phd in english scholarships

PhD Program in English Language and Literature

The department enrolls an average of ten PhD students each year. Our small size allows us to offer a generous financial support package. We also offer a large and diverse graduate faculty with competence in a wide range of literary, theoretical and cultural fields. Each student chooses a special committee that works closely along side the student to design a course of study within the very broad framework established by the department. The program is extremely flexible in regard to course selection, the design of examinations and the election of minor subjects of concentration outside the department. English PhD students pursuing interdisciplinary research may include on their special committees faculty members from related fields such as comparative literature, medieval studies, Romance studies, German studies, history, classics, women’s studies, linguistics, theatre and performing arts, government, philosophy, and film and video studies.

The PhD candidate is normally expected to complete six or seven one-semester courses for credit in the first year of residence and a total of six or seven more in the second and third years. The program of any doctoral candidate’s formal and informal study, whatever his or her particular interests, should be comprehensive enough to ensure familiarity with:

• The authors and works that have been the most influential in determining the course of English, American, and related literatures
• The theory and criticism of literature, and the relations between literature and other disciplines
• Concerns and tools of literary and cultural history such as textual criticism, study of genre, source, and influence as well as wider issues of cultural production and historical and social contexts that bear on literature

Areas in which students may have major or minor concentrations include African-American literature, American literature to 1865, American literature after 1865, American studies (a joint program with the field of history), colonial and postcolonial literatures, cultural studies, dramatic literature, English poetry, the English Renaissance to 1660, lesbian, bisexual and gay literary studies, literary criticism and theory, the nineteenth century, Old and Middle English, prose fiction, the Restoration and the eighteenth century, the twentieth century, and women's literature.

By the time a doctoral candidate enters the fourth semester of graduate study, the special committee must decide whether he or she is qualified to proceed toward the PhD. Students are required to pass their Advancement to Candidacy Examination before their fourth year of study, prior to the dissertation.

PhD Program specifics can be viewed here: PhD Timeline PhD Procedural Guide

Special Committee

Every graduate student selects a special committee of faculty advisors who work intensively with the student in selecting courses and preparing and revising the dissertation. The committee is comprised of at least three Cornell faculty members: a chair, and typically two minor members usually from the English department, but very often representing an interdisciplinary field. The university system of special committees allows students to design their own courses of study within a broad framework established by the department, and it encourages a close working relationship between professors and students, promoting freedom and flexibility in the pursuit of the graduate degree. The special committee for each student guides and supervises all academic work and assesses progress in a series of meetings with the students.

At Cornell, teaching is considered an integral part of training in academia. The field requires a carefully supervised teaching experience of at least one year for every doctoral candidate as part of the program requirements. The Department of English, in conjunction with the  John S. Knight Institute for Writing  in the Disciplines, offers excellent training for beginning teachers and varied and interesting teaching in the university-wide First-Year Writing Program. The courses are writing-intensive and may fall under such general rubrics as “Portraits of the Self,” “American Literature and Culture,” “Shakespeare,” and “Cultural Studies,” among others. A graduate student may also serve as a teaching assistant for an undergraduate lecture course taught by a member of the Department of English faculty.

Language Requirements

Each student and special committee will decide what work in foreign language is most appropriate for a student’s graduate program and scholarly interests. Some students’ doctoral programs require extensive knowledge of a single foreign language and literature; others require reading ability in two or more foreign languages. A student may be asked to demonstrate competence in foreign languages by presenting the undergraduate record, taking additional courses in foreign languages and literature, or translating and discussing documents related to the student’s work. Students are also normally expected to provide evidence of having studied the English language through courses in Old English, the history of the English language, grammatical analysis or the application of linguistic study to metrics or to literary criticism. Several departments at Cornell offer pertinent courses in such subjects as descriptive linguistics, psycholinguistics and the philosophy of language.

All PhD degree candidates are guaranteed five years of funding (including a stipend , a full tuition fellowship and student health insurance):

• A first-year non-teaching fellowship
• Two years of teaching assistantships
• A fourth-year non-teaching fellowship for the dissertation writing year
• A fifth-year teaching assistantship
• Summer support for four years, including a first-year summer teaching assistantship, linked to a teachers’ training program at the Knight Institute. Summer residency in Ithaca is required.

Students have also successfully competed for Buttrick-Crippen Fellowship, Society for the Humanities Fellowships, American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS), Shin Yong-Jin Graduate Fellowships, Provost’s Diversity Fellowships, fellowships in recognition of excellence in teaching, and grants from the Graduate School to help with the cost of travel to scholarly conferences and research collections.

Admission & Application Procedures

The application for Fall 2024 admission will open on September 15, 2023 and close at 11:59pm EST on December 1, 2023.

Our application process reflects the field’s commitment to considering the whole person and their potential to contribute to our scholarly community.  Applicants will be evaluated on the basis of academic preparation (e.g., performance in relevant courses, completion of substantive, independent research project). An applicant’s critical and creative potential will be considered: applicants should demonstrate interest in extensive research and writing and include a writing sample that reveals a capacity to argue persuasively, demonstrate the ability to synthesize a broad range of materials, as well as offer fresh insights into a problem or text. The committee will also consider whether an applicant demonstrates a commitment to inclusion, equity, and diversity and offers a substantive explanation for why study at Cornell is especially compelling (e.g., a discussion of faculty research and foci). Admissions committees will consider the entire application carefully, including statements and critical writing, as well as transcripts, letters of recommendation, and a resume/cv (if provided). Please view the requirements and procedures listed below, if you are interested in being considered for our PhD in English Language and Literature program.

Eligibility: Applicants must currently have, or expect to have, at least a BA or BS (or the equivalent) in any field before matriculation. International students, please verify degree equivalency here . Applicants are not required to meet a specified GPA minimum.

To Apply: All applications and supplemental materials must be submitted online through the Graduate School application system . While completing your application, you may save and edit your data. Once you click submit, your application will be closed for changes. Please proofread your materials carefully. Once you pay and click submit, you will not be able to make any changes or revisions.

Deadline: December 1st, 11:59pm EST.  This deadline is firm. No applications, additional materials, or revisions will be accepted after the deadline.

PhD Program Application Requirements Checklist

• Academic Statement of Purpose Please describe (within 1000 words) in detail the substantive research questions you are interested in pursuing during your graduate studies and why they are significant. Additionally, make sure to include information about any training or research experience that you believe has prepared you for our program. You should also identify specific faculty members whose research interests align with your own specific questions.  Note that the identification of faculty is important; you would be well advised to read selected faculty’s recent scholarship so that you can explain why you wish to study with them. Do not rely on the courses they teach.  Please refrain from contacting individual faculty prior to receiving an offer of admission.
• Personal Statement Please describe (within 1000 words) how your personal background and experiences influenced your decision to pursue a graduate degree and the research you wish to conduct.  Explain, for example the meaning and purpose of the PhD in the context of your personal history and future aspirations.  Please note that we will pay additional attention to candidates who identify substantial reasons to obtain a PhD beyond the pursuit of an academic position. Additionally, provide insight into your potential to contribute to a community of inclusion, belonging, and respect where scholars representing diverse backgrounds, perspectives, abilities, and experiences can learn (productively and positively) together.
• Critical Writing Sample Your academic writing sample must be between 3,000 and 7,500 words (12-30 pages), typed and double-spaced. We accept excerpts from longer works, or a combination of shorter works.
• Three Letters of Recommendation We require 3 letters of recommendation.  At the time of application, you will be allowed to enter up to 4 recommenders in the system.  Your application will be considered “Complete” when we have received at least 3 letters of recommendation.   Letters of recommendation are due December 1 . Please select three people who best know you and your work. Submitting additional letters will not enhance your application. In the recommendation section of the application, you must include the email address of each recommender. After you save the information (and before you pay/submit), the application system will automatically generate a recommendation request email to your recommender with instructions for submitting the letter electronically. If your letters are stored with a credential service such as Interfolio, please use their Online Application Delivery feature and input the email address assigned to your stored document, rather than that of your recommender’s. The electronic files will be attached to your application when they are received and will not require the letter of recommendation cover page.
• Transcripts Scan transcripts from each institution you have attended, or are currently attending, and upload into the academic information section of the application. Be sure to remove your social security number from all documents prior to scanning. Please do not send paper copies of your transcripts. If you are subsequently admitted and accept, the Graduate School will require an official paper transcript from your degree-awarding institution prior to matriculation.
• English Language Proficiency Requirement All applicants must provide proof of English language proficiency. For more information, please view the  Graduate School’s English Language Requirement .
• GRE General Test and GRE Subject Test are NO LONGER REQUIRED, effective starting with the 2019 application In March 2019, the faculty of English voted overwhelmingly to eliminate all GRE requirements (both general and subject test) for application to the PhD program in English. GRE scores are not good predictors of success or failure in a PhD program in English, and the uncertain predictive value of the GRE exam is far outweighed by the toll it takes on student diversity. For many applicants the cost of preparing for and taking the exam is prohibitively expensive, and the exam is not globally accessible. Requiring the exam narrows our applicant pool at precisely the moment we should be creating bigger pipelines into higher education. We need the strength of a diverse community in order to pursue the English Department’s larger mission: to direct the force of language toward large and small acts of learning, alliance, imagination, and justice.

General Information for All Applicants

Application Fee: Visit the Graduate School for information regarding application fees, payment options, and fee waivers .

Document Identification: Please do not put your social security number on any documents.

Status Inquiries:  Once you submit your application, you will receive a confirmation email. You will also be able to check the completion status of your application in your account. If vital sections of your application are missing, we will notify you via email after the Dec. 1 deadline and allow you ample time to provide the missing materials. Please do not inquire about the status of your application.

Credential/Application Assessments:  The Admission Review Committee members are unable to review application materials or applicant credentials prior to official application submission. Once the committee has reviewed applications and made admissions decisions, they will not discuss the results or make any recommendations for improving the strength of an applicant’s credentials. Applicants looking for feedback are advised to consult with their undergraduate advisor or someone else who knows them and their work.

Review Process:  Application review begins after the submission deadline. Notification of admissions decisions will be made by email by the end of February.

Connecting with Faculty and/or Students: Unfortunately, due to the volume of inquiries we receive, faculty and current students are not available to correspond with potential applicants prior to an offer of admission. Applicants who are offered admission will have the opportunity to meet faculty and students to have their questions answered prior to accepting. Staff and faculty are also not able to pre-assess potential applicant’s work outside of the formal application process. Please email [email protected] instead, if you have questions.

Visiting: The department does not offer pre-admission visits or interviews. Admitted applicants will be invited to visit the department, attend graduate seminars and meet with faculty and students before making the decision to enroll.

Transfer Credits:  Students matriculating with an MA degree may, at the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies, receive credit for up to two courses once they begin our program.

For Further Information

Contact [email protected]

Ph.D. Program

The Stanford English department has a long tradition of training the next generation of scholars to become leaders in academia and related fields. Our Ph.D. program encourages the production of ambitious, groundbreaking dissertation work across the diverse field interests of our prestigious faculty.

Fusing deep attention to literary history with newer approaches to media, technology, and performance, our department carefully mentors students in both scholarship and pedagogy through close interaction with faculty. Our location on the edge of the Pacific and at the heart of Silicon Valley encourages expansive, entrepreneurial thinking about the interpenetration of arts and sciences.

Program Overview

The English Department seeks to teach and promote an understanding of both the significance and the history of British and American literature (broadly defined) and to foster an appreciation of the richness and variety of texts in the language. It offers rigorous training in interpretive thinking and precise expression. Our English graduate program features the study of what imaginative language, rhetoric, and narrative art has done, can do, and will do in life, and it focuses on the roles creative writing and representations play in almost every aspect of modern experience. Completing the Ph.D. program prepares a student for full participation as a scholar and literary critic in the profession.

Financial Support

We offer an identical five-year funding package to all admitted students with competitive funding available for a sixth year. Funding covers applicable tuition costs, Stanford Cardinal Care health insurance, and living expenses in the form of direct stipend, teaching assistantships or pre-doctoral research assistantships. The department, in conjunction with the School of Humanities and Sciences, is also committed to supporting students' involvement in professional activities and funds many of the expenses for research travel, summer language study, and participation in academic conferences. Student housing is not included in the funding package.

In addition to our standard doctoral funding package, the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education (VPGE) provides competitive funding to support individual doctoral students, student groups, and department-based projects. VPGE funding opportunities promote innovation, diversity, and excellence in graduate education. Explore their doctoral  fellowship  and other student  funding  opportunities.

The  Knight-Hennessy Scholars  program cultivates and supports a highly-engaged, multidisciplinary and multicultural community of graduate students from across Stanford University, and delivers a diverse collection of educational experiences, preparing graduates to address complex challenges facing the world. Knight-Hennessy Scholars participate in an experiential leadership development program known as the King Global Leadership Program and receive funding for up to three years of graduate study at Stanford. Two applications must be submitted separately; one to Knight-Hennessy and one to the Stanford English graduate degree program by its deadline. Please refer to the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program page to learn more and apply.

