Savanna Hoffman
The University of Pennsylvania's Department of Biology offers its graduate students funding through educational fellowships, teaching assistantships, research fellowships, training grants, or external funding. First-year students are supported by educational fellowships, which cover monthly stipends, health insurance, tuition, general fees, and clinical fees. In their second year, most students are funded by teaching assistantships, which require teaching labs and/or recitation sessions. Students in years 3 through 5 may continue to receive funding through teaching assistantships if research fellowships or other funding mechanisms are unavailable. Additionally, the university provides travel funds to help offset the cost of conferences and off-site courses.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Support duration | Minimum of 5 years |
| Support methods | Educational fellowships, teaching assistantships, research fellowships, training grants, external funding |
| First-year support | Educational fellowships |
| Second-year support | Teaching assistantships |
| Support for years 3 through 5 | Teaching assistantships, research fellowships, training grants, external funding |
| Benefits | Stipend, tuition, general fees, health insurance premiums, clinical fees |
| Additional benefits | Travel funds, dental insurance subsidies |
| Fellowship benefits | Experience, prestige, financial benefits |
| Fellowship opportunities | National Institutes of Health (NIH) individual predoctoral National Research Service Award (NRSA) F30 or F31 awards, National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program awards |
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What You'll Learn
First-year students are supported by educational fellowships
The University of Pennsylvania's Department of Biology offers its graduate students a minimum of five years of financial support through various means, including educational fellowships, teaching assistantships, research fellowships, training grants, and external funding.
During their first year, students complete most of their coursework and lab rotations, allowing them to explore different areas of biology and identify their specific research interests. This freedom to pursue a range of topics, from molecular behaviour to ecosystems, empowers students to tailor their graduate education according to their passions and aspirations.
The educational fellowships provide first-year students with the financial security and academic freedom to immerse themselves in their studies, interact with colleagues across departments, and establish a solid foundation for their graduate research journey. This support system demonstrates the University of Pennsylvania's commitment to fostering an inclusive and dynamic learning community that values each student's unique perspective and contributions.
By providing this financial support, the Department of Biology ensures that first-year students can dedicate themselves fully to their academic and research goals, setting them on a path toward success in their chosen field.
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Second-year students are funded by teaching assistantships
The University of Pennsylvania's Department of Biology offers its graduate students support for a minimum of five years. This support comes in the form of educational fellowships, teaching assistantships, research fellowships, training grants, or external funding.
First-year students are supported by educational fellowships, which are non-service awards that cover their stipend, tuition, general fees, health insurance premiums, and clinical fees. During their second year, students are usually funded by teaching assistantships, which require teaching labs and/or recitation sessions during the fall and spring semesters. This year of service fulfills the program's teaching requirement.
The teaching assistantship program covers the student's stipend, tuition, general fees, clinical fee, and health insurance premiums. International students are required to complete the summer International Teaching Assistantship Training Program before matriculation. This training program provides a stipend and health insurance for the two-month duration. Upon completion of the program and passing of the required tests, the student becomes eligible for a teaching assistant position.
In some cases, second-year students may receive funding from other sources, such as research fellowships or training grants. In such cases, they can postpone fulfilling their teaching requirement to a later semester. Approval for this postponement must be obtained from the Advising and Assessment Committee.
Students in their third year and beyond are typically funded by research fellowships and teaching assistantships.
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Research fellowships for students in years 3-5
The University of Pennsylvania offers various funding opportunities for student researchers in the Department of Biology. All Biology Graduate students are guaranteed funding for at least five years through educational fellowships, teaching assistantships, research fellowships, training grants, or external funding.
For students in years 3 through 5, funding is typically provided through research fellowships or teaching assistantships. While teaching assistantships are a common source of funding for third-year students, it is encouraged that they seek out individual funding opportunities, such as research fellowships.
The Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (CURF) is a valuable resource for students seeking fellowships. CURF promotes connections between faculty and students, encourages mentorship, and educates the Penn community about fellowship opportunities.
