Funding and Fellowships

Tuition Waivers

MA Funding

The master's program in English is structured so that students are able to complete their degree requirements in one calendar year.

The department sometimes offers partial tuition scholarships for up to half of the annual tuition. Currently the department is not able to provide teaching assistantships or stipends for students in the MA program.

PhD Funding

All students admitted to the PhD program receive full support in the form of tuition waivers, in addition to a stipend for five years for students who remain in good standing. Stipends currently amount to approximately $21,000 per year.

During the first year students do not teach but derive part of their support from participation in a summer pedagogy seminar. Support for students in years two through four is usually tied to their work as instructors in the Writing, Speaking, and Argument Program (WSAP). Support for students in the fifth year usually involves further work in the WSAP, though other forms of support may be available.

The University also sponsors a number of competitive fellowships, at significantly higher stipend levels, for students with exceptional qualifications. These include the Provost Fellowships, Slattery Fellowships, and Sproull Fellowships. The department nominates candidates for appropriate University fellowships during the admissions process.

For advanced PhD students, teaching and dissertation fellowships are available through the School of Arts & Sciences and University. These include the Dean’s Dissertation Fellowships, the Dean’s Teaching Fellowships, and the Dudley Doust Writing Associates Fellowships

Teaching Fellowships

The Dean’s Teaching Fellowships are awarded annually to support advanced graduate students in their training as teachers.

English department nominees have been very successful in this fellowship competition. Students serve as TAs who are mentored by faculty in departmental courses at all levels of undergraduate study; being involved at all levels of course preparation and instruction is an invaluable experience.

Other teaching fellowships include:

Dissertation Fellowships

The Raymond N. Ball Dissertation-Year Fellowship

The Ball Fellowship provides a one-year dissertation fellowship award to an outstanding graduate student in the humanities, economics, or business administration.

The Dean’s Dissertation Fellowships

The Dean's Dissertation Fellowships are awarded annually to support advanced graduate students as they complete their dissertation research and writing.

Conference and Travel Funds

The department provides funding for PhD and MA students to help offset expenses incurred when traveling to professional meetings or arranging for job interviews. The funding level is set annually. We encourage students to supplement our travel funds by applying for School of Arts & Sciences and University research and travel grants and for external funding. Download the department's Travel Reimbursement Form to get started.

Inter-Departmental Funding Opportunities

There are two interdepartmental research awards that may appeal to English graduate students:

Additional Fellowship Opportunities

Our students routinely attend summer programs, including the Futures of American Studies Institute at Dartmouth College and the Dickens Universe at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

In addition, our affiliations with the School of Criticism and Theory at Cornell University and the Folger Institute at the Folger Shakespeare Library allow for our graduate students' regular participation. We are a Cornell School of Criticism and Theory sponsored program and a member of the Folger Institute Consortium. One advanced PhD student in English attends the Cornell School each year with a full tuition award and a stipend for lodging. Our MA and PhD students receive preference in admissions, and are eligible to receive grants-in-aid to support their travel and lodging while attending Folger Institute events.

The University and the George Eastman Museum appoint a George Eastman Fellow each year. This fellowship is awarded competitively to advanced graduate students and currently carries a stipend. It is renewable for up to two years. The George Eastman Fellow pursues curatorial duties in the Motion Picture Department and the Photography Department, and sometimes assists in the public programs of the Dryden and Curtis Theatres.

External Resources

Graduate students can also use the following sites to find external fellowships: