phd completion fund

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Ph.D. Completion Project

The Ph.D. Completion Project was a seven-year, grant-funded project that addressed the issues surrounding Ph.D. completion and attrition. CGS, with generous support from Pfizer Inc and the Ford Foundation, provided funding in two phases to 29 major U.S. and Canadian research universities to create intervention strategies and pilot projects, and to evaluate the impact of these projects on doctoral completion rates and attrition patterns.

An additional 15 partner universities participated in various aspects of this project. The Ph.D. Completion Project produced some of the most comprehensive and useful data on attrition from doctoral study and completion of Ph.D. programs yet available.

Previous studies suggest that under highly favorable conditions, no more than three-quarters of students who enter doctoral programs complete their degrees. Research has also shown that the vast majority of students who enter doctoral programs have the academic ability to complete the degree.

Six institutional and program characteristics emerge, however, as key factors influencing student outcomes that can ultimately affect the likelihood that a particular student will complete a Ph.D. program:

• Financial Support
• Program Environment
• Research Mode of the Field
• Processes & Procedures

The projects supported by grants from Pfizer Inc. and the Ford Foundation tested interventions in these six areas and identified additional areas in which innovative practices contribute to increased doctoral degree completion. Graduate deans from participating institutions highlighted their best practices in national and institution-wide discussions on the topic of Ph.D. completion.

This is the fourth in a series of monographs from the CGS Ph.D. Completion Project. This monograph reports on policies and practices at participating institutions that aim to improve Ph.D. completion rates and reduce attrition in doctoral programs. These policies and practices are categorized into six broad institutional and programmatic categories: selection and admissions; mentoring and advising; financial support; research mode of the field; curricular and administrative processes and procedures; and program environment.

This is the third in a series of publications from the Ph.D. Completion Project. It paints a broad picture of the various aspects of the doctoral experience of Ph.D. completers, as reported by 1,406 students who completed Ph.D. degrees in 18 universities between March 2006 and August 2008. Heading the list of major factors graduates contributed to Ph.D. completion were financial support, mentoring/advising, and family support. Other factors that students identified as contributing to their success were social environment and peer group support, program quality, and professional/career guidance.

This is the second in a series of monographs from the CGS Ph.D. Completion Project. It focuses on ten-year and seven-year completion rates by demographic characteristics (gender, citizenship, and race/ethnicity) based on data, submitted by 24 institutions, on students who entered their Ph.D. programs in academic years 1992-93 through 2003-04. It presents cumulative and annual completion rates from various perspectives: overall, by field, by institution type, and by time of entry into the Ph.D. program. Completion between years seven and ten is also discussed.

This first in a series of monographs on the Ph.D. Completion Project provides a descriptive analysis of the baseline completion and attrition data from programs at institutions that participated in the first phase of the project. Both broad field and program-level rates and patterns are discussed.

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Graduate School Doctoral Dissertation Completion Grants

Program summary.

The Doctoral Dissertation Completion Grant program provides both funding and intensive mentoring to doctoral candidates who are within six months of completing their dissertations. It is designed to enable candidates to focus full time on the writing of their dissertations, improving the quality of the dissertation and shortening the time required to complete the doctoral degree.

Eligibility

• This grant is for students who have demonstrated difficulties in completing the dissertation and would benefit from the intensive mentoring and the six months dedicated to writing that are provided by this program.
• Grants are available to doctoral candidates (ABD) who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents in any field of study.
• To be eligible for a grant, students must have collected all data, completed all major research, and be in their final year of dissertation writing and must have completed all course requirements, as well as preliminary written and oral exams.
• Eligibility is limited to those who have the potential for completing the dissertation within the 6-month grant period.
• Grant recipients may not simultaneously hold assistantships or be engaged in outside employment during the tenure of their awards.

The student’s committee chair must be prepared to participate fully in this program and do all he or she can to expedite the student’s progress, including meeting with the student frequently and returning drafts in a timely manner.

Program Requirements

As grantees, the students must agree to:

• Attend all biweekly small group writing meetings
•  Read and comment on three (3) other group members’ drafts and share feedback at the meetings
• Attend all regularly scheduled counseling center-facilitated support group meetings with other program participants
• Reach out to meet individually with the designated writing coaches as needed
• Actively support other grantees in meeting the shared goal of completing their dissertations

Participants must participate in all meetings in person, rather than virtually. Students’ progress towards completion of the dissertation, as well as the extent to which they are participating in all program activities, will be continually evaluated. Should a student not be making satisfactory progress and/or participating in program activities, the grant may be terminated.

A total of 16 grants will be awarded to doctoral candidates in 2024-2025. Eight awards will be made for the period July 1 to December 31, 2024, and another eight awards made for the period January 1 to June 30, 2025. Students will receive a stipend in the amount of $10,000 during their grant period, which will be disbursed in monthly installments. In addition to the stipend, health insurance and tuition will be covered by the grant.

Application Process

Students may be nominated for only one grant period. The Graduate School will send a call for nomination to the Directors of Graduate Programs for the grant. For more information about the grant, please contact Dr. David Shafer in the Graduate School via e-mail at [email protected] .

Application Deadlines and Review

Applications will be reviewed by a committee appointed by the Graduate School. Grant periods for 2024-25 are as follows: July 1 to December 31, 2024, and January 1 to June 30, 2025. The deadline for receipt of nominations for the first grant period is May 17, 2024, and for the second grant period is October 18, 2024. Awards will be announced by June 2024 and November 2024, respectively.

