Funding

Fellowship Funding - Full-Time PhD

Admission to full-time PhD programs in Music and Performing Arts Professions includes a Steinhardt Fellowship. The full-time, PhD funding package includes an annual stipend, tuition remission for required coursework, coverage for maintenance of matriculation fees, and student health insurance (Gship level) through the fourth year. Admission offers provide complete details and questions can be addressed to Alex Clothier.

Students are evaluated annually and must make satisfactory academic progress to merit continued funding.

Upon accepting their offers, students should familiarize themselves with the details of their funding package. Tuition support covers the fall, spring, and summer semesters, and stipends are paid out over the nine-month academic year. Doctoral students who serve as teaching assistants or instructors of stand-alone courses receive compensation apart from their stipend.

Limited teaching and research opportunities are available during the summer months; these often are awarded to more advanced students. To earn extra money during the summer, students should begin their search for summer employment early in the spring semester and consult with their advisors.

Tax Status of Scholarships and Fellowships

The Departments of Music and Performing Arts Professions cannot assist in completing tax forms or answer tax-related questions.

Guidance from NYU is available from Louis Curcio, Assistant Vice President, Global Payroll & Tax Compliance. Please direct any tax-related questions to PeopleLink (212-992-5465).

Information for international students regarding tax filing can be found on the Office of Global Studies Tax Website.

Funding Dissertation Fieldwork

Some dissertation topics require research outside of New York’s metropolitan area. As no internal funds are available to support field research, students should seek external funding, grants, and fellowships. Students should confer well in advance with their advisors, committee chair, and the graduate director if they plan to be in the field during the fall and/or spring semesters.

MPAP Doctoral Research & Travel Grant

The MPAP Doctoral Research & Travel Grant is available to support doctoral students for travel and other expenses associated with field research, presenting papers at scholarly and professional conferences, as well as expenses for creative projects directly related to doctoral study or professional development. Applications for these awards should be submitted directly to the MPAP Chair of Doctoral Affairs for review - currently Prof. Mary Farbood.

For these MPAP awards, there is a $1,000 limit per award (effective Fall 2023). Requests are considered as funds are available. Students may only receive each award one time. The deadline for applications is as follows:

October 1 (fall)
February 1 (spring)
May 1 (summer)

For Research Awards:

Funds can be used for advance payment of research-related costs (i.e. gift cards for research subjects; printing or other materials purchase) which must be paid for by the MPAP Administration OR an award can be made directly to the student (subject to applicable tax). Reimbursements are not possible.
Funds for research-related costs must be utilized during the requested time period (9/1/2024 - 8/31/2025)
The award is for one-time use during the graduate student’s academic career. Unused funds will not be available for future use. Funds are not available once the student has graduated.
Applications for advance payment of research-related costs must include a 1-page budget outlining the fees they wish to have covered by the award.

The application for the MPAP Doctoral Research Award is here.

For Travel Awards:

Funds for travel must be utilized during the requested time period (9/1/2024 - 8/31/2025)
The award is for one-time use during the graduate student’s academic career. Unused funds will not be available for future use. Funds are not available once the student has graduated.
Funds are intended to be used for advance payment of conference fees, accommodations, and/or travel. Reimbursements are not possible.
Applications must include a 1-page budget outlining the fees they wish to have covered by the award.
Proof of conference attendance will need to be provided within one week of return from the event. This will include a letter of invitation to the conference, conference program or name badge showing your name, and travel documents for MPAP-covered travel expenses--i.e. hotel receipt in your name, flight confirmation email, boarding passes. These will be submitted in a rolling PDF with a cover page outlining the contents, and then each document in succeeding pages.
Funds are subject to the same campus-wide travel rules applied to faculty and staff.

The application for the MPAP Doctoral Travel Grant is here.

MPAP Dissertation Finishing Award:

This new award supports doctoral students working toward the completion of their dissertations. Three $4,000 awards will be granted. MPAP doctoral candidates whose degrees will be conferred in 2025 (January 2025, May 2025, or August 2025) are eligible. Final oral examinations must be completed during the Fall 2024, Spring 2025, or the Summer 2025 semester. MPAP's Doctoral Affairs Committee will serve as the review committee and will evaluate applicants based on their evidence of outstanding scholarship and their contributions to the field. Applications must include a CV, cover letter, and supporting documents as evidence, up to 10 pages in total.

Awardees will receive a $2,000 award up-front and a second $2,000 award upon the successful defense of their dissertation in time for August 2025 degree conferral. If a student fails to successfully defend their dissertation in time for the August 2025 degree conferral, their award will be canceled and no additional award will be made. Note that these awards may be subject to tax. The deadline is October 15, 2024.

