Presidential Graduate Fellowships

Description of Fellowship—Each year, the Presidential Graduate Fellowship Program brings thirty of the most promising doctoral students to the University of Iowa. Presidential Graduate Fellows receive substantial financial support for five years (including summers), provided that they maintain an appropriate level of performance.

• A department may nominate a maximum of 6 students during the Spring 2008 admissions/recruiting cycle.

A Fellow's first, fourth and final years are free from department/program assignments. The fourth year is designed for dissertation data collection, while the final fellowship year is requested for completion of the dissertation. Normally, Presidential Graduate Fellows are appointed as teaching or research assistants in their department/program during the second and third years in the Fellowship Program. Summers are service free.

• By special request of Fellows early in the Fall term of their first year, and with the approval of their department/program, it may be possible to arrange for Fellows to have an assistantship the second semester
  of their first year and a one semester service-free fellowship in
  another year.

Nomination and Selection Criteria—Presidential Graduate Fellows must be nominated by the University of Iowa department/program to which they are applying. The selection of Fellows is done by a Graduate College committee on a rolling basis beginning in January. The deadline for nominations is March 7, 2008.

Awards are made to students based on demonstrated potential for unusually outstanding graduate academic performance, including such indicators as:

• Grades

• GRE scores (or GMAT, if appropriate)

• Letters of recommendation

• Previous research experience

• Other special educational experiences or relevant extracurricular experiences

Nominated students must have stated in their applications that they are committed to receiving a doctoral degree. International students can be nominated to be Presidential Graduate Fellows, but must have demonstrated extremely strong English language skills in addition to outstanding skills in their discipline.

Departments and programs are urged to nominate qualified minority students for these awards. Minority students and other underrepresented students who are nominated for Presidential Graduate Fellowships will also be considered for Dean's Graduate Fellowships.

The student's department is notified immediately after the Graduate College selects a student to be offered a Presidential Graduate Fellowship,. The department should then make the offer as quickly as possible, via phone or email, followed by an official letter copied to the Graduate College. Upon notification that the student has accepted the offer, the Graduate College will send an official confirmation letter to the student.

Minimum Stipends for Presidential Graduate Fellows—In addition to the minimum net stipends indicated below, Presidential Graduate Fellows receive tuition, standard UI fees, and a health insurance allowance that pays for a major portion of a health insurance premium for a single student. Scholarships are automatically increased to cover increases in tuition and fees.

First year: $23,500 (AY $18,000, summer $5,500)

Second year: $5,500 plus RA/TA* stipend

Third year: $5,500 plus RA/TA* stipend

Fourth year: $23,500 (AY $18,000, summer $5,500)

Final year: $25,000 (AY $19,500, summer $5,500)

Recipients of the Presidential Graduate Fellowship may not hold other teaching or research appointments during fellowship years, except in unique situations where the appointments contribute substantially to the student's professional development and progress toward the degree. Such appointments must be approved by the Graduate College.

*The RA/TA stipend is determined by departments' and programs' Graduate Assistant stipends.

Contact Dan Berkowitz, Associate Dean, at 335-2136 or email dan-berkowitz@uiowa.edu.

Click here to download PDF of complete nomination guidelines.