For further information, please contact Dr. David Shafer, Assistant Dean of the Graduate School, at 919-515-4462 or via e-mail at [email protected] .

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Doctoral Funding, Awards, and Grants

Doctoral studies, funding packages for full-time nyu steinhardt phd students.

Full-time NYU Steinhardt PhD students are eligible for a generous five-year funding package that includes an annual stipend, scholarship coverage, and health insurance.

The Steinhardt Fellows Program

The standard full-time PhD funding package includes an annual stipend, tuition coverage for required course work, and student health insurance through the fifth year. The 2024-2025 stipend is expected to be $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. For the duration of the assistantship, Research Assistants receive funding that includes tuition remission for required course work, student health insurance, and a semi-monthly stipend. The 2024-2025 Research Assistant salary is expected to be $33,764. Research Assistants may not perform additional work assignments such as teaching or grading during their appointment period (September - May). 

Awards and Grants

Doctoral research and travel grant.

This grant is for fully matriculated Steinhardt doctoral students and provides a maximum of $1,500 for travel and other expenses associated with field research, presenting papers at scholarly and professional conferences, as well as expenses for creative projects directly related to doctoral study or professional development. Requests are considered as funds are available. Preference is given to first time awardees. The deadlines are February 1 (spring), May 1 (summer) and October 1 (fall). Submit a Summer 2024 application.

Mitchell Leaska Dissertation Research Award

This award honors the legacy of Mitchell Leaska, a distinguished professor who taught English and Humanities at NYU Steinhardt for almost 40 years. The award is available to students nearing completion of their dissertation whose doctoral programs are in applied psychology (counseling, developmental, PSI), educational sociology, social studies education, mathematics education, or science education. A $5,000 stipend will be awarded to one recipient per semester, excluding summer. The deadlines are October 15 (fall) and March 1 (spring).  Apply for the Mitchell Leaska Dissertation Research Award.

Outstanding Doctoral Student Teaching Award

This award honors doctoral students for their contribution to the creation and delivery of exceptional learning environments. All Steinhardt doctoral students who have taught at least one credit-bearing course, either as a teaching assistant or instructor of record, and who are nearing completion of their degree requirements are eligible this award. Nominees must be in good academic standing, as determined by their department and school regulations. Recipients of the award receive $1,500. The deadline is March 1.  Apply for the Outstanding Doctoral Student Teaching Award .

Steinhardt Dissertation Finishing Award

This award supports doctoral students working toward the completion of their dissertations. $10,000 awards will be granted in Steinhardt’s areas of Culture, Education, and Human Development. Steinhardt PhD candidates whose degrees will be conferred in 2024 (January 2024, May 2024, or September 2024) are eligible. Final oral examinations must be completed during the Fall 2023, Spring 2024, or the Summer 2024 semester. Steinhardt's Senior Leadership Team will serve as the review committee and will evaluate applicants based on their evidence of outstanding scholarship and their ability to complete the degree requirements within the 2023-2024 academic year. Apply now.

Outstanding Dissertation Award

Steinhardt's Outstanding Dissertation Award honors one student each year based on the recommendation of the Doctoral Affairs Committee. Steinhardt doctoral students who graduated or will graduate during the current academic year (September, January, or May) are eligible. Nominations must be submitted by the candidate’s dissertation committee chairperson with the endorsement of the entire final oral commission.  Download the Outstanding Dissertation Award Nomination Form (Faculty Use Only) .

Selected List of Funding Opportunities External to Steinhardt

• NYU's Summer Dissertation Writing Program
• Cross-NYU Urban Doctoral Fellowship Program
• National Endowment for the Humanities
• National Science Foundation
• National Institutes of Health
• Institute of Education Sciences
• Social Innovation Fund
• Microsoft Research
• Scholarships.com
• Student Scholarship Database
• Unigo Directory of Scholarships
• Institute of International Education
• International Education Financial Aid
• ExpandEd Schools - Find Funding
• Grant Forward
• Penn Hill Group Federal Grant Opportunities

PhD Student Support

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This section provides information about the requirements and policies associated with financial support. Financial support is the shared responsibility of Harvard Griffin GSAS, the academic program, and the student. Your financial aid officer can help you navigate the many options available.

• Fellowships
• Financial Obligations
• External Awards
• FAS Humanities and Social Sciences Support
• Parental Accommodation and Financial Support (PAFS)
• The GSAS Professional Development Fund for PhD Students
• Tuition and Health Fee Grants
• Hardship Funding
• Paying Your Student Account
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• Financial Support for Phd Students

PhD Students in the Natural Sciences, Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Medical Sciences

Phd students in the humanities and social sciences programs of the faculty of arts and sciences, phd students in humanities and social sciences programs offered in partnership with other harvard schools, acceptance of financial support.

The Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences offers incoming PhD students full financial support—including tuition, health insurance fees, and basic living expenses—for a minimum of five years (typically the first four years of study and the completion year). This funding package includes a combination of tuition grants, stipends, traineeships, teaching fellowships, research assistantships, and other academic appointments.

Each student is provided a Notice of Financial Support at the time of admission and is assigned a financial aid officer , who administers this funding and is available to assist with financial concerns. Each spring, continuing students supported by Harvard Griffin GSAS-administered funding sources are required to activate their funding for the upcoming academic year using the Student Aid Portal, an online financial aid management system.

