Aid for PhD Students

Training fellowships provide a stipend and scholarship for exceptional students to focus primarily on their degree coursework with no departmental research or teaching responsibilities. Students awarded training fellowships are required to enroll in a full load of academic courses as determined by the department.  Examples:

• Dean’s Fellowship (DF)
• GRS Dissertation Fellowship
• National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
• National Institute of Health (NIH) Training Grant (TG) Fellowships
• Foreign Language Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowship
• Various prestigious departmental fellowships.

 

Stipend Amount	$15,000/semester *
Payment Period	$3,750/month, September-August
Payment Structure	Stipend is paid monthly, on the 4th Friday of the month.

*International students may have 14% withheld in taxes.  Refer to our Tax FAQs.

A Teaching Fellowship provides a stipend and a full scholarship and an opportunity for graduate students to gain classroom experience under the close supervision of the faculty members who have the formal responsibility for the courses to which the teaching fellows are assigned. Your obligation in this fellowship would include instructional duties assigned by your department. Instructional and other duties total approximately 20 hours per week.

Stipend Amount	$15,000/semester*
Payment Period	$865.38/week, September-August
Payment Structure	Stipend is paid weekly, on Fridays.

*Service stipends are considered earned income for tax purposes and the University will withhold and report the earnings per IRS guidelines. Refer to our Tax FAQs.

Doctoral Research Fellowships provide a stipend and scholarship for exceptionally qualified students in return for research work done for the department. Your obligation in this fellowship will include research duties assigned by your department that total no more than 20 hours per week.

Stipend Amount	$15,000/semester*
Payment Period	$865.38/week, September-August
Payment Structure	Stipend is paid weekly, on Fridays.

*Service stipends are considered earned income for tax purposes and the University will withhold and report the earnings per IRS guidelines. Refer to our Tax FAQs.

The Fellowship: The Campagna-Kerven Graduate Fellowship, endowed by a bequest from Madame Susanne Campagna, provides a dissertation fellowship to a PhD student in the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences whose doctoral dissertation deals substantially with an aspect of modern Turkey. This includes Turkish culture, society, politics or economics in the 20th or 21st century.

The dissertation fellowship includes a stipend of $46,350 paid from September 2025 through August 2026 (12 monthly payments), SHIP health insurance coverage, and all other necessary fees.

Eligibility: The fellowship is open to PhD students in the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences who are defining or preparing their dissertation. Preference will be given to students who have passed all qualifying exams and are either preparing their dissertation prospectus or have had their prospectus approved by the faculty of their program. The dissertation must focus, at least in part, on some aspect of modern Turkey which is defined as the Republic of Turkey or the Turkish people and culture in the 20th or 21st century. A student awarded the dissertation fellowship may not hold another fellowship simultaneously. 

Application Materials  

Submitted by the Applicant (via InfoReady) 

• A two- page cover letter which: 

• Describes the dissertation project, clearly outlining the thesis. 

• Details of the current plan for completion as well as all progress made thus far. 

• Current CV 

• Unofficial transcript 

Submitted by Faculty member (via a link sent from InfoReady) 

•  Letter of Support from the applicant’s dissertation advisor 
  • This should make note of the applicant’s current progress towards completing their dissertation and updated plan for completion. It should also highlight the significance and feasibility of the dissertation project.  

• Letter of support from the applicant’s PhD program Director of Graduate Studies 

• • This should confirm that the applicant will not hold another fellowship between September 2025 – August 2026. 

Deadline:  Applications will be due by March 31, 2025 at 11:59 PM ET. Letters of support should be submitted by faculty members by April 7, 2025. Decision notifications will be made in May.

Please contact grsgs@bu.edu with any questions. 

InfoReady Link: https://bu.infoready4.com/#freeformCompetitionDetail/1965041 

The Fellowship: The Henry S. Newman Graduate Student Fellowship, endowed by Mr. Newman in honor of his daughter Dori Newman (CAS ’69), provides a one-year fellowship to a PhD student in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences whose dissertation focuses on some aspect of immigration to America. Mr. Newman immigrated to America following World War II after having survived two years in a concentration camp.