One example of a research fellowship available to students in years 3-5 is the Blavatnik Fellowship. This fellowship is funded by the Blavatnik Family Foundation and supports up to six students per year. Students must be nominated by their graduate group, and the nomination process is announced in early spring.
Another option for funding is through individual fellowships, which offer several benefits such as gaining grant-writing skills, enhancing one's CV, and potentially receiving additional funds for travel or educational expenses. Students can also explore external fellowships, which may provide higher stipend amounts and additional benefits.
Overall, there are numerous opportunities for students in years 3-5 within the Department of Biology at the University of Pennsylvania to secure funding through research fellowships. By utilizing resources such as CURF and exploring various fellowship options, students can gain financial support to pursue their research interests.
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Travel funds for students to attend conferences and courses
The University of Pennsylvania offers a variety of funding opportunities for students who need financial support to attend conferences and courses. While some funding is specific to certain schools or departments, there are also university-wide grants and fellowships available.
Travel Grants for Academic Conferences
The College of Arts & Sciences offers travel grants to support students who wish to present their research at off-campus scholarly meetings. These grants can be used to cover travel costs and conference registration fees. Students may apply for one travel grant per academic year, with a value of up to $600. Graduating seniors are also eligible for this funding if their research will be presented at a conference before they graduate.
Biomedical Graduate Studies (BGS) Travel Funds
The Perelman School of Medicine's Biomedical Graduate Studies (BGS) program offers travel funds to BGS students to help with the costs of conferences and off-site courses. There is a maximum of $1,000 per fiscal year (July 1 – June 30) for scientific conferences, and this funding is generally only for those who will be presenting papers or posters. There is a separate maximum of $1,500 per BGS lifetime to attend an off-site course and $1,000 to attend a career-development conference.
Individual Fellowships
Students who receive individual external fellowships may be able to use funds from those sources for travel to conferences and other educational expenses. Fellowship opportunities are often tied to particular research areas and support students at the thesis stage.
Department of English Travel Fund Policy
The Department of English has three sources of funding to support graduate student research travel, including travel to academic conferences. The department allocates a budget to fund student travel for library research, with a maximum of $250 per fiscal year. Additionally, the Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences provides travel funding for one trip per year to full-time PhD students in good standing to participate in academic conferences, with a maximum of $600.
GAPSA Research Student Travel Grant
The Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (GAPSA) administers several research and travel awards each year, which may provide another funding opportunity for students needing support for travel.
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External funding through training grants, fellowships, and research grants
The University of Pennsylvania's Department of Biology offers its graduate students support for a minimum of five years, funded by a combination of institutional funds and external sources. These include training grants, fellowships, and research grants.
Training Grants
Training grants are offered by the department to graduate students in their second year of study. In some cases, students can postpone fulfilling their teaching requirements until later in their academic career if they receive funding from external training grants.
Fellowships
First-year students are supported by educational fellowships, which cover stipends, tuition, general fees, health insurance premiums, and clinical fees. The University of Pennsylvania also offers University fellowships to students in their subsequent years.
Students can also apply for individual fellowships, which are awarded by external funding agencies. These include the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). Fellowships are often tied to particular research areas and support students at the thesis stage. There are also broad fellowships with other eligibility criteria, such as awards for students from underrepresented backgrounds.
Research Grants
Research grants are another source of external funding for graduate students in the Department of Biology. These grants are often provided by thesis mentors to support the student's research project.
Overall, the University of Pennsylvania offers a range of funding opportunities for its graduate students in the Department of Biology, ensuring that they receive the financial support they need to complete their studies and research projects.
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Frequently asked questions
Students are supported by a combination of institutional funds and external funding through training grants, individual fellowships, and research grants. Students are guaranteed funding for stipends, tuition, fees, and health insurance throughout the program.
First-year students are funded by educational fellowships, which include a monthly stipend, health insurance premium, tuition, general fee, and clinical fee.
Yes, BGS offers travel funds to help offset the cost of conferences and off-site courses. There is a maximum of $1,000 per fiscal year for scientific conferences and $1,500 per BGS lifetime to attend an off-site course.
