Graduate School Awards

The Graduate School funds several competitive fellowships for incoming and continuing students. Incoming students do not apply for these awards; rather, selection is based on departmental nomination. Continuing students interested in awards for advanced students should follow the application procedures listed found in the award announcement.

Students holding a competitive Graduate School fellowship are not permitted to hold other fellowships or employment concurrent with the Graduate School award without prior approval from the Dean of the Graduate School. The exception to this is the James B. Duke Fellowship supplement, which can be held with any other university or external award.

Competitive Graduate School Fellowships for Incoming Students

These competitive fellowships are offered through the Graduate School. Incoming students are nominated by their department; no direct application is necessary.

James B. Duke Fellowships

The James B. Duke One-Hundredth Anniversary Fund provides fellowships for students who wish to pursue a program leading to the Ph.D. in the Graduate School at Duke University. Its objective is to aid in attracting and developing outstanding scholars at Duke. Selection of recipients is made by a faculty committee upon nomination by the appropriate department. These fellowships provide a $4,000 stipend supplement for four years to any other award the student receives from the department, the Graduate School, or national fellowships.

The Duke ForestUniversity Scholars Program Fellowships

The University Scholars Program was created in 1998 with a gift from Duke University Trustee Melinda French Gates and her husband Bill Gates, through the William H. Gates Foundation. The program is designed to stimulate an interdisciplinary, intergenerational, and diverse community of scholars. Each year the University Scholars Program provides tuition and a stipend for up to six incoming graduate students, who participate in bimonthly University Scholars Program seminars, and act as informal intellectual leaders and mentors (not advisors) to the program's undergraduates. For more information, see the University Scholars Program website.

Duke Endowment Fellowships

Duke Endowment Fellowships are provided to students who—by reason of their background, culture, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, work, and life experiences—contribute to a fuller representation of perspectives within the academic life of the university. The Graduate School’s commitment to promoting and benefiting from diversity leads it to encourage nominations of students who are Black/African American, American Indian/Alaskan Native, and Hispanic/Latino Americans. All nominees must be U. S. citizens. The Duke Endowment Fellowship is a four-year award, which combines Graduate School and departmental funds to provide payment of full tuition, registration, health and recreation fees, health insurance, and a stipend of $22,890 per 12-month year. This support is in the form of an $18,890 stipend for the 9-month academic year, plus a $4,000 stipend for the summer. Payment of the academic year stipend and fees for years one and two is provided by the Graduate School, while payment of stipend and fees for years three and four is provided through normal departmental mechanisms. The $4000 summer supplement (which will be added to any other competitive fellowship award the student might receive) and summer fees are provided by the Graduate School for years one through four.

Latin American Studies Fellowships

Latin American Studies Fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis to students interested in Latin American studies at Duke. Fellowship recipients are expected to participate in Latin American studies program activities and to take Latin American studies courses, both within and outside their admitting departments. The fellowship includes a stipend for one year, and payment of tuition and university fees for four years.

Competitive Graduate School Fellowships for Advanced Students

Katherine Stern Dissertation Year Fellowship

Dissertation-year fellowships provided for advanced graduate students. Application requires:

  • departmental endorsement.
  • the candidate's curriculum vitae;
  • three letters of recommendation.
  • a brief description of dissertation proposal and timetable.
  • most recent transcript.

See announcement for further details.

Bass Named Instructorships Program in Arts and Sciences

Seven of these awards are provided jointly by the Graduate School or Trinity College. The student is required to teach one undergraduate course during the academic year in which they hold the award. Application requires:

  • departmental endorsement.
  • the candidate's curriculum vitae.
  • three letters of recommendation.
  • a brief description of dissertation proposal and timetable.
  • most recent transcript.
  • a brief course proposal.

See announcement for further details.

Summer Research Fellowships

Summer research fellowships are available to students in the Humanities and Social Sciences in the summer following years 3-6 who have passed their preliminary exam. The fellowships pay a summer stipend and fees. See application for further details.

