do you have to pay for a phd

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•       Financial Aid       PhD Scholarships and Financial Aid

PAYING FOR YOUR PHD Expert Tips, Scholarships Opportunities and Resources for Financing an Advanced Degree

The average yearly tuition for a PhD program is slightly above $16,000, which means students will invest about $80,000 in tuition fees alone for a five-year program. Add in fees, cost-of-living, travel expenses and the figure can easily surpass six figures. Yet, it is possible to fund a PhD program without breaking the bank and going into debt.

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• PhD Cost Breakdown
• PhD Financial Aid Options
• Expert Spotlight: Lawrence Burns, PhD
• Earning Outlook for Phd Students
• Most Lucrative PhD Careers
• Expert Spotlight: Darren Pierre, PhD
• PhD: By The Numbers
• Additional Financial Aid Resources

PHD COST BREAKDOWN

The value of a college education should not be understated, but neither should its actual cost. Earning a doctoral degree can be an expensive proposition. According to the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics, the average tuition and fees for a graduate program of study was $16,435 in 2012-2013. The table below outlines the 2012-2013 graduate tuition and fees by academic institution.

• All Institutions $16,435
• Public $10,408
• Private Non-Profit $23,698
• Private For-Profit $14,418

Source: National Center for Education Statistics

A rough calculation of the number of years it takes to complete a doctoral program, multiplied by the average 2012-2013 tuition and fees from the NCES, reveals the following total cost figures by academic field of study.

A five- to six-figure education is something to take seriously as there are debt implications after leaving finishing a PhD program. Graduating doctoral students in 2013 left school with an average debt of just over $15,000, according to the National Science Foundation. By field, students in the Social Sciences, Education and Humanities graduate with the highest levels of student debt:

• Education: $26,566
• Social Sciences: $26,222
• Humanities: $21,485

Conversely, the science and technology fields graduate students with the lowest debt figures:

• Physical Sciences: $6,342
• Engineering: $7,031
• Life Sciences: $11,905
• Physical Sciences 78.2%
• Engineering 75.1%
• Life Sciences 67.2%
• Humanities 48.4%
• Social Sciences 46.5%
• Education 44.1%

Source: National Science Foundation, Survey of Earned Doctorates, 2013

While these figures may seem alarming, a deeper dive into survey data from the National Science Foundation actually paints a more positive picture. Overall, more than 62 percent of all doctoral recipients graduate from school without a single dollar of debt.

Prospective students can use the table below to get a better sense of the percentage of students who take on debt at incremental levels in each field of academic study. A majority of students graduate with $10,000 or less in debt after finishing their doctoral degree.

PhD Cost Factors

The total cost of earning a doctoral degree is variable because of the sheer number of different factors involved. Tuition is not the only cost to consider when thinking about applying to a PhD program.

Typically, students pay full tuition rates during their first three years of doctoral study and receive reduced tuition rates for the remainder of the program. However, the actual cost of tuition does vary and may be dependent on the student’s actual degree program.

Graduate students pay a range of fees, with the most common including:

• Health Services (access to health facilities on campus)
• Health Insurance (personal health insurance)
• Student Activity (subsidizes athletics and other clubs)
• Student Recreation (access to recreational facilities on campus)

Some programs estimate students should be prepared to pay between $3,000 and $4,500 per academic year in student fees and health insurance costs.

Students with a master’s degree or coursework in a similar graduate program may be able to transfer credits into their doctoral program. That can lower the total number of credits required to graduate, which can lower the total cost of the degree. However, some institutions do limit the amount of tuition credits that can be applied for graduate work done in a related field at other institutions.

Whether or not the student has an assistantship does not affect the cost of textbooks and other academic materials. Books are a revolving charge, one a student should plan upon each semester or quarter.

Housing, utilities and food are considered indirect expenses students incur during their education. PhD students should plan on anywhere from $12,000 to $25,000 and up for living expenses each year. Again, this figure is highly variable based on the location of the university and the cost-of-living in that area.

Owning a car means additional budgeting for insurance, car payments and gas. Additionally, students may need to travel for conferences and research. Without funding from a graduate student association or grant program, the student will have to cover these costs individually.

PhD students with children may have to account for childcare costs. Purchasing a new computer and other supplies may also be required. This type of budgeting will vary from individual to individual, program to program.

Most PhD programs allow students to progress at their own pace, requiring them to complete and defend their dissertation within a certain time period (e.g. six years). However, the time it takes to complete a dissertation depends on the student, area of study, research, etc. This can impact cost of attending a doctoral program.

Example Cost of Attendance

A student’s budget should include the total cost of attendance—that is both direct (tuition and fees) and indirect costs (e.g. housing). This budget is the starting point for determining the student’s financial need, how much financial aid they require, and if they can afford to attend a doctoral program. Below is a sample five-year total cost of attendance chart based on an in-state tuition program, with a budget that assumes fixed costs for fees and indirect costs, such as housing. It also does not take into account assistantships and tuition waivers for assistants.

Based on a figure that’s slightly below the 2012-2013 average graduate tuition cost, the total cost of attendance can still produce sticker shock. An average student in a program that charges $12,000 per year in tuition could have to pay between $30,000 and $45,000 year in total costs.

PhD FINANCIAL AID OPTIONS

Prospective PhD candidates have an abundance of financial aid options to help fund their graduate studies. Typically, students are fully funded by a combination of sources, including scholarships, fellowships, research assistantships, teaching assistantships, or student loans.

It is important for students to note that most sources of aid are awarded by individual academic programs, so they should follow-up with their department for up-to-date information.

Below is a high-level overview of the common types of graduate financial aid.

Prospective PhD candidates can turn to a variety of funding sources, including scholarships, grants, and fellowships to support their education financially. As discussed, most students use a combination of one or more of these funding sources to finance their degree program and research.

PhD students can apply for a variety of scholarships that award students with funds that can be used to help cover the cost of tuition, books and other fees.

Grants are similar to scholarships and are academic-based awards that can be used to augment other sources of financial aid.

Fellowships are a different type of funding that may encompass a scholarship or grant and can be used to fund research, study and teaching in the US and internationally. Many fellowships provide full tuition and a yearly stipend to students.

A PhD should never be an end in itself but rather a means to an end. The path to a PhD is an arduous one and should never be undertaken without serious thought to what it will bring the student. That said, there is money available for graduate study in most fields, and a student in the humanities should be very careful to apply to appropriate programs which fund their grad students.

• Engineering
• Physical Sciences

The SMART program is designed to support graduate students studying in STEM disciplines and offers a range of other benefits, including supplies and health insurance allowances and employment placement services with the DoD after graduation.

The National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship is a three-year graduate fellowship that is designed to support doctoral students across fifteen engineering disciplines.

This three-year fellowship program supports the research efforts of doctoral students in STEM-related fields of study and allows them to pursue their work at any accredited graduate program in the country.

Renewable award for graduate students enrolled in a full-time APA-accredited doctoral program of study in psychology. Underrepresented, minority students are encouraged to apply.

This fellowship is open to female scholars and is designed to help offset the doctoral student’s living expenses during her final year of working on a dissertation.

