phd funding stanford

Graduate Student Funding

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The cost of graduate study at Stanford and the resources available for financial support vary by degree, school, and enrollment status. Students are encouraged to plan ahead and anticipate their financial needs.

Campus Offices and Resources

Your degree program.

Many funding policies and resources are local, so seek out your student services staff, faculty advisor, or faculty director of graduate studies for help or advice first.

Financial Aid Office

Stanford's main Financial Aid Office (FAO) offers a broad overview of graduate student funding and generates a sample graduate student budget (or estimated “cost of attendance”). The FAO also administers loans and manages Stanford Support Programs such as the Emergency Grant-In-Aid Funds and the Graduate Family Grant Program. The Graduate School of Business, School of Medicine, and Stanford Law School have financial aid offices to serve students pursuing professional degrees.

• Read the Graduate Basics page
• Review the Student Budget
• Learn about Stanford Support Programs

Office of the University Registrar

The "Reg Office" posts annual  tuition rates .

Student Services Center

The  Student Services Center  can help you understand and pay your bill and provides other student services.

Mind Over Money

The  Mind Over Money  program provides workshops. coaching, and extensive personal finance resources, including information about  taxes  and  saving for retirement , to support students' financial wellness during their time at Stanford and beyond.

Controller’s Office

The  Controller’s Office  offers information about taxes, student employment, and travel reimbursement.

Graduate Academic Policies and Procedures

The GAP provides guidelines for graduate financial support, including definitions of typical funding sources and minimum salaries for research and teaching assistants.

• Read about graduate policies
• See current assistantship rates 

Related Links

VPGE Fellowships & Funding

Other Stanford Fellowships

External Funding

Funding Your PhD

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All School of Engineering students who are in good standing relative to their PhD program requirements should be funded to the department’s standard. Often, our PhD students apply for and may receive individual fellowships that can reduce the department’s or advisor’s cost of funding.

In these cases, the guarantee of funding to the student will include the fellowship award and additional support from the department/advisor to reach the department-standard level.

The Equity and Inclusion team has compiled a list of resources below. Please refer to department websites for more information. 

Fellowships & Other Programs

Stanford Engineering belongs to several national consortia that recruit and finance graduate students underrepresented in the field.

Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program

Each year this program awards up to 100 high-achieving students with full funding to pursue a graduate education at Stanford. Learn More

GEM Fellowship Program

GEM is an award that may bring industry connections, mentorship, and sometimes provides internships. The GEM funding can range from $0 to the maximum one-time $20,000 award for graduate students.

Step 1:  Review the information below. Step 2:  Complete this  Qualtrics  form. The form contains 3 pages and will ask you to upload a copy of your offer of admission and funding letter.  Step 3:  The form information will be sent to your department for verification and consideration.  Step 4:  Once verified by the admitting department, the certifying officer will update the GEM portal.

Doctoral (Ph.D) Admits Stanford Engineering commits to full funding for all PhDs. Departments will decide how to utilize GEM’s maximum contribution (up to $20,000 total) in funding allocations.

Graduate Fellowships for STEM Diversity (GFSD)

With the most diverse applicant pool of any national STEM fellowship program, GFSD is a partnership between government agencies and laboratories, industry, and higher education. Learn More 

DARE Fellowship

The Diversifying Academia, Recruiting Excellence (DARE) Fellowship objectives are to prepare the student for a successful faculty career and to support their commitment to using diversity as a resource to enrich the education of others. Learn More

Stanford Interdisciplinary Graduate Fellowship (SIGF)

SIGF supports incoming and current doctoral students, nominated by their departments. Learn More 

Teaching & Course Assistantships

Fund your PhD and help students – from grade school to undergraduate – expand their knowledge in STEM. 