Library Internships

The Graduate School and Perkins Library offer four 10-month internships to students working with special library materials. See announcement for further details.

Aleane Webb Dissertation Research Fellowships

Provides support for miscellaneous research projects associated with the dissertation. See application form for further details.

Sigma Xi

Both the national and local chapters of this scientific honorary society offer research grants to graduate students. The Graduate School currently provides matching funding for these awards. Send a copy of the Sigma Xi award letter to Ken Davis in the Graduate School to receive matching funds.

Conference Travel Awards Funding

For advanced students who have passed all parts of the preliminary examination and are presenting a paper or poster at a national conference. Only one copy of the application is required along with a brief letter of intent and brief abstract. Please submit these materials one month prior to the conference. For further information, contact Ken Davis.

International Research Fellowship Opportunities

The Graduate School works to secure funding for advanced students who need to do research overseas. Below are a few of the programs currently available. Information on other fellowship opportunities, from both university and external sources, may be obtained from the Center for International Studies, 2122 Campus Drive, Durham, NC 27708. (919) 684-2765.

International Fellowship for Advanced Students

The Graduate School offers one or two research awards to students who must travel overseas. This fellowship pays a stipend and fees for the academic year. Application requires:

  • departmental endorsement.
  • the candidate's curriculum vitae.
  • a brief description of the dissertation proposal and how this time abroad will be spent.
  • three letters of recommendation.
  • the matriculation date and the expected date of completion of all requirements for the Ph.D.
  • most recent transcript.

See announcement for further details.

Predissertation/Dissertation Research Travel Awards

Up to $3,000 is provided for overseas research travel. See application for further details.

Organization for Tropical Studies

The Graduate School provides limited funding for students to travel to Costa Rica to participate in this program. Decisions are made by the OTS Director.

Inter-Institutional and Exchange Programs

The Graduate School has developed exchange and other programs with a number of universities. For additional information, click here.

Satisfactory Progress

Graduate students are expected to make satisfactory progress in their programs in order to remain enrolled in the Graduate School or to receive financial aid. Qualitative and quantitative requirements regarding formal course work are detailed under Policies and Forms, including regulations regarding unsatisfactory or failing grades in major or related courses. Additional requirements may be imposed by individual departments, which are responsible for certifying at the conclusion of each academic year the satisfactory progress of all enrolled students. Finally, the Graduate School has established normative time requirements for completion of various stages of degree work. Failure to meet expected time frames requires a review of the student's situation by the dean of the Graduate School, as specified in Policies and Forms.

National, Regional, and Foundation Awards

In addition to those awards available through the university, applicants are urged to compete for national and foundation awards available for graduate study. A website maintained by Duke's Office of Research Support lists awards available from a variety of federal and private sources, as well as awards funded by the university. External awards, which are prestigious and a valuable acknowledgement of a student's intellectual project and promise typically replace departmental or Graduate School awards.

Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching

The Graduate School will make at least one $1,500 award each Spring to recognize outstanding teaching by an actively enrolled Ph.D. student.

Nominations and Supporting Materials
To apply, any graduate student who is nominated or interested should submit the following to their Director of Graduate Studies by February 1.

  • Letter of nomination or support from Chair, Program Director, DGS or Adviser
  • Letter from ONE additional faculty member in their department or program
  • Candidate's curriculum vitae
  • Candidate's teaching statement
  • Course syllabi for any courses taught (or co-taught) by the candidate
  • Copies of course evaluations and an evaluation summary

Submission and Selection Process
The department/program should compile and review all application materials and forward one nomination to Dr. David Bell, Senior Associate Dean of the Graduate School by February 15 . Please deliver all materials to Judith Wittenberg in 127 Allen Building.  The Review Committee will make a selection and inform all applicants of their status on or before March 30.  The award winner will be honored at the Duke University Teaching Awards Dinner in April.