Combining Funding

[ringo2009]

Hi -

Does anyone have any idea how it usually works if you get more than one funding source? Say for example you are admittes to your doctoral program with full funding and then you also get a NSF GRFP, Javitts or other external funding. Will the university let you combine them? Will they make you choose? Can you do a hodge podge and take maybe 1/2 of the university funding and all of the external funding? Also, in the event that you take external funds would you still be gauranteed a GA or RA to maintain that faculty connection?

[Hanmyo]

bump

[HopefulGrad2B]

Hi -

Does anyone have any idea how it usually works if you get more than one funding source? Say for example you are admitted to your doctoral program with full funding and then you also get a NSF GRFP, Javitts or other external funding. Will the university let you combine them? Will they make you choose? Can you do a hodge podge and take maybe 1/2 of the university funding and all of the external funding? Also, in the event that you take external funds would you still be guaranteed a GA or RA to maintain that faculty connection?

I also wondered this and asked the schools I got into. Here are their responses. N.B. Two of these schools are Ivies and the third is a prestigious public/non-Ivy... so these may not be the most typical examples.

School A:

"Since financial support is the shared responsibility of the Graduate School, the department and the student, you will be encouraged to apply for appropriate University and outside fellowships throughout your enrollment. All students who receive funds from an outside source are required to accept the award in place of the above [school name] award. Students will be eligible for a prize of up to $4,000 for each academic year of external funding. Outside awards with a 12 month tenure ordinarily substitute for the 10 month academic year stipend and the summer research award..."

School B:

"PhD students with an external fellowship of $15000 or more have a choice between:

1. taking the outside fellowship and deferring a year of GSAS funding for a later year (as long as it is before the student's 8th year of study)

OR

2. taking the outside fellowship, and taking the "top off." This would give the student the difference in stipend up to the top off rate ($30,000 for 2011-12). For example, if the outside award is $20,000, the student would take the $20,000 from the external fellowship, and GSAS would give her/him $10,000 in stipend. This choice substitutes for a year of GSAS funding.

In both cases, a student's tuition and basic health fees would be covered, unless it is covered by the external award. And a student on an outside award is not obliged to teach."

School C:

"Depending on the fellowship, the application of external funding blended with your university multi-year fellowship differs somewhat but is very possible. For example, a Javits recipient must accept the fellowship for her/his first four years. The [university-specific fellowship] has a four year commitment, consequently some students receive departmental funding in the form of teaching or stipend depending on their progress in their fifth years. If a student is on normative time for [specific department] they may also draw on the [university-specific completion fellowship]. There are also dissertation year fellowships that one may apply for off campus, depending on one's interests.

A different situation exists for the Ford Fellowship, as another example. Ford requires the recipient to use her/his fellowship in the first year with the possibility of either drawing on the fellowship for the final two years or deferring the second two years for as long as two years. During this time a fellow may draw on either her/his [university-specific fellowship] or departmental support, depending on the initial agreement between the student and the department.

In both cases, the University fellowship is blended with external fellowships."

Obviously this varies widely depending on the fellowships, departments and universities in question. In general, schools seem to prefer that their funding be entirely (or mostly) replaced by the outside award so that they can put that money towards financing another student's expenses (i.e. a student without external funding). In my case, I like the incentive School A is offering me (and this is the school I will most likely attend; I'm just waiting to see how my external fellowship results play out). I suggest that you contact your specific departments and the relevant financial aid offices to find out how things would work in your particular case. I hope my post is helpful!

[ringo2009]

I also wondered this and asked the schools I got into. Here are their responses. N.B. Two of these schools are Ivies and the third is a prestigious public/non-Ivy... so these may not be the most typical examples.

School A:

"Since financial support is the shared responsibility of the Graduate School, the department and the student, you will be encouraged to apply for appropriate University and outside fellowships throughout your enrollment. All students who receive funds from an outside source are required to accept the award in place of the above [school name] award. Students will be eligible for a prize of up to $4,000 for each academic year of external funding. Outside awards with a 12 month tenure ordinarily substitute for the 10 month academic year stipend and the summer research award..."

