University-Administered Graduate Student Fellowships and Traineeships

A graduate fellowship is a non-service award. Programs may not require graduate student fellows to work as a teaching or research assistant during the period of the fellowship award unless the student receives a supplemental GRA position. However, programs may set expectations about student progress in the graduate program during the period of the fellowship award, including specific goals in terms of coursework or preliminary examinations or conducting independent or directed research, if these expectations are consistent with the program’s degree requirements.

The two words are often used interchangeably. Fellowships usually provide support for post-baccalaureate education and are based on academic merit. Scholarships usually provide support for undergraduate education and are based on academic merit or financial need.

A fellowship is a merit-based stipend award that an individual student wins competitively. The student applies (or is nominated) directly to the funding source. The competition can be national (e.g., the National Science Foundation Fellowship) or University-wide (e.g., the Graduate School Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship) or department wide (e.g., fellowships from department funds.) The stipend is set by the funding agency each fiscal year. It is a non-service award requiring that the student be actively enrolled in a graduate program. Depending on the source of funding, the fellowship may provide tuition and health benefits in addition to the stipend. Traineeships are awarded competitively to a group of faculty members in a particular disciplinary or interdisciplinary area, the discipline having been specified in advance by the funding agency. The University faculty group awarded the training grant identifies the recipients from among its students interested in studying in the targeted field. The agency invites proposals for the support and graduate level training of future scholars, scientists or engineers, in specific areas of interest. The training grant usually provides full or partial tuition and health insurance in addition to the trainee stipend.

Fellowships are typically awarded based on academic merit, rather than financial need. Need-based awards may require the student to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to help determine the amount of financial aid a student may be eligible for from a broad range of sources (e.g., federal and state grants, federally-subsidized student work-study, and/or loans).

Generally, students are required to register full-time (minimum of 6 credits per semester), in order to be eligible for a University-administered fellowship or traineeship. Check with the fellowship or traineeship sponsor for more information on the specific fellowship or traineeship requirements.

No. GRAD 999 is a zero-credit, zero-tuition special registration option intended to allow qualifying graduate students to maintain active status and meet the continuous registration requirement. GRAD 999 cannot be used to meet the registration requirements of fellowships or traineeships. Consult with One Stop Student Services for more information on GRAD 999.

If you are receiving a fellowship or traineeship, this may affect your financial aid package, and may cause your federal loan eligibility to be adjusted. You should consult with One Stop Student Services to see how accepting a fellowship or traineeship will affect your financial aid.

Accepting additional financial support while already receiving another form of financial aid may require that you reduce or pay back some of the funds from other sources. You should check with all of the sources from which you expect to receive funding in the same term to determine what restrictions or conditions, if any, there are on your acceptance of the funds.

Some University-administered fellowships allow the recipient to receive additional funding up to the equivalent of a 25% graduate assistantship in the same term. You should check with the source of your fellowship to determine what restrictions or conditions, if any, there are on your receipt of graduate assistantship, or other, support while you hold a fellowship.

Review the terms & conditions of the fellowship from the external agency to determine what they allow. If you cannot accept an additional award then you will need to decide which award you will accept. University-administered awards managed by the Graduate School cannot be deferred.

If you are permitted to accept multiple awards, and your University-administered award is managed by the Graduate School, partial acceptance of the fellowship will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. If you are approved to receive a partial stipend from a University-administered award, the disbursement of the stipend must align with University payroll calendars.

You should check with the source of your fellowship. Fees can represent a substantial sum each semester, and students should plan carefully when accepting an award.

Check with the source of your fellowship to see if health insurance is covered. For more information on graduate student health benefits, including eligibility and costs, contact the Office of Student Health Benefits.

Yes. You should contact the Graduate School Fellowships Office to request the extended benefit. With your request, you should provide the following information: 1) your student ID number, 2) the semesters of support qualifying you for the extended benefit, and 3) a copy of the the award letter from the sponsoring entity of your fellowship or traineeship.

University-administered fellowships are subject to federal and state taxes. The University does not automatically withhold federal and state taxes from fellowship awards. The Office of Human Resources website provides additional information and resources on taxable graduate fellowships.

It is unlikely that you would be required to pay back some of the stipend if you graduate early, but you should check with the source of your fellowship.

You should check with the source of your fellowship.

You should check with the source of your fellowship.

Possibly. Graduate students who hold fellowships or traineeships that are administered by the University and provide a stipend that is equivalent to at least a 25% graduate assistantship may be eligible for resident tuition rates. Members of the student's immediate family may also be eligible for resident tuition rates. "Immediate family members" include spouse, children, or legal wards living in the household. "Acceptable documentation" includes a marriage license (in English or an English translation), a birth certificate, or a visa. See Administrative Appendix: Resident Tuition Rate which supports Administrative Policy: Graduate Assistant Employment for more information.

You need to register in the college of your Ph.D. program during the fall and spring semesters in which you hold the Graduate School fellowship.

No. Students are under no obligation to respond to offers of financial support prior to April 15; earlier deadlines for acceptance of such offers violate the intent of the Council of Graduate Schools’ Resolution Regarding Graduate Scholars, Fellows, Trainees and Assistants. In instances in which a student accepts an offer before April 15, and subsequently desires to withdraw that acceptance, the student may submit in writing a resignation of the appointment at any time through April 15.