linguistic semantics and pragmatics, morphology, phonetics, and phonology of individual languages or in general. Awards provide up to $12,000 for a maximum of two years. 

Dynamic Language Infrastructure- DDRI : This program supports research on building dynamic language infrastructure, which includes describing languages; digitizing and preserving languages; and developing standards and databases for analyzing languages. Provides funding up to $15,000 for up to two years. 

Graduate Research Fellowship Program This fellowship supports full-time master's or doctoral students earning their degree in a research-based program focused on STEM or STEM education. Students are the primary submitter for the fellowship. Fellows will be awarded a $37,000 stipend and $12,000 cost-of-education allowance for three years of the five-year fellowship. For tips on applying, see our previous NSF 101 article on the fellowship program . 

Non-Academic Research Internships for Graduate Students (INTERN) Supplemental Funding Opportunity   This supplemental funding opportunity is for graduate students funded by active NSF grants. PIs may submit for up to an additional six months of funding to allow students to participate in research internship activities and training opportunities in non-academic settings, such as the following: for-profit industry research; start-up businesses; government agencies and national laboratories; museums, science centers, and other informal learning settings; policy think tanks; and non-profit institutions. Students must have completed at least one academic year of their program. This funding request may not exceed $55,000 per student for each six-month period. A student may only receive this opportunity twice. In addition to the general INTERN opportunity, there are two topic-specific INTERN opportunities: 

Non-Academic Research Internships for Graduate Students in Geothermal Energy Supplemental Funding Opportunity : This opportunity is provided by NSF in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. It maintains the same funding levels and requirements as the general INTERN program; however, funding may only be used for gaining knowledge, skills, training and experience in geothermal energy and technology.  

• Research Internships for Graduate Students at Air Force Research Laboratory Supplemental Funding Opportunity : This funding opportunity is for students supported on an active NSF grant to intern at a Air Force Research Laboratory facility. AFRL has several potential technology directorates available for students at locations across the U.S.: Aerospace Systems (Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio), Information (Rome, New York), Materials and Manufacturing (Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio), Directed Energy (Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico), Munitions (Eglin Air Force Base, Florida), Sensors (Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio), Space Vehicles (Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico), 711th Human Performance Wing Training (Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio). 

Mathematical Sciences Graduate Internship This summer internship is for doctoral students in mathematical sciences through a partnership between NSF and Oak Ridge Institute for Science and E ducation. It provides students who are interested in academic and non-academic careers with the opportunity to learn how advanced mathematics and statistical techniques can be applied to real-world problems. Participants in the internship will receive a stipend of $1,200 per week during the 10-week internship. In addition, there is travel reimbursement for up to $2,000 for those who live more than 50 miles away from their hosting site. 

NSF Research Traineeship Program Graduate students can apply for this traineeship through their institutions, if available. These topics can range across the scientific spectrum. Current projects can be found by state . 

Research Experiences for Graduate Students Supplemental Funding These awards provide additional funding for graduate students with mentors who have an active NSF grant. Currently funding is available through the following programs:  

Cultural Anthropology provides up to $6,000 per student for research activities. 

Human Environment and Geographical Sciences at Minority Serving Institutions and Community Colleges provides up to $7,000 per student for research activities. 

Postdoctoral Scholars 

Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship This fellowship supports research investigating a field within astronomy or astrophysics for up to three years. The stipend is $75,000, with a fellowship allowance (i.e., expenses for conducting and publishing research, fringe benefits) of $35,000. 

Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences Postdoctoral Fellowship This fellowship supports postdoctoral fellows in atmospheric or geospace sciences. Atmospheric science includes topics such as atmospheric chemistry; climate and large-scale dynamics; paleoclimate climate; and physical and dynamic meteorology. Geospace science focuses on aeronomy, magnetospheric physics and solar terrestrial research. This fellowship provides up to 24 months of support. The stipend is $70,000 per year, with a fellowship allowance of $30,000.  

Earth Science Postdoctoral Fellowship This program supports the study of structure, composition and evolution, the life it supports and the processes that govern the formation and behavior of Earth’s materials. Researchers are supported for up to two years at the institution of their choice, including institutions abroad. The stipend is $65,000 per year, with a fellowship allowance of $25,000 per year.  

Mathematical and Physical Sciences Ascending Postdoctoral Research Fellowships

This program supports postdoctoral fellows performing impactful research while broadening the participation of members of groups that are historically excluded and currently underrepresented in mathematical and physical sciences. This fellowship can last between one and three years. The stipend is up to $70,000 per year, with a fellowship allowance of $30,000 per year. 

Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships This fellowship has two options:  

• The Research Fellowship provides full-time support for any 18 months within a three-year academic period.  
• The Research Instructorship provides a combination of full-time and half-time support over a period of three academic years, which allows the fellow to gain teaching experience. Both options receive up to $190,000 over the fellowship period. The full-time stipend is $5,833 per month and the part-time stipend is $2,917 per month. In addition, the fellow will receive $50,000 in two lump sums ($30,000 in the first year and $20,000 in the second year) for fellowship expenses.  

Ocean Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships This fellowship supports research in topic areas such as: biological oceanography, chemical oceanography, physical oceanography, marine geology and geophysics, ocean science and technology. This two-year fellowship with a stipend of $67,800 for the first year and $70,000 for the second year, with a fellowship allowance of $15,000 per year.  

Office of Polar Programs Postdoctoral Research Fellowships This fellowship supports postdoctoral research in any field of Arctic or Antarctic science. This two-years fellowship, with a stipend of $67,800 for the first year and $70,000 for the second year, with fellowship expenses of $15,000 per year.  

Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology The Directorate of Biology offers a fellowship for postdoctoral researchers in one of three areas: 

• Broadening Participation of Groups Underrepresented in Biology. This area requires a research and training plan that is within the scope of the Directorate for Biology and that enhances diversity within the field.  
• Integrative Research Investigating the Rules of Life Governing Interaction between Genomes, Environment and Phenotypes. This area aims to understand higher-order structures and functions of biological systems. Research should use a combination of computational, observational, experimental or conceptual approaches. 
• Plant Genome Postdoctoral Research Fellowships. This area has a broad scope and supports postdoctoral training and research at the frontier of plant biology and of broad societal impact. Highly competitive proposals will describe interdisciplinary training and research on a genome wide scale. The fellowships are for 36 months and have a stipend of $60,000 per year, with a research and training allowance of $20,000 per year. 

SBE Postdoctoral Research Fellowships This fellowship supports postdoctoral research in the social, behavioral and economic sciences and/or activities that broaden the participation of underrepresented groups in these fields. Funding is up to two years and has two tracks available:  

• Fundamental Research in the SBE Sciences. This track supports research focused on human behavior, interaction, social and economic systems. 
• Broadening Participation in SBE Sciences. This track aims to increase the diversity of post-doctoral researchers in the social, behavioral and economic sciences. In addition to the research proposal, these applications should also answer the question: “How will this fellowship help broaden or inform efforts to broaden the participation of underrepresented groups in the United States?” The stipend for this program is $65,000 per year (paid in quarterly installments) and the research and training allowance is $15,000 per year. 

SBIR Innovative Postdoctoral Entrepreneurial Research Fellowship This fellowship supports postdoctoral researchers at start-up companies through the Small Business Innovation Research program. By recruiting, training, mentoring, matching and funding these early-career scientists, this fellowship addresses the need of doctoral-level expertise at small, high-tech businesses. The base stipend is $78,000 per year with optional individual health and life insurance, relocation assistance (company dependent), professional conference travel allowance, and professional development funds.  

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education Individual Postdoctoral Research Fellowship This fellowship is for postdoctoral researchers to enhance their research knowledge, skills, and practices of STEM education research. If the fellowship is granted, the fellow is expected to remain affiliated with the host organization and PI sponsoring them. The fellowship can last up to two years with an annual stipend of $70,000, with fellowship expenses of $15,000.  

Multilevel 

CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service This program is for students earning their associates, bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree in cybersecurity. A stipulation of the program is that the recipients must work after graduation in a cybersecurity mission of the federal, state, local or tribal government for an equal amount of time as the scholarship's duration. It will provide full tuition and fees plus a stipend of $27,000 per academic year for undergraduates and a stipend of $37,000 per academic year for graduate students, in addition to a professional allowance of $6,000 for all levels. 

NSF-NIST Interaction in Basic and Applied Scientific Research This supplemental funding request is for NSF-supported researchers to collaborate with researchers at a National Institute of Standards and Technology facility. It can be used for travel expenses and per diem associated with on-site work at NIST. It is available for NSF-supported PIs, co-PIs, postdoctoral scholars, graduate and undergraduate students and other personnel associated with the research. PIs should contact their NSF program director for their award before applying. 

This extensive list shows the ways in which NSF helps train the next generation of STEM researchers. If you are interested in learning more about any of these programs, reach out to contacts listed on the award webpages.  

If you are interested in awards for high school students, undergraduates and post-baccalaureate scholars, check out our previous NSF101 for more information! 

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PhD Funding

A variety of funding and scholarship schemes are available through University funds, organisations and industrial sponsors.

How Do I Apply for PhD Funding?

Applying for funding is a separate process to applying for a PhD.

However as part of the PhD application process, you will be guided through potential funding options and asked to indicate how you will fund your PhD.