This fellowship is a single-year of funding that is designed to support the doctoral research of a student working in child psychology.

The Javits Fellowship is provided on a needs- and competitive-basis to graduate students pursing graduate degrees in the humanities, social sciences, and the arts.

Two fellowships are awarded to support doctoral students who plan to study at the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, Greece for a year.

The Richard M. Weaver Scholarship is open to graduate student members of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute and supports the academic work of scholars pursuing teaching careers at the college level.

The AICPA fellowship is designed for minority students pursuing or planning to pursue a doctorate in accounting.

Five scholarships are available to provide financial assistance to graduate students pursuing studies in accounting and plan on earning CPA licensure.

This fellowship provides financial support to female scholars conducting research and economic analysis into natural resource, food, or agricultural issues.

This renewable, four-year fellowship is designed to support a scholar’s work in the field of stewardship science: nuclear science, high density physics, and materials under extreme conditions and hydrodynamics.

This multi-year fellowship supports doctoral research in several fields, ranging from chemistry to geology, materials science to physics and connects fellows with NPSC employer partners.

The NWRI fellowship program is open to full-time doctoral students conducting water-based research in areas such as water quality, water treatment and technologies, water supplies and water resources.

Really think about your reasons for getting a PhD. Critically exam the support systems you have in place to get you through the journey: 50 percent of doctoral students suffer from depression. Utilize services like the counseling center on your college/university campuses to help you respond to the stressors that may occur with the transition.

ASSISTANTSHIPS, FELLOWSHIPS AND LOANS

Graduate assistantships.

Graduate assistantships are a form of academic appointment and are provided by individual departments. Competitive in nature, they are typically awarded on the basis of the student’s academic accomplishments and potential in the graduate program of study. Most programs provide appointments for one year at time and students receive a tuition credit or waiver and monthly stipend. There are three types of assistantships: Teaching Assistantships, Assistant Lecturers, and Research Assistants.

Teaching assistants perform a range of support duties for faculty members at a university, including grading papers and teaching classes.

Lecturers may serve as instructors in the academic department where they are studying.

Research assistants conduct and assist faculty members with research projects in the student’s area of interest.

Fellowships

Fellowships are short-term funding opportunities (typically 9- to 12 months) provided to students in the form of tuition credits and/or stipends. They support a student’s graduate study in their field of choice, may assist them in their research, or gain professional training in an area of interest. Fellowships are competitive and are available in two types: University-based and External.

Individual schools, colleges, and departments at a university (e.g. College of Science, Department of English) may have endowed fellowships. Students are either nominated for an award by their department or may be open to an application process.

External fellowships are funded by foundations, government agencies and other groups and provide opportunities to study both in the US and abroad. For example, the Department of Defense offers the National Defense Science & Engineering Graduate Fellowship to engineering students studying in one of sixteen engineering specialties.

Corporations

Many companies and businesses have created scholarship, fellowship, and tuition reimbursement programs for their employees. Depending on the company, there may be a possibility it supports the graduate school efforts of its employees. Speak to the Human Resources department to learn more about the potential funding avenues available.

Graduate students may borrow funds from the federal government under two loan programs: William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program and the Federal Perkins Loan Program.

Private financial institutions, including banks and credit unions, offer unsecured educational loans to graduate students. These loans must be repaid with interest. The interest rates, loan amount, and repayment terms are based on the credit worthiness of the borrower.

Federal work study provides students with demonstrated financial need part-time job opportunities that allow them to earn income while they are in graduate school. The program focuses on placing students in community service situations related to the student’s academic course of study. A majority of jobs are on-campus, but some schools may have some off-campus jobs with nonprofit agencies and other groups. It is important to note that some universities may not allow students to use their federal work study for tuition, but other related expenses (e.g. books, fees).

EXPERT SPOTLIGHT: Lawrence Burns, PhD

What should a future phd student consider when selecting a program of   study .

Speaking in the humanities, a student is best advised, I think, to select the faculty member with whom he or she wishes to study rather than simply a program. This faculty member becomes the student’s mentor, a relationship that lasts well beyond graduate school years. Because the mentor becomes the student’s primary reference, his or her standing in the field can and does have an impact on pre- and post-doctoral grants a student might win as well as on the student’s success on the academic job market.

It is a delicate balance though, because one must also look at programs that have standing in a particular field and at institutions that can afford to fund their PhD students throughout their graduate years.

Much is made about the saturation of PhD graduates and not enough   positions — both in academic and the private sector. Should that dissuade   a student from pursuing a PhD?

Yes, of course. Again, a PhD is not something that comes easily, and it should not be pursued without a reason for it. On the other hand, for students who are committed to their fields, and for whom that field is a career choice, the PhD is still the only way into the university job market. 

There is a catch-22 in the world of post-graduate education. Research universities need to turn out research, and researchers often depend on their grad students to assist them–in all fields–and departments on their PhD candidates to teach many undergraduate courses. PhD students are thus recruited regardless of the job market for the PhD holders.

The challenges in funding the PhD for me were less about how am I going to pay for this degree, but making the adjustment from being a full-time salaried employee to now, taking a significant pay cut to serve as a graduate assistant.

EARNING OUTLOOK FOR PHD STUDENTS

Potential career earnings should be a significant part of the discussion when considering whether or not to pursue a doctoral degree. Completing an advanced program of study could increase an individual’s earning potential with their current or future employers.

Research from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals a direct correlation between educational attainment and career success—both in employment opportunities and annual salaries. Doctoral degree holders are some of the highest paid professionals in the country. The table below outlines the difference in earnings by degree level in 2014.

source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Earnings and Unemployment by Educational Attainment

• Industry or Business $97,700
• Government $82,000
• Nonprofit Organizations $72,500
• Other $70,000
• Academia $60,000

Source: National Science Foundation, Survey of Earned Doctorates

In turn, prospective students should consider how their sacrifice of time and money will pay off when they embark in their careers. Some professional fields have a higher return on investment than others. A majority of PhD candidates endeavor to become tenured-track faculty members, but they should realize that academia is one of the lowest paying sectors for individuals with a doctoral degree.

A review of National Science Foundation survey information shows that the best paying professional areas for PhD graduates include Industry and Business—with an average salary of $97,700. At the bottom of the list? Academia.

MOST LUCRATIVE PHD CAREERS

So, which PhD degrees pay the best?

According to the NSF, business, economics, and engineering are consistently among the best earning academic fields regardless of industry. The following tables outline the highest paying academic fields by professional area of work after graduation.

• Business Management and Administration $110,000
• Economics $82,000
• Engineering $79,000
• Health Sciences $70,000
• Education $60,000
• Business Management and Administration $135,000
• Economics $115,000
• Mathematics and Computer Information Sciences $115,000
• Geosciences $110,000
• Engineering $98,000
• Economics $112,500
• Business Management and Administration $96,590
• Engineering $96,500
• Mathematics and Computer Information Sciences $95,300
• Health Sciences $94,000
• Business Management and Administration $105,000
• Economics $100,000
• Mathematics and Computer Information Sciences $100,000
• Health Sciences $98,000

At the occupational level, 2012 employment research from the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed the best paying doctoral career was Physicist ($109,600), followed by Astronomers ($105,410), and Engineering Professors ($94,130).

