Financial Support for Graduate Study
Statement of Financial Resources
Types of University Support
Continuation of University Support
Non-University Support
Other Sources of Financial Support
Statement of Financial Resources
The Statement of Financial Resources must be completed by applicants to all master’s programs. This information assists the Graduate School in allocating the limited amount of financial aid available to masters students.Students who are admitted to any of Princeton’s doctoral programs are almost always offered financial assistance in the form of a fellowship and/or assistantship. This financial support helps to defray the cost of tuition, and also provides a stipend to assist with living expenses during the student’s four- or five-year program. In keeping with Graduate School policy, we admit to doctoral study only those applicants who we are reasonably confident will have adequate financial support (from their own resources in combination with institutional funds) during their four- or five-year program at Princeton.
The type of financial support awarded to each student is determined by the Graduate School, taking into account the academic department’s recommendation whenever possible. Applicants should not request a specific type of financial aid — they will be considered for all types of support for which they are eligible (fellowship, assistantship, traineeship, etc.).
The amount of financial support provided to each student depends on the Graduate School’s evaluation of the academic merit of the applicant (from the student’s application and supporting documents), the department’s recommendation, the size of the entering class, and all available financial resources. In some cases, a student may be required to borrow a modest sum of money through low-interest student loans to meet the full cost of living, especially if a spouse and/or children will be joining the applicant at Princeton.
The exceptions to these provisions on financial support are those students who bring external assistance in the form of fellowships or scholarships, those who are sponsored by a government, agency, or company, and those who are self-paid through their own or family resources.
Generally, as long as the student remains enrolled, the financial award at the time of admission (or its equivalent in broad terms) will be provided to the student for the full number of years that the student is enrolled. Most Ph.D. students should expect to receive modest stipend increases throughout their enrollment period. There are also opportunities for summer support throughout the four or five years that would supplement the initial offer, plus competitive opportunities for internal honorific fellowships and other awards that generally pay higher stipends. Students who are asked to teach, especially at the post-generals stage, are often compensated well above their initial stipend level.
In some cases, financial resources are not available in sufficient amounts to make full fellowship and/or assistantship awards. In such cases, we will admit students without full financial assistance, and it will be the student’s responsibility to partially pay for his or her tuition and maintenance from personal resources or other means.
You are not required to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form to apply for fellowship or assistantship awards at Princeton. All applicants are automatically considered for all available funding.
Types of University Support
University fellowships. University fellowships are the major source of support in the humanities, social sciences, architecture, and public affairs. They generally range in amount from partial to full tuition and the required health plan fees, plus a maximum maintenance allowance of $21,500/12 months, including summers. Maintenance allowances are taxable. These fellowships are awarded on the basis of both academic merit and financial need.Departmental awards. Several departments offer fellowships and traineeships supported by grants from foundations, corporations, and government agencies. Students do not need to apply separately for these awards.
Assistantships in research. Available mainly in the natural sciences and engineering, assistants in research are normally expected to devote approximately 20 hours per week to the research activities of the group with whom they are working. Assistants in research on full appointment for the 10-month academic year receive stipends that are comparable to or exceed fellowship stipends. Summer research opportunities are also generally available.
Most summer research stipends pay in excess of $3,000 per month. This compensation is taxable. The research is directly related to the student’s thesis and constitutes an integral part of his or her degree program.
Assistantships in instruction. Assistants in instruction may, depending on the teaching needs of their departments, be involved in some combination of classroom teaching, laboratory supervision, and grading in undergraduate courses.
A full appointment is for six semester hours per term (about 18 to 20 hours of work per week), and payment for teaching appointments will almost always exceed fellowship and research stipend rates. Appointments are frequently for fewer than six semester hours, and compensation is prorated. Compensation is taxable.
An assistantship in instruction always replaces, in full or in part, a previously awarded University fellowship maintenance allowance.
Continuation of University Support
Continuation of University financial assistance and enrollment for subsequent years is normally assured, contingent on satisfactory academic achievement and the availability of University resources for the stated length of the student’s degree program. Patterns of support vary by department and by year of study within departments. University assistantship stipends should rise annually to approximate the cost of living. There are many opportunities for summer funding.Non-University Support
Applicants, as well as continuing students, are encouraged to apply for external fellowships or grants from national, international, industrial, or foundation sources for which they may be eligible. Information on such fellowships may be obtained through undergraduate financial aid or career counseling offices, or through references, such as the Annual Register of Grant Support and the Grants Register found in many university libraries. The following fellowship program sponsors are excellent and prestigious sources of graduate student support.Students who receive an award from Princeton and from a non-University source may be allowed to hold both concurrently, although Princeton reserves the right to adjust its award accordingly. If adjustments are made, Princeton will make sure that the student receives a total amount that exceeds the Princeton award so that the student benefits from obtaining the external award. In addition, prizes for receiving these awards are frequently granted by the Graduate School, adding to the student’s stipend amount.
Address questions about University awards to the Associate Dean for Administration, Graduate School, Princeton University, 104 Clio Hall, Princeton, NJ 08544.
Other Sources of Financial Support
Education Loans. Since it is not possible to support all students with full tuition and fellowship or assistantship grants, every student who is a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident may apply to borrow up to need under the terms of the Federal Stafford Loan Program after admission and thereafter to a maximum of $18,500, and/or under the Perkins Loan Program to a maximum of $6,000. Participation is limited to students who meet the federal eligibility criteria at the time they submit their loan application.
Federal Graduate Work-Study Program. Work-Study is a program through which eligible graduate students can work on campus during the summer and academic year to earn the difference between the annual cost of their education, expected family contribution, and their financial support, including federal loans. Eligibility is limited to U.S. citizens or holders of permanent resident status who show financial need (as measured by a needs analysis form), and maintain satisfactory academic progress while employed. Preference will be given to those who show greatest need. Employment under this program must be approved by the department’s director of graduate studies and the Graduate School.
Employment. If the student and the department judge that employment is both manageable and necessary, the student may be employed either on or off campus and, wherever possible, under the Graduate Work-Study Program. Full-time employment is considered incompatible with full-time graduate study. If a teaching or research assistantship (full or partial) is offered by the student’s department, it must be accepted over an off-campus position.
Address questions about loan programs, the Graduate Work-Study Program, and other employment, to the Associate Dean for Student Life, Graduate School, Princeton University, 109 Clio Hall, Princeton, NJ 08544.
Ford Foundation Doctoral Fellowships
National Research Council of the
National Academies
500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 334-2872
infofell@nas.edu
Deadline: early November
Hertz Fellowships in the Applied
Physical Sciences
Fannie and John Hertz Foundation
2456 Research Drive
Livermore, CA 94550-3850
(925) 373-1642
askhertz@hertzfoundation.org
Deadline: late October
National Consortium for Graduate
Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science (GEM)
P.O. Box 537
Notre Dame, IN 46556
(574) 631-7771
(Apply in junior or senior year)
Deadline: early November
National Defense Science and
Engineering Fellowship
NDSEG Fellowship Program
American Society for Engineering Education
1818 N. Street, NW
Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 331-3516
ndseg@asee.org
Deadline: early January
National Physical Science Consortium
(minorities and women in selected fields) USC-RAN
3716 S. Hope, Suite 348
Los Angeles, CA 90007-4344
(800) 854-NPSC or
(213) 743-2409
npschq@npsc.org
Deadline: early November
National Science Foundation
4201 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22230
(703) 292-5111
info@nsf.gov
Deadline: early November
Contact and deadline information subject to change.