When you click 'how to apply' on any of our advertised PhD projects you will be taken through a series of steps:  

Browse PhD Projects

How to apply for advertised PhD Projects

When Should I Apply for PhD Funding ?

Remember that different deadlines, eligibilities and selection procedures apply depending on the source of funding.

• You must complete both of the above steps by the University deadline, regardless of the funding deadline. 
• You can apply for funding after the University application deadline, if the funding deadline allows this.

Do I Need to Apply for PhD Funding?

Applying for funding is an optional process. You may also fund your studies yourself, or find an external sponsor. 

How to Apply - Externally Sponsored or Self Funded PhD 

What Happens after I Apply for a PhD?

We will contact you if we need any further information to be able to consider your application.  Please regularly log in to your EUCLID account to check for any messages from us.  If you are shortlisted for a PhD place, we will invite you for interview in person or online interview.  

Our initial set of interviews will be in February/March. 

We do keep applications on hold while we allocate all our different funding, and so it is possible that you will not have a firm decision from us until May. 

BREXIT Advice for Applicants

The University provides advice for prospective students on the impacts of Brexit.

Brexit advice for prospective students

If you have a question about PhD funding please contact the Graduate School.

Graduate School

• School of Biological Sciences

Contact details

• Email: [email protected]

Mary Brück Building The King's Buildings Colin Maclaurin Road

Availability

Monday to Friday 09.00-17.00 GMT

How to Apply for Funding

This page explains our grant evaluation process and lists opportunities to apply for funding from our programs.

Table of Contents

1. can i apply for a grant.

In general, we expect to identify most giving opportunities via proactive searching and networking.

We expect to fund very few proposals that come to us via unsolicited contact . As such, we have no formal process for accepting such proposals and may not respond to inquiries. (Note that we do not accept any unsolicited proposals for work related to Immigration Policy or Macroeconomic Stabilization Policy.)

If you would like to suggest that we consider a grant — whether for your project or someone else’s — please  contact us . We publish a good deal of information on the types of work we seek to fund and why. We recommend reviewing this information before contacting us. A good starting point is  our list of focus areas .

2. Opportunities for funding

While we almost never fund unsolicited proposals, we do run programs that solicit funding requests from individuals, groups, and organizations. If any of these sound like a good fit, we strongly encourage you to apply!

2.1 The University Organizer Fellowship

This fellowship provides funding for individuals who want to direct or support university student groups focused on topics relevant to reducing global catastrophic risks or otherwise improving the long-term future, including effective altruism, longtermism, rationality, or specific cause areas. Individuals are eligible for funding at any university and may apply without a particular university in mind.

See the  full post  for the application link and more details on the program. There is no application deadline; we will assess applications on a rolling basis.

2.2 Career development and transition funding

This program aims to provide support – in the form of funding for graduate study, unpaid internships, self-study, career transition and exploration periods, and other activities relevant to building career capital – for individuals at any career stage who want to pursue careers that could help to reduce global catastrophic risks or otherwise improve the long-term future.

See the  full post for the application link and more details on the program. Applications are open until further notice and will be assessed on a rolling basis.

2.3 Request for proposals for projects to grow our capacity for reducing global catastrophic risks

We are seeking proposals for two kinds of projects:

• Programs that engage with young people who seem well-suited to building aptitudes that will help them to reduce global catastrophic risks or otherwise improve the long-term future.
• Programs that share high-quality, nuanced content related to reducing global catastrophic risks or otherwise improving the long-term future with a wide audience.

You can apply to create a project or seriously explore an idea. If you aren’t interested in starting something yourself, you can also apply as a potential collaborator on someone else’s project.

See the  full post  for application links and more details on the program. There is no application deadline; we will assess applications on a rolling basis.

2.4 Course development grants

This program aims to provide support to academics for the development of university courses (including online courses) on a range of topics related to Open Philanthropy’s work to reduce global catastrophic risks. While we are primarily looking to fund new courses, we are also accepting proposals from applicants who want to convert in-person courses into freely-available online courses.

2.5 Funding for the translation of web content related to AI safety, global catastrophic risks, effective altruism and adjacent topics

We’re interested in helping more people find high-quality content — books, blog posts, papers, podcasts, videos, articles, etc. — on topics relevant to reducing global catastrophic risks or otherwise improving the long-term future. These include broad topics like effective altruism, global catastrophic risks, longtermism, and rationality, as well as object-level content on cause areas like AI alignment and governance, biosecurity, animal welfare, global health, and so on.

A lot of content like this is only available in English or a few other world languages. This limits how many people it can reach. For this reason, we’d like to fund work that leads to EA-related content getting translated from English into other languages.

We’re looking for individuals or teams working on this full-time as part of an ambitious project.

See this post for more details, and apply using this form . There is no application deadline; we will assess applications on a rolling basis.

2.6 Request for proposals: Benchmarking LLM agents on consequential real-world tasks

We are looking to fund the creation of benchmarks that measure how close LLM agents can get to performing consequential real-world tasks.

Anyone is eligible to apply, including those working in academia, nonprofits, or independently; we are also open to making restricted grants to projects housed within for-profit companies. A grant would include funding for LLM API credits and other forms of compute; we expect grants to be in the range of $0.3-3 million over a period of 6 months to 2 years. We will evaluate applications on a rolling basis.

See this page for the application link and more details on the RFP.

2.7 Request for proposals: Studying and forecasting the real-world impacts of systems built from LLMs

We are seeking proposals for research projects that might shed light on what real-world impacts LLM systems could have over the next few years.

Anyone is eligible to apply, including those working in academia, nonprofits, or independently; we are also open to restricted grants to projects housed within for-profit companies. If applicable, we would include funding for LLM API credits and other forms of compute. We will evaluate applications on a rolling basis.

3. What is your process for evaluating potential grants?

Our process for evaluating potential grants is evolving, and it varies quite a bit from case to case.

When we are considering a grant, one of our staff will serve as the primary investigator and contact person for the potential grantee. This person will explain the process we intend to follow for evaluating the particular grant and answer any questions. In general, our process involves the following:

• The investigator will have one or more initial conversations with the potential grantee, to get a basic picture of the case for the grant.
• The investigator will aim to answer key questions about the grant, through a mix of conversations with the potential grantee, requests for written materials, and conversations with others. The depth with which we investigate potential grants varies; it will be higher for grants that are larger and/or likely to require more involvement from our staff.
• The investigator will write up their view of the case for the grant, so that they can discuss it internally and come to a decision.
• Grants typically will be recommended to the Open Philanthropy Project fund, an advised fund of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. In some cases, we make grants directly from the Open Philanthropy Project 501(c)(3) or make recommendations to Good Ventures, the Open Philanthropy Action Fund (a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization), or to other entities.
• Throughout the process, the investigator will aim to keep the grantee posted on the likelihood of receiving a grant, the likely timeline, and the likely amount of investigation that will be needed.

4. Do you require grantees to share information publicly? Are you willing to keep some information confidential?

We seek to share a significant amount of information about our work, and the work we support, publicly. All else equal, we prefer making grants about which we can share more information.

With that said, we aim to balance our commitment to information-sharing with our commitment to maximizing our impact and building strong and productive partnerships. That means:

• We never share private information from another organization or individual without permission.
• We share drafts of our grant writeups (upon request) and blog posts with the people and organizations discussed therein and invite their suggestions.
• We work with our partners to make key information public without unnecessarily undermining their work.
• We write more thoroughly about major decisions and grants than minor ones.
• If we encountered an outstanding giving opportunity where the costs of information sharing significantly outweighed the benefits, we would fund the opportunity and refrain from discussing it. But because we believe the benefits of information sharing are substantial, we would set the bar accordingly high.

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Funding Packages for Full-Time PhD Students

If you are accepted as a full-time NYU Steinhardt PhD student, you are eligible for our generous funding package, which includes a stipend, scholarship, and healthcare coverage. Information is below and on our doctoral funding website. 

Funding Opportunities

The Steinhardt Fellowship Program

The standard Steinhardt Fellowship package includes an annual stipend, tuition remission for required course work, and student health insurance through your fifth year. The fellowship is reserved for full-time doctoral students. The 2024-2025 stipend is $33,867. Complete details are provided with each offer of admission.

Research Assistantships

Some doctoral students may be appointed to a Research Assistantship. Research Assistants are funded by external grants and work with a principal investigator on a funded research project. Unlike Steinhardt Fellows, Research Assistants agree to work 20 hours per week on an ongoing research project, typically with a team of faculty and other students. Research Assistants may not perform additional work assignments such as teaching or grading.

For the duration of the assistantship, Research Assistants receive funding that includes a stipend, tuition remission for required course work, and student health insurance.

Other Expenses to Consider

Beyond what is covered by your Steinhardt Fellowship or Research Assistantship, you may have additional expenses that you should keep in mind as you plan your budget. These may include, but are not limited to:

• Late registration fees
• Tuition for undergraduate courses
• Tuition for graduate courses not applicable to your degree
• Tuition for courses in excess of the total point requirement for your degree
• Tuition for courses completed after the end of the fifth year
• Tuition for courses and fees used to maintain official enrollment for study leading to a degree after the end of the fifth year; see doctoral student policies for more information
• Student health insurance for students beyond the fifth year (note that students who are employed by NYU, such as Research Assistants or Adjunct Instructors, may receive health insurance as an employee benefit)

• An unforgettable adventure
• Educational excellence in France
• Study at the heart of Europe
• Enjoy numerous benefits
• Industrial dynamism and French innovation
• The art of living à la française

• French system
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How to finance a Doctorate in France

Funding must often be found before enrolling in a Doctorate. Depending on your situation, your host establishment, your country of origin, a company or the European Union may finance your research project.