School of Engineering Teaching and Course Assistantships

This program has the dual goal of providing funding and teaching opportunities to graduate students, while enriching the undergraduate curriculum. Learn More

Additional Calculus for Engineers (ACE)

Earn additional funding by teaching weekly small group sessions for undergraduates needing additional support in introductory courses in math, computational and mathematical engineering, and computer science. Learn More

STEM K-12 Education Initiatives

Help young students underrepresented in STEM build confidence in math, science, and engineering, as you earn funding as a teacher, tutor, graduate lecturer, or workshop leader. Learn More

Other Resources

For fee waivers and further financial aid information, visit the following pages and programs:

Fee Waivers

If you are considering Stanford graduate programs and need assistance with the application fees, consider applying for a fee waiver. Learn More

SEED Funding

The Stanford SEED Funding website aims to simplify the search for seed and other forms of internal university funding that support the critical early stage work of Stanford faculty and students. Learn More 

Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education (VPGE)

The Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education (VPGE) supports graduate students, student groups, and department-based projects through funding and professional development opportunities. Learn More

Graduate Life Office (GLO)

Stanford’s Graduate Life Office is committed to supporting students’ well-being and offers a broad variety of resources on campus, including financial aid. Learn More 

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The PhD program provides a financial fellowship to qualified doctoral students that includes tuition, a living stipend, health fee coverage, and opportunities to hold research and/or course assistantships.

All incoming doctoral students are provided with financial aid for five years, provided they maintain satisfactory academic progress and meet program milestones. In 2024-25, new incoming students will receive a stipend in the amount of $54,210.

Tuition & Expenses

Living expenses for Stanford GSB depend on a number of factors, such as whether you are married, have children, or own a car, and how you spend your leisure time. For more information on the estimated tuition and living expenses, please see the Stanford Office of Graduate Admissions’ Estimated Expense Budget .

“I am sincerely grateful for your fellowship support, which makes it possible for me to have access to the world-class professors, illuminating classes, and brilliant classmates at Stanford GSB. I hope to take advantage of this great opportunity and become a world-class scholar.”

Research & Course Assistantships

Research and course assistantships are typically included as part of a student’s funding from Stanford.

Academically, a research assistantship serves as an apprenticeship in research that is often the basis for the dissertation research that follows. A teaching assistantship provides experience with the different aspects of the teaching process: course preparation, presentation skills, grading, and evaluation. The standard terms of the assistantship depend on the student’s tenure in the program.

Supplemental Income

There are various means of increasing one’s income beyond the granted Stanford GSB financial support package. One method is incidental grading and tutoring, informally known as hourly work. Foreign students, by the terms of their visas, cannot work more than 20 hours per week while school is in session. U.S. citizens cannot work more than 28 hours per week.

Professional Development Grants

The PhD program encourages students to attend and present research at professional conferences. The program provides funding to cover travel expenses, publication submission fees, and professional organization membership fees. Professional conferences enable students to:

• Gain exposure to types of research that we do not do here at Stanford
• Discuss the state of research in different areas
• Discuss and get feedback on one’s own work
• Meet leading faculty and PhD students from other schools

Outside Financial Support

PhD students at Stanford GSB have achieved the distinction of receiving fellowship support from a wide array of scholarship foundations. Among the awards they commonly win are fellowships granted by:

• National Science Foundation
• State Farm Companies Foundation
• Deloitte Foundation
• KPMG Foundation
• U.S. Department of Energy
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Outside Employment

Our PhD program is a full-time program. Students should not plan to rely on part-time work to defray any of their expenses.

Because of the rigorous requirements of the PhD program and its research orientation, the program strongly discourages any outside employment other than research with the faculty and incidental grading and/or tutoring positions.

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Doctoral programs.

The goal of the GSE PhD in Education is to prepare the next generation of leading education researchers. The cornerstone of the doctoral experience at the Stanford Graduate School of Education is the research apprenticeship that all students undertake, typically under the guidance of their academic advisor, but often with other Stanford faculty as well.

In this apprenticeship model, doctoral students are provided with a multi-year funding package that consists of opportunities each quarter to serve as teaching and research assistants for faculty members' courses and research projects. By this means, and in combination with the courses they take as part of their program, students are prepared over an approximately five-year period to excel as university teachers and education researchers.

