The Royster Fellowship offers funding plans and benefits to meet your needs.
The Graduate School has developed a basic funding structure for the Royster Fellowship. The goal is to help you achieve your highest level of academic accomplishment and the timely completion of your doctoral degree. The Graduate School may permit adjustments to your funding plan with approval from your program.
For your first and fifth academic years, funding comes from the Royster Society. You are not expected to serve as a teaching or research assistant during this time. These "nonservice years" allow you to focus on your own coursework and research.
During the second through fourth years, funding comes from both the Royster Society and your program. Your program may require you to teach or conduct research. The intent of these "service years" is to develop your teaching and research skills. Funding can also come from external fellowships or internal training grants. There is flexibility during these years to best meet your unique needs and opportunities.
As a Royster Fellow, you receive tuition support, fees, and health insurance for five academic years. In-state tuition, fees, and health insurance are split across all funding sources. The Graduate School provides out-of-state tuition if needed. Some schools and colleges charge a school-based tuition. The cost of this additional tuition is not included in your Royster Fellowship benefits, but may be provided by your program.
Royster Fellows receive a travel allowance for professional development opportunities. You can use this funding to present your research at academic conferences and attend job talks. This funding can pair with additional funding resources from your program or external travel grants.
