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Stanford
Department of Economics
School of Humanities and Sciences

Financial Support

Fellowships

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.

Assistantships

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.

Research Funding

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: computer equipment; living expenses; conference and interview travel; dissertation production and publications fees.   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

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 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.