A typical funding package* includes:

• grants toward tuition and the Harvard University Student Health Program  paid in full for years G1 through G4 and the dissertation completion year, with a partially subsidized dental plan option available
• a combination of stipend, teaching fellowships, and/or research assistantships during years G1 through G4
• summer research support from Harvard Griffin GSAS or faculty grants following the first four academic years.

*In some programs, the timing and structure of living expense support may vary from this pattern.

The initial Notice of Financial Support assumes continuous enrollment as a full-time resident student; students not enrolled are not eligible for Harvard Griffin GSAS financial aid programs. Students may find that their actual enrollment patterns necessitate adjustments to the timing of their funding. Students wishing to defer Harvard Griffin GSAS-administered funding indicate this in the Student Aid Portal during the annual financial aid acceptance process. The options for deferring financial support vary by type of aid; please refer to the applicable sections of the financial aid policy webpages for details. Students who are considering deferring financial support are strongly encouraged to contact their financial aid officers to review how such actions may impact their funding in future years.

While funding packages vary by program, PhD students in the sciences typically receive full funding until they complete their programs of study. Contact your department administrator or financial aid officer for details.

See more detailed information about funding for students in humanities and social sciences programs of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

Humanities and Social Sciences Programs in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences

• Celtic Literatures and Languages
• Comparative Literature
• East Asian Languages and Civilizations
• Film and Visual Studies
• Germanic Languages and Literatures
• History of Art and Architecture
• Inner Asian and Altaic Studies
• Linguistics
• Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations
• Romance Languages and Literatures
• Slavic Languages and Literatures
• South Asian Studies

Social Sciences

• African and African American Studies
• American Studies
• Anthropology
• History of Science
• Human Evolutionary Biology
• Middle Eastern Studies
• Social Policy

A number of humanities and social sciences PhD programs are offered in partnership with Harvard's professional schools. While funding packages vary by program, PhD students in these interfaculty programs generally receive at least four years of financial support for tuition, health fees, and living expenses; most programs provide dissertation completion fellowships as well. For more information, refer to your Notice of Financial Support or contact your financial aid officer .

Interfaculty Programs in the Humanities and Social Sciences

• Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning
• Business Administration
• Business Economics
• Health Policy
• Organizational Behavior
• Political Economy and Government
• Public Policy

Each student is provided a Notice of Financial Support at the time of admission and is assigned a financial aid officer who administers this funding and is available to assist with financial concerns. Students are required to formally accept their financial aid offers and acknowledge their understanding of financial aid policies. Students should also consult their academic programs to determine whether program-specific conditions apply.

Each spring, continuing students supported by Harvard Griffin GSAS-administered funding sources are required to activate their funding for the upcoming academic year using the Student Aid Portal, an online financial aid management system. Continued eligibility for financial aid is contingent upon an annual report by the faculty that the student is making  satisfactory progress toward the degree.

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Other Funding Sources

The following funding sources are available to eligible York graduate students:

Academic Excellence Fund

Offered to subsidize provides funds for research and scholarly activities carried out by graduate students.

Research Cost Fund  

Assists with the costs directly connected to research undertaken by registered full-time York graduate students who are or have been members of CUPE 3903 within their current program of study.

Ph.D. Completion Fund  

Assists members outside the priority pool who have no funding in the last term of their doctoral studies.

Thesis Allowance

Assists PhD students who are, or have been members of CUPE 3903 with the cost of production of the final form of thesis/dissertation.

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PhD completion: an evidence-based guide for students, supervisors and universities

Senior Lecturer in Management, Fellow of the APS College of Organisational Psychologists, Swinburne University of Technology

Disclosure statement

Timothy Colin Bednall does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Swinburne University of Technology provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU.

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Many students enrol in a Master or PhD postgraduate research degree, but few complete them. From 2010-2016 , 437,030 domestic and international students enrolled in postgraduate research programs in Australian public universities. Only 65,101 completed within the same six year period.

This discrepancy does not necessarily mean postgraduate research students “failed” their degree. Common reasons not completing a degree include changes of career goals, work-family conflicts, poor health or financial strain. Alternatively, some students remain enrolled in their degree for long periods without making significant progress.

Even so, the discrepancy is large enough for universities to be concerned. Nobody wants a student to suffer through years of hard work and frustration without achieving their goal.

What does research say about completion rates?

Research has identified several factors that make students more likely to persist with their degrees. These factors are related to the students themselves, their supervisor, and the university environment.

Psychological studies of postgraduate students find the more successful ones tend to perceive themselves as competent and be intrinsically motivated . These are students who enjoy their topic area, perceive their postgraduate studies as a valuable learning experience, and who strongly identify with being a career researcher. Students who are motivated by external factors (such as pursuing a prestigious academic role) are more likely to say they want to quit.

Scholarship holders are more likely to complete their degrees. This is likely because they are academically stronger than non-scholarship holders and are less vulnerable to financial strain. Students can support themselves financially through teaching, research assistant roles or other work, but this must be balanced carefully. Part-time students are less likely to complete their degrees.

Students’ field of study also affects completion rates. A higher proportion of students in sciences tend to complete their degrees than those in arts and humanities. This is likely because students working in the sciences are more often involved in laboratory-based work in teams, where there is greater social support and knowledge exchange. People studying humanities more often work on their research alone.

A positive student-supervisor working relationship is critical. A good supervisor should be an expert in the student’s subject of choice and a supportive mentor. They should help the student navigate through the frustrations and uncertainties of writing a thesis, and help students adjust to the world of academia.

