Financial Assistance

Introduction

CUNY Graduate Center makes every effort to provide financial support for its students. Most entering doctoral students are considered for Graduate Center multiyear fellowships, and all students may also apply for sufficient aid to finance their graduate education. The Graduate Center has expanded its five-year fellowships for incoming students and there may be additional sources of funding for students in their second year and beyond. Below are descriptions of major fellowships and awards offered by the Graduate Center, followed by information on federal aid and other sources of support.

Graduate Center Funding – Five Year Fellowships

Application and Awarding Process

Five Year Fellowships are offered upon admission. Programs consider academic merit when making awards. Once a program has made a nomination, the Office of Financial Aid notifies the student of the award and collects the required documentation. United States citizens, permanent residents, and international students are eligible for institutional aid. Regrettably, University-funded scholarships, including five-year fellowships, are not available to students who are not qualified immigrants.

Dissertation Year Fellowships are available to Level III students in the process of completing their dissertations. The application process is competitive. These fellowships are awarded by the Office of the Provost.

The academic programs in Audiology and Nursing, do not offer five-year fellowship support.

Graduate Center Fellowships (GCFs)

Every year, the doctoral programs in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Sciences award approximately 200 new Graduate Center Fellowships to entering students in recognition of academic achievement and in expectation of scholarly success. (Please note: Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics students receive CUNY Science Scholarships, not Graduate Center Fellowships. See below.)

The Graduate Center Fellowship provides a financial aid fellowship and graduate assistantship totaling $29,374 in the fall and spring semesters, a tuition award, and eligibility for low-cost individual or family NYSHIP health insurance.

The service assignments associated with the Graduate Center Fellowship are intended to develop scholarly and professional skills. In the first year, a Graduate Center Fellow serves as a research assistant or in another assignment determined by the doctoral program. In the second, third, and fourth years, a fellow teaches one course each semester at a CUNY undergraduate college. In the 5th Year, a GCF serves as a Writing Fellow or in an equivalent assignment at a CUNY college. Beginning in the Fall of 2025, fifth year Graduate Center Fellows will provide University service for the purpose of professional development. Examples include, but are not limited to, teaching assignments and undergraduate mentoring. Renewal of the scholarship each year is contingent upon satisfactory academic progress.

All Graduate Center Fellows receive full tuition up to 16 credits per semester in their first year of study. All Graduate Center Fellows who are international students receive full tuition up to 16 credits per semester for the four remaining years of this fellowship, as long as they remain on a visa. United States citizens and permanent residents are expected to establish New York State residency during their first year. Beginning in the second year, their Tuition Fellowship will only cover the in-state rate. If these students choose not to establish New York State residency, they will be responsible for paying the difference between the in-state and out-of-state rates.

To receive their fellowship, students must be registered as full-time each semester (7 or more credits or weighted instructional units) and accept their fellowship in CUNYFirst. Audit credits do not count towards full-time enrollment for financial aid purposes. Tuition fellowships cannot be used to pay for audited classes. Renewal of the fellowship each year is contingent upon satisfactory academic progress.

CUNY Science Scholarships

CUNY Science Scholarships are five-year awards given to all entering doctoral students in the disciplines of Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. Approximately 95 scholarships are given each year.

For students who begin their program Fall 2023 or later, the scholarship consists of an annual financial aid fellowship and graduate assistantship totaling $35,000 a tuition award of up to 16 credits per semester of tuition waiver at level I and a full tuition waiver for Levels II and III.

For students who began their program in Fall 2022, the scholarship consisted of an annual financial aid fellowship and graduate assistantship totaling $32,987.

For students who began their program in Fall 2021, the scholarship consisted of an annual financial aid fellowship and graduate assistantship totaling $32,733.

For students began their program in Fall 2020, the scholarship consisted of an annual financial aid fellowship and graduate assistantship totaling $32,484.

