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May 29, 2022

The Myth of the Fully-Funded PhD: Using Scholarships to Mitigate the Financial Realities of Research Degrees

When you decide to go to graduate school of any kind, you are making a financial decision that will dramatically affect your earning capacity for the duration of the program and throughout your life. While the caliber of school, available mentorship opportunities, and research resources are important factors to consider when making a decision about which university to attend, students often forget to carefully assess the financial realities associated with each opportunity.

The financial decision surrounding attending graduate school

Unlike students in professional graduate programs, most PhD students do not plan to pursue high-paying careers, and they depend on the fact that doctoral programs automatically include “full funding” to offset the cost of long-term research degrees. Though many graduate students receive admissions offers that are referred to as “fully-funded,” such funding packages require PhD students to teach multiple years in exchange for tuition waivers and teaching stipends. Once students start to work for the university and balance their many responsibilities, they quickly realize that “full-funding” isn’t exactly the same as a “scholarship” or a “full-ride. ”

Common misconceptions about what it means to be “fully-funded”

Depending on the university and its location, the value of one’s teaching stipend in relationship to workload and cost of living can vary greatly. In reality, graduate student teaching stipends for students who live in large United States cities are not enough to cover basic necessities. As a result, most graduate students go into additional debt to complete their programs.

Since tenure-track jobs have become increasingly elusive in the United States university system, today’s doctoral students must also satisfy a growing list of requirements to be considered for well-paying and stable teaching positions upon graduation. The added responsibilities associated with producing early publications, progressing through the degree quickly, regularly attending conferences, and pursuing ongoing professionalization or certification opportunities all require significant time commitments.

However, since doctoral students must work for the university in order to waive tuition and fees, they cannot devote all of their time to academic and professional progress. To avoid burnout and set aside more time for completing research, I suggest that prospective and current graduate students continuously apply for extramural funding, research fellowships, and community-based scholarships throughout their degrees.

Accepted’s clients received over $3.5 million dollars in scholarship offers in the last application cycle.  Explore our scholarship essay services   to find out how we can help you!

How the academic culture deemphasizes the financial aspects of the work

The common phrase “no one goes into a PhD to make money” is thrown around frequently in academic settings, and seems to suggest that pursuits related to funding are selfish and “anti-intellectual.” Especially in the humanities and social sciences, there is significant cultural importance placed on the fact that academia is not about money, and that academic careers are shaped by intellectual merit, not an individual’s financial capacity to stay in school.

Historically, however, the option to waive tuition in return for a few years of university teaching was an affordable way to enable individuals to pursue intellectual projects in the not-for-profit environment of the public university. One generation ago, doctoral students transitioned into tenure-track jobs with much more ease than those currently on the market. They also entered public institutions carrying far less student debt, and upon employment, they received guaranteed state pensions and salaries commensurate with the cost of living.

In today’s public university, the labor commitments of teaching assistants have grown significantly while the pay has not caught up with the steep rise in the cost of living for most university hubs. For example, throughout my graduate program at UCLA, I received between $15,000 and $22,000 in annual pay as a teaching or staff stipend. Given that my Los Angeles rent was upwards of $1,200 per month and rising, I was unable to continue my degree without applying for extramural grants and taking on work outside of the university.

Furthermore, the number of tenure track positions is diminishing so it is unlikely that I will ever make the stable and generous income to which my advisors have access. So the cultural norms of the intellectual community, which eschew any discussion of financial wellness, are no longer sustainable for most graduate students.

Though most graduate programs do not emphasize the financial aspects of navigating life as a student researcher and university employee, I have found that the pursuit of additional funding is neither a greedy nor an “anti-intellectual” use of my time in graduate school. Rather it is a great way to empower myself to set aside more time for conducting critical research and preparing for a successful career.

Strategies for applying for funding throughout your doctoral degree

In addition to my own efforts to build funding applications into my graduate studies, as a Student Affairs Advisor at the UCLA Scholarship Resource Center, I have worked with graduate students to generate strategies for incorporating annual cycles of grant writing into their studies.

Here are some of the most important takeaways from that work:

Most applicants are so anxious about whether or not they will be accepted to their desired PhD program that they don’t think about funding until after they’ve found out where they have gotten in. But there are a number of organizations, like the Ford Foundation , the Paul & Daisy Soros Foundation , the Stanford-Knight Hennessey Scholars Program , the National Science Foundation, and the Fannie and John Hertz Foundation , that offer funding for prospective graduate students.Like university admission applications, these also run on an annual cycle that requires students to apply one year before they plan to enroll in school. So, if you are planning to spend this fall putting together applications for graduate school, it is well worth it to add a number of fellowship applications to your list as well. Even if you aren’t successful with your first round of applications you will be well prepared to add scholarship applications to your graduate school routine. This is an activity that you should engage in throughout your entire degree, and you have to start somewhere!