Overall, the top 10 most lucrative PhD careers include the following:

• 1 Physicists $109,600
• 2 Astronomers $105,410
• 3 Engineering Professors $94,130
• 4 Economics Professors $90,870
• 5 Health Specialties Professors: $90,210
• 6 Agricultural Sciences Professors $86,260
• 7 Biochemists and Biophysicists $84,940
• 8 Forestry and Conservation Science Professors $84,090
• 9 Physics Professors $80,720
• 10 Medical Scientists $79,930

EXPERT SPOTLIGHT: Darren Pierre, PhD

How has earning a phd impacted you personally and professionally.

Personally, the PhD was an incredibly introspective process. I believe for many, they go into the PhD thinking one thing, and come out transformed by the experience. I learned and grew personally in how I harness my self-worth, I grew professionally in my ability to humble myself and authentically listen to the feedback given about my work.

Professionally, I move with a greater level of confidence, I have more insight into my own potential in ways I could have never imagined, and all of that propelled me to write my book, The Invitation to Love.

Through your own experience, what are the biggest mistakes   prospective PhD students make when choosing and/or funding their PhD?

The biggest mistake that perspective students make is doing the degree for the wrong reason. If you are doing the degree for any other reason that self-motivated factors, you will falter. Doing the PhD to cover areas of insecurity, or low self-worth; doing the PhD for the prestige or title sake, those reasons will have you floundering and faltering when the psychological stressors being to weigh heavy.

Did you create a roadmap--financially or academically--to stay on track to   completing your PhD?

Absolutely, you have to have a plan and work that plan. Each Sunday, I would develop the week's action plan, I would carve out everything from when I was doing assignments/research to when I would work out, everything was on a schedule so that even when the fog of the process set in, I had headlights (my schedule) that allowed me to drive consistently when the road ahead was hard to see.

PHD: BY THE NUMBERS

Doctoral education in the U.S. is a varied and broad system, one that has been growing in popularity. In the 2013-2014 academic year, more than 178,000 doctoral degrees were conferred to students nationally, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics.

• Doctoral Education Continues to Grow
• Engineering and Physical Sciences Dominate
• STEM Fields are the Most Popular
• Only Half of Students Earn a PhD in the Same Academic Field as their Master’s Degree
• Doctoral Degrees are an Investment in Time
• Primary Source of Funding Varies by Program

In its survey of earned doctorates, the National Science Foundation learned the number of doctoral recipients increased by nearly 30 percent between 2003 and 2013.

The most popular academic areas of study were Engineering and the Physical Sciences.

• Engineering 69.80%
• Physical Sciences 59.30%
• Health Sciences 53.60%
• Life Sciences 44.60%
• Other 38.90%
• Social Sciences 19.90%
• Humanities 9.10%
• Education -25.70%

Within the engineering and physical sciences disciplines, multiple sub-fields have been experiencing explosive interest and enrollments, with some programs (e.g. physics, materials science engineering) growing by more than 70 percent between 2003 and 2013.

• Other engineering 127.5%
• Materials science engineering 86.5%
• Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 74.5%
• Mechanical engineering 70.5%
• Electrical, electronics, and communication engineering 53.6%
• Chemical engineering 46.0%
• Computer and information sciences 119.1%
• Mathematics 83.0%
• Physics and astronomy 76.7%
• Geosciences 28.8%
• Chemistry 22.0%

According to NSF, the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields are the most popular doctoral areas of study.

• Life Sciences 23.3%
• Physical Sciences 17.6%
• Engineering 17.0%
• Social Sciences 15.9%
• Humanities 10.7%
• Education 9.4%

Interestingly, slightly more than 56 percent of graduate students continue into a doctoral program in the same field as their master’s degree. Rates are highest in the humanities, engineering, and social sciences fields.

• Humanities 67.6%
• Engineering 65.7%
• Social Sciences 65.6%
• Education 61.5%
• All Fields 56.1%
• Physical Sciences 53.4%
• Life Sciences 35.5%

It requires approximately 7.5 years of study for the average graduate student to complete a doctoral degree after enrolling in graduate school. Education takes the longest — more than 11 years, while the physical sciences and engineering fields only require 6.5 to 6.6 years of study to complete.

• Education 11.7
• Humanities 9.2
• Social Sciences 7.7
• All Fields 7.5
• Life Sciences 6.9
• Engineering 6.6
• Physical Sciences 6.5

According to the NSF, the most common source of funding for doctoral students are teaching and research assistantships. The table below details the primary source of funding for students by academic area of study.

• Life Sciences Fellowships/ Grants
• Physical Sciences Research Assistantships
• Social Sciences Teaching Assistantships
• Engineering Research Assistantships
• Education Own Resources
• Humanities Teaching Assistantships
• All Fields Research Assistantships

The following table includes a breakout of the primary funding source by major field of study, according the National Science Foundation.

Source: http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/sed/2013/data-tables.cfm

ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL AID RESOURCES

The ultimate financial goal of any PhD student should be to complete their program successfully and move into a professional career with as little debt as possible. The resources below are available to help students locate scholarships and other funding sources that can help make that goal a reality.

Unigo offers a selection of financial assistance resources for graduate students, including a scholarship directory, a scholarship match tool, educational information on student loans and funding options, and more.

Scholarships.com is a website that provides a selection of financial aid information, including a searchable scholarship directory, insights into funding trends, financial aid calculators, and information about grants and fellowships.

Peterson’s is an educational resource site that includes a searchable scholarship database, articles and advice columns, and a catalog of graduate school profiles.

FinAid.org is an educational resource site that focuses on financial aid and offers information about student loans, federal financial aid, financing a doctoral education, and includes a scholarship search option.

An office of the U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid is the country’s largest provider of financial aid. Graduate students can learn about and pally for loans, grants, and work-study funds to pay for their doctoral education.

FastWeb is a financial aid-focused website that offers a searchable scholarship directory that allows students to focus their search to their major area of study, work experience, and personal and professional activities.

Chegg is an online educational portal that not only offers used textbooks, but a scholarship database as well.

7 Strategies to Pay for Graduate School

Consider applying to tuition-free programs and seek scholarships, fellowships and assistantship positions.

Paying for Graduate School

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Experts recommend searching for local scholarships – such as through an employer, nonprofit or place of worship – in addition to national scholarships.

Whether a student chooses to enroll in graduate school shortly after completing an undergraduate program or after spending several years in the workforce, earning an advanced degree can be costly.

"It's a big life change, especially if you've gone into the workforce and you're coming back to school after a couple of years of working," says Susan M. Brooks, senior associate director of graduate and federal programs for the Office of Scholarships and Student Aid at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill . "So if you can take one stressor out of the equation, i.e., if we can take care of the money for you earlier, then you can focus all that energy on actually being a successful student."

