harvard physics phd stipend

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GSAS Raises Ph.D. Stipends to $50,000, Answering Grad Union Call for Living Wage

Ph.D. students in Harvard’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences will be paid at least $50,000 in program stipends, increasing most stipends by more than 10 percent, GSAS Dean Emma Dench announced in an email Monday.

The surprise holiday raise will also increase compensation for some in the social sciences and humanities by more than 20 percent starting July 1, 2024.

The Harvard Graduate Students Union-United Auto Workers had been pushing for the increase since May, when the union collected more than 1,600 signatures for a petition calling on the University to raise yearly compensation to $48,779, the living wage rate in Middlesex County.

The new minimum is just $1,221 above the union’s requested amount.

“This is a huge deal,” said HGSU-UAW steward Rachel E. Petherbridge. “I cannot overstate that this is the difference between people making rent in their current apartments or having to move.”

Although Dench attributed the changes to the work of top University administrators, HGSU-UAW declared it a union victory, publicly announcing the news on X before GSAS.

In emails to individual departments, union stewards wrote that the raise was a “direct result” of union organizing.

“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the exact things that we wanted in the living wage campaign they announced that they would give,” Petherbridge said.

But despite eight months of organizing, HGSU-UAW steward Alexandra C. Stanton said that union organizers were “all a little bit surprised that this was announced.”

The union had requested to reopen negotiations over wages in July, but Harvard later rejected the request, as the contract didn’t mandate the University to engage in mid-contract negotiations.

Still, Stanton said the issue was a major concern for a large sector of the union, and the “pressure really affected Harvard.”

Harvard spokesperson Jason A. Newton declined to comment for this article.

The stipend increase to $50,000 is a significant boost to individual wages for some of the school’s lowest-paid Ph.D. students, marking a new compensation structure that approaches pay parity. Though total compensation is not capped at $50,000, all Ph.D. students will make at least the minimum rate.

Under HGSU-UAW’s current contract, which expires in 2025, minimum pay varies widely. Prior to this raise, student workers in the life sciences would have earned over $4,000 more than their counterparts in humanities or social sciences in the 2025 fiscal year.

In Monday’s announcement, Dench wrote that the decision was facilitated by the GSAS Admissions and Graduate Education Working Group final report released in September , which explicitly recommended increasing stipends.

The report found that the GSAS’s financial aid was “no longer sufficient” to keep up with rising costs of living and to remain competitive with peer institutions. According to the report, Harvard pays graduate students $5,000 to $15,000 less than other universities.

But in her email announcing the change, Dench wrote that the “report’s recommendations gave us a stronger platform from which to advocate for our students.”

Stanton said major union wins at other universities, including significant raises won by MIT’s graduate student union in September, put pressure on Harvard to strengthen its compensation.

“A union win anywhere really helps people everywhere,” Stanton said.

In her email, Dench thanked Harvard President Claudine Gay, Provost Alan M. Garber ’76, and Faculty of Arts and Sciences Dean Hopi E. Hoekstra for “their support, financial and otherwise.”

“These enhancements are the result of hard work on the part of many in the Harvard Griffin GSAS and University communities,” Dench wrote.

Dench did not mention the union, the living wage campaign, or specific findings from the report.

“While Harvard carefully avoids mentioning HGSU in its announcement email, make no mistake that this would not have been achieved without the Living Wage campaign and the organizing of over 1600 student workers,” immunology department stewards wrote in an email to students.

Union organizers also claimed the raise was motivated in part by a desire to address predictable concerns that would become bargaining issues during HGSU-UAW’s next contract negotiation, expected to begin in 2024.

“They know our contract declaration is coming up and maybe they want to put the idea in people’s heads that Harvard, just out of the goodness of their hearts, gave everybody a raise to $50,000,” Stanton said.

“Now is the time for us to double down, because if we can win $50,000 a year when our contract expires, can we win an even bigger raise?” she added. “Can we win a cost of living adjustment?”

Correction: December 20, 2023:

A previous verison of this article incorrectly stated that the Harvard Graduate Students Union-United Auto Workers broke the news about the Ph.D. program stipend increase on X before the official announcement. In fact, HGSU-UAW was just the first to publicly announce the stipend increase.

—Staff writer Cam E. Kettles can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on X @cam_kettles or on Threads @camkettles .

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PhysStipendRankings: PhD Stipend Rankings

PhysStipendRankings is a stipend-based ranking of top-paying Physics departments in US. We may implement support for other countries and you are welcomed to contribute! For a real academic ranking, please refer to U.S.News , etc.

• Stipend is the annual, 12-month, pre-tax allowance graciously granted by the institution. Note that some departments do not have guaranteed summer funding , and we are currently working to collect such data. Departments with summer funding guarentee are tagged with a summer label. For now, the list is not complete.
• Fees are annual non-reimbursible tariffs (including health insurance) reclaimed by said institution.
• Living cost is calculated based on the MIT Living Wage Calculator for the institution's city.