For students who began their program in Fall 2019 or Fall 2018, the scholarship consisted of an annual financial aid fellowship and graduate assistantship totaling $32,000.

The financial aid fellowship and graduate assistantship will be paid by the Graduate Center for the first two semesters. The first year of support requires no teaching or other service, enabling students to focus on taking courses and commencing their research. Upon satisfactorily completing their first year, which includes a formalized mentor match, a funding package totaling at least the amount the student had received in their first year will be assembled by your home campus for years 2 through 5. The Graduate Center will continue to offer the Tuition Fellowship and a $2,000 CUNY Science Scholarship in years 2 through 5.

To receive their fellowship, students must be registered as full-time each semester (7 or more credits or weighted instructional units) and accept their fellowship in CUNYFirst. Audit credits do not count towards full-time enrollment for financial aid purposes. Tuition fellowships cannot be used to pay for audited classes. Renewal of the scholarship each year is contingent upon satisfactory academic progress.

Science Fellowships

Each year, the PhD programs in Computer Science, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Psychology, and Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences award approximately 20 Science Fellowships to incoming and current students.

Science Fellowships provide $28,374 per year for the first two years of study, and a Tuition Fellowship to students in the first 10 semesters they are registered. In many instances, faculty grants supplement Science Fellowships in years three through five. The Graduate Center will continue to offer the Tuition Fellowship and a $2,000 CUNY Science Scholarship in years 3 through 5.

All Science Fellows receive full Tuition Fellowships covering up to 16 credits per semester in their first year of study. All Science Fellows who are international students receive full tuition up to 16 credits per semester for the four remaining years of this fellowship, as long as they remain on a visa. United States citizens and permanent residents are expected to establish New York State residency during their first year. Beginning in the second year, their Tuition Fellowship will only cover the in-state rate. If these students choose not to establish residency, they will be responsible for paying the difference between the in-state and out-of-state rates.

Five-Year Tuition Fellowship

Each year, doctoral programs in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Sciences (exclusive of Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics as well as Audiology and Nursing,) will award approximately 100 Five-Year Tuition Fellowships. These fellowships cover tuition (up to 16 credits per semester) and are awarded in recognition of academic achievement and in expectation of scholarly success.

All Tuition Fellows receive full tuition up to 16 credits per semester in their first year of study. All Tuition Fellows who are international students receive full tuition up to 16 credits per semester for the four remaining years of this fellowship, as long as they remain on a visa. United States citizens and permanent residents are expected to establish New York State residency during their first year. Beginning in the second year, their Tuition Fellowship will only cover the in-state rate. If these students choose not to establish residency, they will be responsible for paying the difference between the in-state and out-of-state rates.

Five-Year Provost’s Enhancement Fellowship

The Graduate Center offers a five-year Provost’s Enhancement Fellowship to entering students from underrepresented groups who are United States citizens or permanent residents. The fellowship will offer selected students an additional $10,000 enhancement to their Graduate Center Fellowship. This fellowship is only available to students in programs that offer Graduate Center Fellowships.

Students chosen for this fellowship will receive an overall award that consists of an annual financial aid fellowship and graduate assistantship totaling $39,374, a tuition award, and eligibility for low- cost health insurance. Fellowship recipients are nominated by their doctoral programs to the Office of Educational Opportunity and Diversity, which selects the students who will receive the fellowship.

All Provost’s Enhancement Fellows receive full tuition up to 16 credits per semester in their first year of study. All Provost’s Enhancement Fellows who are international students receive full tuition up to 16 credits per semester for the four remaining years of this fellowship, as long as they remain on a visa. United States citizens and permanent residents are expected to establish New York State residency during their first year. Beginning in the second year, their Tuition Fellowship will only cover the in-state rate. If these students choose not to establish residency, they will be responsible for paying the difference between the in-state and out-of-state rates.

Neuroscience Fellowships

Students accepted into Psychology’s Behavioral Cognitive Neuroscience program or Biology’s Neuroscience program will be considered for the Neuroscience Fellowship.

