Policy Library

Full-time, fully funded PhD students are eligible for central funding to cover the following broad-based fees charged in fall and spring semesters only:

• Comprehensive Fee,
• Academic Excellence and Success Fee (ACES),
• Student Activity Fee, AND
• International Student Fee (where applicable).

Decanal offices and departments are responsible for identifying eligible students through the timely placement and removal of a service indicator in HUB, UB's student registration system.

A fully funded PhD Student is defined as:

• A PhD student (other doctoral students are not considered PhD students)
• who is registered full-time or approved for full-time certification AND
• whose tuition costs are fully covered at the tuition rate as determined by the student's residency and academic program AND
• who receive a full-time Assistantship from their academic department for the full academic year starting in the fall term.

*Tuition rates are higher for non-NYS residents. Overall costs are lower for programs that are delivered 100% online.

A graduate student Assistantship is a form of employment and financial support offered to some graduate students at UB. Assistantships offer a blend of academic responsibilities and advanced studies while providing valuable and related work experiences that supports the student's educational journey through graduate school.

• There are three types of Assistantship positions at UB: Teaching Assistantships (TA), Research Project Assistantships (RA) and Graduate Assistantships (GA).
• Assistantships can be awarded to graduate students at a full or half-time work obligation. A full-time Assistantship carries a 20-hour weekly work expectation, and a half-time Assistantship carries a 10-hour weekly work expectation.
• A person appointed to a half or full-time Assistantship should be a full-time matriculated graduate or professional student at UB so that they can devote their full attention to their graduate program.
• Every graduate student holding an Assistantship must be in, and maintain, good academic standing. However, a student does not have to be full-time in order to be in good academic standing or to receive an Assistantship.
• Any graduate student who holds a full-time or half-time TA, GA, or RA position AND is registered for 9 or more graduate-level credits, is considered a full-time student.

• International students in the U.S. on certain Visa types cannot become NYS residents for tuition rate purposes. Therefore, any international student on any J or F visa is not eligible for the NYS (in-state) tuition rate, whether or not they receive the Graduate Tuition Scholarship, a graduate student Assistantship, or both.
• A domestic non-NYS resident who receives a Graduate Tuition Scholarship AND a full-time Assistantship is required to file for in-state residency status by submitting a NYS residency application during their first semester of matriculation into their graduate program.
• A domestic non-NYS resident who receives a Graduate Tuition Scholarship ONLY should pursue in-state residency status by submitting a NYS residency application during their second semester of matriculation into their graduate program.

NSF GRFP Fellows who are attending and/or presenting at a professional conference are eligible to apply for funding for one conference during their three On Tenure years. Conference participation must be directly related to the Fellow's NSF-related research and scholarship endeavors and contribute toward completion of the doctoral program. The maximum reimbursement is $3,000, subject to availability of funds. Only expenses directly related to the conference will be considered reimbursable; membership fees are not reimbursable. 

NSF GRFP Fellows who are On Tenure may enroll at no cost in the Research Foundation Graduate Student Employee Health Plan (GSEHP).