Teaching Requirements

One pedagogical seminar and four quarters of supervised teaching. Typically a student will teach three times as a teaching assistant in a literature course. For the fourth course, students will have the option of applying to design and teach a Writing Intensive Seminar in English (WISE) for undergraduate English majors or teaching a fourth quarter as a T.A..

• 1st year: One quarter as T.A. (leading 1-2 discussion sections of undergraduate literature)
• 2nd year: One quarter as T.A. (leading 1-2 discussion sections of undergraduate literature)
• 3rd/4th/5th years: Two quarters of teaching, including the possibility of TA'ing or teaching a WISE course.

Language requirements

All candidates for the Ph.D. degree must demonstrate a reading knowledge of two foreign languages. One language requirement must be completed during the first year of study. The second language must be completed before the oral examination in the third year.

Candidates in the earlier periods must offer Latin and one of the following languages: French, German, Greek, Italian or Spanish. Candidates in the later period (that is, after the Renaissance) must demonstrate a reading knowledge of two languages for which  Stanford’s Language Center  regularly offers a reading course, administers a competency exam, or facilitates the administration of an American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Reading Proficiency Test (ACTFL RPT). In all cases, the choice of languages offered must be relevant to the student’s field of study and must have the approval of the candidate's adviser. Any substitution of a language other than one for which Stanford offers a competency exam must also be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies.

Other requirements

All candidates for the Ph.D. must satisfactorily complete the following:

• 135 units, at least 70 of which (normally 14 courses) must be graded course work
• Qualifying examination, based on a reading guide of approximately 70-90 works, to be taken orally at the end of the summer after the first year of graduate work.
• University oral examination covering the field of concentration taken no later than the winter quarter of the third year of study.
• Submission of the dissertation prospectus
• First chapter review with the dissertation advisor and the members of the dissertation reading committee.
• Dissertation, which should be an original work of literary criticism demonstrating the student's ability to participate fully as a scholar and literary critic in the profession.
• Closing colloquium designed to look forward toward the next steps; identify the major accomplishments of the dissertation and the major questions/issues/problems that remain; consider possibilities for revision, book or article publication, etc.

• Schools & departments

English Literature PhD

Awards: PhD

Study modes: Full-time, Part-time

Funding opportunities

Programme website: English Literature

Upcoming Introduction to Postgraduate Study and Research events

Join us online on the 19th June or 26th June to learn more about studying and researching at Edinburgh.

Choose your event and register

Research profile

Doctorate-level study is an opportunity to expand upon your interests and expertise in a community that really values research; and to make an original, positive contribution to learning in literature and related fields.

As the oldest department of English Literature in the UK, based in one of the largest and most diverse Schools in the University of Edinburgh, we are the ideal place for PhD study.

Our interdisciplinary environment brings together specialists in all periods and genres of literature and literary analysis.

Research excellence

Based on our performance in the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF), over 90 per cent of our research and impact is classed as world-leading and internationally excellent by Research Professional. 69 per cent is graded at the world-leading level – the highest of REF’s four categories.

In Times Higher Education's REF analysis, English at Edinburgh is ranked fifth in the UK (out of more than 90 institutions) for:

• the overall quality of our publications and other outputs
• the impact of our research on people’s lives
• our supportive research environment

Given the breadth and depth of our expertise, we are able to support students wishing to develop research projects in any field of Anglophone literary studies. These include American studies, literary and critical theory, the history of the book, gender and sexuality studies, and global Anglophone literatures - where our specialisms include Pacific, African, South Asian, and African-American writing.

We have particular strengths in each of the main periods of English and Scottish Literature:

• Renaissance/early modern
• Enlightenment
• 21st century
• Contemporary

Emergent research themes in the department include the digital humanities, the economic humanities, the environmental humanities and literature and medicine.

• Explore our range of research centres, networks and projects in English and Scottish Literature

Working with colleagues elsewhere in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures, and across the wider University, we are able to support PhD theses crossing boundaries between disciplines and/or languages.

• Be inspired by the range of PhD research in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures

Over the course of your PhD, you’ll be expected to complete an original body of work under the expert guidance of your supervisors leading to a dissertation of usually between 80,000 and 100,000 words.

You will be awarded your doctorate if your thesis is judged to be of an appropriate standard, and your research makes a definite contribution to knowledge.

• Read our pre-application guidance on writing a PhD research proposal

Go beyond the books

Beyond the Books is a podcast from the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC) that gives you a behind-the-scenes look at research and the people who make it happen.

Listen to a mix of PhD, early career and established researchers talk about their journey to and through academia and about their current and recent research.

• Browse Beyond the Books episodes and hear our research community talk about their work

Training and support

Between the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC), the Careers Service, and the Institute for Academic Development (IAD), you’ll find a range of programmes and resources to help you develop your postgraduate skills.

You will also have access to the University’s fantastic libraries, collections and worldwide strategic partnerships.

Part of a community

As part of our research community, you will be immersed in a world of knowledge exchange, with lots of opportunities to share ideas, learning and creative work.

Activities range from talks by visiting speakers and work-in-progress seminars, to reading groups, conferences, workshops, performances, online journals and forums, many of which are led by PhD candidates.

Highlights include student reading for the James Tait Black Prizes, Britain's oldest literary awards which typically involve reading submissions across fiction and biography and advising the judges on the shortlists.

• Read an interview with 2022 James Tait Black reader, Céleste Callen

Our graduates tell us that they value the friendliness of the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC), the connections they make here and the in-depth guidance they receive from our staff, who are published experts in their field.

A UNESCO World City of Literature, Edinburgh is a remarkable place to study, write, publish, discuss and perform prose, poetry and drama.

Take a PhD with us and you will be based in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC) in the historic centre of this world-leading festival city.

You will have access to the University’s many literary treasures. These include the libraries of:

• William Drummond
• Lewis Grassic Gibbon
• Hugh MacDiarmid
• Norman MacCaig

The Centre for Research Collections holds the W.H. Auden collection; the Corson Collection of works by and about Sir Walter Scott; and the Ramage collection of poetry pamphlets.

It also holds a truly exceptional collection of early Shakespeare quartos and other early modern printed plays put together by the 19th century Shakespearean James Halliwell-Phillipps, the correspondence of Thomas and Jane Welsh Carlyle (the focus of one of the major editorial projects in Victorian studies of the last half-century), and the extensive Laing collection of medieval and early modern manuscripts, as well as letters and papers by - and relating to - authors including:

• Christopher Isherwood
• Rudyard Kipling
• John Middleton Murry
• Walter de la Mare
• George Mackay Brown
• Compton Mackenzie

Many of the University's Special Collections are digitised and available online from our excellent Resource Centre, Computing Labs, and dedicated PhD study space in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC).

Look inside the PhD study space in LLC

In the city

Our buildings are close to the National Library of Scotland (where collections include the Bute Collection of early modern English drama and the John Murray Archive), Edinburgh Central Library, Scottish Poetry Library, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Writers’ Museum and a fantastic range of publishing houses, bookshops, and theatres.

We have strong links with the Edinburgh International Book Festival, which annually welcomes around 1,000 authors to our literary city.

Entry requirements

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.

A UK masters, or its international equivalent, with a mark of at least 65% in your English literature dissertation of at least 10,000 words.

If your masters programme did not include a dissertation or included a dissertation that was unmarked or less than 10,000 words, you will be expected to produce an exceptional research proposal and personal statement to show your ability to undertake research at the level required by this programme.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country
• English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced ( CAE ) / C2 Proficiency ( CPE ): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
• Trinity ISE : ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 62 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS , TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE , in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old* at the beginning of your programme of study. (*Revised 05 March 2024 to extend degree validity to five years.)

Find out more about our language requirements:

• Fees and costs

Read our general information on tuition fees and studying costs:

Scholarships and funding

Featured funding.

There are a number of scholarship schemes available to eligible candidates on this PhD programme, including awards from the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

Please be advised that many scholarships have more than one application stage, and early deadlines.

• Find out more about scholarships in literatures, languages and cultures

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding

Further information

• Phone: +44 (0)131 650 4086
• Contact: [email protected]
• School of Literatures, Languages & Cultures
• 50 George Square
• Central Campus
• Programme: English Literature
• School: Literatures, Languages & Cultures
• College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

This programme is not currently accepting applications. Applications for the next intake usually open in October.

Start date: September 2024

Awards: PhD (36 mth FT, 72 mth PT)

Application deadlines

Due to high demand, the school operates a number of selection deadlines. We will make a small number of offers to the most outstanding candidates on an ongoing basis, but hold the majority of applications until the next published selection deadline when we will offer a proportion of the places available to applicants selected through a competitive process.

Deadlines for applicants applying to study in 2024/25:

• How to apply

The online application process involves the completion of a web form and the submission of supporting documents.

For a PhD programme, you should include:

• a sample of written work of about 3,000 words (this can be a previous piece of work from an undergraduate or masters degree)
• a research proposal - a detailed description of what you hope to achieve and how
• Pre-application guidance

Before you formally apply for this PhD, you should look at the pre-application information and guidance on the programme website.

This will help you decide if this programme is right for you, and help us gain a clearer picture of what you hope to achieve.

The guidance will also give you practical advice for writing your research proposal – one of the most important parts of your application.

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

Ph.D. Program

Click  here for the Handbook for Graduate Study in English .  This document includes departmental policies and procedures concerned with graduate study.

The Berkeley English Department offers a wide-ranging Ph.D. program, engaging in all historical periods of British and American literature, Anglophone literature, and critical and cultural theory. The program aims to assure that students gain a broad knowledge of literature in English as well as the highly-developed skills in scholarship and criticism necessary to do solid and innovative work in their chosen specialized fields.

Please note that the department does not offer a Master’s Degree program or a degree program in Creative Writing. Students can, however, petition for an M.A. in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing upon completion of the Ph.D. course requirements (one of which must be a graduate writing workshop) and submission of a body of creative work.

Students interested in combining a Ph.D. in English with studies in another discipline may pursue Designated Emphases or Concurrent Degrees in a number of different fields

Normative time to complete the program is six years. The first two years are devoted to fulfilling the course and language requirements. The third year is spent preparing for and taking the Ph.D. oral qualifying examination. The fourth through sixth years are devoted to researching and writing the prospectus and dissertation.

The general goal of the first two years is to assure that the students have a broad and varied knowledge of the fields of British and American literature in their historical dimensions, and are also familiar with a wide range of literary forms, critical approaches, and scholarly methods. Students will complete twelve courses distributed as follows:

• 1) English 200, “Problems in the Study of Literature”
• 2) Medieval through 16 th -Century
• 3) 17 th - through 18 th -Century
• 4) 19 th -Century
• 5) 20 th -Century
• 6) a course organized in terms other than chronological coverage.
• 7-12) Elective courses.

(A thirteenth required course in pedagogy can be taken later.) Students who have done prior graduate course work may transfer up to three courses for credit toward the 12-course requirement. Up to five of the 12 courses may be taken in other departments.

Students must demonstrate either proficiency in two foreign languages or advanced knowledge in one foreign language before the qualifying examination. There are no "canonical languages" in the department. Rather, each specifies which languages are to count, how they relate to the student's intellectual interests, and on which level knowledge is to be demonstrated. "Proficiency" is understood as the ability to translate (with a dictionary) a passage of about 300 words into idiomatic English prose in ninety minutes. The proficiency requirement may also be satisfied by completing one upper-division or graduate literature course in a foreign language. The advanced knowledge requirement is satisfied by completing two or three literature courses in the language with a grade of "B" or better.

At the end of the second year each student’s record is reviewed in its entirety to determine whether or not he or she is able and ready to proceed to the qualifying exam and the more specialized phase of the program.

The Qualifying Examination

Students are expected to take the qualifying examination within one year after completing course and language requirements. The qualifying exam is oral and is conducted by a committee of five faculty members. The exam lasts approximately two hours and consists of three parts: two comprehensive historical fields and a third field which explores a topic in preparation for the dissertation. The exam is meant both as a culmination of course work and as a test of readiness for the dissertation.

The Prospectus and Dissertation

The prospectus consists of an essay and bibliography setting forth the nature of the research project, its relation to existing scholarship and criticism on the subject, and its anticipated value. Each candidate must have a prospectus conference with the members of their committee and the Graduate Chair to discuss the issues outlined in the proposal and to give final approval to the project. The prospectus should be approved within one or two semesters following the qualifying exam.

The dissertation is the culmination of the student's graduate career and is expected to be a substantial and original work of scholarship or criticism. Students within normative time complete the dissertation in their fourth through sixth years.

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• Program Description

Higher Degrees in English

The Graduate Program in English leads to the degrees of Master of Arts (AM) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). The AM is an integral part of the doctoral program, and therefore only students who intend to pursue the PhD are eligible for admission to the Graduate Program in English.