This dissertation fellowship includes a stipend of $46,350, which is paid from September 2025 through August 2026 (12 monthly payments), SHIP health insurance coverage, and all other necessary fees. 

Eligibility: The fellowship is open to PhD students in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences who have passed all qualifying exams and had their dissertation prospectus approved by the faculty of their program. Their dissertation must focus on some aspect of immigration to America. A student awarded the Henry S. Newman Graduate Student Fellowship may not hold another fellowship simultaneously.

Application Materials:

Submitted by the Applicant (via InfoReady) 

• A two- page cover letter which: 

• Describes the dissertation project, clearly outlining the thesis. 

• Details of the current plan for completion as well as all progress made thus far. 

• Current CV 

• Unofficial transcript 

Submitted by Faculty member (via a link sent from InfoReady) 

• Letter of Support from the applicant’s dissertation advisor 

• • This should make note of the applicant’s current progress towards completing their dissertation and updated plan for completion. It should also highlight the significance and feasibility of the dissertation project.  

• Letter of support from the applicant’s PhD program Director of Graduate Studies 

• • This should confirm that the applicant will not hold another fellowship between September 2025 – August 2026. 

Deadline: Applications will be due by March 31, 2025 at 11:59 PM ET. Letters of support should be submitted by faculty members by April 7, 2025. Decision notifications will be made in May.

Please contact grsgs@bu.edu with any questions. 

InfoReady Link:

https://bu.infoready4.com/#freeformCompetitionDetail/1965041

The 2024-2025 GRAF II application portal is now closed. Applicants can login to view their application below: https://bu.infoready4.com/#competitionDetail/1961673

Applications are due by 11:59 PM ET February 3, 2025.

The Graduate School of Arts & Sciences has established a fellowship program, the Graduate Research Abroad Fellowship (GRAF), to support foreign-based research by doctoral students in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences whose field-based or archival research requires an extended period of residence in another country or countries.  

GRAF awards may not be used for foreign-based study or training such as acquiring language skills, equipment, personal expenses not related to the GRAF proposal, or for attending professional conferences. GRAF awards are non-service and are in addition to a student’s 5 year funding package. They cannot be used during a semester where the student receives a teaching or research fellowship.

There are two kinds of Graduate Research Abroad Fellowships:

• The Short-term GRAF supports travel and living costs during a period of study abroad up to, but not exceeding, 3 full months. For trips taken during the academic year when students will normally be supported by another fellowship, up to $4,000 in travel costs can be provided. For trips during the summer (June 1 through August 31) a fellowship can provide up to $6,000.
• The Long-term GRAF enables a student to spend an extended period (4 or more months/at least a full semester) of foreign-based field or archival research. It provides up to $16,250 to cover living, travel, and research expenses.  A Long-term GRAF also provides Continuing Study Fees and the cost of participation in the basic BU student health plan for the time the student is abroad.

Fellowships will be awarded to students nominated by their departments and recommended by a faculty committee.

Eligibility

• • Applicants should have completed their prospectus and other doctoral program requirements except the dissertation by the time the proposed project is scheduled to begin. An exception to this may be made in disciplines where travel would be necessary to complete the prospectus, however this can only apply to short-term GRAF proposals.
  • Applicants must be registered as BU GRS PhD students. For help with initiating a continuing student registration for students who will not be registering for classes, please contact your Department Administrator.
  • Applicants must not have a conflicting teaching or research fellowship. For example, if a student receives a TA fellowship in Fall 2023, then they should not be traveling during that semester. Additionally, a student should not have a research fellowship during their semester of travel.

• • Applicants must disclose other forms of funding for their research, and if they previously received a GRAF or GRUF award. This also includes pending applications to other grants or fellowships related to their GRAF project. Failure to do so will result in a disqualification for that cycle.

GRAF Cycles and Travel

GRAF I (previously Fall GRAF)

• Student InfoReady Submission Deadline: 11:59 PM ET October 14, 2024
• Departmental Acknowledgement and Letter of Reference Submission Deadline: 11:59 PM ET October 21, 2024
• For travel that begins on or after February 1, 2025.

