Financial Support

Fellowship support is provided to students in order that they might pursue their academics without having to earn an income. Most first year students receive department fellowships unless they have their own source of funding outside of the university such as an NSF.  After the first year, some students remain on fellowship if they were selected for a university-wide fellowship such as an SGF or Knight-Hennessy.  Students will often apply for fellowships from the list below or external sources of fellowship.  Advanced year students going on the job market are encouraged to apply for SIEPR dissertation fellowships.

Fellowship support provides a lump sum stipend payment at the start of the quarter and tuition support. 
     • International students may have taxes deducted before stipend funds are released.
     • Stipends may be considered taxable for the recipient. The tax obligation varies according to the student's total income, dependency status, treaty status for international students, and individual circumstances. Residents of certain counties may be able to claim a tax treaty benefit for reduced federal taxation. For assistance with tax withholding, tax treaty and tax form issues, submit a Support Request. For more information regarding tax considerations, please visit https://sfs.stanford.edu/taxes/us-citizen-and-resident-alien-students.

Students on a university fellowship also receive a health insurance subsidy.

Additional Sources of University Fellowship Support

Students are encouraged to seek out other sources of support to assist them during the research stage of their program.  A short list of available resources is outlined below.
 

• King Center on Global Poverty and Development - Graduate Student Fellowships and Gradute Student Research Grants
• Weiss Family Program Fund for Research in Development Economics
• Stanford Institute for Innovation in Developing Economies (SEED)
• PACS Center Research Fellowships
• IRiSS Research Experience Program (REP)
• McCoy Family Center for Ethics in Society Graduate Student Fellowships
• RAISE Doctoral Fellowship Program
• CCSRE Dissertation and Teaching Graduate Fellowships
• Dwight D. Eisenhower/Clifford Roberts Fellowship
• Tobin Project Graduate Student Fellowship
• DARE (Diversifying Academia, Recruiting Excellence) Doctoral Fellowship Program

Research Assistantships

Students on Research Assistantships are employed by the professor who hired them. In the second year RA appointments are arranged. Beyond the second year, students must contact faculty directly to arrange for Research Assistantships. RA support provides salary and tuition allowance for ten units in Autumn, Winter and Spring quarters. In Summer, tuition allowance for an RA is usually for three units. RA positions receive a payroll check twice monthly and also receive a health insurance subsidy. RAs work an average of 20 hours per week during the quarter in which they are employed.  Some students are hired as RAs by faculty in other departments.

Teaching Assistantships

TA support provides salary and tuition allowance for ten units in Autumn, Winter and Spring quarters which are 12 week appointment terms. In Summer, the appointment span is only 8 weeks and tuition allowance for a TA covers three units.  TAs are hired by the department and receive a payroll check twice a month, in addition to a health insurance subsidy. TAs work an average of 20 hours per week during the quarter in which they are employed.  Some students are hired to TA courses in other departments.

If you are an international student working as a TA for the first time, you must obtain language clearance from the Linguistics Department by taking the oral English proficiency test given by the English for Foreign Student (EFS) staff prior to starting the TA position.

Department Research Grants
Limited department funding is available for modest research grants to support student-run experiments or other research projects, with the idea that these can complement other sources of student research funding such as the Shultz funds made available by SIEPR, competitive grants from H&S, and external sources.  Each student is eligible to request up to a maximum of $5,000 during their PhD career to use to support research integral to the student’s degree. Eligible research related expenses include: payments to human subjects (IRB approval required); services (data entry, editing); data purchases or collection (including directly related travel); field work.  Ineligible expenses include: living expenses; conference and interview travel; dissertation production and publications fees. Funding for computer purchases will be considered based on research needs.   Funding for computer purchases is not allowed for students in their final job market/graduation year.  Applications for research grant funds must be signed by your advisor and then submitted to the Student Services Manager who will obtain approval from the Director of Graduate Study.

Upon approval of your research award, please work with the Economics Finance Manager to determine the method of payment (stipend, reimbursement, purchase agreement) and the documentation required to ensure compliance with Stanford University policy and procedures.