Below are some questions that you should be able to answer by carefully analyzing your letter of admission. If you can’t answer them, try to find out the answers before you make your decision.• How many years of teaching assistantship does the university commit to you? How many students are you responsible for teaching, assessing, and holding office hours with for each term?• Are there stipulations related to your progress through the degree that may create limitations on your access to university funding or campus work opportunities?

• Does your status as university student or staff come with health benefits?

• Does your university have a union for teaching assistants? If so, what employee rights do you have through your union membership? Pay close attention to issues of pay related to maternity leave, medical leave, absence in the case of the death of a family member, and access to childcare.

• Is there an employee handbook for student staff and teaching assistants?

• What is the pay scale associated with the teaching positions that the university has offered you?

Before you decide where to go to school, do the research about your housing options. How much does university housing cost? Are there other options?Some universities offer annual budgets on their websites that include the cost of housing, but you have to analyze these carefully to understand how these budgets translate to your degree. For instance, UCLA’s estimated cost of attendance for graduate students only lists the annual budget for the academic year, which consists of 8 months. So you’d have to add four months of summer expenses in order to get a true sense of the living costs associated with each calendar year.

Once you’ve chosen a university, I would suggest that you map out the various phases of the program, the skillsets that you wish to build, and the accomplishments that you will achieve as you progress through the degree. There are different types of funding for every step of progress that you make, and if you are intentional about identifying related funding you can apply for specific opportunities throughout.Here are some examples of different achievements or degree phases associated with specific funding opportunities:• 2-3 years of coursework

• Conference travel

• Master’s exam period

• Master’s thesis writing year

• Language study

• Building a technical or quantitative analytical methodology

• Preliminary fieldwork or archival research

• Prospectus development

• Qualifying exam period

• Preliminary dissertation research

• Primary fieldwork or archival research

• Dissertation writing year

Most research-related funding opportunities do not pay out until a full academic year after the application submission period. This means that you should plan out your goals an entire year in advance, and apply for funding in the year before you carry out the projects and goals that you propose in your application materials. If you can continuously conceptualize your degree in the long-term, you will be able to anticipate the types of funding that will support your progress.

Whether you work for the institution or not, it will likely be up to you to cover the cost of your summers during graduate school. Rather than wait until summer starts to figure out how you’re going to pay the bills, start making plans the preceding fall. You may find paid opportunities to conduct research, fieldwork, or language study during your summer. But you also have the option to take on paid internships in a number of research fields in both the public and private sectors.

Do you need help with your PhD admissions or PhD funding applications? Our expert advisors are here to walk you through the PhD application process, from strategy-building to final send-off. Check out our Graduate School Admissions Consulting & Editing Services for more information on how we can help you GET ACCEPTED…with funding!

Student Affairs Advisor and scholarship expert, Rebecca has six years experience reviewing and editing large grant applications, research-based proposals, statements of purpose, personal statements and fellowship materials. Want Rebecca to help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

• 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your Grad School Statement of Purpose , a free guide
• How to Write About Your Research Interests
• The Personal Statement That Got Me a Large Scholarship to Cambridge

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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.

Featured Online Schools

• 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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How PhD Students Get Paid

The most common questions (and biggest misconceptions) about getting a PhD revolve around money. Maybe you’ve heard that PhD students get paid just to study, or maybe you’ve even heard that PhD students don’t get paid at all.

It makes sense — how you make money as a PhD student is different from most other career routes, and the process can be highly variable depending on your school, discipline and research interests. 

So, let’s address the big question: do PhD students get paid? Most of the time the answer is yes. PhD programs that don’t offer some form of compensation, like stipends, tuition remission or assistantships, are rare but they do exist. On the other hand, some programs, like a PhD in Economics , are so competitive that unpaid programs are virtually unheard of. 

To help you gain a better understanding of PhD funding and decide if getting a PhD is worth it for you, here are some of the most common examples of how PhD students are paid. 

PhD Stipends

Most PhD programs expect students to study full-time. In exchange, they’re usually offered a stipend — a fixed sum of money paid as a salary — to cover the cost of housing and other living expenses. How much you get as a stipend depends on your university, but the range for PhD stipends is usually between $20,000 - $30,000 per year.  

