Fellowships, Grants and Awards Policy for PhD Students

Updated December 2020

This policy is effective August 22, 2011. Any awards currently in effect will continue for the duration of the student’s doctoral studies in the School of Medicine and Dentistry.

External Fellowships

To benefit both their current work and their future career prospects, PhD students are strongly encouraged to seek funding from external agencies through fellowships. These fellowships, sponsored by both public and private agencies, confer distinction on the student who wins the fellowship. They are often more generous than the fellowships the School of Medicine and Dentistry (SMD) is able to provide.

Students obtaining competitive external funding awarding at least 75% of the student’s stipend will be supplemented by the SMD Dean’s office to the current base stipend, plus a bonus of 10% of the base stipend for the duration of the fellowship, provided they remain in good academic standing. If the external funding is greater than the SMD base stipend, the student will receive the external funding only, plus a bonus such that their total funding will equal the amount of the base stipend plus 10%. If the external funding is greater than 10% above the SMD base stipend, the student will receive the external funding only; no bonus will be provided. The 10% bonus will continue for the duration of the student’s doctoral studies with the SMD, provided the student remains in excellent to outstanding academic standing according to their annual evaluation. At the end of the external fellowship, the student’s advisor or department will be responsible for the 10% bonus. If the external fellowship was greater than the 10% bonus, the student's advisor/department is not responsible for the excess.

This policy is in place only for those fellowships directly awarded in students’ names by outside entities. Students supported via grants and fellowships directly awarded to faculty members are not eligible for a bonus. Students supported by faculty training grants (T32 grants) are not eligible for a bonus.

University of Rochester Competitive Fellowships for Incoming Students

Sproull and Provost Fellowships

The University of Rochester offers the Sproull and the Provost Fellowship to outstanding applicants each year. The graduate programs nominate applicants for this fellowship. There are no additional forms for the applicant to complete, but all application material must arrive by the deadline date.

Fellows Entering Fall 2023 and Later

Fellows will receive $10,000 in additional stipend for the first five years of the graduate program, provided they remain in excellent to outstanding academic standing according to their annual evaluation. The additional stipend will be paid by the Sproull/Provost Fellowship and the student’s base stipend will be funded by the initial Dean’s funding, their advisor, a training grant, an individual fellowship, or any necessary interim Dean’s funding. Note: a Fellow also receiving an external fellowship is eligible for the 10% bonus on the base stipend only.

Fellows Entering Fall 2022 and Earlier

Fellows will receive a one-time $5,000 bonus upon joining the graduate program. Fellows will also be supplemented to the current base stipend, plus a bonus of 10% of the base stipend for the duration of their doctoral studies with the SMD, provided they remain in excellent to outstanding academic standing according to their annual evaluation. The bonus will be paid by the SMD Dean while the student is funded by the initial Dean’s funding, a training grant, an individual fellowship, or any necessary interim Dean’s funding. The bonus will be paid by the advisor or the department while the student is funded by any other source. Note: a Fellow also receiving an external fellowship is not eligible for an additional 10% bonus.
 

SMD/Department/Program Awards

There are also several SMD/department/program-based awards available within the SMD. Many of these are listed in the individual program handbooks. Whether or not to maintain the stipend level that results from such an award for the duration of the student’s doctoral studies is at the discretion of the program; however, programs must be consistent in whether they do so for students who receive similar awards. If the program chooses to maintain the stipend level that results from an award, the program will be responsible for funding the increase as the Dean’s office will only fund/supplement up to the current base stipend level.