Admissions and Financial Aid

PhD Funding

The Heller School provides tuition and stipend support to full-time PhD students, who typically receive this support through training grants and fellowships or foundation awards for their first four years of doctoral study. This financial support does not require the submission of a financial statement.

Funding Package Overview (Years 1-4)

The funding package includes a 100% tuition scholarship, all University fees, the health insurance premium for the individual Brandeis Qualifying Student Health Insurance Plan (QSHIP), and a stipend of $21,000, paid in increments from September through May.
Selected students will be offered funding through federal training grants with an annual stipend of $28,224, paid in increments from September through August.
Stipends do not have a work requirement, however there are opportunities to work as a paid teaching assistant or graduate research assistant.
Funding is conditional on meeting fellowship requirements. PhD students may be eligible for federal loans, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships.

Post-Year Four Costs and Fees

After year four, the post-residency fee for PhD students is $1,750 per semester and the continuation fee for PhD students is $875 per semester (learn more about these student statuses on the PhD website). The health insurance individual premium is $3,683.

Additional Funding Opportunities

For most students, financial assistance comes from a variety of sources: federal training grants, fellowships and federal loans. Eligibility for U.S. student loans is determined using the FAFSA form. Eligibility for all scholarships and fellowships relies on the application for admission. Although the tips on our Searching for Financial Aid: Checklist and Advice page are intended for master’s students, they may be potentially useful to browse.
Review our external funding information (for domestic or international students) for a listing of many types of grant aid.

Teaching Assistantships and Positions

A number of teaching assistantships, research positions, and administrative jobs may be available for qualified students. These positions are not awarded as part of the financial aid package. Interested students should contact faculty or administrators once they have arrived on campus. The financial aid office does not assist students with finding employment opportunities on- or off-campus.

Need more information?

See listings of frequently asked questions about financial aid for both domestic and international students.