The tools indispensable for finding funding

Before looking for doctoral funding, check to see if the doctoral school that you're interested in requires minimum funding before you can enrol. This is especially the case when you are in the natural and technological sciences. The amount is indicated on the school's page in the directory of doctoral schools .

Check the list of possible funding for your Doctorate in the Campus Bourses catalogue. Depending on the case, your Doctorate may be financed by your host establishment, a company or your country or university of origin.

Finally, each year the Association nationale des docteurs (ANDès - the National Association of Doctors) publishes a guide to funding for Doctorates in which you will find additional information concerning funding for your Doctorate.

Doctorates financed by your host establishment

On their Internet sites, doctoral schools, laboratories and research institutes regularly publish proposals for financed thesis subjects. This doctoral funding constitutes the first way for you to find funding for your Doctorate. There are three types:  

• Funding from a doctoral fellowship : your doctoral school provides you with 1,400 euros net funding for your Doctorate per month for three years. This is done either through its research budget or as a complement to your own funding. The doctoral fellowship is a work contract specifically for doctoral students, with no age or nationality conditions. It can be renewed twice for one year each time, for a total of 5 years.  
• Funding from a contract with a research institute : your research institute (CNES, CNRS, CEA, etc.)  provides you with 1,500 euros net funding for your Doctorate per month.  
• Funding from a contract connected to a project financed by the Agence Nationale de Recherche (ANR National Research Agency), at 1400-1500 euros net per month.

Doctorates financed by your country of origin

Some countries have implemented Doctorate funding programmes , such as the Conacyt grants in Mexico, the ProFas B+ programme in Algeria and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) programme in Pakistan. To find out which one is suitable for you, check the list of Doctorate funding programmes or the Campus France office in your country of origin , and also contact your government.

The amount of the grants varies according to the country. It is usually from 900 to 1,500 euros per month. In all cases, check with your doctoral school to make sure that the proposed funding is sufficient. Otherwise, the host laboratory will have to find additional funding for your position.

Further, some French establishments provide 50% of the funding required for a Doctorate, and look for partners willing to pay the remaining 50%.

 financement pour un doctorat, et cherchent des partenaires disposés à payer les 50% restants.

Doctorates financed by a company

In partnership with the Association Nationale de la Recherche et de la Technologie (ANRT - National Research and Technology Association), the CIFRE ( Conventions Industrielles de Formation par la Recherche - Industrial Agreements for Training through Research) enables young researchers to be hired by a company or public authority to conduct their research, in conjunction with a university team.

The company or authority then finances your Doctorate via a work contract under private sector law. It provides you with a minimum salary of approximately 1,800 euros net per month for three years. It is a good opportunity to acquire experience in research in a company.

Doctorates financed by the European Union

Established as part of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions , the European Joint Doctorate provides funding for 36 months. It is aimed at foreign students who are enrolled in a Doctorate in a European institute of higher education that belongs to a consortium of at least three establishments in three different countries. The funding request must be sent to the coordinating establishment.

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• GradPost Blog

Don't miss our Spring 2024 Funding Forecast

Spring Quarter usually marks the end of the academic year, but finding funding is a continuous process! Check out this sample of upcoming deadlines of funding opportunities for postdoctoral, doctoral, graduate, research, and other short-term awards or travel grants. Various deadlines listed. Consult websites for current details and application information.

Spring quarter usually marks the end of the academic year, but finding funding is a continuous process! So, if you are looking for financial support for the coming year or next, remember to routinely look at funding postings so you get an idea of what topics or issues are getting funded. Spring and summer are also great times to prepare your fellowship application materials - personal statement, research statement, and academic CV.

Below is a sample list of upcoming deadlines. Regularly inform your faculty adviser about your current research ideas and progress as this is very important when requesting letters of recommendation. Also, be sure to check the program websites regularly for the most updated information on important dates and submission details. Good luck!

NOTE: Please report any broken links to Funding Peer Liliana Garcia

Jump to information about: Postdoctoral Fellowships Dissertation Support Graduate and Doctoral Support Research Support Other (Travel, Short-Term, Award, Summer, etc.)  

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS

Mar 15  The Hindle Postdoctoral Fellowship (history of technology)

Apr 1 German Historical Institute Doctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships

Apr 1 SHOT- NASA Postdoctoral Fellowship (history of space technology)

Apr 1 Postdoctoral Fellowship in Aerospace History

Apr 1 American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellowships

Jul 15 David B. Larson Postdoctoral Fellowship in Health and Spirituality

Sep 15 Fulbright Postdoctoral Fellowships in Israel for U.S. Citizens 2020/2021

Sep TBD American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellowships

Oct 1 National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) International Program INVEST Drug Abuse Postdoctoral Research Fellowship

Oct 15 American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellowships

Oct 18 NSF Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships

On-going Incorporating Benefits & Costs of Environmental Regulation in Computable General Equilibrium Models Research with the US Environmental Protection Agency

Various deadlines Funding Opportunities for Postdoctoral Scholars - list via Harvard website

Various deadlines Postdoctoral opportunities in medical research - via Stanford website

Various deadlines Minority Postdoctoral Opportunities List

Various deadlines Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Postdoctoral Fellowships

Various deadlines Special Programs for Postdoctoral Fellows - via National Science Foundation

Various deadlines Post-doctoral Opportunities List - from the National Institute of Health

Various deadlines - Postdoctoral Positions at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory  

DISSERTATION SUPPORT

Feb 25  Melvin Kranzberg Dissertation Fellowship (history of technology)

April 1 Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations Marilyn Blatt Young Dissertation Completion Fellowship

Apr 1 Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies (ASEEES) Dissertation Research Grants

May 1 North American Conference on British Studies Dissertation Research Fellowship

May 1 Grants for Health Services Dissertation Program (R36)

Jul 17 Linguistics Program Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement - grant application must be submitted with your advisor and through Office of Research

Jul 20 Biological Anthropology Program Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement - grant application must be submitted with your advisor and through Office of Research

Aug 1 Grants for Health Services Dissertation Program (R36)

Aug 15 Cultural Anthropology Program Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement - grant application must be submitted with your advisor and through Office of Research

On-going Research Opportunities at the US Forest Service Research and Development (R&D)

On-going Archaeology Program Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Awards (Arch-DDRI) - grant application must be submitted with your advisor and through Office of Research

On-going Documenting Endangered Languages Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants - grant application must be submitted with your advisor and through Office of Research

On-going Geography and Spatial Sciences Program Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants (GSS-DDRI) , National Science Foundation (NSF)

Various Deadlines Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Research Opportunities  

GRADUATE & DOCTORAL SUPPORT

Apr 1 Batten, First Union, and Peter Nicolaisen International Fellowships

Apr 1 SHOT- NASA Predoctoral Fellowship (history of space technology)

Apr 10  National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Fellowships

Apr 15 Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society Graduate Fellowship (National Deadline; local chapter deadline is usually 2 weeks earlier)

Apr 15 BHW Group Women in STEM Scholarship

Apr 30 Government of the Slovak Republic approved the establishment of the National Scholarship Programme

May 8  Google India PhD Fellowships

May 8  Google China/Hong Kong/Japan/South Korea Phd Fellowship Program

May 11 American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (ASHFoundation) New Century Scholars Doctoral Scholarship

Jun 15  American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Fellowship for Minority Doctoral Students

Sep 7 American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowships

TBD American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (ASHFoundation) Graduate Student Scholarship

TBD PEO International Peace Scholarship (IPS) - also open to international students studying in the US

Various Deadlines Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations Fellowships and Grants  

On-going Gerda Henkel Foundation Ph.D. Scholarships in the Historical Humanities   

RESEARCH SUPPORT

Apr 1 Research Fellowships in Aerospace History

Apr 1 Harry S. Truman Library Institute Research Grants Program Apr 10  National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowships Apr 12 Horton Hydrology Research Grant from American Geophysical Union

Apr 13 Project Management Institute's Research Grant Program for the study of project, program or portfolio management

Apr 15 Emerging Crises Oral History Research Fund

Apr 19 American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation Student Research Grant in Early Childhood Language Development

Apr 19 American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation Student Research Grant in Audiology

Apr 24  Japan-US Friendship Commission and the National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowships for Advanced Social Science Research on Japan

Apr 30 International Foundation for Ethical Research (IFER) - Graduate Fellowship Program

Apr TBD Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program

May 1 NRC Research Associateship Programs (RAP)

May 1  US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science (SC) Graduate Student Research Program

May 2 National Institute of Justice Graduate Fellowships in STEM

May 15 Deutsches Akademisches Austaauschdienst (DAAD) Short-Term Research Grants (for research in Germany)

Jul 15 The Leakey Foundation Grants for Research Related to Human Origins

Aug 1 NRC Research Associateship Programs (RAP)

Sep 15 Fulbright Canada-American Scholars Awards

Sep 15 Kluge Fellowships (humanities and social science research)

Oct 15  Harry S. Truman Library Institute Research Grants Program

TBD UCHRI Grants and Fellowships

TBD Graduate Fellowship for Research in Japan

TBD Merck KGaA Research Grant Competition

Various Opportunities New York Public Library Research Fellowships

Various Deadlines Smithsonian Institute Fellowships

Various Deadlines Metropolitan Museum of Art Research Fellowships

Various Deadlines Center for Disease Control (CDC) Fellowships

On-going Dirksen Congressional Research Grant

On-going The Spalding Trust Grants for the Comparative Study of Religions

On-going Statistics Fellowship with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

On-going OCS ORISE Fellowship with the Food and Drug Administration

On-going Digital/New Media Fellowships with Dept of Health and Human Services

On-going Dept of Energy Opportunity in Fuel Cell Research

On-going National Institute of Health Individual Graduate Partnerships Program

On-going Title VIII Research Scholar Program American Councils - in-country, independent research for three consecutive months to nine consecutive months in Russia, Eurasia, and Eastern Europe  

OTHER (Travel, Short-Term, Award, Summer etc.)