The doctoral degree in Education at the GSE includes doctoral program requirements as well as a specialization, as listed below, overseen by a faculty committee from one of the GSE's three academic areas.

Doctoral programs by academic area

Curriculum studies and teacher education (cte).

• ‌ Elementary Education
• ‌ History/Social Science Education
• ‌ Learning Sciences and Technology Design
• ‌ Literacy, Language, and English Education
• ‌ Mathematics Education
• ‌ Science, Engineering and Technology Education
• ‌ Race, Inequality, and Language in Education
• ‌ Teacher Education

Developmental and Psychological Sciences (DAPS)

• ‌ Developmental and Psychological Sciences

Social Sciences, Humanities, and Interdisciplinary Policy Studies in Education (SHIPS)

• ‌ Anthropology of Education
• ‌ Economics of Education
• ‌ Education Data Science
• ‌ ‌Educational Linguistics
• ‌ Educational Policy
• ‌ Higher Education
• ‌ History of Education
• ‌ International Comparative Education
• ‌ Organizational Studies
• ‌ Philosophy of Education
• ‌ Sociology of Education

Cross-area specializations

Learning sciences and technology design (lstd).

LSTD allows doctoral students to study learning sciences and technology design within the context of their primary program of study (DAPS, CTE, or SHIPS).

Race, Inequality, and Language in Education (RILE)

RILE trains students to become national leaders in conducting research on how race, inequality, and language intersect to make both ineffective and effective educational opportunities. RILE allows students to specialize within their program of study (DAPS, CTE, or SHIPS).

Other academic opportunities

• ‌ Concentration in Education and Jewish Studies
• ‌ PhD Minor in Education
• ‌ Stanford Doctoral Training Program in Leadership for System-wide Inclusive Education (LSIE)
• ‌ Certificate Program in Partnership Research in Education
• ‌ Public Scholarship Collaborative

“I came to Stanford to work with faculty who value learning in informal settings and who are working to understand and design for it.”

Doctoral graduates were employed within four months of graduation

of those employed worked in organizations or roles related to education

For more information about GSE admissions and to see upcoming events and appointments:

To learn more about the Office of Academic Affairs:

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All CS PhD students are guaranteed funding as long as they make satisfactory academic progress.

Acceptance of an award of financial support from Stanford obliges the student to inform the degree program of any other aid received. The Stanford award may be adjusted accordingly. Because graduate students often receive funding from multiple sources while at Stanford, it is important to know and abide by the policy conditions of each funding source. Receiving financial support from one source may prohibit additional support from another.  In cases where a student has multiple sources of funding for tuition or health insurance, outside funds must be used before university funds.   

Whenever you receive other fellowships, scholarships, awards, or external sources of support, such as competitive grants or government scholarships, which will provide financial support towards your doctoral studies at Stanford, please let Jayanthi Subramanian at [email protected] know.    Your Stanford funding package gets reconfigured based off of your external funds.

To date, the Department of Psychology has been successful in providing financial support for graduate students in the form of a living stipend, tuition and health insurance through summer quarter of their fifth year. This support can be obtained from different sources of funding. Department financial aid assignments are made at the beginning of each academic year.  Continued financial support is contingent upon satisfactory academic progress. 

Department Funding

Research and teaching assistantships.

Stanford University sets a minimum level of support for assistantships each year.  Assistantships cover salary, tuition, and health insurance.

Students with assistantships are paid their salaries through bimonthly paychecks from the Stanford Payroll Office. Students are strongly encouraged to sign up for direct deposit online via AXESS. Usual paydays are the 7th and the 22nd of every month. Student assistantship salary is taxable income, and applicable taxes and deductions will be withheld in accordance with the W-4 Tax Data form completed by each student. This form and other payroll forms will be provided to new students during the orientation in Autumn Quarter.

Pay Periods

Pay periods within each quarter are based on a calendar year, not the academic year. Pay cycles run one week behind the actual pay date. Therefore, a student's first Autumn Quarter paycheck is issued on October 22nd (for work completed during the pay period of October 1st to the 15th). Thereafter, students are paid every 7th and 22nd of the month.

