Graduate Student Fellowship and Financial Policies

Stipends

Research Fellow (RF) & Teaching Fellow (TF) Stipends

Research and Teaching Fellowship stipends are paid from September through May (nine months). The stipend is subject to Federal income tax and City of Philadelphia wage tax, but not Pennsylvania personal income tax. Please refer to the University's Guide to Graduate Student Appointments for additional tax information.

Dissertation Research Fellow (DRF) Stipends

Dissertation Research Fellowship stipends are distributed over 12 months, beginning when the student successfully defends the dissertation proposal and is officially approved for DRF status. Taxes are not withheld from Educational Fellowships, however students are responsible for reporting the payments as income and paying the appropriate taxes. Please refer to the University's Guide to Graduate Student Appointments for additional tax information.

Summer Fellowships

Summer Fellowship stipends are paid June through August (three months). The stipend is subject to Federal income tax, Pennsylvania personal income tax, and City of Philadelphia wage tax. Please refer to the University's Guide to Graduate Student Appointments for additional tax information.

Healthcare

All University of Pennsylvania students must carry health insurance, either through the University under the Penn Student Insurance Plan (PSIP), or through an outside provider. Those students with coverage through an outside provider must provide proof of insurance by completing the online waiver form found on the Penn Student Health Services website.

All Annenberg Ph.D. students who are eligible for a tuition waiver are eligible for single health premium coverage through the Penn Student Insurance Plan, paid for by the school.

Travel & Research Funding

All Annenberg doctoral students receiving a regular fellowship from the school (research, teaching, or dissertation) have access to a yearly personal travel and research budget of $1,700 for domestic and international travel.

Please refer to our current doctoral student research and travel policies.

For more information about graduate student stipends, health insurance, and travel funding, please refer to the Graduate Student Handbook.