Students are also more likely to finish their research degrees if they have strong connections with their peers . Such connections help students develop their professional identity as researchers, as well as providing opportunities for social support and informal learning .

The quality of associated coursework is also important. Ideally, postgraduate programs should provide students with a sound foundation of research skills and content knowledge, and facilitate ongoing communication with their faculty.

Involvement in formal and informal professional activities is also important. Students who complete tend to participate in departmental events, such as research seminars and professional development workshops. They also tend to participate in academic conferences. These events allow students to learn and expand their networks.

What students and their supervisors should do

First, given the importance of the student-supervisor relationship, universities can provide advice to students about locating and approaching a suitable supervisor. Specifically, students should consider the research area they wish to work in and locate a supervisor with relevant expertise. They should approach supervisors with an openness to negotiating a research topic.

Read more: Ten types of PhD supervisor relationships – which is yours?

Both students and supervisors should be upfront about their expectations about how the supervision will work. An excellent starting point for discussion is the Expectations in Supervision questionnaire. Students and supervisors sometimes have mismatched expectations about how often they should meet, the amount of feedback the supervisor should provide on drafts, and how much counselling and emotional support the supervisor should provide.

Supervisors have an important role in providing a realistic preview of academic life. One useful exercise is to review an academic competency model, such as the Vitae Researcher Development Framework , to discuss which skills academics need. In addition to knowledge of their topic area and research methods, academics increasingly need to be good at managing complex projects, working in multidisciplinary teams, and engaging with industry and media.

This discussion should enable supervisors and students to plan how students will develop their capabilities. Alternatively, it could prompt some students to opt out of a research degree if they think an academic role is not compatible with their goals.

What universities should do

As well as providing research training, universities can also increase the capabilities of students by helping them understand self-handicapping patterns. These include busyness, procrastination and disorganisation.

Students can be guided to replace these with more helpful actions such as scheduling dedicated writing time, reframing difficult tasks as learning opportunities, and developing a work routine. This could be done as part of a workshop or supervisory relationship.

Universities should also encourage greater connectedness between research students to build social support. This could be accomplished through team-based activities or face-to-face events.

For instance, some universities offer Three Minute Thesis , a research communication competition where students present their work in under 180 seconds.

Some universities organise Shut Up and Write sessions, which turns writing into a social experience and limits distractions. These activities can be complemented by encouraging students to become involved in supportive online communities and blogging .

Read more: The rise of writing events gives PhD students the support often lacking in universities

Finally, universities should be dedicated to helping academics develop as supervisors through ongoing training and coaching. Departments could consider tracking the progression of students and ensuring supervisors have the time and skills to take on new students.

Completing a dissertation can be richly rewarding, but it’s the endpoint of a process that’s often long, frustrating and uncertain. Helping students achieve their research aspirations makes academic life a better experience for all involved.

• Postgraduate degrees
• PhD supervisors
• PhD students

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Dissertation Completion Fellowships

Types of fellowships, eligibility, selection criteria, award amount, how to apply, application guidelines.

Dissertation Completion Fellowships support final-year doctoral students. These non-service fellowships allow students to focus exclusively on their research and writing without service obligations. Fellows are expected to defend their dissertation by the end of the academic year.

Submit Application »

General Dissertation Completion Fellowships

• Non-service fellowship
• Supports dissertation research and writing

Royster Society of Fellows (SOF) Dissertation Completion Fellowships

• Supports interdisciplinary learning and engagement
• Opportunities for mentoring, leadership, and professional development

Royster SOF Dissertation Completion Fellowships are endowed through the generous gifts of many friends of the University, most notably Dr. Thomas S. and Mrs. Caroline Royster Jr.

Royster SOF Special Purpose Dissertation Completion Fellowships:

• Membership in the Royster Society of Fellows
• Includes the Jessie Ball duPont Fellowship for Adolescent Studies

Submit only one application. Select the fellowship(s) you are interested in being considered for on the application form and submit the required supporting materials as appropriate. You will be considered for all fellowships that you select on your application.

Eligibility criteria apply to all Dissertation Completion Fellowships. You may not combine the Dissertation Completion Fellowship with other funding without permission from The Graduate School.

You are eligible if:

• You are a fully-enrolled, degree-seeking doctoral student in a residential program administered by The Graduate School.
• You are engaged full-time with writing your dissertation.
• You are able to complete your dissertation within the fellowship term.

Royster SOF 5-Year Fellows are NOT eligible to apply for continued support through a Dissertation Completion Fellowship.

Before applying, you must:

• Complete course requirements
• Pass written and oral preliminary exams
• Have your Dissertation Prospectus formally approved

You cannot apply for both a Dissertation Completion Fellowship and an Off-Campus Dissertation Research Fellowship at the same time.

Your application will be reviewed according to the following criteria:

• You have a strong graduate academic record.
• Your application materials are understandable to a general audience outside of your field.
• Your research design is clearly outlined and appropriate.
• Your research will contribute to and advance the scholarship within your field.
• There is confidence you will be able to complete your dissertation by the end of the fellowship term.
• Your program has minimal resources to support you during the fellowship term.
• You will be an involved and contributing member of the Royster Society of Fellows (for Royster SOF applicants only).

View an in-depth description of the review and selection process.

The fellowship provides a stipend, tuition, fees, and health insurance for one academic year (fall and spring semesters only). Royster SOF fellowships may also provide funds for professional travel.

