Pre-Admission Humanities Fellowships/Grants

[bgt28]

Hi guys...so i had this blowout with my parents about paying for grad school, and wanted to ask if anybody is familiar with the grant/fellowship process? I know some schools provide full support, but others seem to say it's to our benefit to apply for external awards. I've been poring through databases, but it seems as though for a lot of the fields under "Humanities" candidates are nominated at the discretion of the department/university? I'm sorry if this question seems dumb, but, you know, breaking the bank...again. xx

[lyonessrampant]

If you're admitted to a Ph.D. program, particularly at the schools listed in your signature, you will be funded.  MAs may or may not be funded. Based on your list, you'll probably certainly be offered admission to NYU's MA program if not admitted to the Ph.D. and that will likely not be funded.  I would strongly advise not to do it based on the cost, the cash cow reputation of that program and U of C's MAPH (which I did do with about a 50% tuition scholarship for disclosure purposes), and the fact that you could do a funded MA elsewhere and get research and teaching experience.  The prestige of the MA program doesn't matter as much as whether it was funded.  The tippy-top schools, like the ones in your sig, tend to prefer direct admits with an educational pedigree (browse the student pages).

 

As far as scholarships, other than super competitive Rhodes or Marshall scholarships (or similar ones) for the UK, I'm not really familiar with any.

[bgt28]

If you're admitted to a Ph.D. program, particularly at the schools listed in your signature, you will be funded.  MAs may or may not be funded. Based on your list, you'll probably certainly be offered admission to NYU's MA program if not admitted to the Ph.D. and that will likely not be funded.  I would strongly advise not to do it based on the cost, the cash cow reputation of that program and U of C's MAPH (which I did do with about a 50% tuition scholarship for disclosure purposes), and the fact that you could do a funded MA elsewhere and get research and teaching experience.  The prestige of the MA program doesn't matter as much as whether it was funded.  The tippy-top schools, like the ones in your sig, tend to prefer direct admits with an educational pedigree (browse the student pages).

 

As far as scholarships, other than super competitive Rhodes or Marshall scholarships (or similar ones) for the UK, I'm not really familiar with any.

Thanks so much for your response! I'm pretty much thinking the same thing about an MA at this point...I wouldn't mind doing it if it is funded, but I'm also set on going directly from undergrad to PhD...I haven't really compiled statistics on the trends for direct admits, but here's to hoping!

[1Q84]

Columbia's MA is unfunded as well, from what I recall, and definitely not worth attending for the same reasons lyonessrampant mentioned above.

[NowMoreSerious]

Hi guys...so i had this blowout with my parents about paying for grad school, and wanted to ask if anybody is familiar with the grant/fellowship process? I know some schools provide full support, but others seem to say it's to our benefit to apply for external awards. I've been poring through databases, but it seems as though for a lot of the fields under "Humanities" candidates are nominated at the discretion of the department/university? I'm sorry if this question seems dumb, but, you know, breaking the bank...again. xx

 

Are you asking for a friend?  I only ask this because the schools on your list are pretty much the 8 best funded Ph.D. Humanities programs in the nation. 

 

As far as I know nobody gets into any of those programs without being fully funded for a minimum of 5 years.  

Edited January 17, 2015 by NowMoreSerious

[omensetter]

I'd also note that a number of programs encourage you to apply for external scholarships/funding, but then deduct the amount you receive from your stipend/funding package. That is, if your stipend is $25000 and you get an external scholarship worth less than that, you won't 'see' any of the extra money. I'm not at a program, though, obviously, so have no idea how rigorous the enforcement is with this. It's also dependent on the program: I know someone at Berkeley (different field) who got a particular award and got to keep that on top of their stipend; I know someone else who went to Chicago and who got the same award, but the money went straight to the school. 

 

You do get the prestige of having an external award to your name, though, and the experience of applying for that stuff is good practice for academic life, which I guess is partly why programs encourage it. I've also heard of people negotiating their teaching loads based on having significant external support. Again, I'd emphasise that I have very little knowledge on this topic, but as far as it does apply, it's something to consider when applying for extra funding in addition to the package your school provides.