Mar 31 Sara Finney-Johnson Scholarship - Delta Sigma Theta Sorority

Apr 1 Digital Archaeological Archive of Comparative Slavery

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Apr TBD Lupus Foundation of America Summer Fellowships

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Jun 5  SACNAS Travel Fellowships

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Studentships and doctoral training

Get a studentship to fund your doctorate.

UKRI studentships offer funding for doctoral research. They also offer you access to training, networking and development opportunities to help you build a research and innovation career.

Our expectations for research organisations, supervisors and students are set out in the statement of expectations for doctoral training .

You could get:

• a minimum stipend of £19,237 per year for your living costs, which is paid to you in regular instalments
• support for your tuition fees (minimum £4,786 per year)

The stipend is usually non-taxable and does not need to be paid back. Some research organisations may offer more if you study in London, or they or one of their collaborators might decide to top up the payment. This will be outlined in the studentship advert from the research organisation.

We normally pay the support for tuition fees directly to your research organisation.

The levels given here are for the academic year 2024 to 2025. UKRI’s approach to doctoral stipend and fee levels will be reviewed through the  new deal for postgraduate research .

Additional support for your doctoral studies

As a UKRI-funded doctoral student, you may be able to access additional funding to cover the cost of other related training and development opportunities.

This could include:

• conference attendance
• language training
• overseas research visits
• internships or placements with a non-academic partner

The availability of support will depend on the research organisation and the training grants they have on offer. You should contact the research organisation you are interested in applying to, to find out what you could get.

Extra support if you have a disability

If you have a disability, you may be entitled to a Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) on top of your studentship.

You should speak to your research organisation’s disability advisor to assess your needs. They can help put the right support in place, including a DSA application if necessary. You cannot claim DSA directly from UKRI.

DSA helps to cover the cost of any additional support that a person studying for a doctorate might need as a result of a disability, mental health problem or specific learning difficulty.

The allowance covers:

• non-medical personal assistance
• specialist equipment
• extra travel costs
• general expenses

Find out more about DSA in our framework .

If you are a research organisation you can download claim forms and guidance for DSA .

Who can apply

Any prospective doctoral student wishing to study at a UK research organisation, including prospective international students, can apply for a UKRI studentship.

All UKRI-funded doctoral students will be eligible for the full award, both the stipend to support living costs, and home-level fees at the UK research organisation rate.

How to find opportunities

Many UK research organisations offer some form of studentship funding from UKRI. These opportunities will depend on the subject you want to study and will normally be advertised by the research organisations.

Research organisations may have additional opportunities that do not involve UKRI. UKRI supports around 20% of all UK-based postgraduate researchers. You should speak to the research organisation you are interested in to find out what studentships are available.

You could also consider using a specialist website like   FindaPhD  to look for opportunities.

When to apply

Research organisations set their own deadlines for applications.

Many open for applications early in the academic year and close in January or February. This is not a hard and fast rule. It is important that you check the deadlines for the research organisation where you want to study.

How to apply

You cannot apply to UKRI for a studentship. You must contact the research organisation you are interested in studying with and use their application process.

For doctoral students who are already studying with a studentship, there are opportunities to get additional funding to support placements that are separate from your doctorate.  Find training and development opportunities .

Last updated: 14 February 2024

This is the website for UKRI: our seven research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Let us know if you have feedback or would like to help improve our online products and services .

MBA Scholarships That Help Pay for School

There are many opportunities for scholarships, fellowships and other sources of money that you don't have to repay.

MBA Scholarships

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Most universities with business schools offer in-house scholarships; some also provide a list of external sources of aid to pay for school.

Multiple scholarships, fellowships and grants are available for students enrolling in a Master of Business Administration program. Since these funds do not need to be repaid, they are basically free money to help pay for your degree.

Some awards are national while others are college-specific. Some are merit-based, often depending on GMAT scores , while others are for minorities. The amounts vary, and some even offer a stipend.

Sam Weeks, an MBA admissions consultant, says that although lenders tend to be happy to finance MBAs, “a scholarship allows you to be more flexible because you don’t have that debt to pay back.”

Without an MBA scholarship, business majors whose hearts were leading them toward social impact or entrepreneurship may get forced into careers like management consulting or investment banking, Weeks says, adding that "you can’t go out and start your own business if you are $200,000 in debt. The scholarship enables them to follow more interesting post-MBA career paths.”

Here are some sources of scholarships and other funding for an MBA that don't have to be repaid.

National Sources

Military mba merit scholarship.

Veterans and active members of the military who are U.S. residents may apply for the Military MBA Merit Scholarship . The scholarship is offered to attend one of 27 partner schools throughout the U.S., and award amounts vary.

A bachelor’s degree and a record of military service are required, along with other application materials, and demonstrated leadership is a plus. Applicants cannot be already in an MBA program or a graduate of one.

Goldman Sachs MBA Fellowships

First-year MBA students seeking a summer associate position at the multinational investment bank can apply for the Goldman Sachs MBA Fellowship . The program is geared toward students interested in investment banking or private wealth management at Goldman.

Recipients receive $35,000 plus a summer associate salary. Upon successful completion of that summer internship and acceptance of a full-time offer at Goldman, fellows receive an additional $40,000 and possibly a full-time associate signing bonus.

Knight-Hennessy Scholars

This program fully funds up to three years of graduate study at Stanford University in California. To qualify, applicants must complete the MBA application for Stanford's Graduate School of Business and file a separate Knight-Hennessy Scholarship application. Instructions for the scholarship application are on the program's website .

National Black MBA Association

This professional organization, which has a membership level for undergraduate and grad students, offers MBA scholarships to qualifying members who are U.S. citizens. Recipients attend a partner university, and additional award criteria, deadlines and amounts may vary.

College-Specific MBA Scholarships

Most universities with business schools offer in-house scholarships; some also provide a list of external sources of aid to pay for school, experts note.

For example, the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management and the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill Kenan-Flagler Business School are among schools that offer scholarships, fellowships and stipends in varying amounts for academic achievement, including to specific populations such as university alumni, women, state residents, veterans and international students.

Weeks advises applicants from traditional backgrounds to aim for a GMAT score above the class average. “All schools publish their class averages. When you apply to business school you submit your application, and you receive your scholarship offers either immediately or within a few weeks if your profile is strong."

However, what applicants tend to not know is that "there is a chance you can go back to the school and negotiate a scholarship,” Weeks says, giving the following scenario: “If you receive offers from two great schools, one of them with a nice scholarship and one with no scholarship, we work with our clients to tell the school with no scholarship, ‘Hey, I have an offer from another top school with a scholarship, but I’d like to join you guys. Are there any other scholarships that I’m eligible for to help close that difference in cost?’”

Applicants are often reluctant to do this because they don’t want to seem pushy, he says. But remember that you are applying to business school, and "good negotiations are part of the process,” he says, stressing that politeness is key.

Weeks also says a one-time scholarship given at the start of your program is not always the end, since sometimes you can apply for scholarships during your first year of school to cover your second year.

Smaller MBA Scholarships

Experts also encourage prospective MBA students to go for smaller scholarships, which can add up. They sometimes are offered by departments within a business school.

“As part of your MBA application, most schools will consider you for a host of merit scholarships or fellowships,” says Candy Lee LaBalle, an MBA application consultant and owner of LaBalle Admissions. “Often all you need to do to be considered is click a box that says, ‘I would like to be considered.’”

A merit scholarship is "based on the strength, or merit, of your application," LaBalle explains. "So, the stronger your profile, the higher your chances to secure one of these. This is one reason to push as hard as you can for a top test score, either GMAT or GRE . It is a nice surprise when you get an admit from a school that includes a hefty scholarship award.”

Some schools consider applicants for scholarships if they write an additional essay as part of the application process.

“Definitely write these essays and give them as much care and consideration as you do to your general application essays,” LaBalle advises.

She says there are also many private scholarships available, although they can be difficult to track down because many are offered by small organizations and target specific demographic groups. She says one comprehensive listing of outside funding is curated by UCLA's Anderson School of Management .

"Don’t limit yourself to just one scholarship," she says. "Apply for as many relevant scholarships as possible. Remember that even smaller scholarships can add up and contribute to your overall funding.”

Some countries offer scholarships for their citizens that will cover full tuition, LaBalle adds, such as Spain's La Caixa and Indonesia’s Endowment Fund for Education.

