Range of funding for PoliSci Programs

[puddle]

I'm going to assume that most Harvard deals are the same. I have a good friend at Harvard who definitely does NOT have to stay at Harvard during the summer and that she has used that money towards language programs overseas.

Just a note on summer language programmes... many schools offer a seperate (and easy to attain) funding pool for this type of off-campus training. I know several PhD students at HYPS (first time I have ever used this achronym. good times) who have received 3-4 grand on top of their regular annual stipend for summer language training in foreign countries. For example, Yale has the MacMillan Center which frequently "makes it rain" with supplemental dissertation scholarships, summer research grants, and language training funds.

If you happen to study comparative or IR, you may find it cost-effective (and really, in your best interests as a scholar) to sublet your expensive apartment in N.America and take off to a country of interest for the summer.

[Max Power]

Just a note on summer language programmes... many schools offer a seperate (and easy to attain) funding pool for this type of off-campus training. I know several PhD students at HYPS (first time I have ever used this achronym. good times) who have received 3-4 grand on top of their regular annual stipend for summer language training in foreign countries. For example, Yale has the MacMillan Center which frequently "makes it rain" with supplemental dissertation scholarships, summer research grants, and language training funds.

If you happen to study comparative or IR, you may find it cost-effective (and really, in your best interests as a scholar) to sublet your expensive apartment in N.America and take off to a country of interest for the summer.

don't forget ISPS, better known as Income Supplement for Political Scientists

[puddle]

don't forget ISPS, better known as Income Supplement for Political Scientists

Holy Shamoley... 75 grand for field experiments... yes. I can see it now... (*meep pictures herself having enough money to pay for fuel during research trips)

[potbellypete]

Stony Brook -- 15,600 promised plus summer support all but guaranteed for American students (?) averages about $3,000. You pay a nominal fee for health insurance (low for families as well) and TA every semester. You do have to become an instate resident (not a guaranteed process) or make up the difference between in-state and out of state. For a full time student, that would be about $7500 a year if you do not qualify. All students on the job market currently started in Fall 2008, so there is evidence that you can finish in 4 years.

Syracuse -- $16,500 plus $3,700 in two summers health insurance included unknown about family plan. Competitive grants in subsequent summers. Sounds like a minimum 5 year commitment with TA duties every semester.

Boston University -- $19,600 for nine months, health insurance included for student, not for dependents which is pricey. Nothing guaranteed for departmental summer support but there are opportunities for research grants and teaching summer classes. Those with an MA (or MPP) have reduced coursework so they could take as little as 3-3.5 years though that varies by person.

This is in addition to what others have posted on the board.

[Ironheel!!]

BU sounds pretty good. There are still pockets of inexpensive rent in Boston in good neighborhoods if you take some time. Also, you can work with John Gerring, who in my opinion, seems like a pretty cool cat!

[kilgore_trout]

Anyone heard re: Berkeley funding? Would it kill them to tell is how much / whether they're paying us?

[Ironheel!!]

Anyone heard re: Berkeley funding? Would it kill them to tell is how much / whether they're paying us?

52 million say bears shit in the woods.

[Coffee Candy]

A few days ago I got an email saying my Princeton admission offer was revised and I freaked out because I thought they had changed their minds and revoked my admission. Turns out they just revised my funding package to include the following:

"In addition, the Center for the Study of Democratic Politics is offering you the option of working with a CSDP faculty member on a project of mutual interest for which you would be paid up to $2,000 each year for up to five years at an hourly rate."

Did this happen to any other Princeton admits? Obviously there's no mention of what the hourly rate is so I don't know how many hours per week I'd be working, but I imagine it can't be too much in my first year, right?

This might be a late reply, but I too received the revised admission reply form.

Mine is a little bit different from yours because it does not specify where to work. Perhaps, it's because I'm international?

"In addition, the department is offering you the option of working with any Politics faculty member on a project of mutual interest for which you would be paid an hourly wage up to $2,000 over your first two years."

I'm worried about working in the first year, so I think I'd rather decline this offer if it's possible.

I should ask some grad students at the visit days about this offer.

[Ironheel!!]

This might be a late reply, but I too received the revised admission reply form.

Mine is a little bit different from yours because it does not specify where to work. Perhaps, it's because I'm international?

"In addition, the department is offering you the option of working with any Politics faculty member on a project of mutual interest for which you would be paid an hourly wage up to $2,000 over your first two years."

I'm worried about working in the first year, so I think I'd rather decline this offer if it's possible.

I should ask some grad students at the visit days about this offer.

Ithink the key to this is "of mutual interest." The department wants you to succeed, they will not put you in a position where you will fail. I bet you could tailor some research for a seminar paper that would satisfy research/work requirments for the project. I think it may be poorpractice to turn down money in grad school, even at Princeton where the funding seems quite generous.