The online form to request graduate research funding can be found here:  Graduate Research Funding Application form

H&S Graduate Research Opportunity Grants (GRO)

• Application deadlines are in mid-November and early April
• Stipend amount up to $5,000
• For students in social science or humanities disciplines who are making satisfactory academic

progress and are in years two through five of their doctoral program. Recipients of previous GRO fellowships are not eligible

Successful applicants must be registered in the quarter they receive GRO funds. Grants will be issued by the end of November for the Fall recipients, and May for the Spring recipients

Information is available here:  https://humsci.stanford.edu/current-students/fellowships-and-funding

Conference Travel
Limited funding through the Economics Department is available to students for conference travel. All travel must be directly related to the doctoral degree and will be reimbursed only after travel has been fully completed. Student travel should be arranged through Student Travel except for a hotel room in the conference provides a discounted block of rooms. All airfares must be booked through Egencia: https://fingate.stanford.edu/business-travel-expenses/stanford-travel-program

Student must present at the conference or serve as an organizer in order to be reimbursed. The current reimbursement amount for travel is limited to a maximum of $2,000 during the student's Ph.D. career. Please submit the conference reimbursement form with all receipts and conference information.

Tax Information for Graduate Students

Taxes constitute a complex subject. Below some general information is provided, but it should not be taken as official advice. Detailed information may be found at https://sfs.stanford.edu/taxes.

Matriculated (Degree-Seeking) Students:

Tuition Support

• Tax exempt

Salary (Assistantships)

• Taxable and subject to withholding (but not FICA, Medicare or VDI)
• Reported by Stanford on a W-2
• International students May qualify for federal "tax treaty exemption" if one exists between the US and their country (Form 8233, Payroll office). The exempt amount is reported on Form 1042S. Should file federal Form 1040NR (available at the International Center at tax time and online) each year, and probably CA Form 540 (also available online).

Stipend (Fellowships)
U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and resident aliens for tax purposes:

• The stipend is taxable; however, it is not subject to withholding or reporting by Stanford.
• Students are responsible for making any necessary estimated tax payments.
• Federal Form 1040-ES is available in the Bursar's office. California Form 540-ES is enclosed with the CA tax return (or call 1-800-338-0505).

International students:

• The stipend is subject to 14 percent withholding; however, students may be eligible for a tax exemption if their country has a tax treaty with the US (Form W-8Ben, Payroll office).
• Stipend and tax withholding are reported by Stanford on Form 1042-S (not W-2) and mailed to the student Should file federal tax Form 1040NR and probably CA Form 540 at tax time each year.
• All fellowship recipients can reduce their taxable income by amounts spent on fees, books, supplies, and equipment (usually not computers) specifically required for courses; students should keep all receipts for these items.

Nonmatriculated (Not Degree-Seeking) Students, for example, postdoctoral students:

All support (tuition, stipend. and salary) is taxable

• Exception: International students may claim a tax treaty exemption - if one exists between the US and their country - on whatever support the treaty covers.
• Exception: the tuition of "student employees" paid 10% or more by Stanford payroll may be tax exempt (See the "Working Condition Fringe" statement cited in the memo on Taxation of Postdoctoral Fellow Tuition Payments in Tax Year 1994 J. McGuire, 10/27/94).

Salary (Postdoctoral Research Affiliates and Clinical Specialists)

• Subject to all withholding
• Reported by Stanford on a W-2
• International students may qualify for federal "tax treaty exemption" if one exists between the US and their country (Form 8233, Payroll office). The exempt amount is reported on Form 1042S. Should file federal Form 1040NR (available at the International Center at tax time and online) each year. And probably CA Form 540 (also available online).

Stipend

U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and resident aliens for tax purposes:

• Though taxable, the stipend is not subject to withholding. The stipend will be reported to CA and the IRS (Form 1099). Students are responsible for making any necessary estimated tax payments.
• Federal Form 1040-ES is available at the Payroll office.
• California Form 540-ES is enclosed with the CA tax return (or call 1-800-338-0505).

International students:

• The stipend is subject to 14% withholding; however, students may be eligible for a tax exemption if their country has a tax treaty with the US (Form W-8Ben, Payroll office).
• Stipend and tax withholding are reported by Stanford on Form 1042-S (not W-2) snf mailed to the student.
• Students should file federal tax Form 1040NR and probably CA Form 540 at tax time each year.

Note: The brief discussion of tax items in this memo is not to be considered tax advice. Please refer to the IRS publications listed below. Where needed, students should seek competent tax counsel.

IRS Publications: #4 Student's Guide to Federal Income Tax; #501-Exemptions, Standard Deductions and Filing; #505-Tax withholding and Estimated Tax; #508-Educationa1 Expenses; #515-Withholding Tax on Nonresident Aliens and Foreign Corporations; #519-US Tax Guide for Aliens; #520-Scholarships and Fellowships; #525-Taxable and Nontaxable income; #901-US Tax Treaties. To order. call 1-800-829-3676.