More Tips For MBA Scholarship Seekers

Experts suggest paying careful attention to rules when applying for scholarships.

“Some scholarships, such as those from Fulbright , must be applied for well before you apply to an MBA," LaBalle says. "Others, you apply after you are admitted. Websites like Scholarships 360 and GoGrad provide comprehensive lists of MBA scholarships along with application details."

Keep track of application deadlines, required documents and follow-up steps so that your scholarship applications are complete and submitted before deadlines, LaBalle suggests.

Weeks, who says he helped clients win more than $2.5 million in scholarships in 2023, cautions that a scholarship from the school is seldom awarded based just on the application essay.

“Your whole application has to be good,” he says. “If you have a good profile overall – good GMAT score, good undergrad GPA, good work experience – you are more likely to get a scholarship on the basis that the school wants you to join.”

How to Find Money to Pay for an MBA

Tags: MBAs , business school , graduate schools , scholarships , education , students

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How to Find and Apply for Scholarships

College board scholarship search, what are scholarships .

Scholarships are a type of financial aid commonly referred to as “free money” or “gift aid.” Scholarships usually require an application and are often awarded to students based on a combination of factors including merit. Merit scholarships tend to have specific requirements and are awarded to applicants based on certain skills and accomplishments and may not be based on financial need. Scholarships may be renewable, meaning you can receive scholarships for more than one year. A new application may be required along with maintaining certain eligibility requirements, such as GPA or a certain major.

Why do I need scholarships?

Scholarships are a great type of financial aid because they do not have to be repaid. Receiving scholarships can help cover the remaining bill and indirect costs, while also minimizing the amount you need to borrow in loans while in college.

What are some common scholarship application requirements?

Many scholarships require similar application materials, which commonly include:

• The application, which can be paper or an online form. 
• Essays, often personal statements, that provide insight into your activities inside and outside the classroom. 
• Letters of recommendation from teachers, coaches, guidance counselors, community members, or other mentors. 
• Honors or awards you have received, academic or otherwise. 
• Information about your high school or college, which may include your transcript, GPA, Student Aid Report, or financial aid offer.
• A résumé that includes any employment, volunteer, or extracurricular experiences.

Specialized scholarships may require additional information and may have a priority deadline. For example, scholarships supporting the arts may require portfolios or writing samples. Be sure to read each application thoroughly for requirements so you don’t miss any.

What should I do before college to increase my chances?

Since many scholarships are merit based, maintaining good grades and increasing your involvement in school and community activities are important. Some scholarships have GPA requirements, so keeping your grades up will help open more opportunities. Additionally, many applicants with varied extracurriculars and volunteer or job experiences may stand out. The more scholarships you’re eligible for and apply for, the better the odds you have of receiving one.

What are the best ways to find and receive a scholarship?

There is no guarantee that you’ll receive a scholarship, but there are a few things you can do to increase your chances while applying. One of the most important things to remember is that the scholarship committee wants to get to know you through the applications—you want to show why your college education is worth investing in. 

There are a few things that you can do to increase your chances, including: 

• Start early and search year-round: No matter what stage in the college process you’re at, you should start looking for scholarships now. There are even scholarships that high school students can receive before senior year. Scholarship deadlines vary, so setting some time aside every few weeks to search and apply will open up more opportunities of securing a scholarship. 
• Use the right search engine: Finding scholarships to apply for can be difficult, but with the right search engine you can narrow your search and find scholarships you’re eligible for. BigFuture’s scholarship search is a great resource to use.
• Find a balance: You should apply for several scholarships—the more you apply for, the better your chances of receiving one. However, it’s important to use your time wisely. You should only apply for those you’re eligible for, based on the requirements. 
• Research local scholarships: Local scholarships tend to have fewer applicants, meaning you may be more likely to get them. Your high school counselor or college financial aid department might have insight about where to find and apply for local scholarships. Be sure to talk to others in your community, and check with local businesses and organizations like banks and churches. 

How do I know a scholarship is legit? 

While plenty of legitimate scholarships are available, some fake scholarships are set up to scam students out of money or personal information. Using reliable search engines, like BigFuture, can help avoid this. Scholarships should always be free to apply. Some may ask for your bank account information after choosing you as a recipient, but they should not ask for this information as an application requirement. If you’re unsure, contact the organization or company providing the scholarship to ensure they are legit. 

Finding and applying to scholarships sounds like a lot of work—how can I make this process easier?

Because scholarships don’t need to be repaid, they can be an important part of making college affordable. However, we know that it might not always be feasible to spend a lot of time applying. There are a few things you can do to simplify the process and save time where possible. 

• Start early: Prioritize getting two or three letters of recommendation, and write your essay/personal statement before you start searching to help save time.
• Time management: Plan to spend a day or two a month searching and submitting applications with your prepared materials to avoid last-minute applications, missed deadlines, and stress.
• Stay organized: Collecting and organizing your application materials and tracking due dates will help you stay on track and avoid missing out on opportunities. 
• Reuse essays when possible: Many scholarship essay topics are similar, so editing one of your previously written essays to fit the scholarship you’re applying for can save you time.

With these tips and resources, you’ll be better prepared for scholarship applications and increase your chances of receiving scholarships to help cover your college costs. Check out your chance to earn $500 and $40,000 scholarships in monthly drawings offered by BigFuture to students who complete the steps to plan for college .

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How to Finance Your Master's Degree or Continuing Education

• Leigh Perkins
• January 19, 2022
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Don’t assume grad school or continuing education is out of reach for your budget. Paying for your post-grad or professional courses can be a challenge, but it’s completely doable. Put a little research, creative problem solving, and our easy tips into the task, and you’ll figure out how to finance your master’s degree or continuing education .

Financing Higher Education

According to Sallie Mae, almost a quarter of school costs are paid by grad students’ earnings or personal savings. If you don’t have that kind of cash flow, though, consider other options for financing higher education.

Start With Free Money

Loans may need to be part of your equation, but it’s best to begin your calculations with financial aid that doesn’t have to be repaid.

An estimated $2.6 billion in financial aid was left on the table in 2018 because students failed to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) from the U.S. Department of Education. And FAFSA is not just for undergraduates. It can help you land federal aid based on financial need for graduate school, too. The application is free, and there are several free-money options available to you when your FAFSA is complete, such as federal work study programs.

Grants and Fellowships

Federal aid is applicable to some continuing education programs, such as grants for medical residency or the Pell Grant for postbaccalaureate teacher certification, but federal aid in the form of grants does not apply to most graduate programs.

For graduate school, grants and fellowships are almost interchangeable terms, the main difference being what the institution bestowing the funding prefers to call it. There are government-backed grants, from organizations like the National Institutes of Health or the Department of Energy, and fellowships funded by private organizations, such as the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation or the American Economic Association. The best place to begin searching for grants and fellowships is through the websites of the schools you’re considering, in particular the programs you are targeting for grad school. You can also check out online scholarship search tools.

Most grants and fellowships are competitive, so do your homework, complete your applications carefully, and submit early. Preferably, you’ll be ready to hit send on your application the day you learn you’re accepted into your grad school program of choice.

Scholarships

Graduate tuition can cost tens of thousands of dollars each year. Because graduate students are considered independent, you will report your own income on the FAFSA, which could make you eligible for more need-based scholarships. Grad students can check out USF’s STARS Scholarship database to read about USF Foundation Scholarships and many other scholarships to students enrolling in master’s programs . There are millions of dollars available to grad students for national and niche scholarships .

Can you qualify for specific scholarships that take your background, interests, or undergrad degree into account?

• Your heritage: There are scholarships designated just for Hispanic grad students, Native Americans, Korean Americans, Pacific Islanders, and more.
• Your alma mater: You may qualify for a discount if you apply to graduate school where you earned your bachelor’s degree.
• Your area of specialization: Check into field-specific graduate scholarships, such as a master’s in education, women in technology, accounting scholarships, and MBA scholarships.

Assistantships

Graduate assistantships allow you to work in a support role at a university under the supervision of a faculty member. You may teach, be a research assistant, do clerical tasks, or help with grading. USF graduate assistants earn a stipend and are eligible for tuition payment and some additional benefits, such as health insurance.

Employee Benefits

Under U.S. tax code, employers may offer up to $5,250 per year in tuition reimbursement for college courses, which is deductible for your company and not counted as taxable income for you. More than half of employers are estimated to currently offer tuition assistance. If yours isn’t one of them, make a sales pitch. One possible incentive: Signing a contract to commit to working for the company for a minimum term after receiving your graduate degree.

College Savings Account

If you didn’t run through your entire 529 plan in undergraduate school, you can apply what’s left to your graduate school costs. Though the time horizon is shorter to save for graduate school, it is also possible to set up a 529 plan dedicated just for graduate school.

Take a Look at Loans

Although they account for only 25 percent of all students in higher education, graduate students account for nearly half of student debt . Because there is no cap for graduate school borrowing – up to the full cost of attendance charged by the college – nearly a quarter of graduate borrowers take out more than the lifetime limit for undergraduate borrowers in just a single year of grad school.

It is one thing to compare the average undergraduate debt ($28,950) to an MBA ($66,300). But it is a whole new level of payback stress for a law degree ($145,000) or a medical degree ($201,490). Add the fact that interest rates are higher for grad school than for undergrad, and the debt can turn into a long-term burden.