In some cases, your stipend will be contingent upon an assistantship.

Assistantships

A PhD assistantship usually falls into one of two categories: research or teaching. 

For research assistantships , faculty generally determine who and how many assistants they need to complete their research and provide funding for those assistants through their own research grants from outside organizations. 

A teaching assistantship is usually arranged through your university and involves teaching an undergraduate or other class. Assistantships allow graduate students to gain valuable experience leading a classroom, and helps to balance out the university’s stipend costs. 

Fellowships

Fellowships provide financial support for PhD students, usually without the teaching or research requirement of an assistantship. The requirements and conditions vary depending on the discipline, but fellowships are generally merit based and can be highly competitive. Fellowships usually cover at least the cost of tuition, but some may even pay for scholarly extracurricular activities, like trips, projects or presentations. 

Fellowships can be offered through your university or department as well as outside sources. 

Part-time Employment

PhD students don’t commonly have additional employment during their course of study, but it is possible depending on your discipline and the rigor of your program. Flexible, low-demand jobs like freelance writing or tutoring can be a natural fit for many PhD students, and might be flexible enough to balance along with your coursework. 

All in all, it’s fair to say that though the form of payment may be unfamiliar, PhD students do in fact get paid. But keep in mind that while most PhD programs offer some kind of funding for students, it’s not guaranteed. 

Want to know more about how to pay for a PhD ? Explore our Guide to Choosing and Applying for PhD Programs . 

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Is a Doctorate Degree Worth It?

Know before you read At SNHU, we want to make sure you have the information you need to make decisions about your education and your future—no matter where you choose to go to school. That's why our informational articles may reference careers for which we do not offer academic programs, along with salary data for those careers. Cited projections do not guarantee actual salary or job growth.

Earning a doctorate takes time, money and discipline. Like many things worth doing, the process is challenging but also rewarding. Becoming an expert in your subject area and immersing yourself in your chosen area of study makes the process of earning a doctorate important to many people. Certain professions require or value a doctorate for promotion potential.

In fact, career advancement, love of the subject matter and personal satisfaction are three of the top reasons why Dr. Bridgitte Kiprop '23 , Dr. Jennifer Barry ’23 and Dr. Torialyn Draper Crook earned their doctorates.

• For Kiprop '23, part of her motivation for earning a doctorate in International Business was setting an example for her six children.
• For Barry, ’23, who earned a doctor of education degree in educational leadership, part of her motivation was to prepare for success in meeting her long-term career goal to become a university president.
• And for Crook, earning her doctorate in education was a commitment that she undertook to honor her family’s legacy of valuing education.

How Difficult is Earning a Doctorate?

For Kiprop, time management was her key to success. With six children, she had to make the most of any time in the day that she could find. “If I had … five minutes, I would use the five minutes,” she said. “Other times, I was luckier (and had) two hours.”

Despite the time-management  challenges of earning an advanced degree while raising her family, Kiprop feels that the process of earning that degree was a way to inspire her children to work hard to meet their own goals.

“I really hope that my children will ... know that whatever it is they feel called to do, whatever their ambitions, their goals are achievable,” she said.

To manage the challenge of advanced studies, having the right people around you as you work on your degree is essential, according to Crook. “Surround yourself with family, friends, colleagues and mentors who can provide encouragement during challenging times,” she said.

Crook stresses that everyone’s journey to earning their doctorate is unique. She recommends being prepared for the unexpected, and remaining flexible in adjusting your path as you work toward completing your degree.

How Long Does a Doctorate Take?

Students may have family commitments, health challenges or need to work full or part-time while attending school . Many students face all of these circumstances. Crook managed to complete her doctorate in 5 years, though it wasn't easy for her. She faced a significant personal health challenge and was raising two children while also attending school.

For Barry, earning her doctoral degree is part of an educational path that started with her bachelor’s degree at SNHU (formerly New Hampshire College) in 2000. She then continued her education to earn a master's degree throughout several jobs and geographic moves.

Barry views her entire educational journey as part of the process that led to meeting her ultimate goal of earning a doctorate.

What Skills Are Needed to Earn a Doctorate?

While every academic program is different, Crook finds certain skills and competencies necessary for success, regardless of field. These skills include:

• Building relationships
• Organizational skills
• Self-motivation
• Writing skills

Crook finds building relationships particularly important. While working on her degree, the strong relationship that she developed with her dissertation chairperson proved essential. She also built positive relationships with other doctoral students, which led to a strong peer support network throughout her program.