We have received a lot of comments that the living cost calculated by the MIT Living Cost Calculator does not really reflect the real living cost in multiple areas. We are considering alternative metrics and data sources. If you are aware of something we can use, please feel free to submit issues or pull requests on GitHub.

This ranking is part informational and part satire, designed to democratize information on how PhD students in physics and related areas are paid for their labor – inadequately , in most cases.

Most of the frontend code of this website is from CSRankings , and we intentionally used the same template. The code of this website can be found at https://github.com/PhysStipendRankings/PhysStipendRankings , and the data presented can be found as a CSV file here .

Contributing: Everyone is welcomed to submit patches or report the stipend via pull requests . Another option to submit valuable datapoints is through this Google Form . Also, feel free to submit issues on GitHub .

• Gathering data for summer funding guarantees. We plan to incorporate a feature that allows users to exclude non-guaranteed funds when calculating the stipends.
• Highlighting universities that offer 100% appointments during the summer, e.g. UW, instead of the typical 50% appointments.
• Adding a verification system for stipends, where we can confirm the details of the stipend with an offer letter or paystub record, and displaying a checkmark in the "Stipend" column to indicate that the stipend is verified.
• Add alternative sources of living cost. In the future, users should have the ability to choose between different sources of living cost while ranking.
• Data is often unavailable for the precise district in which the university is located. In such cases, we use data for the county or wider metro area. This often skews the estimate lower. For instance, UC San Diego is located in La Jolla, one of the most expensive districts in the US, but we resort to using figures for the wider San Diego county. Same goes for Princeton vs. Mercer County, etc.
• The Calculator states that the estimates are what is required "to cover the costs of their family's basic needs where they live". However, how much one needs to sustain onself is subjective, and users have reported that they can live on much less.

PhysStipendRankings is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License . The frontend (i.e., CSS and HTML) of this website is based on CSRankings, a work at https://github.com/emeryberger/CSrankings . The copyright of CSRankings is owned by Emery Berger . The copyright of the non-CSRankings part of PhysStipendRankings is owned by its contributors .

• Introduction

Harvard Griffin GSAS strives to provide students with timely, accurate, and clear information. If you need help understanding a specific policy, please contact the office that administers that policy.

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Questions about these requirements? See the contact info at the bottom of the page. 

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The graduate program in physics accepts applications only for the PhD degree. Although many graduate students earn a continuing AM (Master of Arts) degree along the way to completing their PhDs, the department does not accept applications specifically for terminal AM degrees.

Incoming graduate students are not technically candidates for the PhD degree until they have completed a set of candidacy requirements. Before obtaining a PhD, students must satisfy two sets of requirements—one for official doctoral candidacy and another for the PhD degree itself.

Although no two PhD students follow precisely the same path, students should keep in mind the following general timeline, with details to be explained in later sections:

• During both terms of the first year, students’ tuition, fees, and stipends are covered by either Harvard’s Purcell Fellowship or outside sources of funding, and students should devote their attention to coursework and getting acquainted with research groups. All students should consult regularly with their individually assigned academic advisors in planning a program of study and research.
• In the spring term of the first year, as part of their training in teaching and presentation skills, students are required to enroll in Physics 302A: Teaching and Communicating Physics.
• In the summer after the first year, students arrange for their own funding. For those without external fellowships, options include research assistantships (RAs) with research groups, teaching fellowships (TFs) with summer courses, or attending summer schools and conferences.
• For students in their second year who do not have an external fellowship, the department covers tuition and fees but not salaries. Therefore, starting in the second year, a student without outside funding should plan on securing either a research assistantship (RA) or a teaching fellowship (TF) each semester. Students typically use their second year to complete their required coursework and transition into a research group.
• During the second year, students should make sure to complete most of their required course requirements. They should also organize a three-member faculty committee—ideally chaired by their prospective thesis advisor—and take the qualifying oral examination. After completion of the examination and acceptance by a thesis advisor, the student has fulfilled the requirements for official candidacy for the PhD degree.
• For students in their third and later years who do not have an external fellowship, tuition and fees as well as salaries are covered by research assistantships (RAs) or teaching fellowships (TFs).
• Once the student has completed the requirements for candidacy—ideally by the end of the second year but certainly before the end of the third year—the student should proceed with a research program that eventually culminates in a thesis. Toward the end of each year, following the qualifying exam or after the third year (whichever comes first), students should submit annual progress reports to their faculty committees for review.
• After joining a research group, students typically receive their summer funding by working in a research assistantship (RA) with that group.
• Each student is required to serve as a teaching fellow (TF) at least one fall or spring term during the course of the PhD program. Note: To fulfill this requirement, the TF position should consist of at least 15 hours per week (three eights-time) and involve a teaching component and not merely grading.
• After writing a thesis under the guidance of a thesis advisor, typically by the end of the fifth or sixth year, the student presents the thesis to a dissertation committee of three faculty members in a final dissertation defense. Once the completed thesis is submitted, the student has fulfilled the requirements for the doctoral degree.