For students who begin their program in Fall 2023 or later, the scholarship consists of an annual financial aid fellowship and graduate assistantship totaling $35,000; a tuition award of up to 16 credits per semester of tuition waiver at level I and a full tuition waiver for Levels II and III.

For students who began their program in Fall 2022, the scholarship consisted of an annual financial aid fellowship and graduate assistantship totaling $32,987.

For students who began their program in Fall 2021, the scholarship consisted of an annual financial aid fellowship and graduate assistantship totaling $32,733.

For students began their program in Fall 2020, the scholarship consisted of an annual financial aid fellowship and graduate assistantship totaling $32,484.

For students who began their program in Fall 2019 or Fall 2018, the scholarship consisted of an annual financial aid fellowship and graduate assistantship totaling $32,000.

The Graduate Center will continue to offer the Tuition Fellowship and a $2,000 Neuroscience Scholarship in years 2 through 5.

The Graduate Center will pay the Neuroscience tuition award for 10 semesters. The financial aid fellowship and graduate assistantship will be paid by the Graduate Center for the first two semesters, the student’s mentor’s campus for the next six semesters, and the Graduate Center will transfer funds to the mentor’s campus to cover the final two semesters.

Clare Boothe Luce Fellowship

Clare Boothe Luce Fellowships will be offered to entering female students in Mathematics and Computer Science programs. Fellowship recipients are nominated by their doctoral programs to the Henry Luce Foundation, which selects the students who will receive the fellowship.

CBL Fellowships provide $37,300 in years 1 and 2 consisting of a research assistantship and a financial aid fellowship provided by CUNY Graduate Center, and a CBL Fellowship provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. In years 3-4, the award is $37,300 funded by the Graduate Center, including a graduate assistantship to teach 1 course per semester at a CUNY college. In year 5, the award is $37,300 including a service-related assistantship (assigned by the program) and a financial aid fellowship.

In years 1 and 2, the Henry Luce Foundation will provide a $1,200 housing allowance and a $1,250 travel and summer school allowance. In years 3 through 5, the Graduate Center will provide a $300 travel allowance.

Clare Boothe Luce Fellows are expected to establish New York State residency during their first year. Beginning in the second year, their Tuition Fellowship will only cover the in-state rate. If these students choose not to establish residency, they will be responsible for paying the difference between the in-state and out-of-state rates.

Other Support for New and/or Continuing Students

University Fellowships (nonservice and service). Doctoral programs receive financial aid allocations, which include University Fellowships. They can be used to cover tuition or paid as a financial aid fellowship. In cases where students are not receiving tuition coverage from other sources, their tuition is taken directly from any University Fellowship award before any financial aid fellowship is refunded to the student.

Tuition Remission: Doctoral students who meet the following three criteria: 1.) are registered full time, 2.) adjunct lecturers teaching a minimum of 3 credits per semester at an under- graduate CUNY campus or who hold a Graduate Assistantship A, B, C, or D, and 3.) are within their first 10 semesters of study at the Graduate Center are eligible to receive in-state tuition awards. Five-Year Fellowship recipients are not eligible for tuition remission. Effective Spring 2020, doctoral students who have completed at least 10 semesters and are employed in a title recognized under Article 1 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement will receive Level III in-state tuition remission for up to four additional semesters.

Graduate Assistantships A, B, C, and D may be awarded by the doctoral programs, CUNY and Graduate Center administrative offices, and the CUNY colleges. In many cases, a Graduate Assistantship is a component of a multiyear fellowship. Graduate Assistantships require varying amounts of service (between 100 and 450 hours per year). Students with Graduate Assistantships are eligible for in-state tuition if they are within their first 10 registered semesters, provided they do not receive a tuition award as part of a multiyear fellowship. Effective Spring 2020, doctoral students who have completed at least 10 semesters and are employed in a title recognized under Article 1 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement will receive Level III in-state tuition remission for up to four additional semesters.

Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) Fellowships are incorporated Graduate Center Fellow- ships (GCF) and provide the fifth year of funding for GCFs. Occasionally there are at-large WAC Fellowships available to students who do not have GCFs.

Harrison Awards are small one-year grants made to students from underrepresented groups who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States. They may be used for varying purposes, such as topping up financial aid fellowships, summer awards, or for dissertation support. Continuing students apply directly to the Office of Educational Opportunity and Diversity (EOD) each spring for awards in the following year.

Fellowships are available on a competitive basis through various GC centers, institutes, and committees, including the Center for the Humanities; the Center for Place, Culture, and Poli- tics; the Advanced Research Collaborative; the Committee for the Study of Religion; the Committee on Globalization and Social Change; and the Committee for Interdisciplinary Science Studies.

New Media Fellowships. Since 2012, the Graduate Center has had a program for Social Media Fellows, Digital Initiative Fellows, and Videography Fellows. Provost’s Digital Innovation Grants are smaller awards to support cutting-edge digital projects designed, created, programmed, or administered by Graduate Center students. Students submit proposals to an annual competition for these awards.

New Media Lab (NML) Financial Aid Fellowships and Awards. The NML provides financial aid fellowships to Graduate Center students in good standing who spend three to 12 hours per week in its collaborative laboratory environment working on digital projects related to their aca- demic research topics. The NML also has numerous small research and teaching awards, ranging from $300 to $1000, for lab students: the NML Digital Dissertation Award, the History or Public Health Student Award, the Social Justice Award, the Dewey Digital Teaching Award, and the NML Conference Travel Award. All Graduate Center students are eligible to work in the lab, but the awards are for students already working on digital projects at the lab. For more information, see the NML website at https://newmedialab.cuny.edu/stipends-awards or contact the managing director, Andrea A. Vásquez (avasquez1@gc.cuny.edu or 1.212.817.1967).

Conference Presentation Support. Limited funds are available for students presenting at professional conferences. These funds are available to full-time matriculated doctoral students who are registered during the semester for which the funds are requested. Further information and application guidelines will be available online. Please contact the Student Affairs Office for more information: Room 7301, 1.212.817.7400.

Student Research Funds. Student research funding is available on a competitive basis through the Doctoral Student Research Grant Program.

Adjunct teaching at CUNY Colleges. Graduate Center doctoral students can be hired as adjunct instructors by individual college departments. Students serving as adjunct lecturers within CUNY are eligible for in-state tuition if they are within their first 10 registered semesters, and for low-cost NYSHIP health insurance. Effective Spring 2020, doctoral students who have completed at least 10 semesters and are employed in a title recognized under Article 1 of the Collective Bar- gaining Agreement will receive Level III in-state tuition remission for up to four additional semesters. For more information on part-timer benefits, please see the PSC-CUNY website (https://www. psc-cuny.org).

The Student Employment Program funds a limited number of jobs each year in the administrative offices of the Graduate Center, the Mina Rees Library, and Information Technology. Student Employment Program awards vary in amount depending on the availability of funds. Students must be enrolled full time to participate. Students can send a resume/CV and statement of interest to financialaid@gc.cuny.edu if they would like to be considered for a Student Employment position.

Named Awards

The Graduate Center offers a small number of special awards to students with academic promise and specialized skills. Funding for awards varies from year to year, and awards are not offered every year.

John H.E. Fried Memorial Fellowship in International Law and Human Rights, for a full-time doctoral student in Political Science whose area of interest focuses on international law and human rights.

Pamela Galiber Memorial Award, for a Level II or Level III African-American doctoral student whose research focuses on social, cultural, or economic issues.