When it comes to paying for a graduate degree program, experts advise students to start planning early and consider these seven strategies:

• Get an employer to pay for grad school.
• Secure a scholarship or fellowship.
• Explore tuition-free grad schools.
• Consider doctoral programs.
• Work for the grad school.
• Reach out to the admissions office.
• Borrow wisely.

Get an Employer to Pay for Grad School

Companies looking to boost their collective skill set without hiring will sometimes sponsor all or part of an employee's graduate schooling through tuition reimbursement or tuition assistance. Ninety-two percent of U.S. organizations offer some form of educational benefits, for instance, according to a 2019 survey report from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans.

Experts advise students to reach out to the human resources department at their company to learn more about tuition reimbursement program requirements, as funding may be capped. After degree completion, some companies require the employee to work at the organization for a certain period of time, or pay back part of the tuition if they do not.

Secure a Scholarship or Fellowship

Scholarships and fellowships are typically merit-based awards that don't need to be repaid. To be considered, graduate students may need to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or the FAFSA.

Experts recommend searching for local scholarships – such as through an employer, nonprofit or place of worship – in addition to national scholarships, which can be found on websites like Fastweb , Cappex and Unigo . GoGrad is another online resource that lists niche scholarships for prospective and current grad students.

Graduate programs often have portals for students to search for school-specific scholarships. The University of Pittsburgh , for instance, created the PittFund$Me, a centralized database that includes all available scholarships and fellowships offered at the school.

Students can also reach out to a graduate school's financial aid office or talk with a program department adviser to learn about degree- or research-specific scholarships.

"Graduate financial aid varies widely across graduate and professional programs and so we encourage students to directly contact the school or program to which they are applying," Amanda Godley, vice provost for graduate studies at Pitt, wrote in an email.

Explore Tuition-Free Grad Schools

Tuition-free graduate programs may be worth considering.

For instance, the Curtis Institute of Music in Pennsylvania offers full-tuition merit scholarships to all undergraduate and graduate students, no matter their financial situation. The scholarship for graduate students, which is renewed each year of enrollment, amounted to about $60,300 for the 2022-2023 academic year, according to the school.

Curtis also offers need-based aid in the form of grants and on-campus employment to help with living expenses.

In 2018, New York University's Grossman School of Medicine announced a first-of-its-kind, full-tuition scholarship to all students. The scholarship was valued at about $60,100 for the 2022-2023 academic year and is awarded to every student regardless of merit or financial need. It also covers health insurance but does not cover other fees and living expenses.

Consider Doctoral Programs

Tuition-free offers tend to be more common in doctoral programs, some of which allow students to get a debt-free education.

Prospective graduate students might consider pursuing a Ph.D. over a master's degree, depending on the discipline, experts say.

Ph.D. programs are typically competitive. At Duke University in North Carolina, for example, Ph.D. students are guaranteed five years of 12-month funding, which includes a stipend and coverage of tuition and fees. Students also get six years of fully paid dental and health insurance premiums, and have access to child-care subsidies and grants to help pay medical expenses that pose a financial hardship.

Work for the Grad School

Research and teaching assistantships typically cover at least part of tuition and pay a periodic stipend in exchange for research or classroom instruction.

Assistantships are often presented by individual departments, so "you definitely want to network with the professor, develop some rapport and show your interest in that subject matter," says Eric Eng, founder and CEO of AdmissionSight, a college admissions counseling company.

Reach Out to the Admissions Office

Though not guaranteed, one strategy that is often overlooked is writing a letter directly to the admissions office to let them know "you're very keen on attending, but you're unable to afford it," Eng says.

"When they're trying to attract talent, they don't want to leave that competition to other schools," he says. "And if you are a pretty good applicant that they have already admitted but are unable to afford it, they will usually give you some buffer or some leeway."

Borrow Wisely

Loans issued to graduate students account for 40% of federal student loans awarded each year, according to the 2020 Center for American Progress report on graduate school debt.

Once students file the FAFSA, loans usually are factored into a financial aid package, which may include other types of aid.

Several types of federal loans are available for graduate students, such as Stafford loans, as well as direct unsubsidized loans that pay up to $20,500 a year with aggregate limits. Private loans are another option, though experts recommend starting with federal .

Note that the U.S. Department of Education offers the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, or PSLF , which provides some debt relief to people who work in public service careers like education, nursing, government or law enforcement.

Before students decide to take on student loan debt, it's important to conduct research and know what the interest rates are, experts say.

"Sometimes there's this assumption that, 'I won't qualify for a federal loan.' But unless you've defaulted on a previous federal loan or are over your aggregate limit for loans, you can pretty much count on being approved for the unsubsidized maximum for the year," Brooks says. "Knowing the interest rate on your loan can save you thousands of dollars over your life in repayment. Our goal is to help make students aware of all of their options so they can choose what's best for them."

Searching for a grad school? Get our  complete rankings of Best Graduate Schools.

30 Fully Funded Ph.D. Programs

Tags: graduate schools , paying for graduate school , scholarships , student loans , financial aid , students , education

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How to Pay for a PhD

Before applying for a PhD it is important to consider how you will pay for it. The level of financial support offered to each applicant will vary and it may be up to you to fill the gaps. Here are the different sources of PhD funding and examples of each.

Fully-Funded Project or Program

Many PhD projects and programs are fully funded, meaning they are created with funding already allocated. When this is the case, the student does not have to pay fees (tuition) and is paid by the university. This payment can be in the form of either a stipend or salary if the PhD student is considered a university employee. If a project or program is fully funded it will normally be advertised as such. Fully-funded programs and projects are more common in STEM fields but there are still a good number in the humanities and social sciences. These kinds of PhD positions tend to be more common in Europe (excluding the UK) and at American R1 universities.

If you plan on undertaking a self-proposed PhD project, you will probably have to find your own funding. Fortunately, there are several options you can purse.

University Scholarships

The university you're going to be studying at should be the first place you look for funding. Most universities offer a variety of funding opportunities for their graduate students. These can range from a partial tuition reduction to a full tuition waiver and a generous stipend. Most graduate scholarships are awarded based on academic merit, however there are usually some which are based on financial need. There may even be some that are open only to students from certain countries or studying in specific fields. Check the funding section of your university’s website to find out which scholarships you are eligible for.

Research Councils           

Research councils are a major source of grants and scholarships for doctoral students. Each country has its own research councils that its citizens (and sometimes international students studying in the country) can apply for funding from. These awards are competitive with lengthy applications but the funding they provide is substantial. For example, UK residents can apply for full PhD studentships from the UK Research Councils worth a minimum of £19,037 annually while the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRCC) awards Canadian and international doctoral students between $20,000 and $50,000 a year.

Other Government Funding

National governments run and support several educational funding programs in addition to research councils. Many of them are aimed specifically at graduate students pursuing degrees in other countries. For example, the UK Government awards Commonwealth Scholarships to over 800 graduate students from across the Commonwealth to finance their studies in the UK. Similarly, the US Department of State’s famous Fulbright Program offsets the cost of tuition, travel, and living expenses for US citizens conducting independent research abroad.

