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 in the Research Foundation Graduate Student Employee Health Plan (GSEHP) or may apply for reimbursement for health insurance fees for individual coverage purchased from other providers. The maximum reimbursement rate is determined by the Research Foundation Graduate Student Health Employee Health Plan individual coverage rates for the same period.