Leonard S. Kogan Fellowship, for an entering or continuing doctoral student in Developmental, Environmental, or Social-Personality Psychology or Educational Psychology with an interest in expanding his or her methodological and quantitative skills, and with mathematical training at least through the level of introductory integral calculus.

James Bruce Llewellyn Fellowship for Minority Students, for an entering African-American student in science or for a continuing student who has passed the First Examination, completed no more than 50 degree credits, and is within the first three years of candidacy. An application for this award is available in the Office of Educational Opportunity and Diversity.

Dissertation Fellowships and Grants

Dissertation Fellowships and awards are available on a highly competitive basis for advanced doctoral candidates who are close to completing their dissertations. Students who are at Level III may apply for a Dissertation Fellowship through a yearly competition. Many Dissertation Fellowships provide a Level III in-state tuition scholarship. Award amounts vary between $5,000 and $25,000. Applications are available through the Office of the Provost.

General and Named Dissertation Fellowships

Dissertation-Year Fellowships are awarded to students in any field.

B. Altman Foundation Dissertation Fellowship is awarded to students in any field.

Mario Capelloni Dissertation Fellowship, for students of high-academic merit who show exceptional promise in their field of study.

Carell Dissertation Fellowship, for students of high-academic merit and financial need who plan to pursue careers with limited earnings expectations.

Kenneth B. and Mamie Phipps Clark Fellowship, for a Level II or Level III doctoral student in the social sciences committed to research in social issues that will result in programs for social action.

William Randolph Hearst Dissertation-Year Award is for an African-American or Latino/a doctoral student (citizen or permanent resident) who expects to complete the dissertation during the award year.

Frances Degen Horowitz Dissertation Fellowship, named in honor of Dr. Horowitz, president emerita of The Graduate Center and professor of developmental psychology.

MAGNET Dissertation Fellowships are established to aid outstanding African-American and Latino/a doctoral students (citizens or permanent residents) in completing the dissertation.

Harold W. McGraw Jr. Graduate Center Fellowship, for a full-time doctoral student in the humanities.

Helaine Newstead Dissertation Fellowship in the Humanities, named in honor of the late Professor Newstead, who was a faculty member in English and in comparative literature.

Mina Rees Dissertation Fellowship in the Sciences, named in honor of the founding president of The Graduate Center, who was a faculty member in mathematics.

Special Focus Dissertation Fellowships and Awards

Randolph L. Braham Dissertation Award, an award for dissertation-level students whose doctoral research is in the area of Eastern European, Jewish, or Holocaust-related studies.

Ralph Bunche Dissertation Fellowship, an award for a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or foreign national who is an advanced social science doctoral candidate working on areas of special concern to Ralph Bunche, especially the United Nations and multilateralism, international politics, African and Middle Eastern affairs, U.S. foreign policy, race relations, and human rights. European Union Studies Center Dissertation Fellowship, for a dissertation in the Social Sciences on topics relating to the European Union.

Ford Foundation Award for Dissertation Research Expenditures is for students whose dissertation research deals with issues of gender, race, identity, sexuality, or higher education policy. The stipend covers expenses such as travel, transcriptions, materials, and other costs and may be combined with other grants, subject to approval. An itemized budget may be required.

Frances Degen Horowitz Travel Award, named in honor of the president emerita of The Graduate Center and professor of developmental psychology, is for travel expenses related to dissertation research.

Leon Levy Center for Biography Dissertation Fellowship is available to students whose dissertations take a biographical approach to their subject matter. The center encourages the connection between University-based and independent biographers working in print, visual arts, and other media. Fellows are required to attend public programs and a seminar throughout the academic year.

Alexander C. Naclerio Research Award is for a doctoral student conducting research in the area of housing and urban development.

Athena Pollis Fellowship in Human Rights, for outstanding students whose research involves international, comparative, or theoretical human rights studies, with preference for applicants of color or from other countries.

Harold M. Proshansky Dissertation Fellowship, for an outstanding student writing a dissertation that addresses the human condition in urban settings, with a focus on New York City.