• Autumn Quarter pay periods run from October 1 – December 31
• Winter Quarter pay periods run from January 1 – March 31
• Spring Quarter pay periods run from April 1 – June 30
• Summer Quarter pay periods run from July 1 – September 30

Students who secure external fellowships usually are paid via quarterly stipend rather than assistantship salary. When awarded, fellowship stipends are disbursed on the first day of each quarter provided that students enroll in the required number of units by the published deadline. Students must register in exactly 10 units in Autumn, Winter, Spring, and Summer Quarters (note that students in TGR status must be enrolled in the 0-unit PSYCH 802 course and no more than 3 additional units). If the enrollment deadline is missed, stipends are disbursed a few business days after the student eventually meets the enrollment requirements. Mandatory charges on the student bill, including rent for campus housing, will be deducted from the stipend before it is issued. No taxes are withheld, but stipends are reportable as taxable income. (Fellowship tuition and tuition allowance are not taxable in most cases.)

Banking Funding for Off-Campus Summer Internships

If a student chooses to pursue an internship or similar off-campus opportunity during the summer in years 1-4, the student forfeits their summer funding package (per University policy) and does not enroll in units during the internship. The forfeited summer funding is "banked" and applied to the summer after 5th year, if needed. Funding is banked only if the student is not enrolled and not participating in Stanford research or courses during the summer internship. Students are only eligible to bank ONE quarter of summer funding, and that funding can ONLY be applied to the fifth summer.

Research Support Funding

Departmental funding is also available to specifically support research initiatives by courtesy of generous donors. Click on each link for more information:  

• Norman H. Anderson Research Fund

Outside Funding: Fellowships and Grants

The Department depends on a number of our students receiving outside awards (either external or internal to Stanford). We strongly encourage all students to apply for these funding opportunities.  This spreadsheet  lists some of the funding opportunities available to our students. This resource is a living document that our student and faculty communities are invited to update whenever they learn about relevant opportunities. Current students and faculty have direct access to the spreadsheet; if you are a current student with questions about how to access this document, please contact the Student Services Manager. The Department is deeply grateful to PhD student Julie Cachia for her work in compiling the original resource. 

Graduate Funding

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All PhD students in CEE who are in good standing relative to their PhD program requirements are funded to the department’s PhD standard. This funding is at least equivalent to  Stanford’s 20-hour-RA salary  plus tuition to cover the department’s required enrollment (summer enrollment requirements vary by department. It is 3 units over summer for CEE PhDs).  Arranging for this funding is the responsibility of the department and the faculty PhD advisor, and can include fellowships, research assistantships, and teaching assistantships.

Often, our PhD students apply for and may receive individual fellowships which can reduce the department’s or advisor’s cost of funding.  In these cases, the guarantee of funding to the student will include the fellowship award and additional support from the department/advisor to reach the department-standard level.  For educational purposes, departments and advisors may encourage their students to apply for such fellowships and provide resources to strengthen their applications; however, no department or faculty member may require students to obtain external individual funding or to “self-fund” as a condition of admission, entry to or continuation in the Ph.D.

MS and Engineer Students

CEE strives to support Master's students where possible. In most cases, any student financial support awarded would be included in your admissions letter. Students with additional financial needs should consider other avenues including several listed on this page.

School of Engineering and Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability Fellowships

The School of Engineering and the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability generously funds graduate fellowship opportunities to outstanding students in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering. This funding opportunity is intended for outstanding candidates in graduate study leading to the PhD. To be considered for assistance as an entering student, it is necessary only to submit the application for admission to our PhD program with supporting documents. Recipients are notified at the time of admission.

Stanford Graduate Fellowships (SGF)

This prestigious, three-year university award is intended for outstanding candidates in graduate study leading to the PhD. The fellowship is selectively awarded to entering and current graduate students who are pursuing (or plan to pursue) a PhD in Civil & Environmental Engineering. The award provides a quarterly stipend and tuition for 8-10 units per quarter for 12 quarters. The selection process is demanding, requiring nomination and confirmation by both department and university committees.