GRAF II (previously Spring GRAF)

• Student InfoReady Submission Deadline: 11:59 PM ET February 3, 2025
  • Infoready Portal: https://bu.infoready4.com/#competitionDetail/1961673
• Departmental Acknowledgement and Letter of Reference Submission Deadline: 11:59 PM ET February 10, 2025
• For travel that begins on or after June 1, 2025

Application Process (GRAF I Cycle)

Phase I: Interested students will submit their application via InfoReady by 11:59 PM on October 14, 2024. Late applications will not be accepted. This will include:

1. GRAF Budget Template This must be submitted as a one page PDF. Other formats will not be accepted.
2. IRB Approval (If working with human subjects)
   1. If approval is not granted before the application deadline, a copy of the email to IRB is admissible, however applicants will not be awarded funds until IRB approval is received. 
3. An unofficial transcript (A screenshot from the StudentLink is preferred)
4. A letter of recommendation from the student’s advisor (this will be due on October 21 and will be submitted via a link sent by InfoReady)
5.  Project Proposal (No more than 5 pages, 1.5 spacing, Times New Roman Size 12 font) which:
   1.  Describes the problem or question that the proposed research will address, links it to existing scholarship on the topic, and shows why the research will best allow for you to to answer or illuminate it. Your proposal should also include clear reasoning for your travel.  Remember that the review committee has a broad membership across disciplines.
   2. Includes a proposed timeline for the project along with travel locations.
   3. Clearly discloses all other forms of funding received or being applied to for the project. (Failure to do so can result in your award being rescinded should you be selected).
   4. A disclosure of previous GRUF or GRAF support received and why the applicant should receive additional GRAF funding.

Phase 2: Submitted applications will then be routed to the student’s home department/program and Director of Graduate Studies (or equivalent faculty member) to be considered for nomination. Departments will need to approve or deny nominations via InfoReady by 11:59 PM on October 21, 2024. They will also need to include a filled and signed copy of the GRAF DEPT Acknowledgement Form.

Phase 3: Nominated students will then be reviewed by the GRAF Committee with award decisions being made by early November. Decisions will be sent via an InfoReady email to all applicants and their department administrators.

Departmental Phase 3 Submissions

There is no limit on the number of short term GRAF proposals that a department/program can advance to Phase 3; however, only a maximum of 3 long-term GRAF proposals per department/program will be considered.

Please note that preference will be given to applicants who have not previously received a GRAF or GRUF award.

GRAF Award Terms

In order to receive a GRAF stipend, students must be registered as BU GRS students for the semester of their project travel. 

Failure to disclose other forms of research funding can result in the loss or reduction of the GRAF award.

All students awarded GRAF will need to submit the following upon completion of their travel via InfoReady:

• A one page summary detailing what they accomplished and recommendations for future GRAF recipients. 
• A copy of flight receipts.

Failure to travel within a year from the award letter date will result in the GRAF being rescinded.  If an extension or adjustment is needed, please email grsaid@bu.edu 

GRAF Award Disbursement

GRAF funds will be disbursed to awardees by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at a date indicated in the award letter, and only if applicants signed and returned their original award letters and a screenshot of their BU Global Programs travel registration to grsaid@bu.edu

For any questions regarding GRAF, please contact the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Financial Aid team at grsaid@bu.edu.  Please include your BU ID in all correspondence.  

The 2024-2025 GRUF II application portal is now closed. Applicants can view their applications below: https://bu.infoready4.com/#competitionDetail/1961679

Applications are due at 11:59 PM ET February 3, 2025.

The Graduate School of Arts & Sciences has established a fellowship program, the Graduate Research in the United States. Fellowship (GRUF), to support research by GRS PhD and MFA students whose field-based or archival research requires travel to and a period of residence in another city/state within the United States. This fellowship is open to GRS PhD and MFA students whose research needs additional sources of funding. GRUF awards may not be used for foreign-based study or for attending professional conferences. GRUF may be used for other research or professional opportunities (such as a field school or workshop).

GRUF awards are non-service and are in addition to a student’s 5 year funding package.