Wondering how to minimize the hit to your financial future when you really need a loan for graduate school? Take out only what is absolutely necessary, access every tax benefit available, and pull out all the stops to save pennies and earn cash while in grad school.

These are the types of loan programs available for graduate students:

• Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans: Sometimes called Stafford Loans, these are not based on financial need and do not require a credit check. You are responsible for paying all interest on these loans, which begins accruing while you’re still in school and during your grace period or deferment. It is best to max out these loans before you sign on to PLUS or private loans.
• Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loans: These loans are for expenses not covered by other financial aid offered by your school. They require a credit check and carry a higher fixed-interest rate than federal direct loans.
• Private Loans: Depending on your credit score or a co-signer’s endorsement, you could qualify for a competitive rate on a loan from a private bank or other lender, usually without the origination and processing fees associated with federal programs. The downside is they don’t offer long forbearance periods. If you are planning on law school, medical school or business school, it’s likely you’ll find a lender offering a loan specific to your degree.

Paying for Continuing Education

While there are not as many options to finance your continuing education, the upside is that career training, certifications, and continuing ed programs are much less expensive than graduate school.

Philanthropic organizations, private agencies, state education departments, and the schools themselves often offer scholarships for continuing education and certification programs. For example, there are specific scholarships available for paralegal students .

State societies, clubs, and professional groups often subsidize travel and attendance at conferences, CEU courses, and training programs. If you’re in a regional human resources group, for example, they might underwrite your tuition for SHRM certification .

Federal student loans only apply to full-time graduate students, so stand-alone certification courses or part-time professional development programs don’t qualify. However, several private lenders do offer loans for career training programs. Sallie Mae’s Career Training Smart Option Student Loan is designed specifically for nondegree-seeking students, professional certifications, and culinary and technical school students.

If you’re confident the return on your investment will be adequate (and fairly immediate), you can also consider paying for a course with a credit card, but do so cautiously. Interest rates and fees for credit cards are often triple or quadruple a student loan rate.

The good news is that the IRS allowance for employer tuition reimbursement applies to career training and continuing education. The bad news is that only about half of employers offer this in an employee’s benefits package. If yours does not include the $5,250 that can be deducted by your company for courses, make a suggestion to your boss and to HR to add it. If it’s not a formal perk but there is a program that will help you perform your job better, write a letter to your supervisor explaining the benefits to your business. In your letter, ask if the company would be willing to pay for the program or at least approve paid time off for instruction.

USF Can Help You Reach Your Next Goal

No matter where you’re headed in your career, USF Corporate Training and Professional Education is here to guide you. Thinking of graduate school? We offer exceptional GMAT and LSAT prep courses. Planning a big pivot? Navigate a career change with our business, technology, and leadership training. Browse our programs to see if they can point you in the right direction for continuing education.

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2025 California Sea Grant State Fellowship

APPLY TO BE A CALIFORNIA SEA GRANT STATE FELLOW

Timeline Highlights New This Year Program Description Eligibility Stipend and Expenses Length of Assignment How to Submit an Application Application Evaluation Criteria Virtual Matching Process Hosts Past Fellows Timeline Contact

Timeline Highlights :

All times listed in Pacific Time (PT)

• Fellowship Informational Webinar: May 15, 2024 12–2PM PT 
• Host applications due: May 31, 2024 5PM PT
• Fellowship applications due: June 14, 2024 5PM PT 
• California Sea Grant informational session for invited finalists: July 31, 2024 12–2PM PT
• Finalist presentations due: August 9, 2024 5PM PT
• Prep Week: August 26–30, 2024
• MANDATORY  Finalists Interview Scheduling Event: September 4, 2024 1–5PM PT
• MANDATORY   Matching Workshop (virtual): September 16–23, 2024 ( see full schedule below )

NEW THIS YEAR

California Sea Grant has shifted the State Fellowship pre-award timeframe up by one month to provide additional time for host agencies to finalize funding agreements prior to fellowship start dates. 

FINALIST COMMITMENT

This year, we will be asking finalists to agree to a “finalist commitment” understanding between California Sea Grant and selected state finalists. This commitment is to work towards a shared understanding of expectations and time in being selected as a State Fellowship Finalist. Please see the Finalist Commitment section below for more details.

Program Description

The California Sea Grant College Program is soliciting applications for the 2025 California State Fellowship Program. The State Fellowship Program provides a unique educational opportunity for graduate students who are interested in marine, coastal, and/or watershed resources and in the decisions affecting those resources in California. Modeled after the highly successful  Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship Program , the State Fellowship Program provides an opportunity to acquire "hands-on" experience in the planning, implementation and management of marine, coastal, and/or watershed resource policies and programs in the state of California. The program matches highly motivated and outstanding graduate students (near completion of degree or recently completed) with "hosts" in municipal, state or federal agencies, as well as research and conservation organizations in California with mandates in coastal or marine research, policy, or management for a 12-month paid fellowship stipend + health insurance ($5,052 per month).

Since the inception of this program in 1987, 328 graduate students and recent graduates have been successfully placed in a variety of municipal, state, and federal agencies that address California coastal and marine resource issues. This fellowship program has helped jump-start the careers of coastal and marine policy professionals. You can read about current and past state fellows here:  https://caseagrant.ucsd.edu/students/fellowship-alumni .

Informational Webinar

Please join us for an  Informational Webinar for Prospective Applicants on  Thursday May 15, 2024 from 12–2PM PT.  

Please click this  link to register for the webinar. If you are unable to attend, a recording of the webinar will be posted here after the webinar takes place.

Eligibility

Applications may be submitted by a graduate student close to completing a degree (Masters, Ph.D., or J.D) in a field related to conservation, management, protection, stewardship, public policy, or law of marine, coastal, and/or watershed environments, or areas that impact those environments, at a California university. Graduate students who recently completed their degree at a California University with a graduation date [i.e. date the degree was awarded by the university] after May 1, 2023 are also eligible to apply. Fellows must complete all degree requirements before starting the fellowship. State Fellows may be expected to relocate to the region where their host office is located.

When considering applying for this fellowship, please keep in mind that if you are only interested in being placed with five or less host agency positions, then this might not be the right opportunity for you. Matching with a particular host agency is not guaranteed. Each host agency can offer an enriching fellowship opportunity, thus an open mindset is important in being successful through the matching process. 

Sea Grant is committed to increasing the diversity of the Sea Grant workforce and of the communities we serve. Sea Grant embraces individuals of all ages, races, ethnicities, national origins, gender identities, sexual orientations, disabilities, cultures, religions, marital statuses, job classifications, veteran status types, and income, and socioeconomic status types. Sea Grant is committed to building inclusive research, extension, communication and education programs that serve people with unique backgrounds, circumstances, needs, perspectives and ways of thinking.

Stipend and Expenses

Each fellow will receive $60,624 for stipend and health insurance for the twelve-month assignment ($5,052/month). Additional funds of up to $2,500 can be reimbursed to cover travel for any California Sea Grant coordinated state fellow in-person meeting and other fellowship related travel. Additional travel associated with the fellowship may be covered by the host agency at the agency’s discretion.

Length of Assignment

The length of assignment is 12 months. The fellowship will begin in early winter between January 2025 and March 2025. To ease logistical burdens and prevent delays for stipend payments, 2025 fellows are strongly encouraged to start the first 10 days of the month either in January, February, or March 2025.  The exact start date will be negotiated between the host and the fellow. Exceptions will not be made for start dates beyond March 2025.

Extension Project Opportunity

Starting in 2020, California Sea Grant State Fellows have participated in Extension Projects with California Sea Grant Extension Specialists. These projects are meant to be collaborative opportunities offered to enhance the fellowship experience. Over the course of the twelve-month fellowship, there will also be an opportunity for the state fellow to engage with the  California Sea Grant Extension program . California Sea Grant Extension Specialists work with state and federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, local businesses, and members of the California coastal community to identify emerging marine resource problems and opportunities, conduct applied scientific research, and share findings with stakeholder groups. After meeting with our extension specialists, state fellows will choose extension project/s that align with their fellowship assignments or align with their professional and career interests. Fellows are anticipated to contribute no more than two months spread out over the year on these extension projects. As each Extension Specialist, project, fellowship position, and individual fellow is different California Sea Grant will provide flexibility as best possible to create organic collaborative opportunities through the extension projects for state fellows. California Sea Grant will encourage fellow participation in Extension Projects, but these are not mandatory for a fellow. 

How to Submit an Application

The electronic files comprising your application must be submitted as PDFs using eSeaGrant, California Sea Grant’s online submission portal:  https://eseagrant2.ucsd.edu/

You will need to register for an account (click on the banner labeled “Register”) in eSeaGrant if you have not done so in the past year. You can change the randomly generated password once you log in successfully into the website.  

To start an application in eSeaGrant, or revisit/edit an existing application, click on “Current Tasks” in your eSeaGrant dashboard. To start a new application, click on “Add Fellowship Application” under “Fellowship Applications: 2025 State Fellowship”. If you have already started an application and wish to edit it, click on the hyperlink for that application instead. 

FORMATTING: Please ensure electronic files are no larger than 6 MB. Only PDFs are accepted. Please make sure to include your last name in the file names for each section of the proposal (e.g., Smith_statement.pdf or Smith_cv.pdf). When naming the document please do not use apostrophes. Once submitted through the website, PDFs may not be edited. To change a PDF, it must be deleted and resubmitted.