Knight-Hennessy Scholars Fellowships

Join dozens of Stanford  Engineering  and Doerr School of Sustainability students who gain valuable leadership skills in a multidisciplinary, multicultural community as  Knight-Hennessy Scholars  (KHS). KHS admits up to 100 select applicants each year from across Stanford’s seven graduate schools, and delivers engaging experiences that prepare them to be visionary, courageous, and collaborative leaders ready to address complex global challenges. As a scholar, you join a distinguished cohort, participate in up to three years of leadership programming, and receive full funding for up to three years of your studies at Stanford. Candidates of any country may apply. KHS applicants must have earned their first undergraduate degree within the last seven years, and must apply to both a Stanford graduate program and to KHS. Stanford PhD students may also apply to KHS during their first year of PhD enrollment. If you aspire to be a leader in your field, we invite you to apply. The KHS application deadline is in October for the following year. Learn more about  KHS admission .

External Fellowships

We strongly suggest that graduate students apply for fellowships from outside Stanford University. Below are some of the national fellowships available for graduate students interested in Civil & Environmental Engineering:

Wade Scholarship Program Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowships for Minorities Hertz Foundation National Science Foundation National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship You can also find a longer list here

Vice Provost for Graduate Education Fellowships

Stanford’s Vice Provost for Graduate Education (VPGE) provides several fellowships for incoming and current students. A full list of their fellowships and eligibility requirements can be  viewed here .

Research Assistantships

Research assistants typically receive 8-10 units of tuition coverage and a monthly stipend (paid semi-monthly and subject to state and federal tax withholding), in exchange for 20 hours of work per week. Research assistantships that provide less stipend and tuition coverage, and that require fewer hours of work per week, are also possible. For the PhD program, incoming students may be awarded Research assistant positions based upon the information provided in their admissions application. Research assistantships are on rare occasion provided to Master of Science students typically in their second year of studies. In most cases, assistantships are awarded by individual faculty who have the necessary research funding.

If you are interested in research assistantships, you will have to ask individual professors whether they offer research assistantships (RAs). RAship positions on campus are very competitive, and there is no guarantee you will be able to get one.

Teaching and Course Assistantships

Teaching/course assistantships are offered primarily to continuing students and to a limited number of entering graduate students. TA/CAs typically provide recipients with tuition coverage of between 5-10 units and a monthly stipend (paid semi-monthly and subject to state and federal withholding). TA/CA-ships are offered by individual faculty who have been allocated the necessary funds to hire a TA/CA. TA/CAs must attend the TA Orientation offered by the Center for Teaching and Learning .

You can try applying for course assistantships from CEE and any other departments on campus. You can start by looking at the open CA positions in the Doerr School of Sustainability listed here . For other departments that are in Humanities and Sciences or School of Engineering, please check individual department pages for information. CAship positions on campus are very competitive, and there is no guarantee you will be able to get one.

Graduate Student Loans

US citizens and permanent residents can apply for need-based loans. Information on student loans and application packets is available at the  Financial Aid Office website.

International students may be eligible for private student loans in some cases. Here is a link to loan information and another link specifically for international students.  

Graduate students can learn more about financial programs at: http://financialaid.stanford.edu or by calling the Financial Aid office at: 650-723-3058.

Other Resources

• FastWeb  (Financial Aid Search Through the WEB) — an online searchable database of more than 180,000 private sector scholarships, fellowships, grants and loans for graduate and postdoctoral students.

Coterm Funding

The Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering generally does not provide department funding for the coterm program. We encourage all CEE coterm applicants to review the below websites for more information on funding and financial aid opportunities:

Engineering Coterminal Fellowship program Eligibility: Students must be admitted to an engineering coterm program.

Coterm Funding Opportunities

Coterm Financial Aid

Graduate Student Research Summer Opportunities