Rose Kfar Rose Dissertation Award is for an outstanding chemistry student, to be selected by the program.

The Arthur Schlesinger Jr. Dissertation Proposal Award recognizes an outstanding proposal for research into historical aspects of a topic involving America’s past, present, or future.

Martin E. Segal Dissertation Fellowship, awarded to a student currently writing a dissertation on a New York City–based subject. Preference will be given to dissertations that explore New York’s cultural life, its theater, its music, its arts, and its letters, but any New York–focused dissertation will be considered.

Andrew Silk Dissertation Award, for a student whose dissertation proposal focuses on people suffering economic hardship, social discrimination, or political repression.

Martin M. Spiaggia Dissertation Award in the Arts and Humanities is for students of high academic merit.

Master's Students

The Graduate Center offers Dean’s Merit Scholarships to a limited number of master’s degree students each year. These scholarships are awarded solely based on merit, and applicants to master’s programs are automatically considered as part of the admissions process. No separate application is necessary.

The Dean’s Merit Scholarship covers a total of $4,000 of tuition—a significant portion of in-state tuition costs—that can be spread over three or four semesters (i.e., $1,333.33 or $1,000 per semester). The recipient must enroll for a minimum of 6 credits per semester to be eligible.

Master’s students may also want to consider looking for external funding. Resources are available on the Fellowships and Financial Aid website at https://www.gc.cuny.edu/fellowships- and-financial-aid/masters-student-funding.

Federal Aid

CUNY participates in the Direct Loan Program, where students borrow directly from the federal government. These loans must be repaid with interest.

Federal Aid: The Application Process

Federal aid, awarded through the Office of Fellowships and Financial Aid in accordance with requirements established by federal law, requires applicants to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), utilizing the federal school code for the Graduate Center - 004765. To complete the form online, applicants should go to studentaid.gov. Students who apply by the priority deadline for federal aid (April 30) are considered for Federal Work Study positions if they demonstrate a financial need as determined by the FAFSA. Federal Direct Loans are automatically offered to qualifying students. For more information about the application process, please visit the https://www.gc.cuny.edu/ fellowships-and-financial-aid/applying-federal-aid section of our Financial Assistance webpage.

Verification: Students who submit a FAFSA may be required to verify the data they provided on the application. In such cases, students will have to submit the appropriate signed federal tax document, complete with all supporting schedules as well as a Verification Worksheet. Students who are selected for verification will be notified via email by the Office of Fellowships and Financial Aid. This process must be completed before the federal financial aid application can be reviewed.

Federal Direct Student Loan

There are two types of Federal Student Loans: the Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan and the Federal Grad PLUS Loan. The interest rates for 2024-2025 are 8.083 percent for the Unsubsidized Loan and 9.083 percent for the Grad PLUS Loan.

Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loans are not based on financial need. Loan amounts depend on the cost of the student’s attendance, less other financial aid. The maximum a student can borrow in the Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan is $20,500 for the academic year. Students must be registered for a minimum of 6 credits to be considered for the loan. Interest accrual begins im- mediately but can be capitalized (i.e., added to the loan principal) once the student enters repayment. Repayment of loan principal begins six months after the student no longer registers at least half-time (6 credits), withdraws, or graduates.

The Federal Grad PLUS Loan is a credit-based loan. Graduate and professional students are eligible to borrow under the PLUS Loan Program up to their cost of attendance, less other financial aid. There is no grace period on Federal Grad PLUS Loans, but there is a six-month post- enrollment deferment before payments are due.

Pre-loan entrance counseling is required for first-time borrowers of an Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan or Grad PLUS Loan. Students must complete the entrance counseling at studentaid.gov before loan proceeds will be disbursed. In addition, first-time borrowers must sign a Master Promissory Note (MPN) for each loan. MPNs are signed online at studentaid.gov using a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID.