There are two kinds of GRUF fellowships:

• The Short-term GRUF supports travel and living costs during a period of study outside of Massachusetts, but not exceeding, 3 full months. The award for a short-term GRUF is up to $6,000. Short-term GRUF can be used for shorter research trips.
• The Long-term GRUF enables a student to spend an extended period (4 or more months/at least a full semester) of United States-based field or archival research outside of Massachusetts. It provides up to $16,250 to cover living, travel, and research expenses.  A Long-term GRUF also covers Continuing Study Fees and the cost of participation in the basic BU student health plan for the time the student is traveling.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be registered as BU GRS PhD or MFA students. For help with initiating a continuing student registration for students who will not be registering for classes, please contact your Department Administrator.
• Applicants must not have a conflicting teaching or research fellowship. For example, if a student receives a TA fellowship in Fall 2023, then they should not be traveling during that semester. Additionally, a student should not have a conflicting research fellowship during their semester of travel.
• Applicants must disclose other forms of funding for their research, and if they previously received a GRUF or GRAF award. This also includes any pending applications for grants or fellowships related to their GRUF project. Failure to do so will result in a disqualification for that cycle.

GRUF Cycles and Travel

GRUF I 

• Student InfoReady Submission Deadline: 11:59 PM ET October 14, 2024

• Departmental Acknowledgement and Letter of Reference Submission Deadline: 11:59 PM ET October 21, 2024 

• For travel that begins on or after February 1, 2025. 

GRUF II 

• Student InfoReady Submission Deadline: 11:59 PM ET February 3, 2025. 
  • Infoready Portal: https://bu.infoready4.com/#competitionDetail/1961679

• Departmental Acknowledgement and Letter of Reference Submission Deadline: 11:59 PM ET February 10, 2025

• For travel that begins on or after June 1, 2025. 

 

Application Process (GRUF I Cycle)

Phase I: Interested students will submit their application via InfoReady by 11:59 PM on November 1, 2023. Late applications will not be accepted. This will include:

1. GRUF Budget (Please upload as a one-page PDF in which all cells are legible)
2. IRB Approval (If working with human subjects)
   1. If approval is not granted before the application deadline, a copy of the email to IRB is admissible, however applicants will not be awarded funds until IRB approval is received. 
3. An unofficial transcript (Please print and scan from MyBU)
4. A letter of recommendation from the student’s advisor (this will be due on October 21 and will be submitted via a link sent by InfoReady)
5.  Project Proposal (No more than 5 pages, 1.5 spacing, Times New Roman Size 12 font) which:
   1.  Describes the problem or question that the proposed research will address, links it to existing scholarship on the topic, and shows why the research will best allow for you to to answer or illuminate it. Your proposal should also include clear reasoning for your travel.  Remember that the review committee has a broad membership across disciplines.
   2. Includes a proposed timeline for the project along with travel locations.
   3. Clearly discloses all other forms of funding received or being applied to for the project. (Failure to do so can result in your award being rescinded should you be selected).
   4. A disclosure of previous GRUF or GRAF support received and why the applicant should receive additional GRUF funding.

Phase 2: Submitted applications will then be routed to the student’s home department and Director of Graduate Studies to be considered for nomination. Departments will need to approve or deny nominations via InfoReady by 11:59 PM on October 21, 2024. They will also need to include a filled and signed copy of the GRUF DEPT Acknowledgement Form

Phase 3: Nominated students will then be reviewed by the GRUF Committee with award decisions being made by early November. Decisions will be sent via an InfoReady email to all applicants and their department administrators. 

Departmental Phase 3 Submissions

There is no limit on the number of short-term GRUF proposals that a department/program can advance to Phase 3; however, only a maximum of 3 long-term GRUF proposals per department/program will be considered.

Please note that preference will be given to applicants who have not previously received a GRAF or GRUF award.

 

GRUF Award Terms

In order to receive a GRUF stipend, students must be registered as BU GRS PhD/MFA students for the semester of their project travel.

Failure to disclose other forms of research funding can result in the loss or reduction of the GRUF award.

All students awarded GRUF will need to submit the following upon completion of their travel via InfoReady:

• A one-page summary detailing what they accomplished and recommendations for future GRUF recipients.
• A copy of flight receipts.

Failure to travel within a year from the award letter date will result in the GRUF being rescinded. If an extension or adjustment is needed, please email grsaid@bu.edu

 

GRUF Award Disbursement

GRUF funds will be disbursed to awardees by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at a date indicated in the award letter, and only if awardees signed and returned their original award letters. 

