Graduate College Post-Comprehensive Research Fellowship
This fellowship program provides an opportunity for advanced Ph.D. students to benefit from protected and supported time to pursue their scholarly research activities. The fellowship is intended to recognize students with distinguished academic achievement during their early graduate training. These achievements should be evident from a combination of outstanding academic performance in coursework, as well as early scholarly research activities. Students who have held teaching assistantships in the previous two semesters will have priority.
The Graduate College provides recipients with a $11,000 stipend. The fellowship includes a tuition scholarship for up to two credit hours, 50 percent of the mandatory fees, and a contribution towards their health and dental insurance. Students will be responsible for the remainder of their mandatory and course fees as well as any additional required credit hours.
Recipients may also be considered for Ballard and Seashore Dissertation Fellowships; however, the awards cannot occur in consecutive semesters. There must be a minimum of one semester between fellowships. Departments may nominate (in rank order) up to four students who passed their comprehensive exams between September 1, 2023, and February 29, 2024.
Please consult the Office of Student Financial Aid regarding how this award may affect financial aid packages.
Typically fellowships cannot be used in combination with any other source of support (e.g., fellowship/scholarship, grant, graduate assistantships, or employment outside the University of Iowa) since the fellowships are meant to provide protected time for the student to advance their studies. Failure to report additional employment can be considered in future applications/nominations/continued Graduate College funding for both the student and the department. For more information or to ask for a possible one-time exception, contact the Graduate College.
Because this is a post-comprehensive fellowship, a student may be nominated only once. The number of fellowships is limited and awards are highly competitive.
- Successful dissertation completion by a department's previous fellowship recipients and by its general Ph.D. student cohort will be heavily weighted in award decisions. Departments/programs will become ineligible if students do not complete in a timely manner.
- Nominees must have successfully completed the comprehensive examination (see above for dates of eligibility).
- Typically fellowships cannot be used in combination with any other source of support (e.g., fellowship/scholarship, grant, graduate assistantships, or employment outside the University of Iowa) since the fellowships are meant to provide protected time for the student to advance their studies. Failure to report additional employment can be considered in future applications/nominations/continued Graduate College funding for both the student and the department.
Online nominations must include the following items as separate PDF files:
Student materials (single spaced, 12 pt. type, 1" margins)
- A brief paragraph (250 words or less) which should highlight how the nominee has performed with distinction since undertaking graduate study at the University.
- A one-page research outline and plan of study (4,000 characters or less) written to be in lay language (to be understood by the public). It should address the significance and purpose of the research and how this opportunity will impact the nominee's subsequent research plans. Do not include references.
- A one-page C.V. of the nominee's educational and professional experience, honors and awards, and publications.
- Transcript (unofficial is acceptable)
Two letters of support
- One letter from the nominee's advisor (planned dissertation director) addressing a) a defined plan for close mentorship of the student during this semester and b) the student’s readiness to undertake the research plan.
- One letter from the Director of Graduate Studies to describe and assess the student’s level of distinction when compared with their peer cohort. If more than one student is being nominated, this letter must also include a rank ordering of the candidates.
Nominations must be submitted online at https://workflow.uiowa.edu/form/post-comp-research-award by the department or program, with all materials prepared as PDF documents. Students must submit their part of the application materials to their department at least two weeks prior to the Graduate College deadline. Students should check with their department as soon as possible for departmental deadlines as well as to inform them that they intend to apply. Applications submitted by the student (and not someone in the department such as the DGS, DEO or grad coordinator) will be voided and not considered.
The deadline for submissions for Fall 2024 awards is Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at 5pm. Submissions will be accepted in Workflow beginning Monday, February 19, 2024.
Please direct any questions to Graduate Administrative Affairs Coordinator Katie Bottorff (467-4307) or Associate Dean Shelly Campo (335-2136) or via email at grad-fellowships@uiowa.edu.