The First Two Years

The department assigns each incoming graduate student a faculty academic advisor to help the student make decisions about coursework and research opportunities. Each student is free to choose a new advisor at any subsequent time, but should inform the graduate program administrator of such a change after obtaining the new advisor’s consent. In particular, by the end of the second year, the student should choose an advisor who will supervise the student’s thesis.

In planning a program, students should study the catalogue of  Courses of Instruction  offered by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, as well as the description in the Programs of Study. After drawing up a tentative program, students should discuss it with their faculty advisors. Students are also welcome to discuss their plans at any time with the Director of Graduate Studies.

Course Record

Students who propose to present theses in experimental fields should demonstrate promise in experimental work and a satisfactory understanding of theoretical physics. Applicants for candidacy in theoretical physics should demonstrate strength in courses of a mathematical nature and a satisfactory acquaintance with experimental aspects of physics. Detailed course requirements are given below under Program of Study. Note that awarding of the continuing AM degree does not automatically qualify the student as a candidate for the PhD.

Program of Study (Credit and Course Requirements)

Each student is required to accumulate a total of sixteen four-credit courses of credit, which can include any combination of 200- or 300-level Harvard courses in physics and related fields, graduate-level courses taken by official cross-registration at MIT, and units of Physics 300r (research time) or Physics 300c (course time). These sixteen four-credit courses may overlap with some of the eight required four-credit courses for the optional continuing AM degree.

In fulfilling this requirement, students must obtain grades of B- or better in eight four-credit courses specified as follows:

• Four   mandatory   core courses:  Four mandatory core courses: Physics 251A or a qualifying alternative from the department's official list, and Physics 251B, and Physics 232 or Applied Physics 216 or Engineering Sciences 273, and Physics 262 or Applied Physics 284.
• Four elective courses:  Four additional four-credit courses drawn from the  department's official list , with, at most, two four-credit courses in any one field. Note: Not all courses listed are given every year, and course offerings, numbers, and contents sometimes change. Students therefore should confer with their advisors or with the chair of the Committee on Higher Degrees about their program of study.

Course Descriptions:   Courses of Instruction

Other Fields:  With the approval of the Committee on Higher Degrees, a student may use 200-level courses or fields not officially listed. In place of demonstrating proficiency by satisfactory course performance, a student may also demonstrate proficiency by an oral examination, by submitting evidence of satisfactory work in appropriate courses taken at other institutions, or by other means deemed satisfactory by the Committee on Higher Degrees. Students wishing to utilize this option should submit a petition to the Committee on Higher Degrees before the end of their first year of Harvard graduate school.

The general requirements outlined above are a minimum standard and students will usually take additional courses in their selected fields as well as in others. A student need not fulfill all course requirements before beginning research.

As a result of an exchange agreement between the universities, graduate students in physics at Harvard may also enroll in lecture courses at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The procedure is outlined under “ Cross-Registration "

Physics 247, equivalent laboratory experience, or an oral examination on an experimental topic is a required part of the PhD program for all students who do not submit a thesis that demonstrates experimental proficiency. Students who wish to fulfill this requirement by equivalent laboratory experience or an oral examination should obtain approval of the Committee on Higher Degrees no later than the end of their third year of residence. Students planning on submitting a thesis in theoretical astrophysics may instead satisfy this requirement by taking Astronomy 191 with the approval of the Committee on Higher Degrees.

In addition to research assistantships (RAs), teaching fellowships (TFs) are important sources of support for graduate students after their first year. Because of the importance of teaching skills for a successful physics career, two terms as a TF are required of all graduate students, generally within the first five years of study. This teaching experience provides an opportunity for students to develop the communication skills that are vital for careers in academics and industry.

To fulfill the teaching requirement, students must serve as a teaching fellow at least two fall or spring terms for at least 15 hours per week (three eights-time). The TF position should involve a teaching component and not merely grading.

There is no formal language requirement for the PhD in physics. Students are nonetheless advised that knowledge of certain foreign languages is extremely useful in many fields of physics.

Faculty Committee

By the end of the second year, each student is required to select a faculty chair for a committee to advise the student on the student's research progress. The committee chair is normally one of the department members and, when feasible, a prospective thesis advisor. Under the advisement of the faculty chair, the student should also select two more faculty members to bring the total to three, at least two of whom should be members of the Department of Physics. Selection of the committee, as well as subsequent changes to the committee, require the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies.

Qualifying Oral Examination

Each student is also expected to pass an oral examination given by the student's faculty committee, ideally by the end of the second year, and certainly by the end of the third year. The purpose of the examination is two-fold: The examination aids in estimating the candidate’s potential for performing research at a level required for the doctoral thesis, and also serves as a diagnostic tool for determining whether the candidate requires changes to the program of research and study.

For the examination, each student is asked to select, prepare, and discuss in depth a topic in physics and to answer questions from the faculty committee about that topic specifically and more broadly about the student’s larger subfield. Originality is encouraged but not required.