The Program

The program takes from four to seven years to complete, with the majority finishing in five or six years. The first two years are devoted to coursework and, in the first year, to preparation for the PhD Qualifying Exam (the “General” exam) at the beginning of the second year. The second and third years are devoted to preparing for the Dissertation Qualifying Exam (the “Field” exam) and writing the Dissertation Prospectus. The fourth, fifth, and sixth years are spent completing the doctoral dissertation. From the third year until the final year (when they are generally supported by Dissertation Completion Fellowships), students also devote time to teaching and to developing teaching skills. Students with prior graduate training or those with a demonstrated ability may complete their dissertations in the fourth or fifth years. Students are strongly discouraged from taking more than seven years to complete the program except under the most exceptional circumstances.

The program aims to provide the PhD candidate with a broad knowledge of the field of English, including critical and cultural theory. Additional important skills include facility with the tools of scholarship—ancient and modern foreign languages, bibliographic procedures, and textual and editorial methods. The program also emphasizes the ability to write well, to do solid and innovative scholarly and critical work in a specialized field or fields, to teach effectively, and to make articulate presentations at conferences, seminars, and symposia.

The minimum residence requirement is two years of enrollment in full-time study, with a total of at least fourteen courses completed with honor grades (no grade lower than B-).

The minimum standard for satisfactory work in the Graduate School is a B average in each academic year.

• A minimum of 14 courses must be completed no later than the end of the second year.
• At least ten courses must be at the 200- (graduate) level, and at least six of these ten must be taken within the department. Graduate students in the English department will have priority for admission into 200-level courses.
• Beginning with the incoming class of 2020-21, two proseminars are now required as part of the ten required seminars.
• The remaining courses may be either at the 100- or the 200-level.
• Students typically devote part of their course work in the first year to preparing for the “General” exam, focusing increasingly on their field in the second year.
• Students are strongly encouraged to take at least two courses that engage extensively with texts in Literary Theory. Such courses should introduce works by writers such as Freud, Barthes, Derrida, Foucault, de Beauvoir, Fanon, Gates, Bhabha, and Jameson, and texts such as  The Poetics  by Aristotle,  The Birth of Tragedy  by Friedrich Nietzsche,  Mimesis  by Eric Auerbach, and  The Theory of the Novel  by Georg Lukacs. We recommend students consult with mentors and the graduate office if they need help finding courses that introduce these and similar works of theory.

Proseminars

• Beginning with the incoming class of 2020-21, two proseminars will now be required as part of the ten required seminars.

• The first-year proseminar (taken in the spring semester of the first year) introduces students to the theories, methods, and history of English as a discipline, and contemporary debates in English studies. The readings feature classic texts in all fields, drawn from the General Exam list. This first-year proseminar helps students prepare for the General Exam (taken at the beginning of their second year); it gives them a broad knowledge for teaching and writing outside their specialty; and it builds an intellectual and cultural community among first-year students.

• The second-year proseminar has a two-part focus: it introduces students to the craft of scholarly publishing by helping them revise a research paper for publication in a peer-reviewed journal by the end of the course. It thus gives students the tools to begin publishing early in their career. It also introduces students to the growing array of alternative careers in the humanities by exposing them to scholars who are leaders in fields such as editing, curating, and digital humanities.

Independent Study and Creative Writing

• Students may petition to take one of the 100-level courses as independent study (English 399) with a professor, but not before the second term of residence.
• Other independent study courses will be permitted only in exceptional circumstances and with the consent of the professor and director of graduate studies (DGS).
• Only one creative writing course, which counts as a 100-level course, may count toward the PhD degree course requirements.

Credit for Work Done Elsewhere (Advanced Standing)

Once the student has completed at least three 200-level courses with a grade of A or A-, a maximum of four graduate-level courses may be transferred from other graduate programs, at the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies.

Transferred courses will not count toward the minimum of ten required 200-level courses, but will be counted as 100-level courses.

Incompletes

No more than one Incomplete may be carried forward at any one time by a graduate student in the English Department. It must be made up no later than six weeks after the start of the next term.

In applying for an Incomplete, students must have signed permission from the instructor and the DGS, or the course in question may not count toward the program requirements. If students do not complete work by the deadline, the course will not count toward the program requirements, unless there are documented extenuating circumstances.

Language Requirements

A reading knowledge of two languages is required. Normally, Latin, Ancient Greek, Old English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian are the accepted languages. Other languages, including ASL and computer languages, may be acceptable if the DGS deems them relevant and appropriate to a student’s program of study. Students may fulfill the language requirements:

(1) by passing a two-hour translation exam with a dictionary; (2) by taking a one-term literature course in the chosen language, when conducted in the language and/or the readings are in the language (DGS approval may be necessary in some cases) (3) or by taking two terms of Old English*, elementary Latin or Ancient Greek.

Any course taken to fulfill the language requirement must be passed with a grade of B- or better. Literature-level language courses count for course credit ; elementary language courses do not. *Please note that only the spring semester of Old English will count towards the graduate course requirement (as a 100-level course, or as a 200-level course in the case of ENG 200d) when taken to fulfill a language requirement.

Examples of past language exams can be found  here .

The (Non-Terminal) Master of Arts Degree

In order to apply for the AM degree, students must complete, with a grade of B+ or better, no fewer than a total of seven courses, including a minimum of four English courses, at least three of which must be at the graduate (200-) level, and one additional course that must be taken at the graduate level, but may be taken in another department. Students must also fulfill at least one of their departmental language requirements.

General Exam

At the beginning of the second year, students will take a 75-90 minute oral exam, based on a list of authors and/or titles which the Department will make available for each entering class in the summer prior to its arrival. The examiners will be three regular members of the department (assistant, associate, or full professors), whose names will not be disclosed in advance.

Candidates whose performance on the exam is judged inadequate will be marked as “not yet passed” and must retake the exam at a time to be determined. If candidates do not pass on the second attempt, they will not be able to continue in the program.

Note: Students must fulfill at least one language requirement by the end of the first year in order to be eligible to take the General Exam.

Field Oral Exam

The purpose of the Field Oral exam is twofold: to discuss an emerging dissertation topic, and to examine students' preparation in primary teaching and the scholarly field(s) they mean to claim, particularly field(s) related to the dissertation. Students should be prepared to display knowledge of the field(s) in general based on the books and articles listed in their field bibliography.

The order of events in the exam is up to the committee and student to establish beforehand, but typically the exam has two parts: a discussion of the field(s) in which the proposed dissertation situates itself and in which the student intends to teach; and a discussion of the dissertation topic. The exam should assess both the viability of the thesis topic and the preparedness of the student to pursue it at this time. The level of preparedness should be clarified between the student and committee in their meetings before the exam. The discussion of the dissertation topic should substantially aid the student in writing the prospectus, due six weeks after the exam.

In some field exams, there is already a clear idea of the dissertation, one that the student has already discussed with the committee. The discussion in the exam can thus dive more deeply into the details of the project. In other field exams, the student's dissertation project is not yet fully formed, and the exam actively contributes to fleshing out the formation of the project's scope and direction. The committee and student should agree beforehand on the specific format and scope of the exam.

The two-hour examination is typically taken before the end of the Fall Reading Period of the third year of graduate study, although it is possible to take it as late as the end of February, should the need arise. The exam is conducted by a three-person examination committee, chosen by the individual student, normally from among the tenured and ladder faculty of the English department, (the chair is chosen by May 15 of the second year, and the remaining examiners by no later than September 1 of the third year). One faculty member acts as chair of the committee and often assists the student in selecting other members. The committee, or some part of it, will likely continue to serve as individual students’ dissertation advisors.

During the exam, students are asked to describe and discuss their dissertation project, and to demonstrate an adequate knowledge both of the major primary works and of selected scholarly works in the field(s) as they relate to their dissertation.

The twin purposes of the exam--representing the chosen field, and giving a first account of a dissertation project--are represented by two separate bibliographies, each consisting of primary and scholarly works, drawn up by the student in consultation with the examination committee. There may be considerable overlap between these two bibliographies.

At least four weeks before the exam, the student should meet with the committee, present the two bibliographies (of the chosen field(s) and of the dissertation project), and discuss the format of the exam.

The exam is graded Pass/Fail.

Dissertation Prospectus

The dissertation prospectus, signed and approved by three advisors (or two co-advisors, with a third committee member to be added at a later date), is due to the Graduate Office six “business weeks” after passing the Field Oral Examination. The “business weeks” do not include the Winter Recess, so a student passing the exam four weeks before Winter Recess begins, for example, would have another two weeks after the start of classes in the Spring Term to complete the prospectus.

The prospectus is neither a draft chapter nor a detailed road-map of the next two years work but a sketch, no longer than seven to ten pages, of the topic upon which the student plans to write. It gives a preliminary account of the argument, structure, and scope of the intended treatment of the topic. The overview will be followed by a bibliography.

The prospectus is written in consultation with the dissertation advisors, who will meet with students at least once in the spring of the third year to discuss the prospectus and to draw up a timetable for the writing of the dissertation.

In planning a timetable, students need to bear in mind (1) that two draft chapters of the dissertation must be completed by the middle of their fifth year, if they are to be eligible to apply for completion fellowships in their sixth year, and (2) that students generally enter the job market in the fall of their sixth year, with at least two final chapters and a third draft chapter completed. They should also remember that term-time fellowships and traveling fellowships may be available to them in the fifth year, but that these require applications which are due as early as December or January of the fourth year.  Note: The timetable described above can be accelerated if a student so wishes and is in the position to do so.

Article Submission and Professional Writing Workshop

Students are required to submit an article to a scholarly journal by the end of their 5th year (acceptance is not required). Failure to do so would result in the loss of good standing. This is encouraged for all students, but is a requirement beginning with the incoming class of 2015-16. In conjunction with this new requirement, the department has established a professional writing workshop open to English department students only. Attendance will not be required but expected of students in residence. Students will be expected to take the course at some time before the beginning of the 6th year, and ordinarily in the spring of their 5th year. The course will be graded Sat/Unsat.

Dissertation Advising

Students should assemble a group of faculty members to supervise the dissertation. Several supervisory arrangements are possible: students may work with a committee of three faculty members who share nearly equal responsibility for advising, or with a committee consisting of a principal faculty advisor and a second and third reader. In the first scenario, one of the three faculty members will be asked to serve as a nominal chair of the committee; in the second scenario, the principal advisor serves as chair. If the scope of the project requires it, students should consult the DGS about including a faculty advisor from a department other than English or from another university.

The advising mode chosen will be indicated to the department when the prospectus is submitted. Regardless of the structure of advising, three faculty readers are required to certify the completed dissertation. If it is deemed useful, chapter meetings between the student and the entire committee may be arranged in consultation with the chair.

The Dissertation

After the dissertation prospectus has been approved, candidates work with their dissertation directors or their dissertation committee. All of the designated advisors must approve the final work.

The doctoral dissertation is expected to be an original and substantial work of scholarship or criticism, excellent in form and content. The department accepts dissertations on a great variety of topics involving a broad range of approaches to literature. It sets no specific page limits, preferring to give students and directors as much freedom as possible.

Dissertation Defense

The Dissertation Defense will be a necessary part of receiving the PhD, though it will not be a pass/fail examination. The defense is required for all students who entered the program in 2007 or after.

The form of the defense is as follows:

• Each student’s defense will be a separate event
• In addition to the student and the advisors, the participants typically include any interested faculty and any interested graduate students
• The Graduate Office will announce the upcoming defense to all members of the department, unless otherwise specified by the student
• The event will start with a 15–20 minute presentation by the student and last at most 90 minutes
• If a student has left Cambridge and cannot return easily for this purpose, the defense may be held remotely

Arrangements will be overseen by the Graduate Office but conducted by the student (as with the Fields examination); students will be required to send an email to the Director of Graduate Studies and to the Graduate Program Administrator, with a copy to their advisors, indicating the day, time, and location of the defense.

The meeting for a November, March, or May degree must take place any time after advisors have signed off on the dissertation (by signing the Dissertation Acceptance Certificate) and, in the case of the May degree, at least a week before Commencement. In practice, however, the student will need to defend after advisors have signed off and before advisors disperse. That period will normally be between 1–14 May, and most probably in the early days of May. It is up to the student to coordinate the arrangements.

Students begin teaching in their third year*. Ordinarily they teach discussion sections in courses and in the department’s program of tutorials for undergraduate honors majors.

Preparation for a teaching career is a required part of students’ training, and Teaching Fellows benefit from the supervision and guidance of department members.

Teaching fellows are required to take English 350, the Teaching Colloquium, in their first year of teaching. In addition, they are encouraged to avail themselves of the facilities at the Bok Center for Teaching and Learning.

*English graduate students wishing to teach in their 2nd year must have 1) passed Generals, 2) completed all required course work by the end of their first year OR must have previous comparable teaching experience, and 3) received written authorization from the Director of Graduate Studies and the GSAS Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid.

Doctoral Conferences "Colloquia"

The Department of English’s  Doctoral Conferences (commonly referred to as “Colloquia”) bring together students and faculty from Harvard and other institutions to discuss current research in literature. Colloquia meet regularly throughout the academic year, and all Harvard graduate students and faculty should feel free to attend any of them, regardless of primary field(s) of interest.