Depending on funding, this award may change from year to year.

Each program may nominate up to three students for consideration.

Deadline The nomination deadline each year is in late February . -->

Check with your department for an internal deadline. You must submit your application early enough for your department to submit their nomination to The Graduate School by the nomination deadline. Deadlines are posted on the funding deadlines calendar.

• View Frequently Asked Questions about the online award application .
• Prepare an abstract, research description, research workplan, statement of research significance, and curriculum vitae . If appropriate, prepare a Royster SOF interest statement . Arrange for a letter of recommendation from your dissertation advisor. Be sure to follow the application guidelines .
• Before submitting your application, we suggest you get feedback on your materials from a person outside of your field.
• Submit your materials to The Graduate School Award Online Application .
• Once you submit your application, your recommender will receive an email notice to submit a letter of recommendation through the online system.
• Once your letter of recommendation is submitted, the fellowship and award approver(s) for your department will receive an email notifying them that your application is eligible for nomination.
• Your department must nominate you to The Graduate School by the deadline .
• We will notify awardees in April.

We will not consider your application if you exceed any of the page limits and/or you do not follow the proper format.

In addition to the online application, a complete application includes the following:

Format: No more than ½ page. Double-spaced, 12-point font, 1-inch margins, numbered pages, your name on each page.

• Briefly summarize your research

Research Description

Briefly describe your dissertation research and your progress toward completion.

Address your research description to an audience of intelligent reviewers who may not be familiar with your field. Clearly explain the importance of your research to a lay audience. Do not use jargon or technical, field-specific terminology.

Format: No more than 3 pages. Double-spaced, 12-point font, 1-inch margins, numbered pages, your name on each page.

Depending on your field of study, include:

• A summary of key literature
• General concepts
• Frame of reference for your study
• Your research questions
• Description of the data or other materials which will be/have been collected and analyzed
• Methods of collection and analysis
• Design considerations
• Description of any necessary approvals, such as Human Subjects Review

Research Progress, Work Plan, and Timetable:

Format: No more than 1 page. Double-spaced, 12-point font, 1-inch margins, numbered pages, your name on each page.

• Describe your research progress to date and your planned sequence of tasks to be completed, with estimated timetable.

Significance of your Research:

• Explain the significance of your research to your field of study

Curriculum Vitae

Format: No more than 2 pages. 12-point font, 1-inch margins, numbered pages, and your name on each page.

• Include recent professional activities, awards, honors, courses you have taught, and research publications/presentations.
• Departmental funding received
• External funding (please note if received or pending)
• Because University funding is limited, we encourage you to apply for external funding, and such efforts will be viewed positively by the reviewers.

Citations (optional):

• May be included for important references
• Can be either footnotes or endnotes
• Can be single-spaced
• Must be within the three-page limit of the Research Description

Royster Society of Fellows Interest Statement:

*Required only if you are interested in being considered for the Royster Society of Fellows*

• Include a statement addressing your interest and ability to contribute as an active member of the Society of Fellows.

Letter of Recommendation from your Dissertation Advisor

Indicate the email address of your recommender in your application. Please note that only a single recommendation letter will be accepted. If you have joint advisors, they must submit a joint letter of recommendation.

Once you submit your application, your advisor will receive an email notice to submit the letter of recommendation. We can only accept letters of recommendation through the online system. Recommenders cannot submit letters directly to The Graduate School or to your department.

Instructions for recommenders: Each letter of recommendation should be no more than 4,000 characters (spaces included), which is approximately 600 words or one single-spaced page.

Address the letter of recommendation “To the Fellowship Committee.” Include:

• The quality of the student's research
• A rating of the student’s overall ability and potential based on the your knowledge of other students in the field
• The likelihood that the student will complete the dissertation during the award period
• The likely contributions of the student's research to the field
• Jessie Ball duPont Fellowship for Adolescent Studies

Graduate School Fellowships Office [email protected]

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Article Contents

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Time to Ph.D. completion and funding: what do we know so far?
• 3. Research design
• 5. Conclusion
• < Previous

The impact of Ph.D. funding on time to Ph.D. completion

• Article contents
• Figures & tables
• Supplementary Data

Hugo Horta, Mattia Cattaneo, Michele Meoli, The impact of Ph.D. funding on time to Ph.D. completion, Research Evaluation , Volume 28, Issue 2, April 2019, Pages 182–195, https://doi.org/10.1093/reseval/rvz002

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The time for completing a Ph.D. continues to be longer than desirable in most higher education systems worldwide. This is a concern for research funding agencies, universities, academics, and doctoral students facing increasingly constrained labour markets, particularly in academia. This study assesses the role of Ph.D. funding on the time to Ph.D. completion, revisiting literature that has mainly focused on the USA and used single university case studies as the main methodological approach. In this study, a representative national sample of doctorate holders working in Portugal is examined. Following the premise of previous studies, and using Breneman’s and the concept of credentials as our main key theoretical approaches, it adds a new element to the analysis: publishing during the Ph.D. related to research funding and time to completion. Our analysis shows that the time to complete the Ph.D. generally results from a combination of funding conditions, publishing during the Ph.D., and an associated time strategy. In particular, our results show that Ph.D. funding increases the time to complete the Ph.D. However, if those receiving Ph.D. funding also publish during their Ph.D. programme, it reduces the time to complete the degree. Funded students who publish finish the Ph.D. earlier than funded students who do not. Unfunded Ph.D. students who are highly research productive take longer to complete the degree. The results also show that STEM students are more susceptible to the effects of funding and research productivity than non-STEM students. The types of funding support do not affect the time to the degree.

