Fellowships
A fellowship is an arrangement in which financial support is given to a graduate student to pursue his or her degree without any obligation on the part of the student to engage in teaching and/or research in furtherance of the university’s academic mission. Fellowships are generally merit-based awards intended to support a student in a full-time course of study.
The Graduate School funds a significant number of our entering doctoral student with fellowships awarded through the graduate fields. Fellowship awards are based on the student's scholastic ability and promise of academic achievement.
Fellowships for Admitted Students
Cornell University Fellowships
Approximately 20 percent of our doctoral students studying on campus receive Cornell University Fellowships (referred to as Sage Fellowships or Cornell Fellowships depending on the field of study). These fellowships typically include full tuition, a nine-month stipend, and Cornell individual student health insurance. A summer stipend may also be provided to students.
How to apply:
Cornell University Fellowships are awarded at the time of admission; continuing students are ineligible to apply. Prospective students apply for fellowships on the admissions application. To be considered for a university fellowship, respond “yes” to the question on the admissions application asking if you wish to be considered for university assistantships and fellowships.
Award Process:
The graduate field to which you are applying will consider your eligibility for fellowships based on your application; no additional information is required.
Notification:
Admitted Ph.D. students will be notified of any fellowship awards as part of the admissions offer.
Diversity Fellowships (SUNY and Sage Fellowships)
Special fellowships designed to increase the diversity of Cornell’s graduate student population may be available on a competitive basis to U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Students who meet the following criteria are eligible:
- history of overcoming disadvantage;
- first-generation college student;
- member of an underrepresented minority group (African American/Black, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Mexican American, Puerto Rican, other Hispanic, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander). Permanent residents whose ethnicity corresponds to these groups also meet this criterion.
How to apply:
Prospective students apply for diversity fellowships on the admissions application.
To be considered, respond “yes” to the question on the admissions application asking if you wish to be considered for university assistantships and fellowships, including diversity fellowships. You must also submit a supplemental essay that addresses how the above criteria apply.
Thanks to Scandinavia
Students from Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden or Bulgaria are eligible to apply for this fellowship established by Thanks to Scandinavia in gratitude for the humanity and bravery of the people throughout Scandinavia and Bulgaria who protected persons of the Jewish faith during and after World War II. The fellowship includes a nine-month stipend full tuition, and Cornell individual student health insurance. To request consideration for this fellowship, please notify your graduate field of your eligibility and request that they nominate you to the Graduate School prior to the fellowship deadline of February 15.
Africa Fund
Ph.D. applicants who are citizens of an African country and not permanent residents of the United States are eligible for this award. The fellowship includes a nine-month stipend full tuition, and Cornell individual student health insurance. To request consideration for this fellowship, please notify your graduate field of your eligibility and request that they nominate you to the Graduate School prior to the fellowship deadline of February 15.
Fellowships for Continuing Students
In addition to the University Fellowships, competitive fellowships are available to current students from a number of sources including the following: Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships and Provost's Diversity Fellowships,.
Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships
U.S. citizen and permanent resident graduate students in master’s or Ph.D. programs who are pursuing coursework (generally students in their first through third year) are eligible to apply for FLAS fellowships to support advanced training in foreign languages (excluding some Western European languages and areas).
These awards provide a nine-month stipend and a tuition allowance. All FLAS fellows receive the balance of tuition from the Graduate School. Ph.D. students who receive FLAS awards also receive a stipend supplement to bring the award to the nine-month assistantship minimum, along with individual Cornell Student Health Insurance (SHIP).
How to apply:
Applications, usually due in late January, are available from the Einaudi Center.
Provost's Diversity Fellowships
Designed to support Cornell's diverse graduate student population, Provost's Diversity fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis to U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
Applicants for Diversity Fellowships:
An announcement (including application form) is distributed to the graduate fields in February. Applications are submitted to the Graduate School through the Director of Graduate Studies.
To be considered for these awards, students must submit a supplemental essay with your application that addresses how the following criteria apply to you:
- a history of overcoming disadvantage;
- first-generation college student;
- member of an underrepresented minority group (American Indian or Alaskan native, Black/African American, Mexican American, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, Puerto Rican, Other Hispanic).
To be eligible for the award, nominees must have received at least one year of support (e.g., assistantship, training grant, etc.) from their field.
External Fellowships
Cornell students have been highly successful in competing for external fellowships (those awarded by outside agencies such as the NSF, Javits, or the Social Science Research Council. To assist students in identifying external fellowship the Graduate School maintains a searchable database of over 700 opportunities. Students are encouraged to work with their Director of Graduate Studies and/or special committee chair to develop effective application materials.
Other Support
Research Travel Grants:
The Graduate School awards a small number of grants to graduate students for spring and summer research-related travel. Applications are due to the Graduate School (350 Caldwell Hall) by 4:30 p.m. Feb. 1 for spring or summer travel. (If the deadline falls on a weekend, applications are due the following Monday.) Research travel grant applications are available at www.gradschool.cornell.edu/forms. Awards will be announced in early March.
In awarding research travel grants, the Graduate School gives priority to Ph.D. students who have or will have passed the A Exam prior to initiating their research travel. Priority also is given to requests for pre-dissertation research. Prior awardees are given low priority. Field trips related to academic classes are also given low priority.
Because the Graduate School seeks to award a maximum number of grants from limited funds, awards are typically no more than $2,000. Students are encouraged to submit requests that reflect careful budgeting. For example, applicants should use public transportation when practical, plan on preparing their own meals whenever possible, and secure modest accommodations.
Please note that research travel grants are for travel that is directly related to dissertation research, not conference travel. Conference grant applications are available at www.gradschool.cornell.edu/forms/
Conference Travel Grants:
The Graduate School provides grants to students who are invited to present papers or posters at professional
conferences. Award amounts are based on geographic location, not actual expenses. (iFor example, a student attending a
conference in Italy may receive the full $675, but a student attending a conference in Washington, D.C. may
receive $225.) Awards will not, under any circumstances, exceed $675. The Graduate School tries to fund most
requests from students.
Conference grant applications are available at www.gradschool.cornell.edu/forms/.