For any questions regarding GRUF, please contact the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Financial Aid team at grsaid@bu.edu.  Please include your BU ID in all correspondence.  

Twice a year, the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Organization (GSO) accepts applications for travel grants. The GSO offers two types of awards:

• Presentation travel grants: For students planning on directly participating in a conference or research forum by presenting a paper or poster, participating in a discussion panel, or chairing a discussion or paper session.
• Research travel grants: For students planning to visit an archive, attend a training workshop, or use a research facility.

For instructions, application, and more details please visit the GSO website.

For information regarding your stipend payments, please visit our Stipends FAQ page.

For information regarding your stipend and taxes, please visit our Tax Information FAQ page.

For information regarding cost of attendance, please visit our Cost of Attendance (COA) page.

For information regarding tuition scholarships, please visit our Scholarships page.

For information regarding the Sports Pass, please visit our Sports Pass page.

For information regarding Student Health Insurance, please visit our Medical Insurance page.

Students have the option to purchase Dental Care through the University, which is not included in the fellowship award.

Boston University requires PhD students and MFA students with fellowship support to be present on campus unless their research or fieldwork requires them to be elsewhere. This requirement is in place to ensure that students can focus on their full-time studies and regularly engage with faculty members. Those pursuing a PhD or MFA with fellowship support from the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences must live in the Boston region during the semester(s) in which they receive GRS support, and they are expected to participate in departmental and University activities. Students who leave the Boston region outside of required research or fieldwork during their first five years may forfeit their guaranteed fellowship funding. We understand that students may have personal reasons to leave the area, but such arrangements often violate policies and laws that prohibit payments. Students beyond their fifth year of study who leave the Boston region will not be eligible for fellowship, unless required to be elsewhere for their research or fieldwork.  All teaching fellows must be in residence.

The purpose of fully supporting our graduate students is to allow them to engage wholly in their scholarly work and to devote the attention necessary to complete their studies in a timely fashion. We expect that our students will not be employed outside of Boston University. University policy limits the amount of work that may be assigned to graduate students in any semester when they are appointed to a Teaching, Graduate Research, or Training Fellowship. For this reason, we expect students with fellowships to devote no more than 20 hours per week to their assigned activity.  Please refer to “Are graduate workers allowed to work more than 20 hours per week?” on the provost’s website.

The University’s policy is that all PhD students receiving stipend support are entitled to paid vacation time.  Please refer to the University’s Policies page.  International students who want to travel internationally should contact Boston University’s International Students and Scholar’s Office (ISSO) to make sure they are able to leave and return to the U.S. without any issues.

All students at the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences are expected to maintain high standards of academic honesty. It is each student’s responsibility to be aware of the content of the GRS Academic Conduct Code, which can be found on the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences website.

Please note: The GRS Academic Conduct Code is distinct from Good Academic Standing (Master’s, PhD) requirements and Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). Please see the relevant Bulletin pages for additional information about those policies.

The Graduate School of Arts & Sciences requires graduate students to maintain Good Academic Standing in order to remain enrolled in their graduate program and/or to retain GRS scholarship and/or fellowship support. The GRS criteria for Good Academic Standing are as follows:

• Have no more than two failing or W grades.
• Meet all milestones of the degree, such as comprehensive exams, qualifying exams, and dissertation prospectus, on the schedule specified by the program.
• Meet all milestones of the degree with sufficient quality of work as specified by the program.
• Satisfactorily fulfill all service fellowship obligations, as specified by the program.

Please note: Good Academic Standing is distinct from Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and the GRS Academic Conduct Code. Please see the relevant Bulletin pages for additional information about those policies.

Fellowships will continue for the duration of the five-year commitment if the student is making satisfactory academic progress each year, confirmed by the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.

The GRS minimum standard for Satisfactory Academic Progress is:

• Maintain a Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher
• Have no more than 2 failing grades (lower than B- or an incomplete grade older than 12 months) and/or W grades
• Pass all milestones of degree, such as comprehensive exams, qualifying exams and dissertation prospectus, on the schedule specified by the program
• Pass all milestones on the degree with sufficient quality of work as specified by the program
• Satisfactorily fulfill their service fellowship obligations as specified by the program