Careers and Placement Seminar

As students near the end of their dissertation writing, they may take a seminar preparing them to seek academic and other employment. Students learn about the job application process, develop cover letters and CVs, and practice presenting their work in interviews and job talks, all in a rigorous and supportive environment. Students should leave the seminar with strong materials for the job market, confident identities as the expert scholars and teachers they have become, and clear articulations of how they will contribute to literary studies in the years ahead. The seminar supplements and formalizes the extensive informal placement advising offered in the department.

Graduate Student Progress Timeline

This document  provides a year-by-year breakdown of requirements for satisfactory progress in our program.

• Guidelines for Admission
• Teaching Fellows
• Fellowships
• Graduate Prizes
• Resources for Grad Students
• English PhD Alumni Network & Placement Information

• Chancellor’s Message

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2023-24 edition, english, ph.d..

The Ph.D. program in English at UCI is the #1 department for literary and critical theory nationally (US News and World Report). The research and teaching of department faculty represents and cuts across a range of fields, historical periods, and methodological approaches. Our  graduates have gone on  to faculty positions at a range of nationally ranked colleges and universities, including, in recent years, the University of Michigan, Tulane, Rice, Clemson, BYU, and Connecticut College.

Many of our Ph.D. faculty and students participate jointly in collaborative, interdisciplinary research clusters and reading groups. Some groups currently active include  The Center for Early Cultures , the Culture and Capital Center,  Medieval Devysings ,  Poetics | History | Theory , the Queer Theory Reading Group, and the Rhetoric Reading Group. Our Ph.D. program allows students to customize their study and research around their own intellectual interests. Students can also take seminars in other programs and departments, and can receive interdisciplinary certificates in  Asian American studies ,  Chicano/Latino Studies ,  Critical Theory ,  Gender and Sexuality Studies ,  Latin American Studies ,  Medical Humanities ,  Rhetoric and Composition , and  Visual Studies

All admitted students receive a multi-year funding package, including a range of teaching opportunities. Students may enter the graduate program in English with either a B.A. or an M.A. In either case, the first two years are spent taking courses, completing the language requirement, and writing the M.A. paper. In the third year, students select two or three fields of study for their qualifying exams - exam lists are developed by the student in consultation with their advisor and are intended to help the student build expertise and confidence toward a future dissertation. After successfully completing the qualifying examination, students write a dissertation under the supervision of a three-person dissertation committee, which they select.

Admission to the Ph.D. program in English is determined by careful review of the applicants' prior academic performance, writing sample, letters of recommendation, and personal statement. Admission is for the following fall quarter only. The application and supporting documents (transcripts, writing sample, and three letters of recommendation) are required by the deadline. Applicants must use the university's electronic application process.

Since admission to the graduate program is competitive, it is recommended that prospective applicants consider carefully the following information:

• One of the most important components of an application is the writing sample. This should be a critically-oriented piece that illustrates an applicant's ability to do scholarly research and interpret literary or cultural texts. It is helpful if the writing sample is relevant to your proposed field of study, although this is not a requirement. Only one writing sample should be submitted, and it should not exceed 20 pages. Please note: the writing sample and the statement of purpose (part of the university's online electronic application) are two separate essays, and both are required for the Ph.D. application.
• The statement of purpose is generally 1-2 pages and should tell the admissions committee who you are as a scholar, what your research interests are, and why you are applying to the UCI English Ph.D. program in particular. The personal history statement , also part of the online application, is not required but is highly recommended, especially for those applicants who think they may be eligible for a diversity fellowship. It should address aspects of your background or personal experience relevant to your application and/or to your academic interests.
• A minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.50 in the last two years of undergraduate study is recommended to be competitive.

For more information about the application process, including deadline and information for international students, visit the UCI Graduate Division application page .

Students must take a minimum of 15 graduate seminars, of which a maximum of three can be taken outside the English Department, though students are allowed to petition for additional courses to count toward the requirement. Courses should expose students to a variety of topics, approaches, genres, and theoretical issues in literary history as well as prepare students for an area of specialization. Adequate historical coverage generally entails at least one course on literatures in English in each of the following periods: medieval; Renaissance; the long 18th century; Romanticism; Victorian or late 19th century; the 20th century. Students should take courses from a number of different faculty in order to provide a good basis for choosing members of committees and to gain educational breadth and diversity. All work for the Ph.D. degree must be in courses limited to graduate students.

M.A. Examination

As the coursework for the M.A. nears completion, students meet with their advisor to plan for the M.A. examination. The advisor and the student will select a seminar essay the student has already written and which will be revised for the M.A. examination (the essay should be article length, i.e. between 20 and 40 pages). The purpose of the revision is to demonstrate that a student has the skills needed to pursue a Ph.D. in English. The final paper must, therefore, be well-written and clearly argued. The student will also prepare a "Statement of Purpose" which addresses coursework to date and plans for subsequent courses; plans for the qualifying examination and dissertation; and professional aims. The exam meeting itself will be conducted by a member of the departmental M.A. Examination Committee and two other faculty members, including the student's M.A. advisor. Examinations usually last one hour.

Foreign Language Requirement

The student must demonstrate a highly proficient reading knowledge of one foreign language by passing a translation test. The test must be passed before the M.A. examination. The tests are two-hour sight translations - during which the use of dictionaries is permitted - and may be re-taken. The Graduate Committee asks qualified members of the Department or other departments to set and mark the examinations.

The Department expects its graduates to obtain considerable teaching experience before completing the Ph.D. The amount of teaching any candidate may do will depend upon the availability of teaching assistantships and the maximum limit of 12 quarters of appointments before advancement to candidacy and 18 quarters of total teaching support. (Both are campuswide limits.) Appointments are made on the basis of academic progress and performance as a teacher at the university level. All other considerations being equal, students making normal progress toward the degree have a more compelling claim to support than those who do not. For instance, although students can receive up to 18 quarters of support, priority is normally given to those who have not yet used 15 quarters.

Qualifying Examination

After students have completed the coursework (and any other requirements), they prepare for the qualifying examination. Working closely with the chair of the committee (confirmed at the M.A. examination), the student should select three other members of the examination committee. A fifth member, working or non-working, from outside the Department and sometimes from outside the School of Humanities, is selected by the chair of the committee in consultation with the student. The primary function of the qualifying examination is to test the student's knowledge of two or three fields of specialization. Working with the advisor and the other members of the committee, the student will prepare reading lists in each of these two or three fields; the number of works read for the examination should total 120-150. Each field list will also be prefaced by a "headnote," written by the student, of 500-1000 words. The examination itself will take place in the spring quarter of the student's third year. It consists of eight hours of on-campus writing and (a week later) a two hour-long oral exam covering both the written exam essays as well as any texts on the student's lists.

Upon satisfactorily completing the qualifying examination, the student is admitted to candidacy for the degree.

Dissertation

After completing the qualifying examination, the candidate will form a suitable dissertation committee of three members, chaired by a member of the Department. The candidate and the committee will discuss expectations for a substantial piece of writing - a prospectus, introduction, or chapter draft to be completed in the quarter immediately following the qualifying exam. The committee and the candidate will discuss the piece and make plans for the dissertation as a whole. After submitting the full dissertation to their committee members, students will be required to pass an oral dissertation defense with their doctoral committee prior to filing the dissertation and graduating.

The normative time for completion of the Ph.D. is seven years, and the maximum time permitted is nine years.

The following interdisciplinary emphasis programs are available for English Ph.D. students as an optional supplement to their coursework and study.

Emphasis in Asian American Studies

The emphasis in Asian American Studies is offered to students in an array of fields in the Schools of Humanities, Social Sciences, Social Ecology, and the Arts. Completion of this rigorous academic sequence demonstrates significant scholarly ability and ethical commitment to the critical study of race broadly, and of Asian Americans in particular.

Emphasis in Chicano/Latino Studies

The emphasis in Chicano/Latino Studies is available in conjunction with all Ph.D. programs offered at UC Irvine. As a supplementary program of study, it provides substantive, theoretical, and methodological training in Chicano/Latino studies. Additional coursework allows students to develop an interdisciplinary understanding of Chicano/Latino issues to further their research program and be better prepared to engage with diverse communities.

Emphasis in Critical Theory

Critical Theory at UCI is understood in the broad sense as the study of the shared assumptions, problems, and commitments of the various discourses in the humanities. An emphasis in Critical Theory is available for doctoral students in all department within the School of Humanities.

Emphasis in Feminist Studies

The Department of Gender and Sexuality Studies offers an emphasis in Feminist Studies , which emphasizes interdisciplinary, multicultural scholarship and includes course work in feminist theories, the cultural roles of women, women's socioeconomic condition, women's history, women's literature in a cross-cultural frame, women's images in fine arts and film, women of color, and lesbian and gay studies. 

Emphasis in Latin American Studies

The graduate emphasis in Latin American Studies is open to students from all fields and allows students to gain interdisciplinary knowledge about the study of Latin America and form scholarly relationships with a range of faculty and graduate students interested in Latin America from across the UCI campus.

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• Arts & Sciences
• Graduate Studies in A&S

PHD PROGRAM

in English and American Literature

The graduate program in English and American literature at Washington University in St. Louis is innovative, collegial, competitive, and generously funded, offering one of the top financial packages in the nation. All incoming students receive full tuition scholarships plus ample living stipends for six years. Our faculty includes Guggenheim Fellows, winners of the National Book Critics Circle Award, and members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Curious as to what our faculty are working on? Check out our faculty's areas of expertise. A participant in the Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate, we exemplify an integrated community of scholars and writers, and are home to one of the top ten MFA programs in the U.S. 

Building on our many interests, we sponsor multiple reading groups , regular faculty and student colloquia, and an extensive lecture series. The Hurst Visiting Professorship brings multiple distinguished creative and critical voices to the department each year for public lectures and small workshops. Recent Hurst Professors have included Charles Altieri, Rita Copeland, Peter Coviello, Jed Esty, Rita Felski, Carla Kaplan, James Longenbach, Jerome McGann, Charles Taylor, Daniel Vitkus, and Michael Wood.

While our program is rooted in the materials of literary history, from medieval to contemporary, interdisciplinarity is more than aspirational.  Certificate programs  connect students to multiple departments and initiatives, building on the resources of the broader community. We believe that a strong intellectual community is fostered by concrete working relationships between professors and students and offer collaborative teaching opportunities with experienced faculty. After two years spent solely on coursework, research, and writing, students begin mentored teaching experiences in one course per term. Tailored to student interests, these experiences offer careful pedagogical attention in writing and literature courses, with the option of professional internships and training. At the end of the program, Ph.D. students spend a final year without teaching focused on finishing their dissertation and entering the job market.

Program Requirements

Courses & requirements.

Explore the timeline and requirements for the PhD in English and American Literature as well as the Combined PhD in English and Comparative Literature.

Admissions Information & FAQ

Interested in applying? Learn more about the admissions requirements, funding and fellowships, teaching and training, and other frequently asked questions.

Special Collections

Perhaps the most important resource for graduate students outside of the English Department is the University's  Special Collections Department , home to a first-rate archive of twentieth-century writers' manuscripts and other papers.  The Modern Literary Manuscripts Collection  focuses on the careers of 125 major literary figures including Samuel Beckett, Howard Nemerov, Stanley Elkin, William Gass, Mona Van Duyn, William Gaddis, and the world's most complete holding of writings by and about the American poet James Merrill. Taken as a whole, the collection consists of more than a quarter of a million manuscript items, correspondence, and ephemera, thousands of photographs, scores of unique audio-taped readings from the 1950s onward, and numerous videotaped readings. The Special Collections Department also coordinates occasional exhibitions of collected authors' papers, such as the 2000 exhibition  "James Merrill: Other Writings,"  which included essays and related Merrill scholarship from several English department graduate students.

Interdisciplinary Research

The department encourages interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary work in addition to the regular interdisciplinary course offerings. Various centers on campus, such as the Center for the Humanities , the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics , and the Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity and Equity , bring together scholars from a wide range of backgrounds and interests with programs, lectures, seminars, and colloquia. Meanwhile, programs such as Early Modern Studies,  American Culture Studies  and  Women and Gender Studies  draw from across the university. Students regularly have professors on their dissertation committees from multiple departments. These opportunities are just a few of the many ways that our students cross paths with esteemed scholars and fellow graduate students from other disciplines.

In addition to its many interdisciplinary programs and centers, the university offers several graduate certificates aimed specifically at encouraging and enhancing interdisciplinary study. The certificates give students additional qualifications in a second area. Beyond Early Modern Studies, American Culture Studies, and Women and Gender Studies—all of which have their own certificate programs—we also offer graduate certificates in Film and Media Studies (Program in Film and Media Studies),  Translation Studies (Program in Comparative Literature), and  Data Science in the Humanities  (Humanities Digital Workshop). For more information, contact the programs involved directly or contact the Director Graduate Studies in English.

