I. Policy Statement

The Childbirth and Adoption Accommodation Policy is meant to acknowledge the demands upon new parents and provide them with the relief and support they need to successfully complete their academic programs. The policy provides enrolled graduate degree candidates in good academic standing who become parents during their regular program length or during DCE status a period of accommodation during which teaching and academic obligations are suspended. Administration of and revisions to this policy are the responsibility of the Dean of the Graduate School.

II. Who is Affected by this Policy

This policy applies to all enrolled degree-seeking graduate students.

III. Definitions 

Regularly enrolled graduate students
Degree-seeking Ph.D. students are considered to be in regular enrolled status within the defined program lengths.

In absentia graduate students
Degree-seeking students who are pursuing degree-related work but not in residence for greater than half the term.

Leave of absence
The regular defined program length has been interrupted because the student is not pursing degree-related work.

Dissertation Completion Enrollment (DCE)
A Ph.D. student who has exhausted the defined program length, but is still making progress toward degree completion and retains an enrolled status. DCE status must be taken immediately after the regular program length has ended and may be granted for a maximum of four consecutive semesters. Through the annual reenrollment process, a student must apply to move into or retain this status and have the approval of both the department and the Graduate School. A DCE student is enrolled and eligible for most benefits reserved for enrolled students, but ordinarily may not enroll in courses. A marginal tuition rate that includes the student health plan is charged for a student enrolled in DCE status. DCE status is recorded on the transcript.

Princeton Funding

Graduate students may receive assistantship and fellowship financial support from a variety of Princeton University sources including, but not limited to: University general funds, Graduate School fellowship funds, academic department and program funds, faculty funds, sponsored research grants and campus partner office funds.

Graduate School fellowship

Graduate School fellowship includes the following funding sources:

• Charles N. Hanna and Margaret T. Hanna Fund Fellowship
• Dean’s Completion Fellowship
• Donald and Mary Hyde Academic Year Research Fellowship
• Donald and Mary Hyde Summer Research Fellowship
• Honorific fellowships
• Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in the Humanities sixth-year fellowship 
• University Fellowship that has been banked for use in the sixth year due to receiving an external fellowship during regular program length

External Fellowships

External fellowships are awarded on a competitive or merit basis by non-university entities and are sponsored by both public and private agencies. They typically consist of a tuition component and/or a stipend component. The funds may be paid directly to the student or to the University to be administered on behalf of the student. External fellowship awards vary considerably in terms of amount, duration and restrictions.

IV. Policy

The Graduate School’s Childbirth and Adoption Accommodation Policy is intended to support graduate students who become parents.  The policy provides for three separate accommodations: 1) a 14-week suspension of work; 2) an additional term of enrollment, should a student require it; and 3) an additional term of financial support, should a student be eligible for it.  All enrolled students who become new parents to a newborn or pre-school aged child are eligible for Part 1 (the 14-week suspension of work).  Eligibility for Part 2 (the additional term of enrollment) and Part 3 (the additional term of financial support) depends on a student’s program and period of enrollment in that program.  Students must register their eligibility with the Office of the Dean of the Graduate School prior to any accommodation.

Part 1: Accommodation of 14-Week Suspension of Work

Academic Implications of Part 1

Enrolled Ph.D. and Master’s students who become new parents either during the period of their regular program length or, for Ph.D. students, during a DCE period are eligible for the 14-week accommodation. During the 14-week accommodation, students remain in full-time enrolled status.  Students in their regular program length may also opt to take a Leave of Absence immediately following the 14-week accommodation should they need additional time with their family.  Students in DCE status are not ordinarily eligible for a Leave of Absence.  The full Leave of Absence Policy should be consulted.

Students who become new parents to a newborn or pre-school-aged child are eligible for the 14-week accommodation from the date of birth of the child or date of placement in the home. An earlier date may be arranged if deemed medically necessary and approved by the Graduate School, which would then extend the 14-week accommodation to 14 weeks plus the period deemed medically necessary.

The 14-week accommodation, which for enrollment purposes can be granted only in one continuous 14-week block, may commence at any point that caregiving begins but must be concluded no later than one year after the birth of the child or placement in the home.

In cases where there are two parents of a new child and both are Princeton students, both may be eligible for the 14-week accommodation.  A student may qualify for Part 1 only once per child, however, more than one student parent may qualify for Part 1 for the same child.  Two parents may receive the 14-week accommodation for the same child at overlapping times if both meet eligibility requirements. 

Financial Implications of Part 1

Recipients of Princeton Funding

During the 14-week accommodation period, eligible Ph.D. students in their regular program length will ordinarily receive financial support at the University standard rates.  For students in the humanities and social sciences, a stipend is paid at the University Fellowship rate.  For students in the natural sciences and engineering, a stipend is paid at the Assistantship in Research rate.  Students in their regular program length who hold University fellowships that pay at a higher rate will continue to receive that higher rate during the 14-week accommodation period. DCE funding during the 14-week accommodation period varies depending on the funding source:

• DCE students who receive Graduate School fellowship support will continue to receive any such support that they would otherwise have received during the 14-week accommodation period. See Definitions section for Graduate School fellowship.