Foundations, Charities and Trusts

There are several foundations, academic societies, charities, and trusts that provide full or partial funding for students pursuing graduate studies. The oldest and most well-known example is the Rhodes Scholarship , an award for international students to pursue graduate studies at Oxford University. The newer Gates Cambridge Scholarship offers approximately 100 fully-funded scholarships a year for graduate studies at the University of Cambridge. This highly-competitive scholarship accepts applicants from any country excluding the UK.

If no other funding option can be secured, it is possible to take out loans to cover the cost of a PhD. These can be either private loans through your bank or government loans, such as the UK Government Postgraduate Doctoral Loan .

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PhD Student Support

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• Academic Requirements
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This section provides information about the requirements and policies associated with financial support. Financial support is the shared responsibility of Harvard Griffin GSAS, the academic program, and the student. Your financial aid officer can help you navigate the many options available.

• Fellowships
• Financial Obligations
• External Awards
• FAS Humanities and Social Sciences Support
• Parental Accommodation and Financial Support (PAFS)
• The GSAS Professional Development Fund for PhD Students
• Tuition and Health Fee Grants
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• Financial Support for Phd Students

PhD Students in the Natural Sciences, Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Medical Sciences

Phd students in the humanities and social sciences programs of the faculty of arts and sciences, phd students in humanities and social sciences programs offered in partnership with other harvard schools, acceptance of financial support.

The Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences offers incoming PhD students full financial support—including tuition, health insurance fees, and basic living expenses—for a minimum of five years (typically the first four years of study and the completion year). This funding package includes a combination of tuition grants, stipends, traineeships, teaching fellowships, research assistantships, and other academic appointments.

Each student is provided a Notice of Financial Support at the time of admission and is assigned a financial aid officer , who administers this funding and is available to assist with financial concerns. Each spring, continuing students supported by Harvard Griffin GSAS-administered funding sources are required to activate their funding for the upcoming academic year using the Student Aid Portal, an online financial aid management system.

A typical funding package* includes:

• grants toward tuition and the Harvard University Student Health Program  paid in full for years G1 through G4 and the dissertation completion year, with a partially subsidized dental plan option available
• a combination of stipend, teaching fellowships, and/or research assistantships during years G1 through G4
• summer research support from Harvard Griffin GSAS or faculty grants following the first four academic years.

*In some programs, the timing and structure of living expense support may vary from this pattern.

The initial Notice of Financial Support assumes continuous enrollment as a full-time resident student; students not enrolled are not eligible for Harvard Griffin GSAS financial aid programs. Students may find that their actual enrollment patterns necessitate adjustments to the timing of their funding. Students wishing to defer Harvard Griffin GSAS-administered funding indicate this in the Student Aid Portal during the annual financial aid acceptance process. The options for deferring financial support vary by type of aid; please refer to the applicable sections of the financial aid policy webpages for details. Students who are considering deferring financial support are strongly encouraged to contact their financial aid officers to review how such actions may impact their funding in future years.

While funding packages vary by program, PhD students in the sciences typically receive full funding until they complete their programs of study. Contact your department administrator or financial aid officer for details.

See more detailed information about funding for students in humanities and social sciences programs of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

Humanities and Social Sciences Programs in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences

• Celtic Literatures and Languages
• Comparative Literature
• East Asian Languages and Civilizations
• Film and Visual Studies
• Germanic Languages and Literatures
• History of Art and Architecture
• Inner Asian and Altaic Studies
• Linguistics
• Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations
• Romance Languages and Literatures
• Slavic Languages and Literatures
• South Asian Studies

Social Sciences

• African and African American Studies
• American Studies
• Anthropology
• History of Science
• Human Evolutionary Biology
• Middle Eastern Studies
• Social Policy

A number of humanities and social sciences PhD programs are offered in partnership with Harvard's professional schools. While funding packages vary by program, PhD students in these interfaculty programs generally receive at least four years of financial support for tuition, health fees, and living expenses; most programs provide dissertation completion fellowships as well. For more information, refer to your Notice of Financial Support or contact your financial aid officer .

Interfaculty Programs in the Humanities and Social Sciences

• Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning
• Business Administration
• Business Economics
• Health Policy
• Organizational Behavior
• Political Economy and Government
• Public Policy

Each student is provided a Notice of Financial Support at the time of admission and is assigned a financial aid officer who administers this funding and is available to assist with financial concerns. Students are required to formally accept their financial aid offers and acknowledge their understanding of financial aid policies. Students should also consult their academic programs to determine whether program-specific conditions apply.

Each spring, continuing students supported by Harvard Griffin GSAS-administered funding sources are required to activate their funding for the upcoming academic year using the Student Aid Portal, an online financial aid management system. Continued eligibility for financial aid is contingent upon an annual report by the faculty that the student is making  satisfactory progress toward the degree.

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You are here

Application requirements for all doctoral programs (phd).

All of our doctoral programs are designed to develop outstanding educational researchers who have a deep understanding of the scientific, practical and policy issues they study. All require full-time study, and we promise five years of full-time financial support for every student we admit. Our doctoral programs are small, typically ranging from about 25 to 35 new students a year. The small size of our doctoral cohorts creates big educational advantages for students: the classes are almost always small, students receive individualized attention from their advisors, and they have many opportunities to develop close collegial relationships with fellow students.

It is extremely important to demonstrate in your statement of purpose that your interests converge closely with the current research of faculty who work in the program to which you are applying. Other doctoral applicants will certainly do this, and if you don't, you will forfeit an important competitive advantage to them. 

If you wish to contact faculty, please read our Which Degree Which Program article, by Professor Eamonn Callan, which outlines the appropriate process for contacting faculty with whom you share research interests. 

• Program website:  Degrees and Programs/PhD
• Length of Program:  5 years (average length)
• Tuition: fellowship/assistantship salary and tuition guaranteed for first five years of the program (autumn, winter and spring quarters) for all students, including international students. Funding includes two summers.

Application Requirements:

Application form.

Complete and submit Stanford's graduate online application .

Application Fee

The application fee is $125 , is non-refundable, and must be received by the application deadline.

Application Fee Waivers

Stanford offers three types of application fee waivers for which GSE applicants may apply and be considered:

• GRE Fee Reduction Certificate-Based Waiver
• Diversity Program Participation-Based Waiver
• School-Based Waiver

Please visit the Stanford Graduate Diversity website for instructions, deadlines, and the fee waiver application form.

Statement of Purpose

A Statement of Purpose is required. Your statement should be typed, single-spaced and should be between one to two pages . Describe succinctly your reasons for applying to the proposed program, your preparation for this field of study, and why our program is a good fit for you, your future career plans, and other aspects of your background as well as interests which may aid the admissions committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for graduate study. You may indicate potential faculty mentors as part of your study and research interests. Be sure to keep a copy for your records. What's a Good Statement of Purpose?

A resume or CV  is required of all applicants, depending on which document is most appropriate for your background. There is no page limit for resumes or CVs, though we typically see resumes of one page in length. Please upload your resume or CV in the online application.

