Doctor of Philosophy

Other Funding Opportunities

For Applicants for our doctoral program:

Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply for the McKnight Doctoral Fellowship program which is designed to address the under-representation of African American and Hispanic faculty. Each award provides annual tuition up to $5,000 plus an annual stipend of $12,000 for three academic years. (USF's Office of Graduate Studies will support McKnight Fellows with a stipend for an additional two years.) Please note that applications for the McKnight Doctoral Fellowship are due on the same day as the Ph.D. program application so you will need to collect supporting documentation concurrently. .

The Office of Graduate Studies offers funding to academically talented individuals who contribute to the diversity of our graduate programs through the USF Graduate Student Success program. Doctoral students receive $12,000/year for up to three years in addition to a tuition waiver. Both newly admitted and continuing students are eligible to apply. Click here for additional information.

For Current Students:

Current students are encouraged to apply for dissertation fellowships and grants. General information about various fellowships and grants can be found at the U.S. Department of Education and the USF Office of Graduate Studies.

Some specific grants that graduate students may want to apply for are:

  • Deadline is January 31st of every year
  • Support for dissertations/careers

  • Dissertation Proposal Development Fellowships
  • Dissertation Completion Fellowships, 65 per year for student’s last year of writing

  • Deadline is in October

  • Deadline is in October

  • Specifically focused on health and healthcare
  • Deadline is in February

  • Deadline is in November
  • 35 fellowships per year
  • Must be U.S. citizen and member of minority group

  • Areas: labor, development, economy, and policy
  • Summer Institute for doctoral students in second year or higher
  • Deadline is in March

NIH

  • Health related research, including mental health
  • Also special diversity awards

  • Research related to crime and justice issues
  • Various graduate research fellowships

Guggenheim Foundation

  • Research on violence & aggression

Moris K. Udall Foundation

  • U.S. environmental policy, conflict resolution, possibly others

Woodrow Wilson Foundation

  • Famous dissertation fellowship in women’s studies, also funding dissertation on religion & ethical issues

Social Science Research Council

  • Early stage Ph.D. students, second or third year
  • Specific fields, 3 or 4 per year (this year, gender & human rights, globalization & media)
  • Deadline is in February
  • $5 K, summer workshops

Jacob K Javits

  • Future/new Ph.D. students (first year)
  • Must be US citizen
  • $30 K, plus tuition

National Scholarship Opportunities

USF's Office of National Scholars provides advice and assistance for any student wishing to apply for a variety of national scholarships designed to support many different facets of the USF education – from study and language learning abroad, to research projects, to internships and graduate study (domestic and abroad).