[Adornopolisci2012]

52 million say bears shit in the woods.

Bears shit anywhere they want. Check please good sir.

[kolja00]

Received an email saying I was accepted as a Presidential Fellow at ND.

26k Stipend- 5 years

Health Insurance

Extra travel funds for conferences

From the sounds of the email subsidized campus apt housing

This is pretty amazing especially for South Bend.

Edited March 11, 2012 by kolja00

[Bdeniso]

Received an email saying I was accepted as a Presidential Fellow at ND.

26k Stipend- 5 years

Health Insurance

Extra travel funds for conferences

From the sounds of the email subsidized campus apt housing

This is pretty amazing especially for South Bend.

Wow! Congrats

[Max Power]

Received an email saying I was accepted as a Presidential Fellow at ND.

26k Stipend- 5 years

Health Insurance

Extra travel funds for conferences

From the sounds of the email subsidized campus apt housing

This is pretty amazing especially for South Bend.

Thats really nice. I was already thinking that the 18k I was offered was really good for South Bend and was not really far off the offers I had from Harvard, Columbia and MIT after cost of living adjustments. Add in another 8k/year and that is probably as good as it gets

[kolja00]

Thats really nice. I was already thinking that the 18k I was offered was really good for South Bend and was not really far off the offers I had from Harvard, Columbia and MIT after cost of living adjustments. Add in another 8k/year and that is probably as good as it gets

Yeah 18k is still a huge amount for South Bend. 26k is the equivalent of 77k in Palo Alto.

Man this is going to be a tough decision to make.

[Bdeniso]

Offer at ND includes tution waiver, 18k stipend, and suggests there is supplemental funding for summer methods training, conferences, research etc...

[wickkallie]

this is what they wrote for my offer at PRGS:

$26,500/year base stipend

then they go on to explain that after federal and state taxes, this actually comes down to $16,370/year (w/ one exemption).

my first reaction was this was way too low, since housing is so expensive in this region. Is this a correct analysis? Is everyone's fellowships lower since they are taxed? I know tax rates are different across the U.S... what are people's actual take home pay?

[kolja00]

Received my OSU funding today. Received the Dean's Fellowship.

25k year/ 5 years.

[Bdeniso]

Received my OSU funding today. Received the Dean's Fellowship.

25k year/ 5 years.

Congrats!

You are on quite a roll! See you at ND this weekend possibly.

[ILYuna]

This might be a late reply, but I too received the revised admission reply form.

Mine is a little bit different from yours because it does not specify where to work. Perhaps, it's because I'm international?

"In addition, the department is offering you the option of working with any Politics faculty member on a project of mutual interest for which you would be paid an hourly wage up to $2,000 over your first two years."

I'm worried about working in the first year, so I think I'd rather decline this offer if it's possible.

I should ask some grad students at the visit days about this offer.

Another Princeton admit here. What do you guys think about the 12-month stipend? Other schools give me slightly less money, but theirs are on 9-month period, i.e. possibly more money in summers. Won't we get any summer funding at Princeton?

[PickMe!]

Another Princeton admit here. What do you guys think about the 12-month stipend? Other schools give me slightly less money, but theirs are on 9-month period, i.e. possibly more money in summers. Won't we get any summer funding at Princeton?

That's a good point that should definitely be addressed during the visit. Unfortunately, the website doesn't paint an optimistic picture when it comes to addition summer funds. Personally, I'm not terribly worried about the 12-month stipend because the Princeton offer as a whole is pretty comparable, if not slightly better, than my other offers (Chicago and Columbia).

[ILYuna]

That's a good point that should definitely be addressed during the visit. Unfortunately, the website doesn't paint an optimistic picture when it comes to addition summer funds. Personally, I'm not terribly worried about the 12-month stipend because the Princeton offer as a whole is pretty comparable, if not slightly better, than my other offers (Chicago and Columbia).

Yeah, the cost of living at all 3 are high, too, so you probably should not be concerned

[IRToni]

Since a bunch of us were wondering, I just wanted to bump this thread. Nothing substantial to add!

[astreaux]

I just tried to click the green button, and clicked the red one by accident. iPad screen. How do I undo that? Sorry, IRToni!

[IRToni]

I think I'll survive the shame and embarassment of a downvote, no worries! Maybe I'll get banned from this forum, and can thus concentrate on stuff again! ;-)

[AmericanQuant]

Here's a summary of my 2013 offers:

 

Berkeley 25k + 3k for 4 summers

Columbia 24.5k + 3k for 4 summers

Stanford 29k + 3500 for 2 summers

Yale 28k + summer funding (I don't remember details)

Princeton 28k + 2k for working on a project of "mutual interest" for the first 2 years.