The student selects the topic—preferably, but not necessarily, related to the proposed field of thesis research—and then submits a title and abstract together with a list of completed course requirements (described above under Program of Study) and a decision as to whether the prospective doctoral research will be experimental or theoretical. The student then confers in detail with the committee chair about the topic to be discussed and concrete expectations for the examination. The committee chair provides approval of the topic, and the overall composition of the examination committee must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies. To ensure adequate preparation, this conference should take place at the earliest possible date, typically one to two months before the examination.

Oral examinations are evaluated on the knowledge and understanding students demonstrate about their chosen topic and their general subfield. Students are also judged on the clarity and organization of their expositions. The examining committee may take into account other information about the candidate’s performance as a graduate student.

The student will pass the examination if the committee believes that the student has demonstrated adequate comprehension of physics in the area of the chosen topic and in the larger field, as well as an ability to perform the thesis research required for the doctoral degree. Students who do not pass the qualifying oral examination on their first attempt will be given instructions for improvement and encouraged by the committee to take a second examination at a later date.

The committee may, upon petition, grant a deferment of the examination for up to one year. Students who have not passed their oral examinations by the end of their third year of graduate study must seek approval from the Committee on Higher Degrees prior to being allowed to register for a fourth year of graduate study. If satisfactory arrangements cannot be made, the student will be withdrawn by the department. A student who wishes to change from an experimental to a theoretical thesis topic, or vice versa, may be required to pass a second qualifying oral examination.

Acceptance as a Candidate for the PhD

The final requirement for acceptance as a doctoral candidate is the formal acceptance by a suitable thesis advisor who should be a faculty member of the Department of Physics or a related department. This requirement should be met soon after the oral examination is passed.

Sometimes students may wish to do a substantial portion of their thesis research under the supervision of someone who is not a faculty member of the Department of Physics or a related department. Such an arrangement must have the approval of both the student’s official departmental advisor and that of the Committee on Higher Degrees and the department chair.

Year Three and Beyond

In order to become acquainted with the various programs of research in progress and promising areas for thesis research, students should attend seminars and colloquia and consult with their faculty advisors and upper-level graduate students. A list of the current faculty and their research programs is available  online .

Academic Residence

Ordinarily, a candidate must be enrolled and in residence for at least two years (four terms) of full-time study in the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS). Ideally, the PhD is completed within six years. The student’s committee reviews the student's progress each year. For financial residence requirements, see Financial Aid .

Criteria for Satisfactory Progress

In addition to the guidelines specified by Harvard Griffin GSAS, the physics department identifies satisfactory progress for graduate students by several key criteria.

Upon successful completion of the qualifying oral examination, the student must arrange for the appointment of a faculty committee that will monitor the progress of the student thereafter. The student must be accepted by an appropriate thesis advisor within eighteen months after passing the qualifying oral examination.

During each subsequent year, the student must submit a progress report in the form specified by the Committee on Higher Degrees. The progress report must be approved by the student’s faculty committee and the Committee on Higher Degrees, who will evaluate the student’s progress toward the completion of the degree. The Committee on Higher Degrees will examine with special care students beyond their fifth year.

For other types of extensions or leave-of-absence policies, consult the Registration section of Policies.

Dissertation Defense

Toward the end of the student’s thesis research, the student should arrange a dissertation committee, which consists of at least three faculty members and is chaired by a member of the Harvard Department of Physics. At least two members of the dissertation committee, including the chair, must be members of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS). A non-FAS thesis advisor should be a member of the dissertation committee, but cannot serve as its official chair.

The dissertation defense consists of an oral final examination delivered to the dissertation committee that involves a searching analysis of the student’s thesis. If the student’s coursework does not indicate a wide proficiency in the field of the thesis, the examination may be extended to test this proficiency as well.

The candidate must provide draft copies of the completed thesis for members of the dissertation committee at least three weeks in advance of the examination. See the Dissertation section of Policies for detailed requirements.

Master of Arts (AM)

The Department of Physics does not admit graduate students whose sole purpose is to study for the Master of Arts (AM) degree. However, the AM degree is frequently taken by students who continue on for the PhD degree. For those who do not attain the doctorate, the AM degree attests to the completion of a full year’s study beyond the bachelor’s degree.

Program of Study (Credit Requirements)

Eight four-credit courses taken while enrolled at Harvard are required for the continuing AM degree. At least four must be physics courses, and ordinarily all must be in physics or related fields like applied physics, applied math, chemistry, biophysics, engineering, or astronomy. Not more than two four-credit courses may be from the 100-level listing, “for undergraduates and graduates,” and ordinarily not more than one four-credit course may be from the 300-level group, “Reading and Research.” The remainder must be from the 200 level, “primarily for graduates,” or graduate-level courses taken by official cross-registration at MIT. There is no limit on the number of the eight four-credit courses taken at MIT.