Three (3) Letters of Recommendation

Applicants are required to submit three letters of recommendation . In the online application, you will be asked to identify your recommenders and their email addresses. Please notify your recommenders that they will receive an email prompt to submit their recommendation online. You can submit your request for letters of recommendation through the system without submitting the entire online application.  Stanford GSE only accepts online recommendations through the application system ; Stanford GSE cannot accept mailed, emailed or faxed recommendations.

Recommendations should be written by people who have supervised you in an academic, employment, or community service setting. We very strongly recommend that at least one of these letters be from a university professor familiar with your academic work. Your recommendations should directly address your suitability for admission to a graduate program at Stanford GSE.

It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all three letters of recommendation are submitted through the system by the application deadline , so please work closely with your recommenders to remind them of the deadline.

College and University Transcripts

Transcripts are required from every college and university you have attended for at least one academic year as a full-time student. When submitting your online application, transcripts should be uploaded to the application as a scanned copy or PDF ; this is sufficient for the application review process. Please refrain from sending a secured PDF/transcript with a digital signature as our system cannot upload these properly. The best way to ensure we receive an upload-able document is for you to print out the secured transcript, scan it, and upload the scanned copy (not to exceed 10MB) as a PDF. 

If you earned a degree at the institution from which you are submitting a transcript, please ensure that the degree conferral date and the degree conferred is clearly visible on the document. If you are currently enrolled in a degree program and will not have earned the respective degree by the time of submitting your GSE application, you should submit your most recent in-progress transcript from your institution.

Only if admitted will we contact you with instructions on sending two copies of your official transcripts to our office. We cannot accept mailed, emailed or faxed copies of your transcripts during the application process. Please note: the instructions for sending transcripts on the online application and on the general Stanford Graduate Admissions Office website differ from this Stanford GSE requirement.

Concerning course work completed in a study abroad program

If the coursework and grades are reflected on the transcript of your home institution, you do not need to submit original transcripts from the study abroad institution.

Concerning foreign institutions

If your institution provides a transcript in a language other than English, we require that you submit a translation of the transcript that is either provided by the institution or a certified translator. Translations must be literal and complete versions of the original records.

If your transcript does not include your degree conferral date and the degree conferred , please submit a scanned copy of your diploma, a conferral statement, or a conferral document in addition to your transcript . If you are currently enrolled in a degree program and will not have earned the respective degree by the time of submitting your GSE application, you should submit your most recent in-progress transcript from your institution.

Stanford University requires the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) from all applicants whose native language is not English. The GSE requires a minimum TOEFL score of 250 for the computer-based test, 600 for the paper-based test or 100 for the internet-based test in order to be considered for admission. The Test of Written English (TWE) portion of the TOEFL is not required. Applicants who have completed a four-year bachelor's degree or a two-year master's program (or its equivalent) in the U.S. or at an institution where English is the main language of instruction are not required to take the TOEFL. For more information on TOEFL requirements, please refer to the Required Exams  page on the main Stanford Graduate Admissions website. You may register for the TOEFL test directly at the ETS website .

TOEFL Dates and Deadlines

PhD applicants who are required to take the TOEFL should plan to take the internet-based TOEFL test and have official TOEFL scores sent electronically to Stanford at institution code 4704 (department code does not matter) no later than November 1 . This will give your official TOEFL scores time to be sent from ETS and be received by our system in time for the December 1 deadline. PhD applicants to Knight-Hennessy Scholars should plan to take the internet-based TOEFL test no later than October 16 so your scores can be received by our system in time for the November 16 KHS GSE deadline. Please note that the TOEFL may be taken no earlier than 18 months prior to the application deadline.

Does Stanford accept tests other than TOEFL?

No. We accept only TOEFL scores; we do not accept IELTS or other test scores.

Contact Information

Admissions:  [email protected]  

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How to Pay for a PhD: Fellowships for Graduate Students, Research Funding, and More

If you've ever considered earning a doctorate, one of the questions you've undoubtedly asked yourself is "how will I pay for a PhD?" 

The good news is, most doctoral students receive fellowships and research funding from the their college or university, and are not directly responsible for paying for the majority of their PhD costs.

Fully Funded PhD Programs: What Makes them Possible?

Fully funded PhD programs allow doctoral students to focus exclusively on their studies and research, without having to hold a full time job to make ends meet. Full funding is often made possible through one or more fellowships or grants from the department, the graduate school, and other organizations. SMU currently has 55 Moody School funded PhD students.

SMU’s newest school, the Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies , is able to offer a wide range of fellowships thanks, in large part, to a landmark $100 million endowment from the Moody Foundation. SMU's PhD programs cater to graduate students who want to engage in advanced, interdisciplinary, innovative studies, and data-driven research.  In this new chapter of our story, we leading the charge to discover technological solutions to the many local and global issues that challenge us as we move further into the 21 st century.

This endowment and the associated operational funds support…

• Graduate students
• SMU faculty, renowned visiting faculty, and deanships
• Leading scholars who conduct world-changing research
• Expansion of interdisciplinary research and development

“We cannot overstate the power and reach of this gift. This is a transformational moment for SMU and Dallas, signaling that SMU is a premier institution with the means to be a full partner in commercial and global problem-solving, and a pipeline for leaders to tackle those challenges." — R. Gerald Turner, SMU President

In addition to propelling SMU forward as a leading research institution, the Moody endowment has an untold impact on the Dallas community surrounding SMU. "As the Texas economy booms, companies and institutions look to universities like SMU for innovative ideas, data-driven research, and technology that can create opportunity,” Turner said. “The Moody School will be the portal to all of our resources — the entry point for any organization with a research challenge to approach the University for partnership.”

What Does the Moody Foundation Grant Mean for Graduate Students?

The Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies offers master’s and doctoral degrees that span many fields across four of SMU’s colleges and schools. These are the Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, the Lyle School of Engineering, the Meadows School of the Arts, and the Simmons School of Education and Human Development.

In a purely practical sense, this remarkable donation opens new doors for graduate students seeking fellowships and grants. Students in each of the four colleges and schools noted above can apply for fellowships, grants, and research funding that advance the goals of SMU. Let’s explore each of these funding mechanisms and discuss how prospective SMU grad students can secure these forms of funding.

Fellowships for Graduate Students at SMU

Moody graduate fellowships.

Beginning with the Fall 2021 applicants, SMU will offer fellowships to a select group of PhD applicants. These fellowships reward applicants who show exceptional promise for academic success. They provide tuition waivers, health insurance, and pensions of $30,000 for up to five years.

Students who apply to a PhD program at SMU by the  priority deadline  are eligible for the Moody Graduate Fellowship. Each department may nominate only one candidate, and SMU will consider only candidates nominated by their department.

University PhD Fellowships

Exceptional PhD and students with PhD-equivalents qualify for a fellowship grant that can defray educational costs for up to five years, contingent on satisfactory progress toward the degree.

All students who apply to a PhD program by the priority deadline  are eligible for the University PhD Fellowship. Each department may nominate a limited number of candidates, and SMU will consider only candidates nominated by their department.