Exit counseling is also required when the student no longer registers at least half-time (6 credits), withdraws, or graduates. All loan borrowers who drop below half-time (less than 6 credits), take a leave of absence, withdraw, or are about to graduate must complete an exit counseling online at studentaid.gov.

Federal Work Study Program

Federal Work Study awards are based solely on financial need as defined by federal law. Federal Work Study awards are offered each summer for the following academic year. Because Federal Work Study funds are limited, only students who have their FAFSA on file by the priority deadline (April 30) are initially considered for awards. Federal Work Study positions are assigned by the Executive Officer of the student’s academic program.

Additional Sources of Funding

The academic activity of The City University of New York expands far beyond the boundaries of The Graduate Center. As such, many Graduate Center students benefit from adjunct teaching positions and research assistantships on other campuses within CUNY or under the auspices of faculty-sponsored research grants. Executive Officers can assist students in locating these opportunities.

A significant number of students also find support through external funding sources such as private foundations, unions, and government agencies. The list of external funding sources available to graduate students is extensive. The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, which is The Graduate Center’s official liaison for grant-funded scholarship (for both faculty and students), provides a comprehensive catalog of the vast number of privately funded fellowships available to graduate students. Graduate Center students regularly apply for external grants, including the Fulbright U.S. student program, National Science Foundation, Ford Foundation, and many others.

For more information on and suggestions for additional sources of funding, see the Financing Your Education website at https://www.gc.cuny.edu/fellowships-and-financial-aid.

Additional Financial Aid Guidelines

Attendance and Tax Status of Awardees

All fellowship recipients must be matriculated and in full-time attendance (7 credits or weighted instructional units) at the Graduate Center and have a U.S. Social Security Number or Taxpayer Identification Number.

Taxes on Financial Aid Awards

Financial aid income is taxable for United States citizens, permanent residents, and most international students (some nations have treaties with the United States that exempt students from those countries from some U.S. income tax liabilities). Under current U.S. income tax law, financial aid income used for tuition, books, supplies, and equipment is not taxable. Loans are not income and are therefore not taxable. Please note that tax laws are subject to change. The Office of Fellowships and Financial Aid does not offer income tax counseling of any kind. There is additional information on taxation for international students on the Bursar’s website at https://www.gc.cuny.edu/international-students/tax-information. Questions on income tax liability, filing status, reporting income, and tax treaties should be addressed to the United States Internal Revenue Service.

Under current U.S. law, Federal Work Study awards are not subject to Social Security Tax (F.I.C.A.) withholding during periods of enrollment.

Withdrawing From Classes and Your Financial Aid

Students who withdraw from any of their classes during the course of a semester may be subject to a recalculation of their eligibility for federal and institutional student aid, which may result in a substantial reduction or cancellation of federal loans. Please note your bill will reflect any loss of aid and you will be responsible for any resulting balance owed to the Graduate Center.

For students who withdraw from all their courses during a semester, the Office of Fellowships and Financial Aid will determine if any of the federal aid a student received should be returned to the Department of Education. Students who drop below half-time will need to complete exit counseling at studentaid.gov online, even if they plan to be at least half-time the following semester.

Federal student aid eligibility is based on the length of time a student attends their classes. If a student does not attend classes for the entire term, federal regulations may require that the student return all or a portion of the federal aid received. The Office of Fellowships and Financial Aid will be notified of a student’s withdrawal and will perform a federal Return of Title IV (R2T4) calculation. This calculation will determine how much of their federal aid the student has earned and how much must be returned.

Federal aid will be returned in the following order:

1. Unsubsidized Federal Direct Stafford Loans

2. Subsidized Federal Direct Stafford Loans (undergraduates only)

3. Federal Direct PLUS Loans

4. Federal Pell Grants (undergraduates only)

5. Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants (undergraduates only)

6. FSEOG (undergraduates only).

7. TEACH Grants (The Graduate School and University Center does not currently participate).

For students who receive all W, NGR, WA, and/or WN grades for a term, the Office of Fellowships and Financial Aid must also perform this calculation (if the student has received federal student aid other than Federal Work Study).

