Financial Aid

Entering Ph.D. students may be eligible to receive up to five years of full financial support, in the amount of tuition plus a stipend. All Ph.D. students are expected to make efforts to obtain financial support for their studies from non-Harris School sources, including the research centers and projects of the University. The combination of Harris School support and that from external sources should enable students to receive financial support for their entire program of doctoral studies.

The Harris School provides financial support for its Ph.D. students in the form of tuition fellowships and fellowship stipends. The exact terms of the award are specified in the award letter sent to each admitted student. The terms of the letter may vary from student to student.

Acceptance of an award constitutes permission for the School to furnish reports of academic progress to the donor of the fund from which the award was made. A student receiving an award from a source outside the University must notify the DGS and the Ph.D. Program Director of that fact. In such a case the School reserves the right to make an appropriate adjustment in its own offer of award, including withdrawal of its offer if the outside award is substantial. The student’s total financial aid will not be lowered by the receipt of outside funds.

Harris School financial support will be awarded according to the following criteria:

• Students must be in full-time academic residence defined as working for remuneration for no more than 19.5 hours per week while classes are in session during the academic year. A student who finds it necessary to discontinue studies during any quarter will be expected to refund any stipend money awarded for that quarter.
• Students may receive stipends only when in residence at the University. Students in pro forma status are not eligible for stipend support. Any requests for exception to this policy must be submitted in writing to the Program Director for approval by the DGS of the Ph.D. program.
• Students receiving a full sixth year of stipend funding are obligated to TA for 3 courses; one assignment is required for each academic quarter of stipend funding.
• Students receiving stipends from the Harris School cannot receive remuneration (TAships or hourly work at the University) for more than 19.5 hours per week during the fall through spring terms that they receive stipend support. If they do so, their stipends will be reduced accordingly. Students who did not receive stipends from the School may work for 19.5 hours per week during regular academic year.

Students who receive an external fellowship will receive a top-up from Harris to the Harris minimum stipend should the external fellowship amount be below the Harris minimum stipend, as well as a bonus from Harris for receiving an external fellowship (note: bonus is 30% of the Harris minimum annualized stipend). If the external fellowship award is below the bonus amount the student receives no bonus but keeps their Harris fellowship; If the external fellowship is above the Harris minimum stipend amount, the student just receives the external fellowship, and the bonus from Harris. Top-ups and bonuses only apply for the year(s) in which the student receives the external funding.

For example, if the external funding is

• Below the bonus amount: Student keeps external fellowship and receives full funding from Harris. No bonus is paid. (Example: student gets a $5,000 external fellowship + $45,000 from Harris = $50,000)
• Between the bonus amount and Harris’s minimum funding rate: Student receives “top-up” so that external fellowship plus “top-up” equals Harris minimum funding rate AND also receives the bonus. (Example: student gets a $30,000 external fellowship + $15,000 top up + $13,500 bonus = $58,500)
• Above Harris’s guaranteed minimum funding rate: UChicago only pays bonus. (Example: student gets a $50,000 external fellowship + $13,500 bonus = $63,500)