Applications are open for departments to request a PhD Start GRA award for fall 2024

Departments can apply for an award for new PhD students for fall 2024. Each award will be for one semester and have a $10,500 stipend and includes tuition waivers. The appointment will be as a GTA or GRA with an expected average of 19 hours of work per week. Fees are not covered by this award. The PhD student must be starting as a new graduate student at MSU in fall 2024. The program does not need to know which student will be appointed at the time the program submits an application for this award.

Priority will be given to:

  1. Newer PhD programs (those started since 2016; Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Indigenous and Rural Health) to help develop a critical mass of students as the faculty strengthens research funding.
  2. Programs that plan to recruit PhD students who already have a master’s degree in the field.

 

For fall 2024, we anticipate having funding for ~20 PhD Start GRA awards. 

Interested programs need to submit via infoready

  1. Name of department
  2. Name and contact information of lead person making the proposal
  3. Upload a file (less than ~ 2 pages) that includes a description of the following:
    1. Recent PhD enrollment trends in the program.
    2. Retention and time-to-degree initiatives for PhD students.
    3. If applicable, how the program plans to recruit PhD students who already have a master’s degree in the field.
    4. How many PhD Start Awards is the department requesting, one or two?
    5. How future assistantship appointments for the award recipients will be covered in subsequent semesters/years.

Proposals should be submitted electronically via InfoReady by Dec 20, 2023. Faculty members will review proposals and make recommendations to the Dean of the Graduate School.