Mustang Fellowships

Mustang Fellowships help SMU improve the diversity of its graduate student population. These provide tuition waivers, health insurance, and pensions of $30,000 for up to five years for PhD students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and identify as diverse in their academic disciplines.

As a PhD program applicant, you’re invited to apply for this fellowship through a brief essay in your application. You should explain why your educational, cultural, geographic, or familial background will contribute to SMU’s graduate program diversity. Departments nominate candidates for the Mustang Fellowship as part of their application review process.

Moody Dissertation Fellowships

These fellowships recognize and support outstanding PhD students as they complete their dissertations. SMU reserves this award for PhD students in the dissertation-writing phase of their degrees. It is available for those whose research shows exceptional promise for impact in their field of study.

The awards provide tuition waivers, health insurance, and a stipend of $30,000 for one year. Recipients commit to develop and defend their dissertations in the fellowship year. Their departments must nominate students to be eligible for this fellowship.

Dean’s Dissertation Fellowships

These fellowships provide support to PhD students in the dissertation-writing phase of their degrees, allowing them to focus on completing and defending their dissertations. They provide tuition waiver, health insurance, and a stipend commensurate with the standard PhD stipend in their department. Recipients commit to complete and defend their dissertations in the fellowship year. Each department must nominate students to be eligible for this fellowship.

Grants for PhD Students at SMU

Graduate student travel grants.

Graduate students can receive up to $750 in reimbursement for travel expenses to present an accepted paper or poster at a conference. You can apply for a travel grant here.

SMU accepts travel grant applications year-round but awards only one grant per student each academic year. The department chair and the graduate advisor must sponsor each proposal. Note that travel grants cannot be awarded retroactively, you'll need to submit a proposal before you travel.

Dedman Graduate Student Assembly Funding

The Dedman College Graduate Student Assembly (GSA) provides funding for graduate students in each department of Dedman College. The GSA receives a portion of the student fees paid by the graduate students in Dedman College. Those funds circulate back to graduate students who receive small grants to cover certain expenses that range from $100 to a few hundred dollars.

Graduate students can use this funding to pay for thesis and dissertation related expenses, such as presenting a paper or poster at a convention, conference, or other graduate activity, attending conferences, and purchasing membership in professional organizations and journals. Grad students may apply before the funding is necessary, or for reimbursement up to 30 days after the activity. 

Begin Your Fully-Funded PhD Program at SMU

With more than 100 years of history to build on, the SMU community is excited for the next chapter of growth that has been made possible through the Moody Foundation. With growing enrollment numbers, the Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies is already attracting the best students, staff, and faculty. Now, SMU and its graduate students are positioned to make even greater research contributions to our local Dallas community, our nation, and the world.

learn more about how

the new Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies is more committed than ever to helping grad students thrive.

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PhD Salaries and Lifetime Earnings

PhDs employed across job sectors show impressive earning potential:

“…[T]here is strong evidence that advanced education levels continue to be associated with higher salaries. A study by the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce showed that across the fields examined, individuals with a graduate degree earned an average of 38.3% more than those with a bachelor’s degree in the same field. The expected lifetime earnings for someone without a high school degree is $973,000; with a high school diploma, $1.3 million; with a bachelor’s degree, $2.3 million; with a master’s degree, $2.7 million; and with a doctoral degree (excluding professional degrees), $3.3 million. Other data indicate that the overall unemployment rate for individuals who hold graduate degrees is far lower than for those who hold just an undergraduate degree.” - Pathways Through Graduate School and Into Careers , Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) and Educational Testing Service (ETS), pg. 3.

Average salaries by educational level and degree (data from the US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2009-2011, courtesy of the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce):

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics reports higher earnings and lower unemployment rates for doctoral degree holders in comparison to those with master’s and bachelor’s degrees:

According to national studies, more education translates not only to higher earnings, but also higher levels of job success and job satisfaction:

“Educational attainment – the number of years a person spends in school – strongly predicts adult earnings, and also predicts health and civic engagement. Moreover, individuals with higher levels of education appear to gain more knowledge and skills on the job than do those with lower levels of education and they are able, to some extent, to transfer what they learn across occupations.” - Education for Life and Work (2012), National Research Council of the National Academies, pg. 66.

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How much does a PhD cost?

Study tips Published 29 Jan, 2024  ·  5-minute read

A PhD is a big commitment – you've heard it before. It’s a commitment of time, energy and (yep, you guessed it) money. But financial help is available. So, realistically, how much does it cost to do a PhD?

There’s how much a PhD costs, and then there’s how much a PhD costs after you factor in tuition scholarships . It’s also important to note that the cost of the program itself is only one component of how much you will actually spend doing your PhD.

You also need to consider:

• general living expenses and how you will afford these during the 3-4 years you’ll be studying your Doctor of Philosophy
• student services and amenities fees
• travel and accommodation expenses for non-essential workshops or conferences, should you wish to attend.

Scholarships and financial assistance programs can give you a leg up financially. After all, deciding whether or not to do a PhD shouldn’t just be about if you can afford it.

What is the cost of a PhD?

Let’s tackle this systematically and break down each of the main costs associated with a PhD.

How much do PhD programs cost?

There are 2 key factors that affect the cost of your PhD program:

• the field in which you’re studying
• whether you’re studying full time or part time.

UQ annual PhD tuition fees (based on 2024 figures)

For the most up-to-date tuition fees, visit the HDR tuition fees page .

Of course, everyone’s PhD journey differs, and students can take anywhere between 3 and 4 years to complete their PhD full time, and 6 to sometimes 8 years to complete it part time. This is why we’ve broken down fees per year, even though they’re actually charged per research quarter at UQ.

With this in mind, we’ve also included the below table, to outline how much an average PhD at UQ would cost, based on our findings that students typically finish their PhD in 3 years and 9 months .

UQ total PhD tuition fees (based on a PhD duration of 3.75 years and 2022 figures)

These figures can look super daunting at first, but it’s important to note that most students in Australia don’t undertake a PhD without securing a scholarship that will cover all of their tuition fees.

Browse PhD scholarships

Student services and amenities fees (SSAF)

Another key cost of doing a PhD is the student services and amenities fee, which is also charged per research quarter. It’s typically the same amount per quarter, but the cost does differ depending on whether you’re studying full time or part time, and if you’re away for a short period on field work (remote).

UQ student services and amenities fee for HDR students (based on 2022 figures)

*UQ does not offer fully remote PhDs.

You can apply for an SA-HELP loan to defer your SSAF. There’s no limit to the amount you can charge to the loan; however, you will need to start paying it back once you begin earning a salary over the compulsory repayment threshold ($51,550 as of 1 July 2023).

For the most up-to-date SSAF details, visit the student services and amenities page .

What’s the cost of living during a PhD?

This expense isn’t quite as straightforward to calculate as tuition costs and is largely dependent on your lifestyle and where you live. If you’ve been a student for some time already, you probably have pretty strong budgeting game – but here are a few essential expenses that you can break down to better assess your weekly cost of living while doing your PhD:

• bills (utilities, internet, phone)
• transport (public or fuel)
• recreation.

Explore the cost of living in Brisbane .