With the permission of their advisors and with the approval of the Committee on Higher Degrees, students may substitute 300-level courses for more than one of the required eight four-credit courses. For students who were previously undergraduates at Harvard College, only bracketed courses taken as an undergraduate can count toward the AM degree. Courses counted toward the AM degree are also counted toward the PhD.

All four-credit courses counted toward the AM degree must be passed with a grade of C- or better, and a B average must be obtained in these courses. (In calculating the average, a grade of C is offset by a grade of A; no account is taken of pluses or minuses.)

No thesis, general examination, or knowledge of a foreign language is required for the AM degree. The minimum residence requirement is one year.

Students in Harvard College who are pursuing the AB/AM degree must complete the advanced laboratory course, either as Physics 191 for the AB degree (if fulfilling the honors physics track) or as Physics 247 for the AM degree (if not fulfilling the honors physics track). For students pursuing an AB concentration other than the Physics concentration or the Chemistry and Physics concentration, seven of the eight courses for the AM must be physics courses.

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Undergraduate Program

The concentration in Physics, administered by the Department of Physics, serves a variety of goals and interests. A concentration in Physics provides a foundation for subsequent professional work in physics, and also for work in computer science, astronomy, biophysics, chemical physics, engineering and applied physics, earth and planetary sciences, geology, astrophysics, and the history and philosophy of science. Less obviously perhaps, the intellectual attitudes in physics — blending imagination, prediction, observation, and deduction — provide an excellent base for subsequent graduate work in professional schools of medicine, education, law, business, and public administration. Students are also eligible to apply for an A.B./A.M. degree program.

Graduate education in physics at Harvard offers students exciting opportunities extending over a diverse range of subjects and departments. In the Department of Physics, graduate students work in state-of-the-art facilities with renowned faculty and accomplished postdoctoral fellows. The department’s primary areas of experimental and theoretical research include atomic and molecular physics, quantum optics, condensed-matter physics, computational physics, the physics of solids and fluids, biophysics, astrophysics, statistical mechanics, mathematical physics, high-energy particle physics, quantum field theory, string theory, and relativity.

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Stipends & Fellowships

Stipends are payments made to individuals for subsistence support or to defray expenses during a period of academic appointment. Stipend payments are not compensation for services rendered and, therefore, are not allowable on federal awards unless the purpose of the agreement is to provide training to selected participants and the charge is approved by the sponsoring agency (OMB Circular Uniform Guidance, Subpart E). The most common type of federal awards that include stipends are fellowships and training grants. Additional information is available in the Guidance Concerning Charging Stipends to Sponsored Awards .

Stipends are allowable on non-federal sponsored research awards, and they should be anticipated in proposal budgets and approved by the sponsor. Many non-federal sponsors are willing to fund stipends. It is important, however, to distinguish individuals who are providing services to the University from individuals who are being paid without any expectation of work effort. University human resources policies prevail over non-federal sponsor expectations. An individual who is being paid for the services provided to the University should be considered either an employee or an independent contractor.

FAS Guide to Research Appointments, FY 2020

Fellowships

Fellowships are grants that support the educational experience of the recipient. Fellowships may be research related or non-research activities. These funds are not considered compensation for performance. The purposes of a fellowship are to enhance the academic experience and career growth.

Some Sponsors use the term fellowship to support individuals who are actually participating in a defined research project in which deliverables are expected. The funds are considered compensation for performance and usually includes stipend payments. This type of fellowship represents an employment relationship. It is important to carefully read the sponsor’s guidelines to determine which type of fellowship the sponsor is offering and the implications for proposal processing, budgeting, deliverables, award acceptance, and award management.

Many sponsors fund fellowships; however, the most common are foundations, NSF and NIH.

Preparing a Proposal

Stipends are only allowed if there are specific training activities included in the scope of work as proposed and awarded by the federal sponsor. Outgoing federal proposals that include stipends in the budget should include a description of a training purpose in the award. Graduate student support that is not identified explicitly as “stipend” will be considered “compensation” and should carry indirect costs. OSP offices and tub-level research administrators will review proposals to prevent submission of stipends on research awards.

Sponsored funds intended to support training or research training will state that intention clearly in the agency program announcement. When submitting a proposal for an award that allows stipends, the stipend costs should be identified in the proposal budget justification and justified as to why it is necessary and allocable to the performance of the award. Inclusion in the budget justification is intended to enable the sponsor to review and concur with the need for the stipend costs. Written justification and/or approval is meant to prevent questions regarding the allowability of costs in the event of an audit.

NIH uses stipends when funding Fellowships. The stipend levels are updated on a yearly basis. The stipend is specific to the individuals career level and years of experience. The latest rates are posted by NIH.

NSF only allows stipends in support of participant support costs. The stipends cannot support Harvard employees, and do not support activities that benefit the research award.