Recent Dissertations

Curious to explore what our research our recent alumni have completed? 

Explore PhD Dissertations

Careers & Outcomes

Learn more about our job placement and career outcomes for recent alumni.

Graduate Student Resources

Graduate Student Organizations

learn more about graduate student reading groups and organizations on campus

Graduate Student Handbook

learn more about policies and procedures for the doctoral program

Statement on Content Provision

review WashU's policies for use of creative and intellectual works in teaching and research

search more resources

• The Office of Graduate Studies
• The Graduate Center

Life in St. Louis

A culturally diverse and exciting city, St. Louis is one of the most affordable and livable major metropolitan centers in the United States. Perhaps the greatest surprise to visitors and newcomers is just how green are our neighborhoods. One rarely goes more than two or three city blocks without finding an attractive and welcoming park in which to stroll, run, bike, or rollerblade. In addition, with affordable housing, excellent restaurants, numerous sporting events, and varied cultural activities, St. Louis is one of the most pleasant American cities in which to live and to work.

Learn More about Life in St. Louis

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30 Fully Funded Ph.D. Programs

These fully funded Ph.D. programs are in fields like business, computer science, education and nursing.

(Getty Images) |

Many Ph.D. programs are fully funded.

Students interested in graduate research in various fields, from public health and English to computer science and engineering, have numerous options for Ph.D. programs that offer full funding. These programs typically provide waived tuition and fees and an annual stipend. Some also offer health insurance and other benefits. Gaining admittance into these small cohorts can be highly competitive, and the programs can be time-consuming . Here are 30 fully funded Ph.D. programs at U.S. colleges and universities. Keep in mind this is not a comprehensive list – there are others out there.

• Ph.D. in anthropology at the University of Chicago

Anthropology Ph.D. students at the University of Chicago can receive funding for up to eight years of study, assuming they are in good standing at the university. During that time, they will receive a full-tuition scholarship plus health insurance and a living stipend – which equated to $33,000 for the 2022-2023 school year – and can apply for external fellowships.

Ph.D. in biological sciences in public health at Harvard University (MA)

Harvard University's T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston offers a Ph.D. in biological sciences in public health that aims to provide students with expertise in disease prevention and treatment. This program includes tuition, a stipend and health insurance for five years as long as the student maintains satisfactory academic progress. International students receive the same benefits. Current research in the school's laboratories involves diseases like AIDS, cancer, diabetes, kidney disease, malaria and tuberculosis.

(Dominick Reuter) |

• Ph.D. in business at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Students enrolled in the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology can study a range of fields like organization studies, accounting and information technology. Those pursuing a Ph.D. will receive a full-tuition scholarship plus a monthly stipend of $4,267, capped at $51,204. They will also receive medical insurance, new laptops at the beginning of their first and fourth years of study and $4,500 over five years for conference travel expenses.

(Tommy Lavergne | Rice University)

Ph.D. in business at Rice University (TX)

At the Rice University Jones Graduate School of Business in Texas, students enjoy full financial assistance upon admission to the Ph.D. program. Aiming to prepare students to teach in fields like accounting, finance, organizational behavior and strategic management, the program provides students with a research or teaching assistantship. Students receive a tuition waiver and a $40,000 annual stipend contingent on making satisfactory academic progress and maintaining full-time student status.

Office of Strategic Communication | University of Iowa

• Ph.D. in business at the University of Iowa

The University of Iowa's Tippie College of Business offers Ph.D. degrees in fields such as accounting, economics, business analytics and marketing. The college says it provides full funding to "virtually all admitted students." This includes tuition and fees, a minimum nine-month stipend of about $20,000 with annual adjustments and comprehensive health insurance covered at 90%. Some departments offer funding for research presentations at major conferences, summer fellowships and paid time off for independent research.

Ph.D. in chemical engineering at Cornell University (NY)

According to Cornell University 's website, all students admitted to the chemical engineering Ph.D. program at the New York school receive a full tuition waiver, health insurance and a stipend. This funding can come from a teaching assistantship, research assistantship or fellowship, and full stipends are granted for nine months with the likelihood of additional aid in the summer.

Chris Taggart | Columbia University

Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Columbia University (NY)

Students enrolled in Columbia University 's Ph.D. program in clinical psychology at the Teachers College in New York receive fully funded tuition and a $25,000 stipend annually for three years. The stipend also carries into a student's fourth year. These doctoral fellows "may be expected to serve" as graduate teaching or research assistants. Students typically complete the mentor-matched program, which includes a full-year internship, in five to seven years.

Ph.D. in computer science at Brown University (RI)

Brown University 's Ph.D. students in computer science have access to "full financial support while completing the degree," plus the option to take classes at nearby schools without incurring additional costs, according to the school's website. In fact, doctoral students in any program at the Rhode Island university are guaranteed five years of financial support, which includes tuition remission, a stipend, health services fees and a subsidy for health insurance.

Georgetown University |

Ph.D. in computer science at Georgetown University (DC)

Georgetown University 's Ph.D. program in computer science provides scholarships and assistantships that cover full tuition at the Washington, D.C., school and include a stipend and health insurance for the first five years. Once enrolled in the program, students must complete the Apprenticeship in Teaching Program and ultimately write and defend a full research dissertation in a seminar open to the public.

Ph.D. in computer science at Washington University in St. Louis

Ph.D. students in the computer science or computer engineering program at Washington University in St. Louis receive full tuition support and health insurance. According to the university's website: "As a doctoral candidate, you will also receive a generous stipend to cover living expenses and a new, high-end Apple laptop computer. This support is guaranteed as you continue to make satisfactory progress towards your degree." Doctoral students may also qualify for one of three fellowships.

Jeff Miller | UW-Madison

• Ph.D. in counseling psychology at the University of Wisconsin—Madison

Incoming Ph.D. students at the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin—Madison are guaranteed full funding for the duration of the time that they are expected on campus, according to the university's department of counseling psychology website. Doctoral students also receive a benefits package that includes health insurance. Funding may come from financial aid, fellowships, assistantships and/or traineeships.

Emory University |

Ph.D. in economics at Emory University (GA)

Students enrolled in the economics Ph.D. program at Emory University typically receive full funding, according to the Georgia university's website. The stipend provided to students is $36,376 per year for five years, starting in fall 2023, and the full tuition scholarship is worth $70,200 per year. Funding for admitted students also includes a $4,370 annual subsidy that covers 100% of a student's cost of health insurance. First-year students have no stipend-related work requirements.

• Ph.D. in education at New York University

New York University's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development offers more than 30 degree programs. Many can be pursued on campus or online. Ph.D. degrees are offered in areas like developmental psychology, educational leadership and childhood education. Full-time NYU Steinhardt Ph.D. students are eligible for a funding package that includes an annual stipend – $32,000 for the 2022-2023 academic year – tuition coverage for required coursework and student health insurance for five years.

L.A. Cicero, Stanford News Service |

Ph.D. in education at Stanford University (CA)

Stanford University's Graduate School of Education allows students numerous fellowship and assistantship opportunities at the California school, along with a "five-year funding guarantee that provides tuition aid, fellowship stipend, and assistantship salary, and covers the standard cost of attendance," the program website reads. At the Graduate School of Education, doctoral students can choose from a range of academic areas like curriculum studies and teacher education, and developmental and psychological sciences.

• Ph.D. in education at the University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education provides full funding to Ph.D. students as part of a fellowship and research apprenticeship package. This funding includes a living stipend, health insurance and coverage of tuition and fees for up to four years if the student maintains full-time enrollment. Some students may also qualify for additional summer funding.

• Ph.D. in engineering at the University of Michigan—Ann Arbor

Doctoral students in engineering at the University of Michigan—Ann Arbor can choose from numerous areas of specialization under umbrella categories like aerospace engineering, biomedical engineering, macromolecular science and engineering, and robotics. All engineering doctoral students are guaranteed full funding, a monthly living stipend and health insurance. The exact amount can vary, according to the program's website, and funding comes from a range of sources, including graduate student instructor positions and fellowships.

Boston University Photography |

• Ph.D. in English at Boston University

Annually, doctoral students studying English at Boston University receive a stipend plus full tuition, fees and basic health insurance. This funding is guaranteed for at least five years, with two of those years typically free from teaching requirements. Funding can sometimes be extended up to seven years, according to the university's website, but it's not guaranteed. Students may also apply for various prizes, fellowships and short-term research and travel grants.

(Stephanie Diani) |

• Ph.D. in English at the University of California—Los Angeles

Applicants to the Ph.D. in English program at the University of California—Los Angeles are automatically considered for various funding options. A six-year funding package includes "a minimum of two years of full fellowship, four years of summer stipend support and up to four years of teaching assistantships," according to the school website. Beyond tuition, fees and health insurance are also covered.

Jeff Watts |

Ph.D. in international relations at American University (DC)

American University offers doctoral students in its international relations program who do not have external funding a renewable four-year Dean's Fellowship that is contingent on making satisfactory academic progress. The fellowship includes the cost of tuition, fees and a stipend that must be earned via a part-time role as a teaching or research assistant. Students also must "demonstrate competency in a modern foreign language" before graduating.

Jonathan Cohen | Binghamton University

• Ph.D. in management at Binghamton University—SUNY

All students admitted to the interdisciplinary management Ph.D. program at the Binghamton University—SUNY School of Management in New York receive a combination of a full-tuition scholarship and a teaching or research assistantship for each academic year, up to four years. This STEM-designated business doctoral degree prepares students for careers in academia and work in the public and private sectors, and has a student-faculty ratio of 1-to-1, according to the university's website.

Duke University Communications |

Ph.D. in materials science and engineering at Duke University (NC)

Doctoral students at Duke University in North Carolina studying materials science and engineering generally receive full tuition, a stipend and fee support for the first five years. Students also receive up to six years of health insurance if they are on the university's student medical insurance plan. The doctoral program aims to help students publish with a faculty adviser and develop research skills, with the opportunity to present research at professional conferences.

Homewood Photography | JHU

Ph.D. in nursing at Johns Hopkins University (MD)

The School of Nursing at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland provides most doctoral students with three fully funded years of study. Available financial aid includes graduate assistantships, targeted fellowships and nursing-specific funding. The university aims to "advance the theoretical foundation of nursing practice and healthcare delivery" with the degree, its website reads. "By graduation, most Hopkins nurse scholars have been awarded grants that continue their research and set them well on their way to a successful career."

• Ph.D. in nursing at the University of Virginia

All students admitted to the University of Virginia 's Ph.D. in Nursing program are eligible for four years of scholarship funding to cover tuition, insurance and fees, as well as annual stipends. To receive certain aid, students must work 10 hours per week as a graduate teaching assistant. With a heavy research focus, students can expect courses in qualitative, quantitative and historical research, and will have to submit a research proposal for peer review.

Ph.D. in nursing at Yale University (CT)

At Yale University in Connecticut, the School of Nursing offers full funding to its Ph.D. students. They receive a monthly stipend for four years in addition to paid tuition and health care. The program allows students to gain in-depth knowledge in a particular area of study. Every incoming Ph.D. student gets paired with a faculty adviser "whose area of expertise and active research most closely matches with the student’s scholarly interest," according to the school's website.

University of Minnesota |

• Ph.D. in psychology at the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities

Students admitted to the Ph.D. program to study psychology at the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities are guaranteed full funding for five years as long as they maintain satisfactory performance and degree progress. This funding includes full-time tuition, a nine-month stipend and subsidized health insurance. Funding comes from some combination of teaching assistantships, traineeships, research assistantships and fellowships. Students in the program can specialize in areas like cognitive and brain sciences, industrial-organizational psychology and social psychology.

Matt Cashore | University of Notre Dame

Ph.D. within the Romance languages and literatures department at the University of Notre Dame (IN)

University of Notre Dame doctoral students who focus on French and Francophone studies, Iberian and Latin American studies or Italian studies are guaranteed five years of funding. Funding includes a full scholarship, including tuition and fees, plus a stipend and health insurance. Anyone who completes the Ph.D. degree requirements at the Indiana university within five years will automatically receive a one-year postdoctoral fellowship via the university's 5+1 Program. Fellows will have a teaching load limited to one course per semester.

Ph.D. in social work at Bryn Mawr College (PA)

Students admitted to Bryn Mawr College 's Ph.D. program in social work receive full tuition waivers and "substantial stipends" toward living expenses. The Pennsylvania college's website says: "Consistent with our model, all Ph.D. students are funded equally, and do not compete for basic financial support during coursework." The program's cohorts typically include only three or four students each year. According to the college, it awarded the first Ph.D. degree in social work in the U.S. in 1920.

Vanderbilt University |

Ph.D. in special education at Vanderbilt University (TN)

Funding is guaranteed for all admitted doctoral students enrolled in the special education Ph.D. program at the Peabody College of Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee. This includes full tuition, a "competitive" monthly stipend and health insurance for up to four years. Students may also be nominated for additional honor scholarships and fellowships. Areas of focus within the Ph.D. program include high-incidence disabilities and early childhood education.

