PhD students who matriculate in Summer 2020 and after will be guaranteed to have funding support from the University of Chicago, external sources, or a combination of the two for the duration of their program to include the following:

• Full tuition coverage
• Annual stipend
• Student Services Fee
• Fully paid individual annual premiums for UChicago’s student health insurance (U-SHIP, the University Student Health Insurance Plan)

The goal of the University’s commitment to ensuring that students are supported is to allow students to prioritize their studies and prepare for rewarding careers. We expect students to remain in good academic standing and to be making progress toward completing degree requirements.

Students in the Division of the Humanities who entered their PhD program in Summer 2016 or later, and who are still enrolled in 2023-2024 will be fully incorporated into this new funding model, and will receive at least the guaranteed stipend level (subject to applicable taxes), full tuition coverage, Student Services Fee (beginning in Autumn Quarter 2022), and fully paid health insurance premiums for the duration of their program. Students are expected to remain in good academic standing. Students who matriculated before Summer 2016 will receive at least the funding they were offered at the time of admission and may be eligible for additional funding, such as dissertation completion fellowships. Over the past several years, the Division of the Humanities has increased investments in funding to support students in degree completion.

USHIP is the health insurance plan that provides students with a nationwide network of providers, international coverage, access to telemedicine, and “a low annual deductible and out-of-pocket maximums.” U-SHIP enrollment is required for all enrolled PhD students, and supported by institutional or grant funds, as allowed. In other words, all PhD students receive fully paid individual annual premiums of USHIP via the Humanities Division. Students who elect other additional coverage (i.e., dependent, dental, vision) will be responsible for those costs. Doctoral students who may have comparable coverage will no longer be able to waive USHIP.

There are support programs for emergency situations through the Bursar’s Office. Also clarify your situation to the DGS, your faculty mentor, and the Department Chair, who can help you locate additional resources. Additional fellowships and awards are available to support language study, conference travel, and research travel (see below).

The Division of the Humanities provides several internal funding streams to support graduate students’ research, conference travel, and the like. These funding streams should be students’ first line of support:

• Humanities Division Conference Travel Grants
• Graduate Council Travel Grants and Funding Opportunities
• Dissertation Research Travel Grants
• Fellowships from various UChicago Centers and Departments

UChicago GRAD supports the discovery of and application to additional fellowships, including mentoring from a fellowship advisor.

The Department of Music is pleased to announce the availability of stipends from a number of funds established to promote students’ scholarship. These include the Lowell and Elita Wadmond Music Endowment, the Patrick Gallagher and Robert Watson Fund, and the Catherine Boettcher Felding Music Scholarship. These stipends have long been associated with the Wadmond name (and we shall continue to do so for the foreseeable future), but it is important to acknowledge that they have been made possible through the generosity of a number of different individuals. 

We accept submissions twice per quarter, every quarter (excluding summer), on the Friday of the third and seventh week. Students will receive a decision on their application no later than three weeks after the submission deadline. All music graduate students and third- and fourth-year music majors are eligible to request support for projects pertaining to music research and/or composition, or to further music-related professional development. Funding may cover lodging, transportation, and fees. Funding does not cover food and drink. 

Upcoming deadlines are: 

Autumn 2023: Friday, October 13 & Friday, November 10 

Winter 2024: Friday, January 19 & Friday, February 16 

Spring 2024: Friday, April 5 & Friday, May 3 

You will be notified within three weeks of the award status. In years past, applicants were awarded amounts ranging from $400 to $4,000, with an average award of $2,000. Preference will be given to support dissertation research and language study relevant to the dissertation, research for the senior essay, and summer festivals/workshops for composers. You are encouraged to explore additional sources for outside funding, including Humanities Division Travel Grants and the Graduate Council’s Research and Personal Development Fund. In the case of conferences, festivals, and the like, you must have already been accepted to the event prior to making an application for support. It is possible to apply more than once per year. 

Before submission, your proposal needs to be reviewed and approved by your faculty mentor or dissertation advisor (for graduate students) or the Director of Undergraduate Studies (for undergraduates). Please submit an electronic version of all application materials to the Student Affairs Administrator. Your application must include: 

• A completed cover page.
• A 300-word description of your project. 
• A detailed schedule for the use of the requested funds. 
• A detailed budget proposal, including quotes for accommodation and travel. 
• Where relevant, acceptance letters for summer festivals and workshops or other activities that involve an application. 
• A list of fellowship funds you will receive during the current academic year, or for which you have applied, including the status of notification. 

Subsequent to the completion of the activities outlined in your proposal we ask that you send the Department Chair (cc’d to the Student Affairs Administrator) a brief report (250-350 words) detailing the outcomes of your activities. Such reports are immensely useful in our communications with potential donors about the needs of students in the Department. 

Awards will be processed in a timely manner upon final approval by the Student Affairs Administrator via university stipend. Any questions regarding the awarded stipend, or final report can be directed to the Student Affairs Administrator.

Thanks to the resources provided by the Laura Campbell Rhind Music Research Fund and the Pauline M. Kaschins Scholarship Fund, the Department is able to provide each graduate student in good standing with a budget of $1000 that can be applied to conference or festival expenses in North America during the academic year. (For support for conferences and festivals outside of North America application should be made to the Departmental Wadmond Funds.)

The funds for conference participation are available whether or not graduate students are making a presentation at a conference or having their work premiered at a festival. Graduate students are nonetheless strongly encouraged to seek supplementary support through the Humanities Division Travel Grants and the Graduate Council’s Research and Personal Development Fund if they are presenting work that contributes to their professional development.

To apply for conference funds from the Department of Music, please fill out the linked form, have it signed by your faculty mentor or adviser, attach a summary budget for the relevant expenses, and forward the form and budget to the Student Affairs Administrator.

The Division offers several internally funded Dissertation Completion Fellowships (DCFs) to incentivize timely dissertation completion. Consult with your dissertation adviser and the DGS about whether and when it would be appropriate for you to apply. Students MUST finish the dissertation by the end of the award or they will face administrative withdrawal.

The Division and the Department encourage students to apply for external dissertation fellowships, such as those funded by the ACLS, Mellon, NEH, AMS, SMT, SEM, and the like. Consult with the DPD and your dissertation adviser about your application. UChicago incentivizes some of these awards with top-ups and bonuses; if you win one, consult with the DGS, the DPD, and the Department Chair, who will help you in consulting with the Dean of Students Office.

UChicago GRAD provides additional support for the discovery of and application to additional fellowships, including mentoring from a fellowship advisor.

Leaves of absence may be granted to help students with exceptional personal circumstances or medical conditions, including childbirth, or to allow them to take advantage of opportunities for intellectual development elsewhere.

Begin by talking to the DGS about your situation, who can make inquiries on your behalf. Then, further your conversation with the Student Affairs Administrator. Applications for a leave of absence must be submitted to and approved by the Dean of Students.

PhD students who take either a parental or medical leave of absence (with appropriate documentation) may do so and retain their U-SHIP coverage for up to four quarters (for a medical leave) and one quarter (for a parental leave). The individual U-SHIP premium will continue to be paid at no cost to the student via the Humanities Division. Students who take a personal leave of absence or other form of leave of absence (not a parental or medical) are no longer eligible for U-SHIP and coverage will be ended effective from the start of the first quarter of personal leave.