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CUPE 3903 PhD Completion Fund

• Name Name * First Last
• Student Number *
• Graduate Program – please select _ Accounting (MAcc) Accounting Analytics [Diploma] Administration (PhD) Art History & Visual Culture (MA, PhD) Biology (MSc, PhD) Biotechnology [Diploma] Biotechnology Management Business Administration (MBA) Business Administration in Technology Leadership (MBAt) Business Analytics (MBAN) Chemistry (MSc, PhD) Cinema & Media Studies (MA, PhD) Civil Engineering (MASc, PhD) Combined Program in MBA/MFA/MA Communication & Culture (MA, PhD) Conference Interpreting (MCI) Critical Disability Studies (MA, PhD) Dance (MFA) Design (MDes) Design Research (MADR) Development Studies (MA) Digital Media (MA, MSc, PhD) Disaster & Emergency Management (MDEM) Early Childhood Education [Diploma] Earth & Space Science (MSc, PhD) Economics (MA, PhD) Education (MEd, PhD) Education in Urban Environments [Diploma] Education: Leadership and Community Engagement (MLCE) Electrical Engineering & Computer Science (MSc, MASc, PhD) English (MA, PhD) Environmental Studies (MES, PhD) Environmental Studies: Juris Doctor/Master in Environmental Studies (MES/JD) Environmental Sustainability/Education [Diploma] Études françaises (MA) Études françaises: Francophone Studies (PhD) Executive MBA India (EMBA) Executive MBA, Joint Kellogg-Schulich (EMBA) Film (MFA) Finance (MF) Financial Accountability (MFAc) Financial Engineering [Diploma] Foundations of Canadian Law [Diploma] Gender, Feminist & Women's Studies (MA, PhD) Geography (MA, MSc, PhD) Global Health (PhD) Global Metals and Minerals Management [Diploma] Health (MA, PhD) Health Industry Administration History (MA, PhD) Human Resources Management (MHRM, PhD) Humanities (MA, PhD) Information Systems & Technology (MA) Interdisciplinary Studies (MA) Intermediate Accounting [Diploma] International Business Administration (IMBA) Jewish Studies [Diploma] Juris Doctor/MBA Kinesiology & Health Science (MA, MSc, PhD) Kinesiology & Health Science: Fitness Science (MFSc) Language & Literacy Education [Diploma] Law (LLM, PhD) Law (Osgoode Professional Development) Law for Law Enforcement Professionals [Diploma] Linguistics & Applied Linguistics (MA, PhD) Management [Diploma] Management (MMgt) Management in Artificial Intelligence (MMAI) Management Practice (MSc) Marketing (MMKG) Mathematics & Statistics (MA, PhD) Mathematics & Statistics: Applied & Industrial Mathematics (MSc) Mathematics Education [Diploma] Mechanical Engineering (MASc, PhD) Music (MA, PhD) Nursing (MScN, PhD) Nursing: Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner (PHCNP) (MScN) Philosophy (MA, PhD) Philosophy: Combined Juris Doctor/MA Philosophy Physics & Astronomy (MSc, PhD) Political Science (MA, PhD) Post-MBA in Advanced Management [Diploma] Postsecondary Education: Community, Culture & Policy [Diploma] Professional Accounting [Diploma] Psychology (MA, PhD) Public & International Affairs (MPIA) Public Policy, Administration & Law (MPPAL) Real Estate & Infrastructure (MREI) Science & Technology Studies (MA, PhD) Social & Political Thought (MA, PhD) Social Anthropology (MA, PhD) Social Work (MA, PhD) Socio-Legal Studies (MA, PhD) Sociology (MA, PhD) Supply Chain Management (MSCM) Theatre (MFA) Theatre, Dance & Performance Studies (MA, PhD) Translation Studies (MA) Visual Arts (MFA, PhD) Voice Teaching [Diploma]
• Term/Year (e.g. Fall 2023)

• I would like to be considered for the PhD Completion Fund: • I have submitted a Graduate Student Financial Profile and; • I am a student who is currently outside the priority pool and will have no funding in the last term of my doctoral studies. (Funding includes Fellowships, Scholarships, Teaching Assistantships, Tuition Waiver, other, excluding bursaries.) The bursary will be administered by a four-person committee consisting of two members selected by the Union, one full–time faculty member selected by the Employer, and the Dean of Graduate Studies or designate, using procedures approved by the Labour/Management Committee. Eligible applicants: 1. Registered, full-time, fee-paying York graduate students with demonstrated financial need; 2. Excludes students registered in programs with program-specific bursaries (generally, professional programs and programs affiliated with the Schulich School of Business unless they secure a CUPE 3903 assignment). Value: Allocated amounts may vary based on the number of applications and the number of high-need applications in any given application cycle. Allocated funds are posted to the student account of each successful applicant after adjudication.
• Confirmation of Eligibility * Confirmation of Eligibility I agree

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Completing a doctorate

Sometimes, financing runs out just before you are ready to complete your doctorate. In order to bridge the resulting financial gap, Friedrich Schiller University Jena and some foundations offer short-term grants so that candidates can complete their doctorate. We have listed some of these financing options below.

