Graduate Program Financial Support

All biology graduate students in good standing receive year-round financial support in the form of assistantships and fellowships. This support includes a stipend to cover living costs as well as full tuition and academic fees. On admission, M.S. students are guaranteed two years of support and Ph.D. students are guaranteed five years of support. A further year's support, in the form of research or teaching assistantships, may be available when justified. To be eligible to receive a teaching assistantship, international students must score at least 250 on a special Test of Spoken English administered after arrival.

Outstanding applicants to the Biology Graduate Program may be nominated by the department for particular fellowships or awards offered by the University or by the Eberly College of Science (e.g., Braddock Supplements). Strong candidates are encouraged to submit a formal application by December 15 to be considered in the first rounds of competition for these awards.

Applicants and current students also may wish to seek alternative sources of funding, such as a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. The Department of Biology is happy to consider applications from students who are receiving outside funding.

External resource

John Hopkins University Graduate Student Funding Opportunities
John Hopkins maintains a website regarding graduate student research funding opportunities for domestic and international students. It is the responsibility of the student to check for complete details on each opportunity as well as eligibility/requirements. This site is not managed by The Pennsylvania State University or by the Department of Biology.