Ph.D. in theatre and drama at Northwestern University (IL)

This interdisciplinary Ph.D. program at Northwestern University in Illinois combines coursework in humanities, social science and the visual arts. The program's students receive a five-year full-tuition scholarship plus an annual living stipend. Ph.D students enrolling at this program in fall 2022 will receive a living stipend of at least $36,960 during the 2023-2024 school year. Stipend amounts may change from year to year. Students can apply for subsidies to facilitate conference travel and summer language study.

(Photo by Sarah L. Voisin | The Washington Post via Getty Images)

• Ph.D. in women, gender and sexuality studies at University of Maryland

At the University of Maryland 's Harriet Tubman Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Ph.D. students without a master's degree usually have five years of guaranteed funding. Those with a master's degree usually are funded four years, with awards stemming from a mix of departmental fellowships and graduate teaching assistantships. Since the program's establishment in 1999, the department has granted 36 Ph.Ds, according to UMD's website.

Learn more about paying for graduate school.

Finding a fully funded program isn't the only option to offset the costs of graduate school. See these seven strategies to pay for graduate school to learn more. Check out the latest Best Graduate Schools rankings to see the country's top business, medicine and law programs – and more. For additional grad school tips, follow U.S. News Education on Facebook , Twitter and LinkedIn .

Ph.D. programs that are fully funded

• Ph.D. in biological sciences in public health at Harvard University
• Ph.D. in business at Rice University
• Ph.D. in chemical engineering at Cornell University
• Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Columbia University
• Ph.D. in computer science at Brown University
• Ph.D. in computer science at Georgetown University
• Ph.D. in computer science at Washington University—St. Louis
• Ph.D. in economics at Emory University
• Ph.D. in education at Stanford University
• Ph.D. in international relations at American University
• Ph.D. in materials science and engineering at Duke University
• Ph.D. in nursing at Johns Hopkins University
• Ph.D. in nursing at Yale University
• Ph.D. within the romance languages and literatures department at the University of Notre Dame
• Ph.D. in social work at Bryn Mawr College
• Ph.D. in special education at Vanderbilt University
• Ph.D. in theatre and drama at Northwestern University

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10 great PhD scholarships in the US for international students 2022

If you’re an international student looking for PhD scholarships, consider the US. With over 4,000 universities and six different time zones across 50 states, the US is one of the most popular study destinations in the world. Three main reasons why the US continues to attract PhD students despite their geographical location (usually taking up to two days to arrive from elsewhere) and high living costs as befits a developed nation, are outlined below.

Firstly, the US is home to many world-class universities with robust global  rankings – some of them are even in the top 100 world universities. Even though ranking is not an all-important reason to choose a university to do a PhD, it makes sense to study in one of the world’s best-ranked universities, and where else but to choose the US.

Secondly, the US PhD takes a longer time than PhDs in other countries. This is not necessarily a bad thing because when the US PhD takes up to five years or longer to complete, you will have more time to adjust, settle in and eventually thrive in your studies.

Finally, students doing their PhDs in the US are almost guaranteed to have a tuition fee waiver. They will get a stipend from the university for the entire duration of their studies as well, which makes for an attractive incentive.

If you have ever wanted to go to the US to do your PhD but need a scholarship, now you can, with these US PhD scholarships at top-ranked universities. Source: Justin Heiman/Getty Images North America/Getty Images via AFP

However, if you want to get this funded PhD in the US, especially in the top-ranked universities, it is always a good idea to apply as early as possible before their deadlines. If you miss the scholarship deadline, you can still apply and be accepted for the PhD.

Here is a list of US PhD scholarships and stipends that will help you achieve your dream of studying in the US.

PhD Scholarship 1: University of Idaho

As one of the top 100 for the best value in the US, the University of Idaho is a great choice to do your PhD, thanks to the low cost of living and tuition fees. The College of Graduate Studies has several knowledgeable staff who can advise you on the wide array of financial aid resources as well.

You need to have a relevant master’s degree to be able to apply for this scholarship by Apr. 1, 2022. Besides the scholarship application, you have to submit a 500 to 1,000-word essay or a two to five-minute video that describes your aspirations to conduct projects, research or other opportunities to increase intercultural understanding.

PhD Scholarship 2: University of Colorado Boulder

As one of 36 US public research institutions in the Association of American Universities – an elite group of recognised research universities – the University of Colorado Boulder has many enviable rankings such as being the first university to have a STARS Gold for sustainability. Their warm student-centred campus community ensures you will not feel out of place.

The Incoming Graduate Student Fellowship – with a Feb. 11, 2022 deadline under the Centre for Humanities and the Arts – will cover up to 18 credits of tuition per semester, student fees, health insurance as well as a first-year stipend equivalent to a 50% Graduate Part-Time Instructor appointment. You must be enroled as a doctoral student and working in the humanities or arts.

PhD Scholarship 3: Vanderbilt University 

Thanks to an innovative mix of immersive learning, integrated research and collaborative culture, Vanderbilt University is ranked the country’s #14 National University, and #1 for its education, nursing and audiology graduate programmes (US World and News Report 2021). Their location in Nashville, Tennessee allows students to enjoy a world-class city experience in a small college-feel town.

Qualified PhD applicants can apply for the University Graduate Fellowship by Jan. 15, 2022 in order to be nominated by their department. They will receive a stipend of up to US$5,000 for up to three years of their PhD studies.

PhD Scholarship 4 and 5: Washington University in St. Louis

Founded in 1853 in St. Louis, Missouri, Washington University in St. Louis attracts over 15,500 students from 100 countries and all 50 US states. They are well-known for being among the world’s leaders in teaching, research, patient care and service to society.

Below are two scholarships – both with a deadline of Jan. 25, 2022 – offered to students wanting to apply to the Graduate School, Washington University in St. Louis:

Chancellor’s Graduate Fellowship

Graduate students with strong academic records, and a keen interest in diversity and service can apply for this Chancellor’s Graduate Fellowship where they will receive academic, professional and personal support. You need to have a US undergraduate degree and have a desire to become a college or university professor.

Fellowship winners enjoy an annual stipend of US$36,720 (2021-22 rate), full tuition coverage, an educational allowance of US$1,500 and priority housing. 

Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Fellowship for Women in Graduate Study

This Fellowship – co-sponsored by the University and the Monticello College Foundation – is especially created to encourage more women to take up graduate study, and serve society afterwards.

The successful recipients will receive an annual stipend worth US$36,720 and a US$600 travel award besides full tuition remission throughout their programme.

PhD Scholarship 6: University of Minnesota Twin Cities

The University of Minnesota Twin Cities is well recognised as one of the most famous public research universities in the US. Over 50,000 students study at this university, which spans five campuses including the main Twin Cities campus.

The Diversity of Views and Experiences (DOVE) Fellowship Programme is available for exceptional research graduate students with diverse life and educational backgrounds who are underrepresented within graduate programmes.

They need to be nominated first by the Director of Graduate Studies in their respective graduate programme; they will get a stipend worth US$25,000, academic tuition for up to 14 graduate-rate credits per semester, health insurance subsidy and dental care.

PhD Scholarship 7: University of Texas at Austin

The University of Texas at Austin – ranked as the top public university in Texas (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2019) – has other high rankings including being #14 Public University (US News and World Report 2019). Their global world ranking is #67 (QS World University Rankings 2022) as well.

Through this Donald D. Harrington Graduate Fellows Programme Fellowship , recruited talented students are envisioned to share their knowledge and success with future generations. A stipend of US$40,000 for 12 months, tuition and required fees, an allowance for student medical insurance, and US$2,000 for miscellaneous expenses make up this generous funding package; the deadline is Jan. 24, 2022.

The following universities and institutions have not indicated any deadlines for their graduate fellowships, but you can contact them for further information.

PhD Scholarship 8: University of Oregon

As a Tier-One National Public Research University and being the top public university in Oregon (for first-year retention and graduation rates), the University of Oregon attracts over 22,000 students. It has nine schools and colleges. 

The International Cultural Service Programme is an annual tuition waiver scholarship ranging from US$9,000 to US$35,000 for up to 15 credits per term. Winners are required to do cultural service in the form of presentations about their home country to children, community organisations and the university’s students and faculty.

PhD Scholarships 9 and 10: East-West Centre

The East-West Centre , established by the US Congress in 1960, is a nonprofit organisation acting as a US-based institution for public diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific region. Located adjacent to the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (UHM), the centre’s Honolulu campus spans 21 acres.

Below are two Fellowships – established since 1999 through the Y. S. Lee Family Endowed Fellowship Fund and worth US$5,000 each – available for graduate students.

Wing-tsit Chan Graduate Fellowship in Chinese Philosophy

For students interested in Chinese philosophy, they can apply for this fellowship. They need to be nominated by the UHM Philosophy Department and selected by a committee that includes representatives from the East-West Centre’s Education Programme, the department’s Graduate Committee, and a member of the UH Center for Chinese Studies Executive Committee.

Ah Kin (Buck) Yee Graduate Fellowship in Chinese Studies

The recipient should ideally have been accepted for full-time graduate study in any field of Chinese studies. You need to apply via the University of Hawaii’s Student Scholarships website.

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• School of English
• Postgraduate study

PhD scholarships

There are several funding options available to support PhD study in the School of English, both from the University of Sheffield and from external funding bodies.

PhD scholarships and funding

AHRC White Rose College of the Arts & Humanities Scholarships

The White Rose College of the Arts & Humanities (WRoCAH) distributes AHRC-funded doctoral studentships and coordinates a doctoral training programme. The competition is announced around the end of October each year. Please visit the WROCAH website for more information.

Help with applying to WROCAH 

Please take advantage of the pre-application guidance and support that are available to students applying for WRoCAH funding to study with us.

Information about University of Sheffield scholarships is provided here .

Many charities, foundations and trusts provide funding for postgraduate study, from small grants to full scholarships. Some are in specific subject areas while others have more general eligibility criteria. Please see our  external funding page  for a list of funding bodies and search sites which may help you to find other scholarships.

PhD projects are available throughout the year, many of which are funded. Currently available projects are advertised in the  PhD projects directory .

Government loans have been available for postgraduate students studying doctoral level courses. Loans are non-means tested i.e. your incoming will not effect the amount that you receive and are available to students studying either part-time or full-time. Funding PhD study through a student loan is a big commitment and we would strongly recommend talking about this option with your proposed supervisor.

Rewards are available for all University of Sheffield graduates. Students must be self-funding and classified as overseas for fee purposes. Find out more  here .

Tuition fees

Find out about PhD fees here

Sheffield is a research university with a global reputation for excellence. We're a member of the Russell Group: one of the 24 leading UK universities for research and teaching.

Scholarships and funding

Would you like to turn your dream of studying in the uk into a reality.

Deciding to study in the UK is an investment in your future. A prestigious degree from the UK is a valuable and transformative experience and will take your education - and your employability - to the next level.

There are many funding options available for international students who want to study in the UK. They range from part-funding, for example paying part of your fees, to full-funding which covers programme fees, living expenses, and return flights to the UK.

You can search for the right scholarship for you on the course and scholarships finder below.

Postgraduate funding

The UK government runs a variety of scholarship programmes to financially support international students who are looking for help funding their studies in the UK.

The three main UK government scholarships on offer are:

GREAT Scholarships

GREAT Scholarships are scholarships to UK universities across a variety of subjects, for students from 15 countries. Applications for 2024-25 are open.

Chevening Scholarships

Chevening Scholarships offers fully funded master's degrees in the UK. Learn more about one of the UK's most prestigious scholarships.

Commonwealth Scholarships

Commonwealth Scholarships are UK university scholarships given to talented individuals with the potential to make a positive impact on the global stage.

Wider UK government funding

The UK government offers hundreds of scholarships, bursaries and additional financial support to students from a large number of countries.

You can visit the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website to find out more about the funding available if you are studying in the UK as a postgraduate student, including whether or not you are eligible to apply for a scholarship. Just scroll down to the relevant section of the webpage.

UKCISA is the UK’s national advisory body serving the interests of international students and those who work with them.

Hear from international scholars What's involved in receiving a UK scholarship?

Tips for choosing a scholarship, international scholars in the uk.

Thinking of applying for a scholarship? Here are some top tips from international students who have received a scholarship to study in the UK.

GREAT scholarships

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What are GREAT scholarships and who is eligible? Watch as Nadine, a GREAT scholar, and Maria from the University of Kent explain everything you need to know.

Commonwealth scholarships

Commonwealth scholars.

Are you a high-achieving student living in the Commonwealth? Watch as scholars Suahib and Hamna explain all you need to know about Commonwealth scholarships.

Chevening scholarships

Chevening scholars.

If you have a vision to make the world a better place, the Chevening scholarships might be for you. Watch to learn more about the programme.

Being a GREAT scholar

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Ismet tells us about receiving his GREAT Scholarship for Sustainable Futures, and why he chose the University of Essex.

Being a Commonwealth scholar

Olaoluwa, nigeria.

