Funding

The Computing Ph.D. program has limited funds and typically only funds students for their first year. Students are required to identify a major advisor by the end of their first semester. Advisors are expected to help students secure funding for the remainder of their degree program. 

To maximize your chance to receive program funding you should submit your application by the priority deadline.   If you submit by this deadline the process is as follows:

• Early February – Students receive admission notification from the Graduate College.
• Mid-Late February – The Computing PhD GA committee reviews and ranks admitted applicants.
• March – The program begins making GA offers to students.
• Mid-March and beyond – Additional funding offers will be sent out until all GA positions have been filled.

Please note that in the event a student must defer their admission the program cannot hold GA offers for them. Students who defer admission can request to be considered for funding again.  

Some departments, like Computer Science, also make GA offers to new students. Each department has its own timeline for making offers. Typically offers are sent to new students in the spring.

Research Assistantships (RA) are positions where a student is hired to work on a specific research project. Research assistantships are managed by faculty. Faculty may directly recruit students to apply to the program, or they may choose to recruit and hire a student who’s already been admitted.

Students are encouraged to learn about current faculty research through their homepages, GoogleScholar, or other electronic resources.  You can also find them talking about their research in seminars, conferences, and workshops.

Visit our directory page for a list of program faculty, and contact those who are doing work in areas that align with your interests and background. Our faculty participate in a wide variety of programs, so please make sure to let them know you are interested in the Computing PhD program, along with your emphasis area of interest.

External fellowships are funding from sponsors outside of the university, such as government agencies, industry, and foundations.  Fellowships can provide generous salaries and tuition waivers and can demonstrate distinction and achievement on your CV after graduation. We encourage both new and continuing students to apply for fellowships.

Fellowships for Computing Students

Gem scholarships are merit-based scholarships awarded by the Graduate College. A Gem Scholarship waives non-resident tuition for out-of-state and international graduate students with an overall GPA of at least 3.30

Visit the Graduate College website for more information