IMPORTANT: To maintain confidentiality, letters of recommendation may be submitted directly from the referee to California Sea Grant through eSeaGrant and must be submitted by the application deadline to be considered. Please address letters to Dr. Shauna Oh, Director, California Sea Grant. Late submissions may lead to the rejection of incomplete applications. Candidates are encouraged to work with referees to meet the deadline. 

For technical issues with submitting your application through eSeaGrant please contact Delanie Medina at [email protected].

Submitted fellowship applications will be  screened for appropriate application requirements including academic background, employment history, career and education goals, community and extracurricular activities, interest in the fellowship, and for professional skills such as initiative, leadership, adaptability, communication and analytical skills. Applications missing any requirements will not be considered.

Application deadline: June 14, 2024, 5PM PT

NOTE: THE ESEAGRANT PROPOSAL PORTAL WILL CLOSE AT THE DATE AND TIME STATED ABOVE, AND LATE APPLICATIONS (EVEN 1 MINUTE LATE) CANNOT BE ACCEPTED. IT IS THE APPLICANT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO GET ALL REQUIRED MATERIALS SUBMITTED BEFORE THE DEADLINE. WE ADVISE TO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION; WHEN ESEAGRANT EXPERIENCES HIGH USER TRAFFIC, YOU MAY EXPERIENCE PAGE LOADING DELAYS.

Application.

A complete application will include:

• Personal and academic curriculum vitae (not to exceed two pages using 12-point font).
• The applicant should use one sentence to describe themselves.
• The applicant should list five adjectives that someone with a close personal connection (coworker, supervisor, etc.) would use to describe them. (5 words maximum)
• Why the applicant wants to be a California Sea Grant State Fellow with a specific focus on how this fellowship supports the student’s career pathway and what the applicant hopes to get out of the experience.
• What experiences and transferable skills (skills that can be applied across a variety of disciplines) would the applicant bring to the California Sea Grant State Fellowship from their personal, professional and academic background.
• Describe a situation in which the applicant overcame a challenge (e.g. within a community or institution, personally, professionally, etc.) specifically as it relates to how they took a leadership role and what they learned from the experience.
• Describe 1) a situation in which the applicant worked with a person or group with different perspectives, life experiences, beliefs, etc. from their own to achieve a common goal, and/or 2) how the applicant would incorporate principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and/or accessibility into their fellowship.
• Two letters of professional recommendation, including one from the student's major professor. If no major professor exists, the faculty member who is most familiar with the applicant academically may be substituted.
• Copies of all undergraduate and graduate student transcripts. Unofficial copies will be accepted.

Submitted fellowship applications will be screened for appropriate application requirements including academic background, employment history, career and education goals, community and extracurricular activities, interest in the fellowship, and for professional skills such as initiative, leadership, adaptability, communication and analytical skills. Applications missing any requirements will not be considered.

* Personal information (birth dates, addresses, student ID numbers, social security numbers, etc.) must be redacted from all application materials before it is submitted through eSeaGrant

Evaluation Criteria

Selection of finalists is made by California Sea Grant staff and alumni of the State Fellowship based upon review of written application materials and interviews (via Zoom and/or phone) of high-scoring applicants. Selection criteria for finalists used by California Sea Grant include: 

Curriculum Vitae (10%):  The student has employment, volunteer, or extracurricular activities in academic, applied, research, administration, outreach, or policy positions; The education and experience (personal and professional) in the student’s area of expertise are appropriate to the career stage; The student demonstrates academic, professional or personal experiences that are relevant and applicable to serving Californians; The student’s experiences show prior leadership roles relevant to their career stage (e.g., student government, faculty committees, advisory committees, professional societies, community initiatives, etc.).

Personal Education and Career Development Response (65%):

• Ice Breaker (5%) - The student demonstrates creative thinking and a willingness to think outside the box
• Career Path and Objectives (30%) - The student clearly links experiences to the ocean or coasts. The student demonstrates their ability to convey scientific knowledge in broader, non-scientific contexts, creative thinking, analytical skills, and/or indicates their capacity and willingness to make connections between science and broader economic, social, and political issues. The student demonstrates an understanding of the State Fellowship program and personal and professional background/goals. The student is specific, direct, concise while discussing what they would bring to and gain from the State Fellowship. The skill set demonstrated will provide a foundation for success; the student is specific, direct, and concise while discussing the skills they have cultivated throughout their academic and professional career.
• Career Path Experience (30%) - The student demonstrates an interest in contributing to public programs or service; experiences in public service, including, but not limited to volunteering, leadership, extension or education experiences. These do not have to be directly related to the mission of CASG. The student demonstrates creativity and willingness to navigate a challenging situation, leadership, and problem solving initiative. The student has shown interest in working with a variety of collaborators, community members and/or interested partners. The student demonstrates creativity and willingness to navigate a challenging situation, leadership, and problem solving initiative

Letters of Recommendation (10%):  The letter writers demonstrate knowledge of the student and their abilities, speak to the leadership potential, confidence, maturity, and self-direction of the student, provide evidence of the student's willingness and flexibility to tackle issues beyond their area of expertise and an openness and capacity to expand experiences. The letter writers provide evidence of the student's ability to convey scientific knowledge in broader, non-scientific contexts.

Academic Ability (10%):  The undergraduate and graduate transcripts demonstrate the applicant's coursework in academic, applied, research, administration, outreach, or policy. 

Overall Application Cohesion (5%): Consider all aspects of the application materials (CV, Personal education and career development statement, Letters of Recommendation, undergraduate and graduate transcripts). The application materials complement each other; The student brings diverse perspectives to the program, the application materials provide a clear picture of what the student would gain, and bring to, from receiving the State Fellowship.

Selected finalists will be guided through a matching process with host agencies, described below. 

Applicants please note:

• Finalists invited to the Matching Workshop are not guaranteed a fellowship.
• California Sea Grant cannot guarantee that a finalist will have an interview with a particular host.
• Placement of a fellow with a prospective host office is not guaranteed.

Virtual Matching process

The dates and times shown below are subject to change. Any adjustments to the schedule will be communicated to all finalists and hosts.

Applicants will be notified by approximately July 26, 2024 if they have been selected as a California Sea Grant State Fellowship Finalist. Applicants may also be placed on a waitlist. California Sea Grant wants to ensure that we are able to provide this unique educational opportunity to as many deserving applicants as possible, which includes ensuring that selected finalists are committed to the entire matching and placement process. Selected finalists will be asked to review a commitment letter outlining the expectations of finalists, host agencies, and California Sea Grant moving forward in the matching process; by signing the commitment letter, selected finalists will officially accept their position as a finalist and proceed through the matching process. Finalists are not guaranteed to be matched with a host agency, however, it is important to be committed to the matching process as the odds of being matched are high.

Presentations

Prior to the matching workshop, each finalist will provide a pre-recorded presentation that demonstrates their personality and interests, what they hope to get out of the fellowship experience, and what skills and experiences they will bring to this opportunity. Each presentation should not exceed 5 minutes. Hosts will be provided access to a folder of all finalists pre-recorded presentations. Finalist presentation recordings due August 9, 2024. 

During Prep Week (August 26–30), there will be Host Office Hours for finalists and a Matching Workshop Social Mixer (Virtual).

Each host will submit a pre-recorded presentation and optional “Get to Know You” video that provides a background of the organization and scope of the general duties of their position. During Prep Week, we encourage all finalists to watch host presentations and “Get to Know You” videos to gain a better understanding of the fellowship opportunities and host agencies. All presentations will be accessible in a folder shared with finalists. 

During Prep Week, host agencies will have Q&A Office Hours to allow finalists to ask any questions they may have after reviewing host presentations. Additionally, a Matching Workshop Social Mixer (virtual) will be held to provide host agencies and finalists a more informal and interactive platform to meet.

Interview Scheduling 

Based on the host’s interview availability/schedule, California Sea Grant will facilitate an Interview Scheduling Event for finalists to sign-up for their own interview spots. Each finalist will be required to select a minimum of 10 interviews. Following the Interview Scheduling Event, each finalist and host agency will have their own interview schedule sheet. Each host will then provide their own calendar invite for each interview to the appropriate finalist and include a link to a virtual conference platform for holding interviews. 

The Matching Workshop interviews will take place over the course of the 2.5 days (September 16–18, 2024) based on each host’s and finalist’s respective schedule. After the interviews take place, each finalist will submit their top 5 positions to California Sea Grant in an unranked list. California Sea Grant will send each host a list of finalists that included their position in their top 5 on the morning of September 19, 2024.

California Sea Grant cannot guarantee that a finalist will have an interview with a particular host. 

Hosts submit by Thursday, September 19 at 5PM PT to California Sea Grant a list of no more than 5 finalists they wish to follow up with on Monday, September 23, 2024. California Sea Grant will send each host their schedule for follow ups. Each host will then provide their own calendar invite to the appropriate finalist and include a link to a virtual conference platform for holding follow up conversations. These short, 15 minute discussions, are to provide more information to the host office and clarify any lingering questions from the initial interview. More details and guidance will be shared with selected hosts and invited finalists.

Both hosts and finalists will submit a numerically ranked list by 5PM PT on Monday September 23, 2024. California Sea Grant will use a matching algorithm to match each host and finalist. Placement of a fellow in each prospective host office is not guaranteed. However, all fellowship positions are great opportunities for enriching professional development. At this stage in the process, finalists are expected to accept a match with any fellowship position that they placed on their final ranking list.