Short term grants for international doctoral candidates

The Friedrich Schiller University Jena (FSU) provides financial support for international doctoral candidates in the time span between the opening and termination of the doctoral examination procedure. Grants are awarded up to four months. The grant starts the first day of the month after the dissertation has been submitted. An extension is not possible. The scholarships cover maximum 1.000 € per month. 

Application deadline is one month before the end of each quarter:

• 01 January to 28 February (funding possible from 01 April)
• 01 April to 31 May (funding possible from 01 July)
• 01 July to 31 August (funding possible from 01 October)
• 01 October to 30 November (funding possible from 01 January)

Applications are currently possible. You can apply  here External link . Application deadline is 31 May. Please find the guidelines  here pdf, 158 kb .

Eligible are doctoral candidates of non-German citizenship from all disciplines at Jena University who submit their dissertation no later than four months after application.

Not eligible are doctoral candidates

• who receive any other funding after the submission of their thesis,
• who are affiliated with an external research institute,
• who are nationals of an EU member state.

They can apply for a monthly grant of € 1,000 in order to:

• complete a research project
• conduct a clearly defined research project
• prepare a new research project.

The grant can only be awarded if the applicant receives no other public funding.

To the application form External link

Applications quarterly via our Internet portal for scholarship applications. There you can process your application online and upload the required documents.

The following documents are required for the application:

Upload to portal

• Data sheet from doc-in (log in to doc-in, on the Front Page select the option "Download", select "Datenblatt/data sheet", and save as pdf)
• CV including list of publications (if applicable)
• Copy of the electronic residence permit or registration certificate (proof of residence)
• Description of the research project, work schedule and expected results e.g. publication, article, presentation or experiments (max. 2 pages, Arial 11pt, 1,5 line pitch)

Applications are currently possible. You can apply  here External link . Application deadline is 31 May.

Direct submission by supervisor

• Questionnaire docx, 49 kb  · de for the doctoral supervisor of the applicant - please ask your supervisor to send the questionnaire directly to [email protected]

The short-term grants are awarded by the Graduate Academy's Awarding Committee based on the following criteria:

• academic quality and originality of the research project
• duration of the dissertation
• proof of active participation in the academic community (e.g. publications, conference presentations, organisation of academic events, participation in structured PhD programmes).

The award of the grant is subject to the opening of the doctoral examination procedure. Candidates may apply before the opening, but need to submit the confirmation of their faculty (via doc-in or separate confirmation letter) before receiving the grant.

Preference will be given to applicants and their supervisors who explicitly assure that no other form of financial support is available. The requested scholarship must be used to ensure the means of subsistence of the PhD candidate and therefore constitutes an essential condition to end the PhD.

A final report on the work performed and its results is to be presented on the doctoral candidate's own initiative no later than four weeks after the end of the scholarship. The results achieved (e.g. publication, application for external funds, essay, examination reports) are to be filed in copy along with the report. Documents may be submitted electronically.

Jena University Grants for completing a doctorate

In order to make sure that doctoral projects can move from an advanced stage to completion, the University awards candidates special grants, which amount to 1,400 Euro per month. As a rule, these scholarships are granted for a maximum period of six months, but the period may be extended to up to 12 months in exceptional cases for substantial reasons.

However, the overall period of the doctorate may not exceed 36 months including the period for which the special grant was paid (the period may be extended by 6 months in the case of Corona-related delays and by a further 6 months for doctoral researchers with children who had additional care needs during the Corona pandemic).

This subsidy serves specifically to make it possible for candidates to hand in their dissertation. The application must contain a convincing work plan and must be confirmed by the supervisor.

Doctoral candidates at Jena University can apply:

• whose doctorate project has been subsidised for less than 36 months and
• who will be able to complete their doctorate within the period for which they have requested the grant (usually up to six months)

In the case of corona-related delays, up to 42 months, or in case of corona family related delays up to 48 months are possible (see points "Temporary regulations for pandemic-related delays" and "Temporary family support scheme"). 

The application is continously possible and ought to arrive no later than 4 weeks before the requested start of the awarding of a scholarship.

For checking your eligibility , please send us at first your CV, an overview of your previous financing of the doctorate (scholarships, employment contract), the requested funding period and a brief summary on the progress of your work (1 - 2 pages) by email.

After the positive review of the eligibility check, a complete application can be submitted by e-mail. Generally, it includes the following documents:

• Application form pdf, 1 mb  · de (as the data is transmitted electronically, no signature is required)
• CV with photo
• An exposé of the dissertation project with details of the research question, its background and rationale, the current state of research, the methodological implementation, the current state of work and the planned timeline with a citation of relevant literature (1-2 pages, without bibliography, Arial 11pt, 1.5 lines)
• Abstract of the written exam paper (if applicable)
• Copy of the university degree
• Confidential reference by the supervisor which provides information about the dissertation project as well as the personal and professional qualifications of the applicant ( form docx, 41 kb  · de ) (please inform the supervisor to send it to [email protected] )

If you wish to claim a Corona-related extension , please submit the appropriate evidence of the pandemic-related restrictions. For possible restrictions see point "Temporary regulations for pandemic-related delays in the progress of doctoral projects".

If you wish to apply for the family support scheme , please submit a proof of having children (copy of birth certificate, child benefit notice or similar).

If the doctoral period that was funded by a position or a scholarship, could – due to the exceptional situation regarding corona – only be used to a limited extent for your doctoral project, a grant for completing a doctorate can still be applied for after the 36 months of previous funding. The total duration of your funded doctorate (position and/or scholarship, including the grant for completion you apply for) shall not exceed more than 42 months.