Olaoluwa has received a Commonwealth shared scholarship. See her impressions on studying in the UK and receiving this life-changing scholarship.

Postgraduate studentships

Many universities offer fully-funded postgraduate studentships for PhD programmes. Find out more .

Institution-specific scholarships

Many UK higher-education institutions offer their own scholarship programmes.

These are offered based on a number of factors, which can be broadly split out into the following categories:

• Academic, merit and excellence scholarships - These are usually awarded to students with a strong academic background, including achieving strong grades in their school exams. 
• Performance-based scholarships - These are usually awarded to those who have exceptional ability in an extracurricular activity such as sports, music or performing arts like drama or dance.
• Subject-specific scholarships - These are often offered by individual departments for students studying a particular course or subject.
• Equal access or sanctuary scholarships - These scholarships can take the form of a tuition fee reduction or waiver or maintenance award and are offered to refugees and asylum seekers who have fled persecution from their home countries.
• Disability scholarships - These scholarships support international students with a disability, long-term mental health condition, learning difficulty or other special needs. 

Always check out different institutions’ websites to discover what is available, and take a look at specialist websites like Postgraduate Studentships and Prospects for curated information that covers different institutions.

Application advice Six top tips on applying for a scholarship

Read our essential advice on how to apply for a scholarship, from eligibility criteria to tailoring your application.

Global scholarships

A.S. Hornby Trust Scholarship

Scholarships for English language teachers to develop their English language skills

Selected countries - see website >

Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan

Master's and doctoral courses (for study in the UK and distance learning), plus academic, professional and medical fellowships

Commonwealth countries >

Scholarships for one-year master's courses across a range of subjects at a variety of UK universities.

British Council scholarships for women in STEM

Scholarships for women undertaking master's degrees in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics course at one of 19 UK universities.

Americas, South Asia and South East Asia >

Global Wales Scholarships for International Students

Global Wales offers a variety of scholarship opportunities for international students.

USA; India; Vietnam and EU countries >

Country-specific scholarships

Young Cell Scheme

Postgraduate master's studies in the EU

Kosovo - see website >

Charles Wallace Pakistan Trust Scholarships

Doctoral studies, research, visiting fellows and Scottish summer school

Pakistan - see website >

Marshall Scholarship

Master's and doctoral courses at any university in the UK

USA - see website >

Science and research funding

Marshall Sherfield Fellowships

Post-doctoral research in science and engineering at any university in the UK

Euraxess UK

Research placements in the UK

Global - see website >

Royal Society grants

Postdoctoral science research

Undergraduate funding

While undergraduate scholarships and bursaries for EU and international students studying in the UK are less common than they are for postgraduate studies, they do exist. You just need to know where to look for them.

Funding for EU and international undergraduate students in the UK can generally be split into two categories: those offered by UK universities themselves and those offered by third parties - usually governments or organisations in your home country.

You can visit the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website to find out more about the funding available if you are studying in the UK as an undergraduate student, including whether or not you are eligible to apply for a scholarship. Just scroll down to the relevant section of the webpage.

You can also visit the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service in the UK (UCAS)’s page about scholarships, grants, and bursaries: EU and international students for more detailed information on what to look out for and where.

Cost of studying in the UK

Studying in the UK is good value for money. Find out how much you can expect to pay to study and live in the UK, and how to make the most of your budget.

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Scholarships and Studentships

Find out more about specific funding schemes & scholarships administered by the Centre for Doctoral Studies, below:

Funding to support Joint PhD Programmes

These scholarships are available for students applying to joint PhD programmes run in collaboration with the University of Hong Kong, National University of Singapore or the University of Sao Paulo, with King's as their home institution.

The King's Joint PhD Scholarship provides full tuition fees, stipend and an annual research grant.

Visit our joint PhD funding opportunity webpage for more details.

Find out more about the Joint PhD Programmes available at the National University of Singapore, University of Hong Kong, and University of Sao Paolo by visiting the International Education webpage.

King's China Council Scholarships

King's College London and the China Scholarship Council (CSC) hold an agreement to jointly fund PhD students to pursue research degrees at King's College London. As part of the agreement, successful students receive a scholarship that covers the tuition fee, an annual living allowance that includes overseas student health cover, a return airfare to London and visa application fees.

For full details, please visit our King's China Council Scholarships funding opportunity webpage.

Funded PhD Opportunities in Science & Engineering

The Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC) Doctoral Training Partnership at King’s College London offers PhD Research Studentships across the Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences and the Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine , particularly in the School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences .

For more information please visit our EPSRC Doctoral Training Partnership webpage.

Harold Moody PGR Studentships

King’s College London and the Centre for Doctoral Studies are offering four studentships to support underrepresented communities within postgraduate research students in two faculties.

The studentship covers:

Tuition fees at home level

An annual stipend (living allowance): at the UKRI rate (for the year 2021/22, this was set at £17,609), (pro-rata for PT registration)

Research costs: up to £1,000 per annum (pro-rata for PT registration)

Eligibility criteria

Applying for PhD, at KCL in the following Faculties:

Arts & Humanities

Social Science & Public Policy

Applicants must be UK-permanent residents who are liable for fees at the home rate and identify as one of the following ethnic groups (as identified by the applicant in the admissions application):

Black British, Black or Black British African, Black or Black British Caribbean, Black or Black British other or Mixed Black.

If you identify as being of Black or Mixed-Black ethnicity, you are warmly invited to apply for one of these scholarships.

For full details please visit the Funding Database.

Economic & Social Research Council Studentships

The KISS DTC has now been replaced with the London Interdisciplinary Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (LISS-DTP), made up of KCL, Queen Mary University of London and Imperial College.

LISS-DTP will now award ESRC -funded postgraduate research studentships to support doctoral research and training in the social sciences across this partnership. These are available for three or four years full-time, either as a three year PhD (‘+3’) or as a one-year Masters followed by PhD (‘1+3’). Therefore, a masters degree is not a prerequisite for applying for a LISS-DTP studentship.

A range of training programmes are available based on an assessment of the applicant’s prior learning and training needs and each LISS-DTP Thematic Pathway has a variety of Masters programmes associated with it.

Please see the LISS DTP website for details on the Thematic Pathways for more information.

Part-time studentships are also possible at pro-rata rates.

ESRC Open Competition Studentships

The Open Competition enables students to propose their own research project for funding. The Open Competition opens each November with an application deadline at the end of January. Applicants are notified in April about whether or not they have been awarded a studentship commencing in October.

Studentships are offered as either +3 (PhD only) or 1+3 (Masters and PhD). You will need to identify a supervisor who will write a supporting statement for your application.

Visit our studentships page or our dedicated LISS-DTP website for more information.

Please send general enquiries to: [email protected]

ESRC CASE Competition Collaborative Studentships

LISS DTP’s CASE Collaborative studentship competitions promote partnerships between social scientists at King’s College London, Queen Mary University of London and Imperial College and end-user organisations (public or private or third sector ‘partner institutions’).

A collaborative studentship (referred to as a CASE studentship) is one in which the student enhances their training by working closely with the non-academic partner in the development of their research project. They are a great way to initiate longer-term partnerships and to ensure the ‘impact’ of doctoral research.

It is important to note that the academic faculty initially apply for collaborative studentships, as potential supervisors. If successful they may award the studentship either to a named student or through an agreed recruitment process.

The studentship can involve any public or private or third sector partner institution. The involvement of the partner institution should add value to the studentship (e.g. distinctive opportunities for analysis, dissemination, research management, networking and/or knowledge transfer). The PhD project should also enhance the partner institution’s activities by offering the potential for societal or economic impact.

For more information, please visit the studentships page on the LISS-DTP website .

Arts & Humanities Research Council Studentships

The London Arts & Humanities Partnership (LAHP) is a Doctoral Training Partnership co-funded by the Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and eight Higher Education Institution (HEI) partners:

• King’s College London
• London School of Economics and Political Science
• Queen Mary University of London
• Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
• Royal College of Art
• Royal College of Music
• School of Advanced Study
• University College London

Please visit the London Arts & Humanities Partnership website for full details of the studentships.

Eligibility:

LAHP welcomes applications:

• From ‘home’ and ‘international’ (including EU) applicants (Please refer to ‘ International Students ‘);
• Across all of LAHP’s subject areas and approaches in the arts & humanities, including for inter-disciplinary and practice-based research;
• From those who have recently completed their Masters’ programmes and those with relevant professional and/or practitioner experience;
• From those wishing to study on a full-time or part-time basis;
• From applicants of all ages and backgrounds.

To be eligible for a LAHP open studentship in the forthcoming recruitment round you must either:

• Have submitted an application to commence a programme of postgraduate study at a LAHP partner institution in the 2021/22 academic year (i.e. to start in October 2022), or
• If you have already commenced doctoral study, you may apply for funding for the remainder of your study, providing that, at the start of the AHRC award (1st October 2022), you will have at least 50% of the period of study remaining (excluding the ‘writing-up period’).

Funding is available for both full-time and part-time students. Awards cannot normally be deferred. Successful candidates will be assumed to be starting their studies in October 2022 unless there are exceptional circumstances approved by LAHP and your Research institution.

Application procedure:

Please visit the LAHP website for details on the full application procedure.

More about Postgraduate Research

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THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

Financial support to enable your graduate journey.

Use this portion of the website to learn more about our funding model and explore the sources of financial support available to you.

$45,000 minimum annual stipend rate for PhD students, 2024–25

$36,960 minimum annual stipend rate for PhD students, 2023–24

PhD and Master’s student funding

TGS and its graduate programs offer a wide array of financial support for doctoral students, who are typically fully-funded for four quarters per year for minimum of five years. Master’s students may receive scholarships or a student loan. MFA students can also apply for fellowships and assistantships.

Learn more about graduate funding.

Cost of attendance

For tuition and billing information, visit the Evanston Office of Graduate Financial Aid website .

Fellowships and grants

TGS offers funding from annually-allocated award funds, endowed fellowships, foundations and other private support, as well as federal research and training grants.

Featured fellowship

Students are nominated for the prestigious Presidential Fellowship by their graduate program. Presidential Fellows are students who promise to combine outstanding intellectual or creative ability with the capacity to play an important leadership role in their disciplines and beyond.

Learn more about fellowship and grant opportunities to fund your education and research pursuits.

Assistantships

In addition to helping to fund your education, assistantships can enhance it. Students serve between 15-20 hours per week.

Graduate & teaching assistantships

Research assistantships

Read more about assistantship requirements and Interdisciplinary Graduate Assistantships.

All students must file annual tax returns. Students with fellowships, scholarships and assistantships must follow additional rules for reporting income and withholding taxes,

See tax information and tips.

Financial assistance and help

Students can explore a variety of funding opportunities to address financial need.

Loans and emergency loans

Student loans are available to help finance the cost of education. For students in unexpected sort-term financial situations, an emergency loan may be possible.  More on loans and emergency loans.

Institutional resources

Employment opportunities at Northwestern and outside the University are available to graduate students. Student-Veterans may also be able to claim veterans’ benefits.  More on institutional resources.

List of Fully Funded Ph.D. Scholarships in USA 2024

Do you want to start your study adventure in USA? Good news! A number of fully funded scholarships are available in United States of America for international students. In this article we will explain in detail about fully funded scholarships offered in top universities in USA, their benefits and step by step application process.

More than 1500 fully funded Ph.D. scholarships 2024-2025 are available at USA’s top universities for international students. These scholarships provide an average monthly stipend of $1500 along with tuition fees, accommodation charges, health insurance, and travel allowance.

Apply for fully funded scholarships and fulfill your dream of studying at world top universities like Yale University USA, Harvard University USA, Clark University, Kellogg Institute, Schlumberger Foundation and many more.

1.  Fulbright Scholarships USA

Fulbright Scholarships are fully funded scholarships for international students. These scholarships are only offered for masters and PhD studies. The Fulbright Foreign Student Program covers full tuition fee, a living stipend, a full accommodation fee, airfare, and health insurance.

• Institution:  USA Universities
• Level of Study:  Masters / PhD
• Click here for deadlines and a step-by-step application process.

2.  Stanford University Scholarships

Stanford University Scholarship is a fully funded scholarship for international students. This scholarship is offered for Masters and Ph.D studies. This scholarship is offering full tuition fees, traveling allowance, Living allowance and academic expenses.

• Institution:  Stanford University

3.  Yale University Scholarships USA

Yale University Scholarship is a fully funded scholarship for international students. This scholarship is offered for undergraduate, masters and PhD. Yale Scholarship can vary from a few hundred dollars to over $70,000 per year; the average Yale need-based scholarship is over $50,000.

• Institution: Yale University
• Level of Study: Undergraduate / Masters / PhD

4. Facebook PhD Fellowship

Facebook Fellowship Program is a fully funded scholarship for international students. This scholarship is offered for doctoral research studies. The scholarship covers two years of study and fees, an annual stipend, and conference travel aid.

• Institution: Facebook
• Level of Study: Ph.D.

