PhD funding waiting???

[Kumari]

Hey..got into a good state school, but I still have no idea of how much funding I'll get. When I emailed the grad chair, he said they were struggling to find funding & didn't know when he could tell me. Is this normal to accept doctoral students and not have the funding streams sorted out? Is it normal to accept w/out knowing how much you'll be funded?

[DariaIRL]

It is possible to receive an offer to a phd program w/o funding. The program I worked for as an undergrad office assistant did that before, but didn't like how it didn't hold students accountable and so they no longer admitted w/o funding intact at time of offer. It is also possible to receive an offer w/ funding pending and not know for some length of time.

Depending on how your grad program is organized, maybe the department chair is not the best person to ask. They are really busy and are thinking about the big picture of the department. You should ask your assigned faculty mentor or perhaps the grad secretary whether there is an estimated timeline for when they think they would have funding information.

Also, find out if you have an expiration date on your offer, when do you have to decide to accept their offer? And let them know that you would like to know the funding situation before making a decision.

[Riotbeard]

It seems a little more common this year due to budget crunches. Hopefully, they will figure something out!

[Kumari]

It seems a little more common this year due to budget crunches. Hopefully, they will figure something out!

Hey...

Thanks for your responses. The graduate chair (unlike the staff, who don't respond at all to email/phone) immediately emailed me back & said that they were struggling to find funding and only were looking for candidates, who had sent in their formal acceptance/deposit. He said he didn't know when he'd be able to tell me more. So, with that, I was sort of forced to mail in the $250 deposit just in case.

Yesterday, the registrar for the dept emailed several of us an application for an RA position in another related dept...would have to write a cover letter, get letters of recommendation, etc. It actually asked for an MS student (not doctoral) and entailed hanging up posters for seminars, organizing events/lunches, etc. Paid a $12K stipend but no tuition waiver. I don't mean to sound too good for that offer, but I was really hoping that I'd get a TA or an RA, which might help me with my dissertation. An administrative role really wasn't what I had in mind...I also wonder if I'll be viewed as seriously as a student, if I'm doing an RA like that vs one based on some level of research. Just very disappointing. If no funding comes through, I don't know if I can go.

Thanks again for your thoughts.

[Riotbeard]

Hey...

Thanks for your responses. The graduate chair (unlike the staff, who don't respond at all to email/phone) immediately emailed me back & said that they were struggling to find funding and only were looking for candidates, who had sent in their formal acceptance/deposit. He said he didn't know when he'd be able to tell me more. So, with that, I was sort of forced to mail in the $250 deposit just in case.

Yesterday, the registrar for the dept emailed several of us an application for an RA position in another related dept...would have to write a cover letter, get letters of recommendation, etc. It actually asked for an MS student (not doctoral) and entailed hanging up posters for seminars, organizing events/lunches, etc. Paid a $12K stipend but no tuition waiver. I don't mean to sound too good for that offer, but I was really hoping that I'd get a TA or an RA, which might help me with my dissertation. An administrative role really wasn't what I had in mind...I also wonder if I'll be viewed as seriously as a student, if I'm doing an RA like that vs one based on some level of research. Just very disappointing. If no funding comes through, I don't know if I can go.

Thanks again for your thoughts.

I got an offer without funding last year, and decided to take a year off, but was able to improve my application with the extra time. Good luck.

[Kumari]

I got an offer without funding last year, and decided to take a year off, but was able to improve my application with the extra time. Good luck.

You did? Wow. I was actually thinking of that or even deferring. This school is ranked #3 in the field, though, so only a few places higher to go. Harvard has given me the chance to work 1/2 time & go for a 1 year MS 1/2 time...total time = 2 years including summer. It's Harvard so it's been a tempting option....not sure it's worth the time of the MS, however. The other school was a direct road to a doctorate...faster in the end. And, while Harvard is Harvard...#3 is far from bad & most likely less full of themselves. But, at this rate of slow to no doctoral funding...maybe it's my best option. THANKS again!