[bgt28]

Are you asking for a friend?  I only ask this because the schools on your list are pretty much the 8 best funded Ph.D. Humanities programs in the nation. 

 

As far as I know nobody gets into any of those programs without being fully funded for a minimum of 5 years.

Lol I'm always looking for a friend...I guess I'm in the same field of thought as omensetter...although I could be "fully" funded, what if there are parts I can't afford/ parents won't pay for? I'm working a job to save money, but so many horror stories...so I thought I'd put it out there...you made me LOL though ha

[rising_star]

Check the major funding databases: UCLA's GRAPES and the grad funding websites of Duke, Cornell, and UIUC. Those will allow you to search for awards based on your year in the program and area of study. 

[snyegurachka]

I know some people who are fulbright scholars—fulbright pays the tuition. That may be a thing that is only available for international students coming to the US, but it could possibly go the other way. Often international MA programs are funded because the systems are different. 

 

I am in an MA program and about 1/3 of my tuition is paid from grants from the school. I pay the rest with loans, and live off of work and SNAP benefits. Even though I am not funded, I am able to appeal to my program for funding to go to conferences etc. Anywhere that offers a phd but also has an MA track is probably going to be poorly/not funded. From what I have heard about U of C's MAPH program, the professors do not put in much time/effort working with MA students. Though my MA is not a terminal degree, I am receiving it from a school that does not have phd students, so there is more funding and access to professors. A couple of Liberal Arts colleges and Art Schools offer similar programs. But I digress.

 

H-net often has listings for grants and fellowships:

http://www.h-net.org/announce/group.cgi?type=Funding

[bgt28]

Just to say thank you all and ask one more question...remember that moment in our applications when they ask if we're applying for external fellowships? I marked no at the time of application, but there was a fellowship that came to my attention within the last two weeks or so, for which I have applied for first-round assessments. Am I to alert my schools that the answer to my response has changed, or does that depend entirely on actually getting the damned thing? Xoxo

[lyonessrampant]

I would say not to worry about it until you know if you will get the fellowship.  Sometimes departments will admit an additional applicant if she is self-funded through an external grant, though this is more common in the sciences or for international applicants on a Fulbright.  If you do get it and it is enough to cover tuition + stipend and renewable for the length of a program, then I'd contact all schools you applied to and tell them you have external funding.  If it is not a huge amount, it will probably not be a factor in your admission or funding package.

[hypervodka]

Just to say thank you all and ask one more question...remember that moment in our applications when they ask if we're applying for external fellowships? I marked no at the time of application, but there was a fellowship that came to my attention within the last two weeks or so, for which I have applied for first-round assessments. Am I to alert my schools that the answer to my response has changed, or does that depend entirely on actually getting the damned thing? Xoxo

 

Just looking at the schools you applied to... external fellowships would never be a determining factor in whether or not you were admitted to any of those universities. I would go ahead and let them know, though (I am fairly certain three of your schools haven't started looking at apps). Can't hurt, right?

[bgt28]

I got rejected for the fellowship, so I suppose it's no longer an issue 

xoxo to you all for being so supportive 

[hypervodka]

I'm sorry! All of your schools are well-funded regardless, and there will be plenty of opportunities to apply for first-year fellowships this year! Plus, next year, your university (where ever you WILL be going) will also be able to help you pick out fellowships and fine-tune your apps.

[lyonessrampant]

All humanities pre-program fellowships are INSANELY competitive, so don't feel badly.  Also, humanities programs expect to fund their admits (especially the programs you're applying to), and generally the external fellowships don't become a thing you apply for until you're in the dissertation phase.  Good on you for applying, though!  That's really the attitude that leads to success, IMHO, in grad school.  Apply, apply, apply.  The rejections hurt, but the acceptances are great and you can't win anything unless you apply!