Funding

The Graduate Division guarantees a five-year fellowship package for all first-year matriculants to the doctoral program in philosophy, which includes tuition remission, paid health insurance, and a stipend. Since 2005, Penn has increased the minimum stipend for Ph.D. students by an average of 3.7 percent each year, with higher increases over the past four years (4 percent or more). Beginning in the 2023-24 academic year, doctoral students in Philosophy will be offered a stipend of at least $38,000.

First and fourth year students have no teaching duties, but it is customary for first year students to help with the departmental library and the colloquium series. Second and third year students serve as teaching fellows. Fifth year students teach during one semester. Continuation of the package beyond the first year assumes good academic progress. Teaching in second and third years normally consists of serving as teaching assistants; teaching in year five usually involves sole-responsibility teaching (typically a seminar class of 25 students). Limited competitive fellowships and some teaching assignments are available in the sixth year. The package is adjusted for combined degree programs.

 

Medical and Dental Care

Penn offers a benefits-rich health insurance package to fully funded Ph.D. students. It provides comprehensive coverage, including an unlimited lifetime maximum benefit, prescription coverage, treatment for mental illness and substance abuse, comprehensive infertility and Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) coverage, and no maximum amount limit on gender confirmation surgery. Students also receive discounted gym memberships through Husk (previously called GlobalFit).

 

Insurance Grants for Ph.D. Students

Penn has committed over $1 million in annual funding for need-based grants to Ph.D. students in good standing to help defray the costs of extended health insurance, as well as optional dental insurance. For more information, including on the application process and deadlines, visit the Insurance Grants website.

 

Research, Summer, Travel, and Conference Support

The Department and University support the development of needed skills and provide some funds for Summer research and conference travel. French and German for reading knowledge and intensive Latin and Greek courses are available at Penn during the Summer. The Department can offer limited support for further language training and other research experiences.

For students making conference presentations, the Graduate Division of Arts and Sciences (GDAS) and the Graduate Student Associations Council (GSAC) provide some travel funds. For advanced doctoral students, Summer teaching can provide valuable experience as well as a stipend. Finally, Penn participates in an exchange agreement with the Free Univeristy in Berlin, and doctoral students may apply for a year in Berlin on a competitive basis.

 

Advising & Mentoring Ph.D. Students

Responding to student requests for more clarification about advising expectations, the University developed a uniform guide for students and faculty on Advising & Mentoring Ph.D. Students. A link to the guide is available here.

 

Fellowships

Penn provides a number of fellowships to further support student research and travel.

 

Presidential Ph.D. Fellowships

The President’s Ph.D. Initiative supports Presidential Ph.D. Fellows receive a competitive funding package, which includes $10,000 in research funds for three years. For more details, see the President’s Ph.D. Initiative website.

 

Fontaine Fellowships

Fontaine Fellowships support the academic development of PhD students, and are awarded to students whose background, research and experience demonstrate both the interest and capacity to enhance a broadly diverse and inclusive learning community.

 

Provost’s Graduate Academic Engagement Fellowship

Graduate Academic Engagement Fellows are outstanding students whose scholarship significantly involves Academically Based Community Service (ABCS) and related activities, including locally based community problem-solving, engaged scholarship, service learning, and learning by teaching in public schools. For more information about the fellowship and how to apply, see the Netter Center website.

 

Expanded GAPSA-Provost Fellowship for Interdisciplinary Innovation

The Office of the Provost and GAPSA have together increased financial commitment to enable significant expansion of the GAPSA-Provost Fellowship for Interdisciplinary Innovation, providing funding for more students and for application during any or all semesters. For more information about this fellowship, visit the GAPSA website.

 

The President Gutmann Leadership Award

The Office of the President generously provides additional funding to augment GAPSA’s programs for graduate student travel. The award is given to students presenting their research at a conference (either within the United States or internationally) that would normally be out of their budget, even with an individual travel grant through GAPSA. For more information, visit the GAPSA website.

 

Ph.D. Leave of Absence Policy

The Ph.D. Student Leave of Absence policy allows Ph.D. students to take a leave of absence for military duty, medical reasons, or family leave. Military, medical, and family leave “stops the clock” on time to completion. Personal leave for other reasons may be granted with the approval of the Graduate Group Chair in consultation with the Graduate Dean of the student’s school, but does not, absent exceptional circumstances, “stop the clock” on time to completion.

Ph.D. students whose funding includes health insurance coverage will receive one full semester of Penn Student Insurance Plan (PSIP) coverage while on medical or family leave. Students can petition for a second semester of coverage. Additional information about the Ph.D. Student Leave of Absence Policy can be found here.

 

For more information about doctoral support at Penn, please visit: https://valuing-grad-students.upenn.edu/student-support