Funding from The Graduate School

The Graduate School offers a number of funding opportunities to support our most talented students.

Fellowship Programs

Fellowships and Assistantships

The Graduate School offers competitive funding packages for incoming students:

The Graduate School also offers funding opportunities to assist with timely progress towards degree:

Pre-Selection for External Fellowships

The Graduate School conducts a pre-selection review for the following external fellowships:

Student Assistance Grants and Scholarships

Awards

Deadlines

2024-2025 Funding Deadlines
Funding Award Funding Term Deadline Notification date
Fall 2024 Semester Deadlines
Spring 2025 Off-Campus Dissertation Research Fellowships1 Spring 2025 Fri., Sept. 27, 20241 November 2024
Dolores Z. Liebmann Fellowship (Pre-selection application) 2025-2026 Fri., Sept. 27, 2024 November 2024
Graduate Tuition Incentive Scholarship (GTIS) Fall 2024 Mon., Sept. 30, 2024 Reviewed as Received
DAAD Grants For Study & Research In Germany (Pre-selection application) 2025-2026 Fri., Sept. 27, 2024 October 2024
Impact Awards1 2025 Mon., Oct. 14, 20241 November 2024
Dean's Distinguished Dissertation Award1 2025 Mon., Dec. 2, 20241 January 2025
Deadline to submit admissions application for fellowship consideration 2025-2026 Tue., Dec. 10, 2024 N/A
Spring 2025 Semester Deadlines
Recruitment Awards2
2025-2026 Fri., Jan. 24, 20252 March 2025
Summer Research Fellowship1 Summer 2025 Mon., Feb. 24, 20251 March 2025
Graduate Tuition Incentive Scholarship (GTIS) Spring 2025 Fri., Jan. 31, 2025 Reviewed as Received
Boka W. Hadzija Award 3 2025 TBD April 2025
Dissertation Completion Fellowships1 2025-2026 Fri., Mar. 7, 20251 April 2025
Fall 2025 Off-Campus Dissertation Research Fellowships1 Fall 2025 Fri., Mar. 7, 20251 April 2025
Bridge Beyond Carolina program Summer 2025 TBD April 2025
Deadline to accept Recruitment Awards (notify The Graduate School in writing) 2025-2026 Tue., Apr. 15, 2025 N/A
  1. Departmental nomination required. Earlier internal deadlines will apply. Check with your department for more information.
  2. Students cannot apply directly. You must be nominated in the admissions application process.
  3. Students cannot apply directly. You must be nominated by faculty, staff, or a student.

Fellowship Application FAQs

How do I access the application?

Online at The Graduate School Online Award Application

What is the application process if I need letters of recommendation?
  1. You submit your application through the online award application. Do this early enough for your department to review and nominate your application to The Graduate School by the deadline.
  2. Once you submit your application, your recommenders will receive an email asking them to submit a letter via the online system.
  3. At the same time, the fellowship and award approver for your department will receive an email notifying them that you submitted your application.
  4. Once your letters of recommendation have been submitted, your program may nominate you for the award. If your department selects your application, they must nominate it to The Graduate School by the deadline.
What is the application process if I do NOT need letters of recommendation?
  1. You submit your application through the online award application. Do this early enough for your department to review and nominate your application to The Graduate School by the deadline.
  2. The fellowship and award approver for your department will receive an email notifying them that you submitted your application.
  3. If your department selects your application, they must nominate it to The Graduate School by the deadline.
Do all letters of recommendation need to be received in order for my department to submit my application to The Graduate School?

Yes. Your application is not complete without all letters of recommendation (if applicable). The application system will not allow your department to submit an incomplete application to The Graduate School. Letters of recommendation cannot be sent to The Graduate School after the application deadline.

Can the letter of recommendation requests go out prior to submitting my application?

No. The application system can only send the requests out after you submit your application. The submission triggers the emails.

What does my application status mean?
Status Definition:
Unsubmitted Your application is in progress. Your program and recommenders have not been notified.
Submitted You have submitted your application. Your department will be notified via email. Emails will be sent to your recommenders.
Recommendation Requested Your letters of recommendation have not yet been received. Your application cannot be selected by your department yet.
Recommendation Received Your letters of recommendation have been submitted by your recommenders, and your application is available to be nominated by your program.
Nominated Your application has been submitted to The Graduate School.
Not Nominated Your application was not selected for nomination to The Graduate School.
Under Review Your application is being reviewed by The Graduate School staff and a faculty review committee if applicable.
Awarded Your application has been selected to receive an award by The Graduate School.
Not Awarded Your application was not selected to receive an award by The Graduate School.

Contact Us
Graduate School Fellowships Office
gradfunding@unc.edu