Kiprop echoes the importance of building relationships in her field as well. For her, building new relationships is a way to open your mind to new experiences and opportunities.

Find Your Program

What types of jobs can you get with a doctorate.

While a doctorate is helpful for working in leadership roles at colleges and universities, there are many opportunities for doctoral degree holders to work at the highest levels in their profession outside of higher education as well.

Some of the top professions that require a doctoral or professional degree and have a faster-than-average predicted growth rate, according to the BLS, are:

• Astronomers* (SNHU does not currently offer graduate degrees in astronomy or physics)
• Biochemists and biophysicists* (SNHU does not currently offer graduate degrees in biochemistry or biophysics)
• Clinical and counseling psychologists* (SNHU does not currently offer doctorates in psychology, but you could start with a bachelor's in psychology , followed by a master's in psychology )
• Higher education teachers and professors — particularly business, computer science and engineering teachers*

Two more examples of areas where a doctorate can help prepare you for advancement in your career are educational leadership and international business.

A doctorate in educational leadership can be a Doctor of Philosophy degree, known as a PhD, or a Doctor of Education degree, known as an EdD. The PhD in Education Leadership  typically leads to higher education roles in teaching and research. The EdD in Educational Leadership , which Barry earned, typically leads to leadership and strategy roles in an education setting that may be at the higher education or secondary school level.

A PhD in International Business  may include addressing a gap in an existing body of knowledge by conducting research. Kiprop, who earned her doctorate at SNHU, plans to use her degree to research entrepreneurship in small business finance.

Motivated by being from a developing country — Kenya — she has a personal interest in helping grow small businesses in similar developing areas. “I can also use that same knowledge at the New Hampshire level because the issues there perhaps are different but still … relevant,” she said.

Regardless of your program field, the process of earning a doctorate can help you explore ways of applying your newfound and existing knowledge that you may not have considered prior to starting your program.

Is it Better to Have a Master’s or Doctorate?

Both a master’s degree  and a doctorate offer opportunities for career advancement. Choosing which to earn, or whether to earn both, is a highly personal decision based on your personal and professional goals and aspirations, according to Crook.

Before deciding which degree is right for you, consider your goals. Speaking with a career counselor  or graduate admissions counselor to learn about career options and pathways toward earning the degree can be a helpful step toward making this decision.

In many fields, a master’s degree is enough  to move forward in your career. But, earning a doctorate is an opportunity to take your career a step further, according to Crook. That step “gives one the opportunity to direct their career trajectory specifically through research and other specialized skills and knowledge,” she said.

How Valuable is a Doctorate?

A doctorate isn’t for everyone, but it can be right for you depending on your chosen field and career path.

For many people, earning a doctorate is just as important as a personal accomplishment as it is a professional one. “I (always) understood the significance of progressing in my career and staying connected to my field of higher education,” Crook said. “My doctoral journey was worthwhile as it aligned with my career goals  and personal aspirations,” she said.

For Barry, the doctorate was worth it because she believes strongly in the power of education . “You see how (education) transforms people’s lives and … gives people opportunities that they didn’t see before,” she said.

She has seen many people earn degrees only for their family members to then continue in their footsteps. “I just think that generationally, (education) is creating pathways for people,” she said.

Deciding whether to pursue a doctorate is ultimately a very personal decision, but one that can lead you to build new relationships and a new knowledge base while helping you reach or exceed your career goals.

A degree can change your life. Find the SNHU doctorate degree  that can best help you meet your goals.

*Cited job growth projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth. Actual salaries and/or earning potential may be the result of a combination of factors including, but not limited to: years of experience, industry of employment, geographic location, and worker skill. 

A former higher education administrator, Dr. Marie Morganelli  is a career educator and writer. She has taught and tutored composition, literature, and writing at all levels from middle school through graduate school. With two graduate degrees in English language and literature, her focus — whether teaching or writing — is in helping to raise the voices of others through the power of storytelling. Connect with her on LinkedIn .

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About southern new hampshire university.

SNHU is a nonprofit, accredited university with a mission to make high-quality education more accessible and affordable for everyone.

Founded in 1932, and online since 1995, we’ve helped countless students reach their goals with flexible, career-focused programs . Our 300-acre campus in Manchester, NH is home to over 3,000 students, and we serve over 135,000 students online. Visit our about SNHU  page to learn more about our mission, accreditations, leadership team, national recognitions and awards.