The application for the MPAP Dissertation Finishing Award is here. Completed documentation should be sent to mpap-doctoral-studies@nyu.edu by the deadline for review.

NYU Funding Opportunities

The Graduate Student Organization (GSO) offers grants on a competitive basis to graduate students within the Steinhardt School to help defray the cost of various professional activities related to doctoral studies, such as attending professional conferences, research projects, art exhibits, musical performances, speaking engagements and so forth. These grants are awarded as reimbursements for expenses related to professional development activities.

Grants are generally awarded twice a year, once in the fall semester, and once in the spring semester for activities completed prior to the application deadline. In previous years, the maximum amount of each award was $250. Funds can be used to cover conference fees, travel and accommodation expenses, and presentation supplies. No personal expenses, food, or beverages are covered. Please note that because these grants are competitive, there is no guarantee that funds will be awarded.

Graduate Student Organization (GSO) Competitive Professional Development Reimbursement

Graduate Student Organization (GSO) is dedicated to fostering the professional development of Steinhardt graduate students. On a competitive basis, funding is offered to defray via reimbursement the cost of activities such as conference participation, research projects, art exhibits, musical performances, and speaking engagements. The maximum amount of awards is $1,000. Deadlines are in December (fall) and April (spring).

NYU Summer Dissertation Writing Program

Doctoral students in any discipline may apply for summer intensive dissertation-writing workshops held at the Berlin, London, Paris and Washington, D.C. institutes. Only advanced students are eligible. Students are expected to be in the final stages of writing and not requiring any topic-specific research support; it is strongly recommended that students apply only after completing two or more chapters, with plans to defend the following year. The application deadline is in February or March. No applications will be considered before January.

Each site hosts an average of six doctoral students for six weeks, usually mid-June to mid-July. Participants must commit to work intensively and exclusively on writing their dissertations; full-time residence, without the interruption of family or friends, is required. For on-site participants, travel and dormitory housing are provided, as are a per diem subsidy ($50), office space, and modest administrative support.

The structure of each workshop is determined by the needs of the group and supported by an on-site faculty advisor. Students can expect to participate in weekly discussions as well as regular one-on-one meetings. Email global.research@nyu.edu for more information.

NYU Research Institutes at the Sites: Faculty & Graduate Students

The Research Institutes were created to support NYU full-time faculty and graduate students, based in New York City, who wish to have NYU infrastructural support while conducting research abroad. Faculty should be on leave or have extramural funding and graduate students (in all degree programs) should be on fellowship or have other external support.

GRI institutes have been established at NYU's sites in Athens, Berlin, Florence, London, Madrid, Paris, Prague, Shanghai, Tel Aviv, and Washington, D.C. Most locations support, on average, five faculty and five graduate students.

Each Research Institute draws together a disparate group of university faculty and graduate students, giving priority to those who have a research-related need to be in a given location (archives, collections, colleagues, etc.), and/or are applying for the first time. Applicants may request to spend one month or longer at a GRI Institute at any time during a fall or spring semester. Scholars may hold only one GRI fellowship per academic year.

Faculty and graduate student fellows at GRI Research Institutes are given office space, modest administrative support, one round-trip, economy ticket from New York to the site (to be booked through the GRI program), and a per diem subsidy intended to partially defray living costs. Per diem rates for the Research Institutes are as follows: Athens, Berlin, Florence, London, Paris, Prague, Shanghai, and Tel Aviv are set at $75 per day; Washington, D.C. is set at $70 per day. Regardless of the length of the fellowship, the per diem may not exceed 90 days.

Applications for all institutes are considered on a rolling basis; fellowship notifications are announced three times a year (fall, early spring semester, late spring semester). As space is limited, applicants are encouraged to register their interest as far in advance as possible. Apply for the Research Institutes at the Sites

The deadline for Spring 2025 applications is Thursday, September 12, 2024.

Steinhardt Office of Research and Doctoral Studies Awards

Students are encouraged to review the Steinhardt Office of Research and Doctoral Studies Awards and Grants Website for additional funding opportunities including the following:

Steinhardt Doctoral Research and Travel Grant: This grant is for fully matriculated Steinhardt doctoral students and provides a maximum of $1,500 for travel and other expenses associated with field research, presenting papers at scholarly and professional conferences, as well as expenses for creative projects directly related to doctoral study or professional development. Requests are considered as funds are available. Preference is given to first time awardees. The deadlines are October 1 (fall), February 1 (spring), and May 1 (summer). Find the application link on the Awards and Grants Website

