Doctoral Program Funding and Tuition Support Guidelines

All doctoral students in the College of Engineering are admitted under a policy of full support. Master’s students who are approved for a change of program into a doctoral program will receive financial aid at the time of their transfer. As long as standards are achieved and milestones are met, doctoral students who enter with a master’s degree receive four years of guaranteed support, and doctoral students who enter with a bachelor’s degree receive five years of guaranteed support.

The College of Engineering and Rackham have designated special funds for tuition support. Fall or winter tuition support, with GradCare, may be requested for students admitted to any CoE doctoral program.

This tuition support applies only to students in College of Engineering graduate programs, without regard to the home unit of the student’s advisor.

One term of funding may be requested for students within the four or five year commitment:

  • A student who is on an internship.
  • A student who is required to register due to the requirements of the Rackham Continuous Enrollment policy.
  • A student who requires funding due to unforeseen circumstances such as a family or medical emergency or a period of transition between research advisors when resources, such as a GSI appointment, from the student’s home program are unavailable or insufficient.

The criteria are:

  • Ph.D. Candidate (full tuition) or Pre-candidate (one credit of pre-candidate tuition if needed to keep the student enrolled);
  • Making satisfactory academic progress as judged by program faculty;
  • Not otherwise supported with a GSRA or GSI position or with a fellowship that includes tuition coverage.

The general expectation is that the faculty advisor will provide student funding. If the advisor cannot fully fund a student, the department/program should provide GSI or fellowship funding. If the department/program and advisor are unable to provide full funding support, the College may cost share the funding shortfall, or in extraordinary circumstances, provide full funding.

The College or Rackham may provide one term of Fall or Winter tuition support for students on internship who are not in their final semester of their doctoral program. 

To request support and consider other funding resources for graduate students, the graduate chair or his/her designee should refer to the Graduate Department/Program funding webpage for more information.