Setting Up an Award

Not every cost can be anticipated at the time of proposal preparation. In the event that an unbudgeted stipend cost is required after an award is funded, the department should work directly with their OSP Awards Management contact to determine if sponsor approval is required. Any stipends on federal awards require sponsor approval, except those already noted. The written sponsor approval, as well as the justification explaining the purpose and need for stipend payments on the specific project, will be retained in GMAS for future reference should the expenditure be questioned at a later date.

Managing an Award

As part of ongoing account reconciliations, Department/Local Level Managing Units are responsible for reviewing stipend transactions for allowability and compliance with sponsor requirements. Stipend expenses on a federal award require verification of allowability, as such, stipends are automatically flagged as part of GMAS Transaction Monitoring . OSP Research Finance confirms the allowability of stipend charges on federal awards during periodic reviews of financial activity. Stipends are expensed to object code 6440 for Graduate Students and 6450 for Postdoc Fellows. When allowable under the terms and conditions of the fellowship, additional salary compensation can be paid using object code 6140 for Graduate Students and 6150 for Postdoc Fellows. The Department/Local Level Managing Unit must ensure stipend payments and salary compensation are budgeted and expensed correctly since there are different IRS tax rules for each.

Closing out an Award

The Department/Local Level Managing Unit provides a final account reconciliation to ensure allowable stipend expenditures post to the account. They are also responsible for removing any stipend expenditures that are unallowable. OSP Research Finance validates stipend transactions against the sponsor budget to confirm allowability and reports them as required by the sponsor.

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Financial Support for Graduate Students

Types of financial support.

PhD students in Physics are fully funded in each year they are in the program and remain in good standing. Financial support provides for full tuition, a monthly living stipend, and 12 months of health insurance.

Note: For more detailed information regarding the cost of attendance, including specific costs for tuition and fees, books and supplies, housing and food as well as transportation, please visit the Student Financial Services (SFS) website .

There are three sources of financial support:

• Fellowships (internal and external)
• Research Assistantships
• Teaching Assistantships

General Information:

Full-time registration for all PhD students, whether funded by fellowship or by a research or teaching assistantship, is 36 academic units. The normal course load for students with a full-time RA or TA who have not yet completed their qualifying exams is two academic subjects; students supported by a fellowship in the first year, before joining a research group, sometimes enroll in three subjects.

Students with an RA or TA are expected to spend full time on education and assigned duties, and may not engage in any other activity for compensation without the specific approval of the Department Head.

Annual and monthly stipend rates for RAs and TAs are determined each spring, and students are informed of the next year’s rates by the Academic Programs Office. While there are varying levels of stipend funding allowed by MIT, it is the policy of the Physics Department that all our students are provided the same stipend in any individual academic year.

If a student loses RA support because of termination of a research contract, the Department will provide support for one additional term (in the form of a TA) and will make every effort to help the student identify a new source of support.

The periods for graduate appointments are as follows:

• Fellows : Fall: 9/1 to 1/15; Spring: 1/16 to 5/31; Summer: 6/1 to 8/31
• RAs : Fall: 9/1 to 1/15; Spring: 1/16 to 5/31; Summer: 6/1 to 8/31
• TAs : Fall: 9/1 to 1/15; Spring: 1/16 to 5/31

Fellowships

The Physics Department provides internal fellowship funding to a number of the students admitted each year. The majority of these internal, donor-funded fellowships are for the first year in the program, covering twelve months; a small number of three- and five-year fellowships are also awarded. There is no application process for departmental fellowships; all admitted candidates are considered for them.

A student beginning PhD study with a fellowship has a great deal of flexibility in planning his or her graduate program and in seeking out a research group. Each fellowship recipient is responsible for finding a research group that will provide funding once the fellowship support has been used; students with multi-year fellowships are expected to have joined a research group by the beginning of the second year. Additional information on fellowships for graduate students in physics is available through the Office for Graduate Education .

Research Assistantships (RAs)

Research assistants receive full tuition, living stipend, and health insurance in exchange for conducting research on behalf of a faculty member. This faculty member also serves as the supervisor of the student’s individual research project that will become the PhD thesis.

RA work generally covers the full academic year, including summer. The amount of time spent on RA duties depends on the time needed for required course work as well as the requirements of the research group. For new graduate students taking classes and preparing for the general examination, research duties normally require 20 hours per week or less. After two to three years, research usually becomes full-time.

In addition to courses, students conducting research register each term for a research subject, providing academic credit for research work. The number of units varies from 12 to 36 according to the approximate time spent weekly on research. Research subjects include:

• Pre-Thesis Research (8.391, fall; 8.392, spring and summer): students who have not yet completed the General Examinations
• Thesis Research (8.THG); all students after passing the Oral Exam

Teaching Assistantships (TAs)

Teaching assistants receive full tuition, living stipend, and health insurance in exchange for supporting the Department’s teaching program. TA responsibilities can include grading homework and exams, tutoring, conducting office hours, or, less often, teaching sections of a course. TA work requires up to 20 hours per week in addition to research or class work the student is engaged in. TAs register for 12 units of Physics Teaching (8.399), which provides academic credit for their work.

