Internal Funding

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) provides a limited number of merit-based financial aid packages for history students. Students apply for aid at the same time they apply for admission to the department. Packages generally include a stipend, a supplement toward the cost of health insurance, and a tuition scholarship, in exchange for which students work 15 hours a week as a graduate assistant. Those receiving financial aid packages may expect to receive one year of financial aid at the master's level and three years at the doctoral level: generally no more than four years for those applying without the master's degree. Continuing students may expect to continue their financial aid packages provided that they have applied each spring semester, have maintained the stipulated GPA for financial aid (3.5), and are making satisfactory progress toward their degree.

Students who wish to be considered for a teaching fellow position must take the department's pedagogy tutorial. Depending on departmental need, grad assistants are usually appointed as teaching fellows sometime after their first year as a PhD student. Teaching fellows have complete responsibility for a core introductory course (HS 1000 level), including creating the syllabus, lectures, and grading. Most teach one to two sections per semester, depending on departmental needs and a student’s progress through the program. Teaching fellows receive a stipend and full tuition remission.

As a graduate assistant, students can expect to provide both clerical assistance to the department or another entity within the University, and/or research assistance to an assigned professor. Students awarded financial aid generally serve as a graduate assistant in their first year as a MA student and first year as a PhD student. Few students are appointed as a teaching fellow until their second or third year of PhD work.

Distinguished Fellowships:
Students in the later stages of graduate studies can apply to the department to be considered for a number of distinguished fellowships awarded by the Graduate School. The GSAS Research Fellowship, typically the first of these awards, relieves students from teaching and research assistant obligations in order to focus on researching their dissertations. Another distinguished fellowship, the Senior Teaching Fellowship, recognizes doctoral candidates who have demonstrated outstanding teaching abilities during their time as teaching fellows. This award is typically the second of the distinguished fellowships a graduate student may expect to receive. The final major distinguished fellowship, the Alumni Dissertation Fellowship, provides an opportunity for recipients to dedicate an entire year to completing their dissertation without teaching or assistantship duties.

All recipients of financial aid must be certified by GSAS as full-time students. All applicants for financial aid must complete a FAFSA application yearly. All New York State resident applicants for financial aid must apply for TAP. No recipient of financial aid may hold outside employment without the permission of the graduate dean.

For more information about financial aid, visit the website of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.