Non-Departmental Funding Sources
FellowshipS
National Science Foundation Fellowship
These fellowships are available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents, including students completing their 1st year in a Ph.D. program.
Northwestern University Presidential Fellowships
This is Northwestern's most prestigious award, and covers tuition and stipend for one or two years, plus a research funding. Typically, applicants will be in their fourth year.
- Nominations are made by the Department. The Department can nominate a maximum of two candidates, so students need to get their materials to the Department by early-January. Deadline is in early February.
- For information and an application form, visit The Graduate School's website.
Northwestern University Transportation Center Dissertation-Year Fellowships
The Transportation Center offers a stipend plus tuition award to eligible students who are in the final 12 months of their thesis research. Research in the area of transportation, broadly defined, and public utilities is eligible.
- Deadline is the end of March.
- For information see the Transportation Center's website (and click on NUTC Dissertation Year Fellowship)
Funding for Research-Related Expenses
Graduate Research Grants are provided by TGS to support research activities, including acquisition of data and travel.
- Maximum one-time grant: $3,000.
- Applications must be received by the Director of Graduate Studies, and not sent directly to The Graduate School, by the end of the first week of Fall, Winter and Spring Quarters. Awards will be announced 8 weeks after receipt of applications.
Funding for Conference Travel
TGS also has funds available for conference travel grants.
- Deadline is 30 days before the conference.
- Students may apply once a year, and can receive a maximum of two awards during their time at Northwestern.
- The maximum award is $800.
- The application requires the endorsement of both the advisor and the Department.
- The Department or the advisor must also contribute at least $200 in match funds. The Department has the following restrictions on match funds from the department: (1) departmental funds can be used only for domestic travel; (2) the student must have defended their dissertation prospectus by the time the application to the department is made; (3) the student must be applying for a Conference Travel Grant from The Graduate School; and (4) the student's advisor has made a written endorsement of the conference to the Director of Graduate Studies.
- As of November 2018, the Department's $200 match will comprise $100 from the Department's Eisner graduate student research fund, and $100 from the student's advisor.
- Completed forms should be forwarded to the Director of Graduate Studies and not sent directly to The Graduate School.
Funding for Job-Market Expenses
Career Development Grants for Humanists and Social Scientists are provided by The Graduate School to support students’ next professional steps after graduate school be they on the conventional academic path or not.
- The awards can be used to cover costs directly related to a job search, such as travel to conferences (such as the annual ASSA meetings) or other venues to interview.
- Maximum one-time grant: $400.
- Applications are sent directly to The Graduate School, and are accepted on a rolling basis. It is recommended that applications are made at least a month prior to the expenses being incurred. It is a good idea to apply early in the school year as applications will be declined if The Graduate School has expended its budget for this program for the year.