For doctoral researchers that hold a position, the following rules apply: if delays in working on the doctoral project appear because of the corona pandemic, the employer is initially responsible for extending the required working time of doctoral researchers, as to enable them to reach their qualification goals in spite of the delays brought on by the pandemic. Should this not be possible (for example because a third-party funding provider does not provide any extension possibilities or because the staff position is no longer available), a grant for completing the doctorate can be applied for under the above-mentioned conditions.

The application for a grant based on the temporary regulations for pandemic-related delays must contain a description of the pandemic-related restrictions that have occurred and the period of delay they have caused. Pandemic-related restrictions that may occur include the following:

• Individual quarantine
• Laboratory access: in March and April 2020 temporarily no access at all, after that limited access due to working in shifts and/or limited number of personnel
• Library use: between 20 March and 19 April no use of ThULB`s reference holdings, then limited use of books and work places (time restrictions)
• Research trips: archive trips, use of external laboratories, planned research stays in Germany or abroad were not possible or strongly restricted during certain times
• Conversion to digital learning: additional time may be required to prepare teaching in the summer semester 2020, also during the following winters to switch to digital teaching at short notice
• Childcare and home schooling: depending on the age and grade level of the children, the possibility of working from home was extremely limited during closing times of schools and day care and during qurantine times of children. Single parents are particularly affected.

Please note different restrictions and constraints separately: When and why was which task of your doctoral research affected?

If possible, please submit appropriate evidence (e.g. a certificate from the laboratory manager or head of a working group on laboratory closures and limited laboratory use, child benefit notification [or similar] to prove childcare/home schooling, etc.).

The family support scheme is an extension of the already existing university programme for the completion of a doctorate. The Corona pandemic confronts doctoral candidates with children with special challenges due to daycare and school closures, partial school closures and individual quarantines at care and educational institutions. Those parents affected can apply for the family support scheme to complete their doctorate. They may receive a funding for a maximum of 6 months if their previous support (position or grant, incl. pandemic-related doctoral completion support) did not exceed 42 months. The total funded doctoral period (position and/or scholarship incl. completion grant and family support scheme), may not exceed 48 months.

Additional information for doctoral candidates with employment contracts: Supervisors are responsible for extending the employment period of doctoral candidates with child(ren) in a way that the qualification goal can be achieved regardless of the pandemic-related delays. If this is not possible (e.g. because a third-party funding body does not provide any extension options or because the necessary budget position is no longer available), and given the above-mentioned conditions, you may apply for the family support scheme in order to complete the doctorate.

If you wish to apply for the family support scheme, please submit a proof of having children (copy of birth certificate, child benefit notice or similar).

Final report A final report on the work performed and its results is to be presented on the doctoral candidate's own initiative no later than four weeks after the end of the scholarship. The results achieved (e.g. publication, application for external funds, essay, examination reports) are to be filed in copy along with the report. Documents may be submitted electronically.

Notes on the layout of the final report and sample report pdf, 211 kb

Other grants for completing a doctorate

There are only a few foundations which award scholarships for the completion of a degree to doctoral candidates. One of these foundations with no focus on a specific subject is the FAZIT foundation. Furthermore, there are a few subject-specific foundations which promote the completion of the doctorate in certain cases.

FAZIT-Stiftung External link The FAZIT Foundation awards scholarships of several months' duration for doctoral candidates nearing completion of their degree. Applicants must provide evidence that they are in need of the funding.

• Deutsches Forum für Kunstgeschichte External link The German Forum for Art History mainly awards one-year research stipends for projects with a bearing on a particular overarching theme. The scholarships provide advanced young researchers the opportunity to complete their dissertation as part of an international group of scholarship recipients.
• Stiftung Bildung und Wissenschaft External link The foundation offers scholarships for research projects that are nearly finished. Eligible are doctoral candidates of literatury studies and history (especially social and economic history). The maximum funding period is one year.

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PhD Completion Contracts

In 2024, the VDSP offers up to four 3-months PhD Completion Contracts   to support highly qualified fellows in the final phase of their doctoral studies. The recipients will be employed as University Assistants (praedoc) and will work at the Faculty of Physics.

The preferred starting date of the PhD Completion Contract is to be mentioned in the application documents.

Your future tasks:

You actively participate in research, teaching & administration at the Faculty of Physics:

• Your main task is to complete and to submit your dissertation.
• You meet and consult with your supervisor(s) on a regular basis in order to prioritize your tasks and get the necessary support to complete your dissertation successfully in time.
• You actively seek support (workshops, training, coaching etc.) if necessary.
• You contribute to the organizational and administrative tasks of the Faculty of Physics e.g. supervision of students, organization of courses and holding examinations in accordance with the assignment.

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LMU Completion Grant

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In a competitive selection process, LMU Munich awards completion grants for outstanding doctoral candidates on the verge of finalizing their thesis, who have no other source of funding for the requested period. The stipend amounts to 1,350 Euro per month. The completion grant can be awarded for up to 6 months, depending on the previous funding of the candidate:

• Doctoral candidates who have already received 3.5 years of funding for their doctoral project (this includes employments, stipends, or similar) are eligible only in exceptional cases and only for a maximum of 3 months. Detailed reasons have to be given, why the dissertation wasn't finished in these 3.5 years.
• Doctoral candidates who have received less than 3.5 years of funding for their doctoral project, may apply for up to 6 months.
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