Course Withdrawal Policy for Fellowship Recipients

To receive a fellowship, students must be registered full time (7 credits/WIUs) at the end of the third week of the semester. Audit credits do not count toward full-time enrollment for financial aid/fellowship purposes.

Tuition fellowships/tuition remission will pay for the number of credits the student is registered for at the end of the third week but the number of credits a student is billed for will be the number of credits the student was registered for on the first day of class. If a student drops credits, they will owe the cost of those credits minus the refund they are entitled to receive.

Students who drop below full time but remain enrolled will have their fellowship, including tuition coverage, canceled. Students will be responsible for paying any remaining tuition charges and returning any stipend funds they had been paid.

Students who withdraw from all their courses before 60 percent of the semester has passed (before November 5th for Fall 2024 - before March 31st for Spring 2025) will have their fellowship, including tuition coverage, canceled. Students will be responsible for paying any remaining tuition charges and returning any stipend funds they had been paid.

Students who withdraw from all their courses after 60 percent of the semester has passed (November 5th or later for Fall 2024– March 31st or later for Spring 2025) will be able to retain their fellowship and tuition coverage.

Course withdrawal can affect a student’s academic progress and future financial aid eligibility. Students considering withdrawing from a course are strongly advised to speak with financial aid about the impact of the withdrawal on their financial aid.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Students must be making satisfactory progress toward the degree to maintain their status at The Graduate Center and be eligible for any student financial assistance. In general, a doctoral student is deemed not to be making satisfactory progress if he or she has a grade point average below 3.00, has accumulated more than two open grades (“INC,” “INP,” “NGR,” “ABS,” or “ABP”), has completed more than 45 credits without having passed the First Examination, has completed 10 semesters without having passed the Second Examination, has received two “NRP” grades in succession, or has exceeded the time limit for the degree. Specific programs may have rules that differ.

Please refer to the sections on “Incomplete Grades,” “Standards for Retention,” “Computation of Grade Point Average,” and “Time Limits for Degrees,” which appear in the Student Handbook’s section on “Academic Policies and Procedures.”

The Graduate Center reviews each student’s record every semester. If academic standards have not been met, a student may register (and receive financial aid, if otherwise eligible) only on successful petition of the student’s Executive Officer to the Vice President for Student Affairs. Students whose petitions are approved are considered to be making satisfactory progress toward the degree and are eligible to receive financial aid.

Additionally, after spring grades are posted, the Office of Fellowships and Financial Aid runs its own Satisfactory Academic Progress review. In addition to checking the metrics above, we are also required to check the pace of your degree. In order to be making Satisfactory Academic Progress for financial aid purposes, you must earn 66.66% of the credits you attempted. Students will be notified via email if it is determined they are not making financial aid satisfactory academic progress. Students may appeal the decision and should contact the Office of Fellowships and Financial Aid for more information.

Students who are employed as graduate assistants on departmental adjunct lines or as research assistants by individual grant holders must show satisfactory performance in these activities. If this performance is found to be unsatisfactory, such employment may be terminated. This type of termination is independent of satisfactory academic progress.

Acceptance Online Required for Each Award Granted

The Office of Fellowships and Financial Aid sends notifications of financial aid awards by email to students’ Graduate Center email addresses. Many Graduate Center fellowships include several separate awards (e.g., tuition, stipend, graduate assistantship). Students must accept each separate award online in CUNYfirst, our student information system, or the award may be canceled. The Financial Aid Deadline to accept aid is July 31 for the fall semester and December 31 for the spring semester.

Completion of Service Requirement

Students appointed to a graduate assistantship are expected to complete the 15-week service requirement each semester. If they do not complete the service requirement, their salary will be canceled for the remaining weeks of required service.