Finalists invited to the matching workshop are not guaranteed a fellowship. 

A full detailed remote matching workshop schedule will be finalized and made available to finalists in the near future.  An outline of the schedule can be found here . Additional details on the matching process will be made available once finalists and hosts are confirmed.

The California Sea Grant State Fellowship program solicits applications from host offices annually to host State Fellows, including municipal, state and federal agencies, as well as research and conservation organizations in California with mandates in coastal or marine research, policy, or management.

To allow for a broad fellowship applicant pool, applications for the fellowship will be open while hosts are finalized. California Sea Grant recommends that prospective fellowship applicants look at previous years' fellowship webpages as a gauge of possible host opportunities ( https://caseagrant.ucsd.edu/students/fellowship-alumni ). 

When considering applying for this fellowship, please keep in mind that if you are only interested in being placed with five or less host agency positions, then this might not be the right opportunity for you. Matching with a particular host agency is not guaranteed. Each host agency can offer an enriching fellowship opportunity, thus an open mindset is important in being successful through the matching process.

Past Fellows

Read the  articles and previous fellow announcements to learn more about program alumni and their agency placements and experiences.

California Sea Grant strongly encourages all prospective applicants to review the complete schedule and place appropriate holds on their calendars early. 

April 10, 2024: Call for Host applications opened

April 12, 2024: Request for Fellowship Applications opens

May 15, 2024 12–2PM: State Fellow Informational Webinar (for prospective fellowship applicants) ( register here ) 

May 31, 2024 5PM: Call for Host applications due

June 4, 2024 (approximate): Accepted host agencies notified; tentative host positions posted on California Sea Grant website; accepted hosts are sent 

June 10, 2024 (approximate): Final host positions posted on California Sea Grant website

June 14, 2024 5PM: Request for Fellowship applications due

June 20–July 25, 2024 (approximate): California Sea Grant screening of fellowship applications to select finalists 

July 24, 2024: Host Presentation & “Get to Know You” Video Recordings Due

July 26, 2024: Finalists notified and applications distributed to participating hosts

July 29–August 30, 2024: Matching Workshop Prep: Watch Finalists Presentation Recordings; Read Finalists Applications 

July 31, 2024 12–2PM: California Sea Grant informational session for invited finalists

August 9, 2024: Finalist presentations due

August 26–30, 2024: Prep Week: Host Office Hours for Finalists, Matching Workshop Social Mixer (virtual)

September 4, 2024 1–5PM:   MANDATORY  Interview Scheduling Event

September 5–13, 2024: California Sea Grant and Hosts finalize and distribute interview schedule

September 16–23, 2024:   MANDATORY Virtual Matching Workshop.  An outline of the schedule can be found here.

September 16–18, 2024: Hosts/Finalists Interviews     

September 19, 2024 5PM: Host Follow-Up Lists Due

September 20, 2024 5PM: Hosts send Follow-Up Invites to Finalists

September 23, 2024 9AM–1PM: Follow-Ups

September 23, 2024 5PM: Rankings Due

September 24–October 4: California Sea Grant Matching (as needed)

October 7, 2024: Fellowship matches announced

By Dec 2024: Host offices finalize funding agreements

January–March 2025: Fellowship begins

For additional information about the State Fellows program (or other fellowship opportunities:  https://caseagrant.ucsd.edu/students/fellowships ), please contact:

Delanie Medina Fellowship   Program Coordinator 

[email protected]

POSITION DESCRIPTIONS

Participating hosts for the 2025 class will be posted here June 10, 2024 (approximate)

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Watch CBS News

Biden's new student loan forgiveness plan could help 30 million borrowers. Here's who would qualify.

By Aimee Picchi

Edited By Anne Marie Lee

Updated on: April 10, 2024 / 11:28 AM EDT / CBS News

President Joe Biden once again is trying to deliver widespread student debt forgiveness, with a new plan unveiled on Monday that could help about 30 million borrowers erase some or all of their college loans. 

The latest attempt at broad debt relief comes less than a year after the Supreme Court blocked Biden's previous attempt to help student borrowers, when the court's  June 2023 ruling denied up to $20,000 in forgiveness to roughly 40 million Americans. 

Biden, who had made student loan relief a major campaign pledge, unveiled the new plan on Monday, describing it as potentially "life changing" for millions of Americans. About 43 million people are carrying $1.7 trillion in student debt, a burden that some borrowers and their advocates say hampers their ability to buy a home or achieve other financial milestones. 

"While a college degree still is a ticket to the middle class, that ticket is becoming much too expensive. Much too expensive," Biden said an event at Madison College in Madison, Wisconsin. "The ability for working and middle-class folks to repay their student loans has become so burdensome that a lot can't repay it for even decades after being in school."

Here's what to know about Biden's new plan and who would qualify. 

How is this plan different from the one struck down by the Supreme Court?

The new plan relies on a different law to provide debt relief to student borrowers. 

The previous plan relied on the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act, or HEROES Act, a pandemic-era stimulus package. The Supreme Court ruled that law didn't provide the Biden administration with the authority to forgive student debt. 

The new plan turns to an older law, the Higher Education Act, which allows the Secretary of Education to "compromise, waive or release" federal student loans. It's through this mechanism that the Biden administration is tackling its new debt relief program. 

Who will qualify for debt forgiveness under the new plan?

There are 5 major groups of borrowers who could benefit under the new plan. 

• 2.5 million borrowers who have been in repayment for 20 years or more. 

The Biden administration said people with only undergraduate debt could qualify for forgiveness if they first began repaying their loans at least 20 years ago, or on or before July 1, 2005. Borrowers with graduate school debt would qualify if they first began repaying their loans 25 years ago, or on or before July 1, 2000. 

Borrowers don't have to be enrolled in an income-driven repayment plan to qualify, the White House said. Both direct loans and direct consolidation loans would be covered.

• People with debt who attended "low-financial-value programs"

College is supposed to provide its graduates with the skills to achieve higher-income careers, but there are some programs that have left people in debt but without a marketable degree, such as some offered by for-profit colleges like the now-defunct Corinthian Colleges .

The new plan would cancel student debt for loans from colleges or programs that lost their eligibility to participate in the Federal student aid program or were denied recertification because they cheated students, the White House said. Borrowers who also attended colleges that don't provide "sufficient value," such as leaving grads without the ability to earn more than a high school grad, would also be eligible for relief. 

• People experiencing hardship in paying back their loans.

Borrowers who are experiencing hardship that hampers their ability to repay their loans could also qualify for forgiveness. Although the White House didn't specify the financial threshold for qualifying under this pathway, it said this could cover borrowers at high risk of defaulting on their student loans or who are grappling with issues like medical debt.

• 25 million borrowers whose balances ballooned because of interest.

Some borrowers have seen their balances grow due to a financial issue called "negative amortization," in which a person's loan balance keeps growing despite their consistently making payments. Under the plan, roughly 25 million people who have experienced this issue could get up to $20,000 of their interest canceled. 

• 2 million low- and middle-income borrowers who qualify for forgiveness but haven't applied.

The plan would also provide debt relief for about 2 million low- and middle-income borrowers who qualify for programs like Public Service Loan Forgiveness or income-driven repayment plans but haven't applied for them.

"No application will be needed for borrowers to receive this relief if the plan is implemented as proposed," the White House said.

What are the next steps to getting the plan approved? 

The Education Department said it plans to release a formal proposal in the "coming months." That would usually be followed by a public comment period of 60 days. Then if the rule is finalized by November 1, it would usually take effect the following July — in this case, July 2025.

But the Higher Education Act authorizes the education secretary to fast-track rules for "early implementation" in some cases. The Biden administration recently  used that power  to accelerate student loan cancellation offered through a new federal repayment plan. Invoking that authority could allow Biden to start canceling debt later this year.

When could the new plan go into effect?

That's not known yet because the plan has to get pass some additional hurdles before becoming effective, as noted above. Asked by reporters when U.S. student loan recipients might see their interest balances canceled, officials said the forgiveness could happen starting "early this fall."

Could the plan be challenged in court?

Yes, conservative opponents are expected to challenge Biden's plan in court.

Republicans have repeatedly fought Biden's plan for student loan cancellation, saying it's an unfair benefit shouldered by taxpayers who repaid their loans or didn't go to college. Opponents say the Supreme Court was clear that widespread loan cancellation must come from Congress.

Separately, seven states, led by Missouri, filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday challenging Biden's  SAVE Plan, an income-based repayment program that was introduced last year. The new lawsuit largely mirrors another suit  filed last month  by Republican attorneys general in 11 states, led by Kansas.

The suit doesn't directly challenge Biden's newest plan for cancellation, but its architect, Missouri's attorney general, separately threatened to bring action against that plan, too.

If Biden's plan faces a lawsuit, courts could order the administration to halt cancellation until legal questions are sorted out. That scenario could leave the plan on hold beyond the November presidential election. Even if it survives legal challenges, a Donald Trump victory would spell almost certain doom for Biden's plan.

— With reporting by the Associated Press.

• Student Debt
• Student Loan

Aimee Picchi is the associate managing editor for CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and personal finance. She previously worked at Bloomberg News and has written for national news outlets including USA Today and Consumer Reports.

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