Having a TA appointment can serve a variety of purposes:

• support departmental teaching needs
• encourage students who wish to hone their teaching skills
• help alleviate funding pressures on the faculty
• facilitate a student’s transition to a different research group

TA assignment process:

Students may request nomination as a TA, or they may be assigned a term as a TA by their research supervisor.

Each of the four divisions in the department has a standard guaranteed number of TA positions per term. Research supervisors submit names of students to be considered for TAs to the Division Head, who compiles the division’s list and provides it to the Academic Programs Office.

Students on the department’s TA list are asked to select their top choices among the subjects offered in the upcoming term, and every effort is made by the TA Faculty Coordinator to match student requests when possible. Teaching faculty may also request a specific student to be assigned to their course.

While TA appointments are typically made only after the first year, very occasionally a first-year graduate student will be supported by a nine-month (fall and spring) TA appointment. Students with a first-year TA normally join a research group and are supported by an RA beginning in their first summer.

Switching Research Groups

While many students continue from their first RA to a thesis in the same group, others elect to change research groups, for a variety of reasons. An RA who wishes to change groups or research direction should feel comfortable reaching out to talk to other professors about different opportunities.

However, students are responsible for notifying their current supervisor of their intention to leave a group, and they are expected to continue working in the research group as long as it is providing funding.

To facilitate a transition between research groups, each student is guaranteed one semester of transitional funding in the form of a TA.

Students who wish to discuss their interest in changing their research group are welcome to talk with Academic Administrator Shannon Larkin or with Graduate Student Advocate Claude Canizares at any time.

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The Harvard Biophysics Graduate Program

Phd research at the interface of quantitative science and biology.

HMS Campus, 240 Longwood Avenue, Seeley G. Mudd Bldg., Room 204c Boston, MA 02115

Financial Aid

Students accepted into the Biophysics Program, whether citizens of the United States or foreign nationals, are guaranteed full financial support ( Stipend, Tuition and University Health Services and Bc/Bs Health Insurance ) throughout their years in the graduate program, contingent on their maintaining satisfactory progress toward the PhD degree.

Financial support for the first two years of graduate study are generally derived from fellowships from the Biophysics Program through Harvard University, or the National Institutes of Health Training Program.  

In a student's 3rd year and above, support is provided by the student's dissertation research advisor either through an RA (Research Assistantship) or other mechanism.  Continued support is dependent on a student's fulfillment of requirements and continued satisfactory progress. 

Students accepted for the 2023-24 academic year receive support for the full Tuition and health insurance amounts of  $59,560 , and an annual Stipend equal to $45,696 over 12 months ($3,808/ month) .  Student stipends are increased yearly, as of July 1st, to offset the cost of living.

Outstanding students often apply for, and are awarded, outside fellowships from such organizations as: the National Science Foundation, NDSEG, or the Hertz or Ford Foundations.  Students are strongly encouraged to apply for such fellowships in their senior year of undergraduate study, or within their first years of graduate study (as eligible).

Students who receive awards from outside sources are supported by those funds, in place of program funds for tuition and stipend, and we anticipate students accepting and activating those awards, if received.  Any outside award lower than the set level of Biophysics support is supplemented by the program to meet the standard Biophysics support levels.

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What is the harvard physics phd stipend.

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What is the Harvard physics PhD stipend?

While enrolled and advancing satisfactorily toward their Ph. D. D. The stipend support is $44,376 or $3,698 per month for the academic year 2022-2023. The Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences typically requires candidates to be enrolled and residing there for at least two years (four terms) of full-time study. Ideally, the PhD is completed within six years. Every year, the student’s committee evaluates the student’s development.Harvard uses a tiered tuition structure that lowers tuition over time as students progress through their degree . PhD students for a minimum of five years (typically the first four years of study and the completion year). This support includes tuition, health fees, and basic living expenses.Doctoral students in good academic standing are guaranteed our five-year funding package. Students receive $51,204 in total per year in tuition for the entire academic year plus a $4,267 monthly stipend for each of the 12 months.Ph. D. Yale typically receive complete funding for a minimum of five years. Our students receive a fellowship that covers the entire cost of tuition during that time as well as a 12-month stipend to help with living expenses.For Ph. A fellowship that covers the entire cost of tuition ($46,900 for 2022-2023) and a 12-month stipend (minimum of $38,300 for 2022-2023) are given to D. Yale. These financial awards are typically given for a minimum of five years.

What GPA is a Harvard PhD?

The average undergraduate GPA for enrolled students in all PhD and masters programs was 3. Students come to SEAS with a range of undergraduate majors because of its interdisciplinary nature. The GRE is not required for admission to PhD programs; instead, the university looks for higher GPAs, a statement of purpose, and letters of recommendation.A GPA of 4 or higher is also required. You must make up the difference if your GPA is below this with a higher SAT/ACT score. You’ll also need to make an impression on them with the rest of your application for a selective school like Harvard.Any graduate program at a highly esteemed university, like Harvard or MIT, will typically have some of the highest GPA expectations, frequently 3.We do not have a minimum GPA requirement for applicants to the PhD program, but GPAs of at least 3.