Mitchell Leaska Dissertation Award: This award honors the legacy of Mitchell Leaska, a distinguished professor who taught English and Humanities at NYU Steinhardt for almost 40 years. The award is available to students nearing completion of their dissertation whose doctoral programs are in applied psychology (counseling, developmental, PSI), educational sociology, social studies education, mathematics education, or science education. A $5,000 stipend is awarded to one recipient per semester, excluding summer. The deadlines are October 15 (fall) and March 1 (spring). Apply for the Mitchell Leaska Dissertation Research Award

Outstanding Doctoral Student Teaching Award: This award honors graduate students for their contribution to the creation and delivery of exceptional learning environments. All Steinhardt doctoral students who have taught at least one credit-bearing course, either as a teaching assistant or instructor of record, and who are nearing completion of their degree requirements are eligible for this award. Nominees must be in good academic standing, as determined by department and school regulations. Recipients of the award receive $1,500. The deadline is March 1. Apply for the Outstanding Doctoral Student Teaching Award

Steinhardt Dissertation Finishing Award: This award supports doctoral students working toward the completion of their dissertations. Three $10,000 awards will be granted in Steinhardt’s areas of Culture, Education, and Human Development. Steinhardt PhD candidates whose degrees will be conferred in 2025 (January 2025, May 2025, or August 2025) are eligible. Note that students in Years 4-6 are prioritized. Final oral examinations must be completed during the Fall 2024, Spring 2025, or the Summer 2025 semesters. Steinhardt's Senior Leadership Team will serve as the review committee and will evaluate applicants based on their evidence of outstanding scholarship and their ability to complete the degree requirements within the 2024-2025 academic year. Recipients received $3,000 upon notification of award (November/December 2024) and the remaining $7,000 after the successful completion of their final oral exam (no later than June 30, 2025). The deadline will be October 15, 2024 - Apply now!

Outstanding Dissertation Award: Steinhardt's Outstanding Dissertation Award honors one student each year based on the recommendation of the Doctoral Affairs Committee. Steinhardt doctoral students who graduated or will graduate during the current academic year (September, January, or May) are eligible. Nominations must be submitted by the candidate’s dissertation committee chairperson with the endorsement of the entire final oral commission. Download the Outstanding Dissertation Nomination Award Form (Faculty Use Only)

Program-specific Funding Opportunities

Educational Theatre: Swortzell Permanent Fund Scholarships

This scholarship honors the legacy of Nancy and Lowell Swortzell, distinguished professors who founded the Program in Educational Theatre at NYU Steinhardt in 1966 and taught in the program for 40 years. Doctoral students may receive scholarships from this fund twice during their studies. Up to a $5,000 bursary will be awarded to students and applied to their account in one of four areas: Service-based Merit, Academic Merit, Artistic Merit, or to attend study abroad programs offered by the Program in Educational Theatre. This scholarship can only be applied towards tuition and/or registration fees for NYU courses. The deadlines are early April (fall), early November (spring), and late January (summer). Application instructions will be sent over the Educational Theatre list serve; interested students should email Dr. Jonathan Jones.

Music Technology Scholarship Opportunities

For scholarships available to students in the Music Technology Program, students should contact their academic advisors.

External Funding Opportunities

NYU’s Office of Sponsored Programs Website provides information on both internal and external funding opportunities.

The Steinhardt Office of Doctoral Studies maintains a List of Funding Opportunities External to Steinhardt that includes information about funding opportunities, fellowships, foundation and grant databases, and proposal management.

Many deadlines for dissertation fellowships occur in late summer or early fall. Those seeking funding for dissertation research should begin researching potential grants during their second year. International students are encouraged to include their country of citizenship in their searches for funding opportunities, as many governments offer funding to students studying outside their home country.

A sample list of external grants and deadlines:

· National Science Foundation Dissertation Improvement Grant: various

· Fulbright U.S. Student Program: various

· Mellon / ACLS Dissertation Completion Fellowships

· Wenner-Grenn Foundation Dissertation Fieldwork Grants: May, November

· Social Science Research Council International Dissertation Research Fellowships: November

· American Association of University Women Dissertation Fellowships: November

NYU Steinhardt defines any source of funding provided outside of departmental funds to be “external funds.” This includes grants through Steinhardt or NYU. Those intending to apply for external funding are required to notify the Steinhardt Office of Research and Doctoral Studies and provide the following information no later than 30 days before the deadline:

· Name

· Department

· Faculty Advisor

· RFO or link to online information.

This step is required due to the rules the University has regarding the use of external funds. In some cases, the terms, conditions, and rules of the grant will affect internal funding packages and departmental responsibilities. The department will work to ensure that students receive the maximum benefits of external support.