5. Robert S. McNamara Fellowships Program

Robert S. McNamara Fellowships Program is a fully funded scholarship for international students. This scholarship is available for PhD studies and provides the recipient with up to $42,750 net per fellow for an 8-month fellowship.

• Institution: World Bank

6. IMU Breakout Graduate Fellowship Program

IMU Breakout Graduate Fellowship Program are fully funded PhD scholarship for international students. International Mathematical Union Scholarship value is up to a maximum of  USD 10,000 per year and covers tuition fees, accommodation, travel expenses, and living expenses.

• Institution: International Mathematical Union

7. AAUW International Fellowship Program

AAUW Fellowship Program is a fully funded scholarship. This scholarship is offered by The American Association of University Women , USA. International students from all world countries are eligible to apply. This scholarship is only available for graduate and post-graduate studies in any subject offered by the university. AAUW Fellowship Program covers $18,000 to $30,000 per year, contingent upon meeting academic standards for renewal. 

• Institution: The American Association of University Women
• Level of Study: Masters/ PhD / Postdoctoral

8. ACI Foundation Scholarship

ACI Foundation Scholarship is a fully funded scholarship or fellowship for international students. This scholarship is offered for undergraduate, masters, PhD, and Postdoctoral studies. This scholarship provides $10,000 – $15,000 US educational stipend for tuition, residence, books, and materials.

• Institution: ACI Foundation
• Level of Study: Undergraduate / Masters / PhD / Postdoctoral 

9. Knight Hennesy Scholarship

Knight Hennesy Scholarships are fully funded scholarships for international students. These scholarships are offered for Masters and PhD studies. These scholarships cover full tuition fees, traveling allowance, Living allowance, and academic expenses.

• Institution: Stanford University
• Level of Study: Ph.D. / Masters

10. Kellogg Institute Visiting Fellowships

Kellogg Institute Visiting Fellowships are open for international students who want to pursue doctoral and post-doctoral degrees in the USA. The Kellogg Institute for International Studies has been offering visiting scholarships in a helpful society of academics since 1983 to encourage interdisciplinary global studies.

• Institution: Kellogg Institute for International Studies
• Study in: USA
• Level of Study: Doctoral & Post Doctoral

11. ACI Foundation Scholarship

• Level of Study: Ph.D. / Masters / Undergraduate / Postdoctoral

12. Schlumberger Foundation Fellowships

Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future Fellowship is a funded scholarship for international students. This scholarship is valued at a maximum of USD 50,000 per year for a PhD and a maximum of USD 40,000 per year for a Post-doc and may be renewed through to the completion of studies.

• Institution: Leading universities worldwide

List of PhD Scholarships, Grants, and Fellowships for International Students

Rotary foundation global scholarship grants for development.

Deadline: Rolling** Study in:  any Country* Course starts AY 2024/2025

Fulbright Foreign Student Program in USA

Deadline: varies, Feb-Oct 2024 Study in:  USA Course starts AY 2025-2026

Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Programme

Deadline: 31 Mar 2024 (annual) Study in:  any Country Course starts 2023

Australia Awards Scholarships

Deadline: 30 April 2024 (annual) Study in:  Australia Course starts 2025

Türkiye Scholarships for International Students

Deadline: 20 Feb 2024 (annual) Study in:  Turkey Course starts 2024

JFUNU Scholarships for PhD in Sustainability Science

Deadline: 3 March 2024 (annual) Study in: Japan Course starts September 2024

Singapore International Graduate Award

Deadline: 1 June 2024 (annual) Study in:  Singapore Next course starts Jan 2025

Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships for International Students

Deadline: 29 Feb 2024 (annual) Study in:  New Zealand Next course starts 2024

University of Waikato International Excellence Scholarship

Deadline: Any time (Annual) Study in: New Zealand Course starts AY 2024

Taiwan International Higher Education Scholarship Program

Deadline: 15 March 2024 (annual) Study in: Taiwan Course starts September 2024

Heinrich Boll Scholarships in Germany for International Students

Deadline: 1 Mar/1 Sep (annual) Study in:  Germany Next course starts 2024

• Top 10 Scholarships in Italy for International Students
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• 20+ Tuition Scholarships offered by Universities for International Students
• Top 10 Scholarships for Study in Any Country or Anywhere
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• 10+ Scholarships in Australia for International Students
• Top 10 Scholarships in New Zealand for International Students
• Top 75 International Scholarships to Watch out for in 2024

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Undergraduate General Scholarships

The Undergraduate General Scholarship application allows students to apply for multiple scholarships simultaneously. Students must be in a College of Education undergraduate program in order to receive the following scholarships:

• Available only to students in the ECFS program
• Education Undergrad Scholarship 
• Kristy LeMond Memorial Scholarship 
• Northwest Asian Education Scholarship
• Ronald Aust Scholarship
• Ruby Linsao Scholarship

Award amount

Scholarship awardees will receive between $900-$5,000, depending on available funds.

Eligibility

Applicants must be declared in one of our undergraduate majors or minor:

• Early Childhood & Family Studies
• Early Care & Education
• Education, Communities, & Organizations
• Education Studies 
• Education, Learning, & Society

Application process

Applications are completed online:

• Navigate to CommunityForce
• Select 'COE' login option
• Log in with your UW NetID and password
• Locate the 'Undergraduate Scholarships Application 2024' option 
• Click 'Apply' and complete all steps

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Top 10 PhD in Education Programs

Karla Ibarra is a content writer at Scholarships 360. She has worked as an English teacher and writing tutor. As a writing tutor, she has experience editing scholarships and college application essays. Karla graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in Communication and a minor in English.

Learn about our editorial policies

Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.

Earning a PhD in any field is both time intensive and expensive. While the required time to earn a PhD is a given, paying for one is not! Fully funded PhD programs offer students a chance to focus on their studies without worrying about going into debt long (sometimes decades) after graduation. With the average cost of a PhD at nearly $82,000 , potential PhD students should do everything possible to secure a spot in fully funded programs. Keep reading to learn about some of the top fully funded PhD programs in education! 

Related: Top scholarships for teachers

First, exactly what is a “Doctorate of Philosophy” degree?

A PhD, which is the abbreviated form of “doctorate of philosophy,” is among the highest level degrees one can earn in the United States. Students earn a  PhD after the completion of a lengthy research and writing project known as a “dissertation.” While most students earn PhDs in the humanities or social sciences, they can earn a PhD in a variety of fields. 

Further reading: What is a PhD?

How we chose the fully funded PhD in Education programs on this list

All of the programs on the following list have stellar reputations in the education space. It is not surprising that the most reputable programs offer plentiful resources that are invaluable to PhD students. PhD students are able to fully focus on their studies in well stocked and up-to-date libraries. Students have access to the most distinguished education professors in their respective specialty fields. Upon graduation, students will have strong connections to help launch their own careers. 

All of the fully funded programs included offer full tuition coverage. Most offer living stipends and health insurance as well. Make sure that you read the details of exactly what to expect from each program. Students may be required to contribute to their education by becoming a graduate assistant or working in some capacity at the school they are enrolled in. 

Let’s take a look at some of the top fully-funded PhD in Education programs, which are in no particular order. 

Columbia University Teachers College PhD program in Education Policy 

Columbia University Teachers College PhD program in Education provides students with rigorous academic training and research opportunities. The program offers a range of specializations, including curriculum and teaching, educational leadership, higher education, international and comparative education, psychology in education, and special education.  

• Location: New York City, New York
• Focus of study : Curriculum and teaching, education policy and social analysis, health education, and cognitive studies in education.
• What is included : Tuition coverage for the first, second, and third year

Harvard University PhD in Education

Harvard University offers a PhD program in Education through the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE). The program offers students specializations in three concentrations: Culture, Institutions, and Society; Education Policy and Program Evaluation; and Human Development, Learning and Teaching.  

• Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
• Focus of study : Human development, instructional practice, institutions and society, learning and teaching, and policy analysis and evaluation
• What is included : Full financial support for tuition, health insurance fees, and basic living expenses for a minimum of five years

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Stanford phd program in education.

The Stanford Graduate School of Education PhD program in Education prepares scholars to advance knowledge about learning and education, with a focus on improving educational outcomes for all students. Academic areas students can focus on include curriculum studies and teacher education (CTE), developmental and psychological sciences (DAPS), social sciences, humanities, and interdisciplinary policy studies in education (SHIPS), and other cross-area specializations. 

• Location: Stanford, California
• Focus of study : Educational leadership, education policy analysis, learning and teaching, and quantitative and qualitative research methods
• What is included : Full tuition aid, fellowship stipend, and assistantship salary

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign PhD program in Education

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign offers a Ph.D. program in education that provides students with a strong foundation in educational theory, research methodologies, and practical applications. Students may specialize in a variety of different areas of study. These include educational policy, leadership and administration, curriculum and instruction, educational psychology, and human development. 

• Location: Champaign, Illinois 
• Focus of study : Curriculum and instruction, educational policy, educational psychology, higher education, learning sciences, and special education
• What is included : Full tuition waiver, a partial fee waiver, and a stipend in the first five years of enrollment

University of Michigan PhD program in Educational Studies  

The University of Michigan offers a Ph.D. program in Education through its School of Education. Students have the opportunity to specialize in diverse fields such as educational psychology, curriculum and instruction, educational leadership, and policy. Additionally, the University of Michigan provides a vibrant intellectual community and a wide range of resources, including libraries, research centers, and partnerships with local schools and educational organizations. 

• Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
• Focus of study : Cross-specialization concentration, educational foundations and policy, educational policy, leadership, and innovation, learning technologies, literacy, language, and culture, mathematics education, science education, and teaching and teacher education
• What is included : Full tuition waiver, health insurance, and a generous stipend package 

University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education PhD program in Education

The University of Pennsylvania offers an interdisciplinary and prestigious Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program in Education housed within the renowned Graduate School of Education (GSE). Students can choose one of the five programs available: 1) educational linguistics 2) human development & quantitative methods 3) literacy, culture, and international education 4) policy, organizations, leadership, and systems and 5) teaching, learning, and leadership. The GSE also has numerous research centers and institutes, providing opportunities for collaboration and engagement with experts. 

• Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Focus of study : Educational technology, language and literacy, higher education, policy analysis, teacher education, and urban education
• What is included : A full scholarship, a stipend, and student health insurance for the first four years of study

Vanderbilt University Ph.D. program in Learning, Teaching, and Diversity

Vanderbilt University offers a Ph.D. program in Learning, Teaching, and Diversity through its Peabody College. The program aims to place a strong emphasis on research and provides students with numerous opportunities for professional development and networking. The program offers four areas of specialization: language, literacy, and culture; justice and diversity in education; mathematics and science education; and learning and design. 

• Location: Nashville, Tennessee
• Focus of study : higher education, learning and instruction, language and literacy, educational policy, and more
• What is included : Full tuition support, health insurance, and graduate assistantships that cover living expenses

The University of Texas at Austin College of Education PhD

Within the College of Education at UT Austin , the Curriculum and Instruction department includes a variety of PhD programs to choose from like bilingual education, cultural studies in education, early childhood education, language and literacy studies, learning technologies, social studies education, and more. Other departments in the college of education include: Curriculum and Instruction; Educational Leadership and Policy; Educational Psychology; Kinesiology and Health Education; and Special Education.

• Location: Austin, Texas
• Focus of study : Bilingual/Bicultural Education; Cultural Studies in Education; Early Childhood Education, Language and Literacy Studies; Learning Technologies; Physical Education Teacher Education; Social Studies Education; STEM Education; and Urban Teachers Program
• What is included : Full tuition waiver, a stipend for living expenses, and health insurance for up to five years

New York University Steinhardt

The Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development at New York University offers many PhD programs in the field of education. Popular concentrations include learning sciences, literacy education, educational psychology, policy studies, and teaching and learning. A PhD in education from New York University offers students a variety of specializations with the added bonus of a fully funded program.  

• Focus of study : Bilingual Education; Childhood Education; Early Childhood Education; Education and Jewish Studies; Educational Communication and Technology; and more
• What is included : Tuition coverage for required course work, an annual stipend, and health insurance through the fifth year 

Washington University in St. Louis, PhD in Education

Washington University in St. Louis offers a Ph.D. in Education through its Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. PhD students may choose from two major strands of study; educational policy studies and educational psychology. Students in the Educational Policy Studies concentration focus on analysis of educational policy, address systemic inequities, and study qualitative, quantitative projects. The Educational Psychology program helps students in their focus on psychological research and theories relating to learning and motivation. 

• Location: St. Louis, Missouri
• Focus of study : Educational Policy Studies and Educational Psychology
• What is included : Full tuition remission and a monthly stipend five to six years

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Frequently asked questions about fully funded PhD programs in education

How do i know which phd program in education is right for me.

• If you had to pick one, what would be your main professional goal?
• What’s the reputation of the faculty?
• What research options are available?
• What environment is right for me?

Does a fully funded PhD in education include housing?

Is there an age limit for earning a phd in education, can i earn an online fully funded phd program in education, scholarships360 recommended.

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