How difficult is a Harvard PhD?

As a result, the acceptance rate for the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences is 7%. Accordingly, only seven applicants could be accepted to the University of Harvard PhD programs out of every 100 applicants. What GPA do I need to get into Harvard? To be taken into consideration for admission to Harvard, you must achieve the highest grades possible in high school. The Harvard Crimson reports that the average reported GPA of incoming freshmen in the class of 2025 was 3.Harvard University PhD Acceptance Rate Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences has a low and highly competitive acceptance rate. This implies that in order to be admitted to the PhD program at Harvard University, students must really work or study hard.A GPA of 4 or higher is also required. If your GPA is less than this, you must make up the difference with a higher SAT/ACT score. For a school as selective as Harvard, you’ll also need to impress them with the rest of your application. That information will be discussed later.The acceptance rate for the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences is low and extremely competitive. This implies that students must put in a lot of effort to get into Harvard University’s PhD program.Harvard Admissions – SAT, ACT, GPA, and Class Rank Ninety-three percent of applicants placed in the top 10 percent of their high school graduating class, with an average GPA of 4 points, according to the data from the university. Just shy of 93 percent of successful applicants possessed an unweighted GPA of 3.

How much time does it take to earn a PhD in physics at Harvard?

Normally, a candidate must have completed at least two years (four terms) of full-time study at the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences while enrolled and residing there. A six-year timeframe is ideal for finishing a PhD. Starting a PhD is a very difficult task.Academic Residence PhD students must register full-time until receipt of the degree, for a minimum of two years.Required course work and general examinations should be completed by a student’s 5th semester. At that time, field research and dissertation writing begin. Typically, it takes at least 5 years to complete the PhD.

Is PhD in Harvard fully funded?

While funding packages vary by program, PhD students in the sciences typically receive full funding until they complete their programs of study. Our funding package covers a period of five years, guaranteed to doctoral students in good academic standing. Students receive full academic year tuition plus a monthly stipend of $4,267 for each of 12 months per year (annual total of $51,204).Scholars on a full-time course will receive an annual grant for living expenses of at least the minimum Research Council doctoral stipend rate, which is normally sufficient to cover the living costs of a single student living in Oxford. In 2023-24, you should expect to receive at least £17,668.Funding is usually available from each individual department to support doctoral students for the cost of full tuition, stipend, and health insurance for the duration of their time at MIT.Overview. Funding for graduate courses is competitive, but the University of Oxford offers more support than you might think. For example, for the 2021-22 academic year, just over 49 percent of our new graduate students received full or partial funding from the University or other funders.

How much does MIT pay PhD students?

Depending on award or appointment type, there are different costs to MIT and/or external sponsors. On average, MIT subsidizes more than $44,000 in tuition for doctoral student RAs, with another $27,000 subsidized by sponsored research. How much does a PhD Student make? The national average salary for a PhD Student is $34,021 in United States. Filter by location to see PhD Student salaries in your area. Salary estimates are based on 8,319 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by PhD Student employees.The national average salary for a Phd Physics is £38,051 in United Kingdom. Filter by location to see Phd Physics salaries in your area. Salary estimates are based on 95 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by Phd Physics employees. How accurate does £38,051 look to you?The typical MIT PhD Graduate Student salary is $42,393 per year. PhD Graduate Student salaries at MIT can range from $27,662 – $50,945 per year. This estimate is based upon 169 MIT PhD Graduate Student salary report(s) provided by employees or estimated based upon statistical methods.The average pay for a Physicist PhD is $142,313 a year and $68 an hour in the United States. The average salary range for a Physicist PhD is between $96,915 and $174,191. On average, a Doctorate Degree is the highest level of education for a Physicist PhD.

How much does Harvard pay PhD students?

All incoming students, regardless of need and background, are awarded a fellowship which includes tuition, single-person health fees, and a living stipend ($47,586 for 2023-2024). In addition, a suite of Scholar Support fellowships are available to increase accessibility for scholars from all backgrounds. Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition and the Student Health Insurance Fee, and a stipend for living expenses. For the academic year 2022–2023, the minimum first-year I School Ph. D.Scholars on a full-time course will receive an annual grant for living expenses of at least the minimum Research Council doctoral stipend rate, which is normally sufficient to cover the living costs of a single student living in Oxford.All incoming students, regardless of need and background, are awarded a fellowship which includes tuition, single-person health fees, and a living stipend ($47,586 for 2023-2024). In addition, a suite of Scholar Support fellowships are available to increase accessibility for scholars from all backgrounds.New Haven. The minimum annual stipend for the 2022-2023 academic year is $38,300.Normally at least 3 years, there are some challenges that you are almost certainly going to have to face during the program.

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