Graduate Opportunities

Are you a graduate student seeking funding to advance your academic journey? Whether you’re looking for awards to cover tuition and stipends, support for dissertation completion, or grants for your research endeavors, you’ve come to the right place. External scholarships and fellowships offer prestigious, merit-based funding opportunities that can greatly enhance your educational experience.

Start planning early to maximize your chances of success! Explore the diverse funding options available to graduate students and take the first step towards securing the financial support you need to excel in your studies and research.

If you are seeking information on need-based financial aid (i.e. grants and loans that require submission of a FAFSA), please visit the Financial Aid Office. 

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Find Your Fit

Career Stage	Types of Activities	Types of Funding
Graduate Students Early: Training & Preparation	Coursework Developing research proposal Working on/towards comps/prelims	Pre-dissertation or early-career fellowships Training grants Small grants
Graduate Students Middle: Research	Data collection Field or lab work Comps/prelims	Research grants
Graduate Students Late: Analysis & Writing	Data collection Field or lab work Comps/prelims	Dissertation writing fellowships

 

Evaluating Funding Fit: Key Considerations

Before diving into applications, it’s crucial to evaluate how well each funding opportunity aligns with your goals and circumstances. Consider the following questions to determine if an award is the right match for you:

Think about:
Does the funder support the work I do?
Am I eligible in terms of citizenship, discipline, career stage, etc.?
Can I complete the application requirements by the deadline?
Will the funding cover what I need, when I need it?

External Awards Opportunities

The opportunities on this page are those with which we work most closely and many require an on-campus nomination process.

Deadlines:Unless otherwise noted, applicants must apply by the Campus Deadlines listed below in order to be considered. Campus Deadlines are earlier than the National Deadlines listed on the individual program websites in order to allow adequate time for applicant interviews (if required) and review by campus selection committees.

Advising: Applicants seeking advising on any of the awards below should first attend any relevant information session on the award.

 

• Early Career Graduate

  Award	Description	Eligibility	Campus Deadline	Website
  Dept. of Energy (DOE) Computational Science Graduate Fellowship (CSGF)	Funding for up to four years of Ph.D.-level study for students using computational modeling or simulation to advance their primary field of study in engineering and the physical, computer, mathematical, or life sciences.	U.S. citizens or permanent residents Graduating seniors and first-year graduate students Engineering and the physical, computer, mathematical or life sciences	See program website for details. A campus nomination is not required, but prospective applicants are encouraged to consult with External Fellowships Advising well in advance of the deadline if seeking assistance.	Learn More
  Hertz Graduate Fellowship	Five years of funding for students pursuing a PhD in the applied physical and biological sciences, mathematics, and engineering with demonstrated potential to be future leaders and innovators.	Graduating seniors or students in their first year of graduate studies U.S. citizen or permanent resident Applied Physical and Biological Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering fields Students willing to morally commit to make their skills available to the United States in time of national emergency.	See program website for details. A campus nomination is not required, but prospective applicants are encouraged to consult with External Fellowships Advising well in advance of the deadline if seeking assistance.	Learn More
  NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)	Funding for 3 years of graduate study in research-based master’s and doctoral programs in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and STEM education.	Graduating seniors (accepted to grad school by May 1 of award year) or first and second year graduate students Current grad students may apply only once, during first or second year Graduate applicants who have experienced a career break may be eligible (see solicitation) Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and STEM education U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident	See program website for details. A campus nomination is not required, but prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to participate in SBU's NSF GRFP Application Accelerator.	See program solicitation for additional eligibility requirements.

• Mid Career Graduate

  Award	Description	Eligibility	Campus Deadline	Website
  Boren Awards	Funding to study outside the U.S., Western Europe, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand for an academic year while learning a less commonly taught language. Shorter periods of study will be considered for STEM students.	Matriculated undergraduate or graduate students All disciplines U.S. citizens Must demonstrate interest in a career in public service	See program website for details. A campus nomination is not required, but prospective applicants are encouraged to consult with External Fellowships Advising well in advance of the deadline if seeking assistance.	Learn More
  Chateaubriand Fellowship	Support for research in France for a period of four to nine months.	U.S. citizens and foreign nationals Current PhD students Humanities, social sciences, and STEM disciplines French proficiency not required	See program website for details. A campus nomination is not required, but prospective applicants are encouraged to consult with External Fellowships Advising well in advance of the deadline if seeking assistance. Usually due mid-January.	Learn More
  DAAD Awards	Funding for graduate study or independent research in Germany.	Graduating seniors or graduate students All disciplines Open to U.S. citizens and many foreign nationals Language proficiency not required for matriculation in participating master's programs Research projects in the arts, humanities, and social sciences typically require good command of German	Campus nomination required, late applications will not be considered. Please email fellowships@stonybrook.edu to register your intent.	For graduate study  For independent reasearch
  Fulbright U.S. Student Program	Funding to teach English or conduct independent research overseas in over 140 different countries for an academic year.	Graduating seniors, recent alumni, or graduate students All disciplines U.S. citizens Prospective applicants should be aware of country-specific requirements, such as whether or not foreign language proficiency is required. Must have obtained a Bachelor’s degree by the start of the program, but have not yet earned a PhD Already have a PhD? Check out the Fulbright Scholar Program.	Campus nomination required, late applications will not be considered. Applicants MUST participate in SBU's Fulbright Application Accelerator.	Learn More
  Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship	Funding to conduct doctoral dissertation research in select countries overseas (see program website for details).	PhD students who have advanced to candidacy Language and/or area studies U.S. citizens or permanent residents	Campus nomination required, late applications will not be considered.	Learn More

• Late Career Graduate

  Award	Description	Eligibility	Campus Deadline	Website
  American Association of University Women (AAUW) American Fellowships	Funding for women pursuing full-time study to complete dissertations..	U.S. citizens and permanent residents (for non-citizens, see AAUW International Fellowships) Applicants must have completed all coursework, passed all preliminary exams, and had the dissertation research proposal or plan approved by deadline. All disciplines Must demonstrate active commitment to helping women and girls through service	See program website for details. A campus nomination is not required, but prospective applicants are encouraged to consult with External Fellowships Advising well in advance of the deadline if seeking assistance.	Learn More
  ACLS Dissertation Fellowships	ACLS has supported individual scholars and scholarly teams around the world in their pursuit of research with the potential to advance knowledge in the humanities and interpretive social sciences. Their current focus includes providing more pathways for those who have traditionally had less access to external research support and scholarly resources. Please review the available awards to determine if one fits your research project and dissertation stage. NOTE: Dissertation innovation fellowships require at least 2 years of study remaining after this year.	Terms vary by award.	See program website for details. A campus nomination is not required, but prospective applicants are encouraged to consult with External Fellowships Advising well in advance of the deadline if seeking assistance.	Learn More