All Biology doctoral students in good standing receive year-round financial support in the form of assistantships and fellowships. These provide a stipend to cover living costs; they also cover tution and academic fees in full. On admission, M.S. students are guaranteed two years of support; Ph.D. students are guaranteed five years. A further year's support, in the form of research or teaching assistantships may be available when justified. To be eligible to receive a teaching assistantship, international students must score at least 250 on a special Test of Spoken English adminstered after arrival.

Outstanding applicants to the Biology Graduate Program may be nominated by the Department for particular fellowships or awards offered by the University or by the Eberly College of Science (e.g. Braddock Supplements). Strong candidates are encourage to submit a formal application by December 31 to be considered in the first rounds of competition for these awards.

You may also wish to make your own application for alternative sources of funding which offer a different stipend and / or are more prestigious, such a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. The Biology Department is happy to consider applications from students who are receiving funding from elsewhere.