Masters and Doctoral Fellowships


About the MDF

The Master’s and Doctoral Fellowship (MDF) is a highly competitive program that was created to recruit the very best graduate students who show promise for conducting important research or creative activity and are committed to full time enrollment. The program is a multi-year funding package. This package includes:

  • Stipend
  • Tuition and Mandatory Fees (excluding miscellaneous and course specific fees)
  • Health Benefits

Award Eligibility

  • Master's students who are admitted to a program that does not have a doctoral program in the field and requires a thesis.
  • Doctoral students who are admitted to a program that requires a dissertation.
  • A student must not have completed more than 12 hours at the time of the award in order to be eligible.

Nomination Procedures

Submission is online. Please combine all materials into one PDF (using Adobe Acrobat) and use the student's name as the title of the packet. Completed packets should be submitted through this submission form. The packet should include:

  • Nomination Form (completed and signed)
  • Letter of recommendation by the department in support of the nomination
  • Transcripts
  • Admission test scores or substitute criteria
  • Nominee's vita or resume

The nomination deadline for the first round is February 1, 2012. The nomination deadline for the second round is March 1, 2012.

Criteria for Selection

  • Academic – G.P.A., awards, honors, publications or presentations, performances, exhibitions, competitions, Graduate standardized test scores
  • Research – previous involvements in research (e.g., NSF, NIH, etc.)
  • Potential for contribution – what makes the student "superior"

Award Sequence

First Year

  • Fellowship stipend with no work obligation
  • Tuition and mandatory fees (excluding course specific fees)
  • Health benefits paid for by the Graduate School through the Student Health and Wellness Center

Subsequent Years

  • Assistantship within the department in a half time salaried position
  • Tuition and mandatory fees (excluding course specific fees)
  • Health benefits as an employee of the University through Human Resources

Thesis or Dissertation Year

Frequently Asked Questions

To learn more about this fellowship, download our MDF Announcement document or visit our Frequently Asked Questions page for specific answers to Masters and Doctoral Fellowship questions. If you cannot find what you’re looking for here, just contact us.