School B:

"PhD students with an external fellowship of $15000 or more have a choice between:

1. taking the outside fellowship and deferring a year of GSAS funding for a later year (as long as it is before the student's 8th year of study)

OR

2. taking the outside fellowship, and taking the "top off." This would give the student the difference in stipend up to the top off rate ($30,000 for 2011-12). For example, if the outside award is $20,000, the student would take the $20,000 from the external fellowship, and GSAS would give her/him $10,000 in stipend. This choice substitutes for a year of GSAS funding.

In both cases, a student's tuition and basic health fees would be covered, unless it is covered by the external award. And a student on an outside award is not obliged to teach."

School C:

"Depending on the fellowship, the application of external funding blended with your university multi-year fellowship differs somewhat but is very possible. For example, a Javits recipient must accept the fellowship for her/his first four years. The [university-specific fellowship] has a four year commitment, consequently some students receive departmental funding in the form of teaching or stipend depending on their progress in their fifth years. If a student is on normative time for [specific department] they may also draw on the [university-specific completion fellowship]. There are also dissertation year fellowships that one may apply for off campus, depending on one's interests.

A different situation exists for the Ford Fellowship, as another example. Ford requires the recipient to use her/his fellowship in the first year with the possibility of either drawing on the fellowship for the final two years or deferring the second two years for as long as two years. During this time a fellow may draw on either her/his [university-specific fellowship] or departmental support, depending on the initial agreement between the student and the department.

In both cases, the University fellowship is blended with external fellowships."

Obviously this varies widely depending on the fellowships, departments and universities in question. In general, schools seem to prefer that their funding be entirely (or mostly) replaced by the outside award so that they can put that money towards financing another student's expenses (i.e. a student without external funding). In my case, I like the incentive School A is offering me (and this is the school I will most likely attend; I'm just waiting to see how my external fellowship results play out). I suggest that you contact your specific departments and the relevant financial aid offices to find out how things would work in your particular case. I hope my post is helpful!

Thank you. Yes this was very helpful. I appreciate your thoroughness.

[HopefulGrad2B]

Thank you. Yes this was very helpful. I appreciate your thoroughness.

You're welcome! And I know you didn't ask for it, but here's yet another bit of potentially helpful info. My dream program at School A got back to me with more info on their funding policy with the Ford in particular:

"[...] I certainly do hope that you win the Ford. If so, GSAS would require you to take the ford in the first two years. Currently the ford pays $2,000 toward tuition and $20,000 toward stipend.

GSAS would supplement the stipend to bring you up to the standard stipend level of [$$$$$] for the 10 month academic year.

You would also receive the [$$$$] Summer Research Award (as outlined in your award letter).

In addition, if you receive the Ford you will be eligible for an additional $4,000 prize in the first two years (that's $2,000 each year).

You have 5 years to use the Ford. I would suggest that you defer the Ford in years 3 and 4. If you defer the Ford, then the GSAS financial aid offer as outlined in my letter dated 2-18-11 would support you. You could then use the Ford in the 5^th year. Students in their 5^th year of GSAS pay a much lower rate of tuition that is charged in the first 4 years. The $2,000 Ford tuition would pay a little less than half of what you would be charged for tuition and required health fees. Students in your department have no problems finding teaching appointments to provide income to pay the remaining amount of tuition that would be due as well as supplementing the Ford stipend. If you choose to teach while receiving a Ford stipend you must receive approval from Ford. In the past this has not been a problem and I do not expect that it will be an issue for you.

It is possible to use the Ford in the 3^rd or 4^th year here at GSAS if you wish but this would leave you with having to find funding for the 5^th year. If you find yourself in this situation we can discuss you options. We encourage all GSAS student to apply for outside funding for their 5^th year. [...]"

Just to clear something up, School A's program (which is an Ivy) is offering 5 guaranteed years of generous funding (years 1-4 and the completion year, which in most cases is year 6... since year 5 is unfunded, that's when students try to benefit from outside awards or teach classes... etc.). This is a very specific example but as far as the Ford Fellowship goes, it's probably a reasonably reliable model for other schools' policies regarding the Ford. Again, you should definitely look into your specific fellowships, departments and universities. I hope this was helpful, too!