You can apply for a living stipend scholarship while you do your PhD to assist with the cost of living while studying. This scholarship provides  $33,641 a year  (for 3.5 years with the possibility of extension), so that’s about $647 a week to cover all the costs listed above. If that doesn’t quite fund your living expenses, you can look at a range of other scholarships that may provide further financial support.

Find out more about how to secure a living stipend scholarship while you complete your PhD.

What kind of travel and accommodation expenses are associated with a PhD?

Some PhD projects require you to travel outside the area in which you live to conduct research. Any travel that’s essential for your research should be factored in by your supervisor and school or institute at the time of application. However, sometimes there are conferences or workshops that you may wish to attend, that aren’t ‘essential’, but would be beneficial to your professional development. There may be scholarships available to you that include travel and accommodation allowances for these additional, non-essential research-related activities.

PhDs obviously don’t come cheap. But the upside is that there’s accessible funding and scholarship support for both tuition and living expenses. And unlike undergrad student loans, you don’t have to defer fees and pay them back down the track (except for your SSAF).

At UQ, you’ll apply for tuition and living stipend scholarships offered by UQ at the same time as your PhD application. Scholarships are awarded based on academic performance, evidence of research capability and the quality of your research project – much the same as the criteria for having your PhD proposal approved (if required).

The important thing is to go into your PhD with a realistic outlook and a backup plan when it comes to finances. You want to know that you can carry your research through to completion, and that means having a financial plan, as well as the academic drive, to make this possible.

To find out more about the PhD application process, read our comprehensive guide on how to get a PhD .

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How to get a PhD

• PhD Salary in UK – Explained
• Funding a PhD

What Are PhD Salaries?

The average cost of undertaking a PhD in the UK is approximately £20,000 per academic year for UK students and £40,000 for international students. To help offset the cost of this, many students question whether undertaking a doctorate comes with a PhD salary.

The salary of a PhD student is governed by three factors: whether they’re assisting in undergraduate teaching, assisting in research, or have secured a PhD with a stipend. Depending on which of the three categories a student falls within, they will receive an income during their studies, however, the amount will differ by a substantial amount.

To help show you how you can fund your postgraduate degree and how much you can expect to earn whilst doing so, carry on reading below.

Types of PhD Salaries

There are three types of PhD degree salaries:

• Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs) . In exchange for a salary, you’ll be required to assist in the delivery of one or more courses over a number of years. This includes, but is not limited to, marking student tutorials, supervising lab experiments and providing support to undergraduates during office hours. Besides this, you may have to teach a small section of the course itself. You can discover more about GTAs on King’s College London’s website.
• Research Assistantships (RAs) . In exchange for a salary, you assist a departmental professor with their research. In the ideal scenario, the professor you work with should also be your PhD supervisor and the research you’re asked to support with relates to your own doctoral project.
• Stipend via Studentship: A stipend is a non-repayable grant provided to doctoral students to help support their studies. A studentship covers a student’s tuition fees whilst a stipend covers a PhD student’s living costs. This includes outgoings such as rent, food, bills and basic travel. Unlike Graduate Teaching or Research Assistantships, stipends rarely have duties attached to them. The only expectation of receiving a stipend will be that you maintain continuous progress within your degree.

It’s worth noting these earning opportunities can be also be combined. For example, it’s possible to be a research assistant whilst also committing time to teach undergraduate students.

Average PhD Salary in UK

The average PhD student salary for teaching assistantships will vary depending on the level of responsibility you’re taking. However, to provide figures, past doctoral students have reported receiving approx. £10/hr for marking tutorials, £15/hr for leading laboratory sessions and up to £20/hr for leading undergraduate classes and tutorials.

The actual amount you can earn from teaching assistance will depend on the rate your department offers and the hours you can realistically take on. If you’re on a Graduate Teaching Assistantship programme, they will require you to dedicate a set number of hours per week. If you’re not on a GTA but would still like to earn an income through this scheme, you will likely need to commit several hours per week consistently. Although this can be a great way to earn whilst you study, you need to make sure you manage your time effectively as to not become overwhelmed by taking on an additional commitment.

The average salary for research assistantships will vary depending on the field of the doctoral degree you are enrolled in. Usually, these positions pay between £25,000 to £30,000 per year, however, it’s possible to come across positions which sit slightly outside of this. As a general rule of thumb, STEM assistors are paid more than non-STEM assistors.

In the UK, PhD students can receive a stipend which varies between £15,000 and £18,000 per annum. As part of the studentship your stipend is provided under, your tuition fees will also be paid for. UK tuition fees will vary between universities but are approximately £4,500 per year for doctoral courses starting in 2021/22 as per the UKRI recommendations .

Although £15,000 to £18,000 per year is the typical range for a stipend, some can be far greater than this. For example, Wellcome Trust , a research-charity based in London, offers an annual stipend of up to £23,300 and £26,000 for doctoral students located outside and within London, respectively.

Are PhD Salaries Taxed?

PhD stipends are tax free. Therefore, you don’t need to pay any income tax nor do you need to make any national insurance contributions. This means you’ll keep all the money you receive from an annual stipend. However, this is not the case for Research Assistants.

In the UK, Research Assistants are employed as university staff members and are paid a direct salary as opposed to a stipend. As a result, it will require you to pay tax on your earnings and make national insurance contributions.

To put this into perspective, for the 2019/20 UK tax year, you’re required to pay a 20% tax on any income above £12,500 but less than £50,000. You’re also required to make national insurance contributions of 12% of your weekly earnings over £166 but less than £962. This means that an annual Research Assistantship salary of £30,000 will equate to a take-home salary of £23,938 per year.

How to Get a PhD Stipend

To find research positions which offer stipends, we recommend you search our PhD database and filter by ‘funded’ positions.

Besides this, you can also secure a studentship from UK Research Councils or directly from your university as a scholarship. Independent organisations, such as charities and research trusts, and innovative firms within your industry also offer funding. You can read our PhD studentship guide to see how these work or our Where to find a PhD guide for further ideas.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

How to Get a Research Assistantship PhD

Unfortunately, research assistantships opportunities aren’t as common to come across compared to PhD stipends. Besides this, when they are available, they’re predominantly in STEM subjects such as computer science and engineering. The reason for this is these subjects usually have access to greater research grants and have a greater volume of practical work available.

To find a research assistantship, we recommend that you contact the university departments who host the courses you’re interested in directly. This is because research assistantships help professors with their research, and while they may require help, they may not be openly advertising for it. They may, therefore, be able to create a role for you within their department or put you into contact with one of their colleagues who already has an open position.

International Students

It’s worth noting that international students will have a harder time securing a funded PhD position than UK ‘home’ students will. This is largely because there are usually fewer funding opportunities available to international students, which as a result also attract significant competition.

Besides this, if you’re an international student studying in the UK you will most likely than not be on a Tier 4 visa. Although a Tier 4 visa will allow you to work to earn an additional income alongside any studentship you may have, there will be certain restrictions on what you can and can’t do. For example, during term-time, you won’t be allowed to work more than 20 hours per week. For a full list of restrictions, please refer to the government website.

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