• DCE students who receive fellowship support from departments and campus offices and programs may continue to receive the same level of financial support they would otherwise have received if they did not take the 14-week accommodation. DCE students must confirm with the department or program providing their support whether or not such funding will continue during the accommodation period. 

• DCE students who would have otherwise held an Assistantship in Research appointment during the 14-week accommodation period should consult with their department to determine if accommodation funding is available.

Recipients of External Fellowships

All students supported on external fellowships or awards are obliged to inform their funding agency and discuss the implications of not maintaining a full-time academic commitment. While many funding agencies defer to institutional policies, some have well-defined guidelines of their own. In those cases, the rules of the granting agency prevail. The Graduate School Finance and Administration office will be available to assist in these discussions. If fellowship benefits are suspended or deferred during this period, and the appropriate documentation is submitted, the Graduate School will assume funding responsibility at the University standard rates noted above for Ph.D. students still in their regular program length.

Unfunded DCE Students

DCE students will have the DCE fee covered by the Graduate School for the 14-week accommodation period if it is not already covered some other way. Aside from the DCE fee, no new financial support is provided by the Graduate School to students in DCE status during this 14-week accommodation. 

Part 2: Additional Term of Enrollment

Ph.D. students who have been granted Part 1 (the 14-week accommodation) are automatically eligible for one additional term of DCE status (Part 2), should they require it and if they are making satisfactory academic progress.  This extension of DCE status eligibility is applied per child.  For example, a parent who gives birth to or adopts twins would be eligible for two additional terms of DCE status, one per child. 

Master’s degree students in the School of Public and International Affairs, Architecture, Engineering, Near Eastern Studies, and Finance programs are not automatically eligible for an additional term of enrollment.  These students have their requests reviewed on a case-by-case basis. In consultation with the Graduate School, master’s programs may recommend an extension of program length (normally to allow master’s students to finish required coursework and design or research projects) for a term. 

Part 3: Additional Term of Financial Support for Ph.D. Students

Ph.D. students who were granted Part 1 (the 14-week accommodation) during their regular program length are eligible to receive one additional term of full financial support (Part 3) during their DCE enrollment period.  Those new parents who qualified for Part 1 are in all cases eligible for the additional term of support as long as the child was born or placed in the home prior to the end of the student’s regular program length.  This benefit is applied per eligible child.  For example, a parent who gives birth to or adopts twins while enrolled in the regular program length would be eligible for two additional terms of financial support. 

Also eligible for Part 3 are Ph.D. students who were granted Part 1 during DCE status, provided that they were supported by a Graduate School fellowship during that 14-week accommodation period.  See Definitions section for Graduate School fellowship.

The Part 3 additional term of financial support includes a stipend and DCE fee. Students receive financial support at the University standard rates.  For students in the humanities and social sciences, a stipend is paid at the University Fellowship rate.  For students in the natural sciences and engineering, a stipend is paid at the University Assistantship in Research rate.  

For students who qualify for the additional term of financial support, the additional term of financial support is ordinarily paid in the first semester of DCE status in which the student is actively enrolled and no other DCE funding is available to the student. 

Students may take Part 2 (the additional term of enrollment) separately from Part 3 (the additional term of financial support). For example, if students take the additional term of financial support in their first term of DCE status, they would still be eligible for an additional term of enrollment at the end of the normal two-year DCE period and would be responsible for their own DCE fee and support.

Provision of an additional term of financial support for master’s degree students is at the discretion of the relevant school, department, or program.

V. Procedures 

Procedures for the Childbirth or Adoption Accommodation (Contact Elaine Willey with any questions.)

Students who anticipate requesting the accommodation should first meet with their adviser and director of graduate studies as soon as possible to plan for their time off.

A student requesting the 14-week accommodation must submit the request e-form through Tigerhub

on the Resources and Opportunities tile, no less than three months before the expected due date or placement date (for adoption). Note that exceptions to the three-month rule may be arranged only in cases of adoption with prior approval by the Graduate School. 

VI. Related documents/Pages/Forms

Pregnancy/Childbirth Resources for Students

Other Family Focused Initiatives

VII. Roles and Responsibilities

Dean of the Graduate School
Oversees Graduate School policies and associated procedures.   

Academic Affairs
Administers Childbirth and Adoption Accommodation policy and approves the suspension of academic duties.

Finance and Administration

Administers funding policies associated with student status.      

Graduate Student
Responsible for completing and submitting necessary paperwork for requesting the suspension.