Graduate Studies Funding

Dissertation Fellowship

This one-year award includes a stipend payment of $14,000, plus payment of up to six graduate credit hours of tuition. Factors considered favorably in awarding the fellowship are service as a teaching or research assistant, previous awards or scholarships, superior academic performance, good departmental evaluation, and a clearly stated proposal from the nominee. Preference will be given to students who are expected to complete their dissertations during the award year, those who completed their comprehensive examinations, especially those who have been supported by teaching assistantships during all or most of their graduate study and those who would profit significantly from the released time from teaching or other duties offered by the fellowship.

If for some unexpected reason a Dissertation Fellow has not passed the comprehensive examination before the beginning of the Fall 2006 semester, the fellowship will pay fall semester tuition and fees, but will not begin the stipend payments until the comprehensive examination is successfully completed, from which time to the end of the academic year, the Fellow will receive a prorated stipend at the standard monthly rate. If a successful nominee has not met all requirements for candidacy before the beginning of Spring Semester 2006, the remainder of the award (tuition/fees and stipend) will be canceled. Fellows are encouraged not to accept a teaching assistantship or research assistantship while receiving fellowship support; however, departments may appeal this to Graduate Studies on behalf of the student on a case-by-case basis.

The following must be submitted with the nomination: completed nomination coversheet; nomination statement by department; the student's dissertation plan with a statement concerning the significance of the fellowship to completion of the dissertation; student's curriculum vitae; transcripts of all college or university work; three current letters of reference, and the signed form indicating student's access to files or recommendations.

Departments may nominate no more than two individuals for the Dissertation Fellowship. The department is expected to rank nominees.

The deadline for all awards is Friday, February 1 at 5:00 pm at 222 Strong Hall.