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5 routes to getting a Doctorate

While most of those studying for a PhD take the PhD by thesis pathway, there are five viable routes to achieving a Doctorate degree

PhD by thesis

This is the most common means of getting a Doctorate degree. Over the three or four years of research at university, your PhD supervisor will support you as you aim to produce a thesis based on your research proposal .

A thesis is typically 60,000-90,000 words in length - although this can vary between institutions. For instance, the University of Glasgow's College of Social Sciences expects a thesis to be 70,000-100,000 words including references, bibliography and appendices, while the University of Cambridge has set an upper limit of 80,000 words.

Once completed, you'll need to defend your PhD thesis in front of a panel of examiners during your viva voce .

PhD by publication

This route involves submitting previously published work - such as books, book chapters and journal articles, which together form a coherent body of work and show evidence of an original contribution to a particular field of study.

It's often taken by mid-career academics that haven't had the opportunity to undertake a standard Doctorate degree.

Generally, a minimum of five to eight published pieces are required, but this varies between institutions and depends on their length. The published work will be assessed to the same rigorous standards as a traditional PhD by thesis.

You must also provide a written supporting statement, which can range from 5,000 to 20,000 words, and present your work to an academic committee. A supervisor will assist you with selecting which publications to submit and with the supporting statement.

Some universities accept only their own graduates for a PhD by publication, while others restrict this route to their academic staff. In general, you should have graduated from your first degree at least seven years ago to be eligible.

For example, The University of Manchester has published its own Guidance for the PhD By Published Work , with eligibility only extending to current members of staff.

Professional Doctorate

Geared primarily towards current professionals in vocational sectors such as healthcare , teaching and education , and engineering and manufacturing , this type of Doctorate degree includes a significant taught component and a smaller research project.

Professional Doctorates are often taken on a part-time basis and can last between two and eight years. Like their standard PhD counterparts, they usually begin in October or January.

While you won't typically be looking to get an academic job , your research is expected to contribute to theory as well as professional practice. Projects often revolve around a real-life issue that affects your employer.

Several professional Doctorates, such as the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy), are accredited by a professional body - for instance, the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) and The British Psychological Society (BPS) - and may also lead to a professional qualification .

Common titles for graduates of professional Doctorate degrees include:

• Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)
• Doctor of Education (EdD)
• Doctor of Engineering (EngD)
• Doctor of Medicine (MD).

Unlike many professional Doctorates, the EngD is typically offered as a full-time course and is aimed at young engineering graduates with little or no professional experience.

Explore what's currently available at Find a Professional Doctorate .

Integrated PhD

This four-year qualification, also known as the New Route PhD, involves studying a one-year research Masters degree (MRes) before progressing onto a three-year PhD.

Offered by a select number of universities across the UK, integrated PhDs are supported by the government and the British Council through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) . Visit Research Council funding for further information on research and funding for different types of PhD.

The integrated PhD involves a combination of taught materials, practical experience and advanced research. This allows you to learn subject-specific methodologies, while building the transferable skills that will enable you to become a leader in your chosen profession.

Institutions can also develop personalised integrated PhD programmes to meet each student's needs. For example, universities may offer you the opportunity to gain a postgraduate certificate (PGCert) in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education - perfect if you're considering a career as a higher education lecturer .

As PhDs are based primarily on independent research rather than time spent in lectures and seminars, distance learning has always been a viable route for many Doctoral students.

PhDs by distance learning offered by course providers such as The Open University are therefore a good option to consider if you've got family or work commitments or are an international student - as this gives you the chance to undertake Doctoral research without having to live close to your chosen institution. It's also a suitable mode of study if your subject requires you to be based in a specific location away from the university.

For the most part, you'll be in touch with your supervisor by phone, email or Skype/Zoom. You'll need to bear in mind that even if you opt for this form of research, you'll generally still need to attend university for one or two weeks of each academic year for meetings and to receive research skills training. Your final examination may be undertaken either face-to-face or virtually.

With online PhDs, you can usually register as a full or part-time student. The level of fees you pay varies between institutions - some charge the same as for a standard PhD while others offer a reduced rate.

Check that any funding you plan to apply for is available to distance learning students, as this isn't always the case.

Search for distance learning PhDs .

Find out more

• Explore what is a PhD?
• Sort out funding for postgraduate study .
• Consider what to do after completing your PhD .

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• 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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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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