Administrative Resources

Stanford Graduate Fellowships Program Description
PDF      last revised 12/2/08

PURPOSE
NAMED FELLOWSHIPS
RESOURCES
   Graduate Fellowships Faculty Advisory Committee
   Web Address, SGF Administrative Staff  
   Academic Record
   Accounts and Funding Information, Graduate Financial System (GFS) Entry
FELLOWSHIP TERMS
   Progress to Degree, Dual Fellow or Honorary Fellow Designation
   Interruption of Fellowship-Banking Support for Later Use, Banking Procedures    Banking for Combination Award Fellows
   Summer Quarter, Practical Training
STIPEND AND TUITION CONFIGURATIONS
OTHER TERMS
    Deferrals, Leave of Absence, Supplemental Appointments
    Redistribution of Units, Terminal Graduate Registration(TGR)
NOMINATION PROCESS
   Round One (Allocations, Deadlines, Eligibility, Materials to Submit)
   Round One Response Deadline
   Round Two (Allocations, Eligibility, Deadlines, Materials to Submit)
OFFERS TO AWARDEES
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS IN PUBLICATIONS
APPENDIX A (SGF Banking Form)

PURPOSE

The Stanford Graduate Fellowships Program in Science and Engineering first awarded fellowships in 1997. The program was initiated by Gerhard Casper, then President of Stanford University, and designed to support the University's commitment to attract the very best graduate students and to reduce its dependence on federal funding for Ph.D. training. The fellowships are available in the natural sciences, mathematics, statistics, engineering, the basic sciences in the School of Medicine, and those social sciences, including education, which are now dependent on federal assistantship support for their doctoral students.

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NAMED FELLOWSHIPS

Stanford Graduate Fellowships are a reality because of the generosity of Stanford alumni and friends who have given $200 million to endow the program. This group of fellowships is established in perpetuity, as only income generated by the invested funds is spent.

Each of the Stanford Graduate Fellowships carries its own name, as designated by the donor (e.g. Burt and Deedee McMurtry Stanford Graduate Fellowship). Most new Fellows will be matched to a named fellowship and whenever possible, matches are made based on mutual interests of the donor and the fellow. Fellows are encouraged to thank their donors for the fellowship and to provide updates on their graduate career throughout the period of the fellowship. Donors are interested in the progress of Fellows and some make arrangements to meet their named fellow(s). The Fellows, donors, and departments are notified of matches during the first quarter of the award.

RESOURCES

Graduate Fellowship Faculty Advisory Committee (GFFAC)

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Web Address http://sgf.stanford.edu

SGF Administrative Staff
Area Code for all phones (650)

Office of the Vice Provost of Graduate Education
Building 310, First Floor, 450 Serra Mall
Mailcode: 2102, fax 723-7237

Pat Cook, Director of Fellowships and Programs
patcook@, phone 723-4210
Rebecca Jantzen, Associate Director of Budgets and Programs
rjantzen@, phone 736-9793
Stefanie Moss, Administrative Associate for the Vice Provost of Graduate Education
stef_moss@, phone 736-9796

Office of Development
Frances C. Arrillaga Alumni Center, 326 Galvez Street
Mailcode: 5018

Margo Huennekens, SGF Stewardship Associate
margoh@, phone 721-6168

Academic Record

SGF administrative staff enter the receipt of the fellowship in the Honor and Awards panel of the fellow's academic record. Both the year awarded, and the SGF fellowship to which the Fellow is named, is recorded.

Accounts and Funding Information

Each department/program with Stanford Graduate Fellows has two operating budget (OB) accounts. One is for SGF stipend charges. Stipends charged to this account, and associated health insurance recovery charges (5.5% for 2008-09) are funded by SGF endowment funds.

The other account is for SGF tuition payments, and beginning in FY08, is funded by SGF endowment funds. In prior years, two sources and two accounts were used to provide tuition support.

In early July, departments receive a summary of approved fellowship expenses for the current fiscal year.   By mid-July, departments must review and verify that the amounts match department records in GFS and on department expenditure statements for the accounts. After expenses are verified, SGF endowment income is transferred from the appropriate SGF endowment fund to the appropriate department OB account for the current academic year expenses. (In July 2009 funds will be transferred to department OB accounts for stipend, health insurance recovery, and SGF tuition expenses for academic year 2008-2009.) At the end of the year, department SGF balances should equal $0.0.   Any money that remains must be returned to the appropriate SGF endowment fund.

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Graduate Financial Support (GFS) Entry

Departments/programs enter SGF fellowship aid (stipend and tuition) into the Graduate Financial System (GFS). The memorandum, Implementation of Stanford Graduate and Nationally Competitive Fellowships in GFS, 2008-09, May 6, 2008, lists tuition and stipend rate tables for Stanford Graduate Fellows, including details of supplementation for current and new Fellows with nationally competitive awards.

FELLOWSHIP TERMS

The fellowships are made to students seeking a doctoral degree, and are, most often, three years in length. The standard fellowship provides an annual stipend and tuition support to cover minimum full-time enrollment (eight, nine, or ten units) for four quarters each year. SGF Fellows who do not waive coverage in Stanford's student health insurance plan, Cardinal Care, are eligible for a full health insurance subsidy (which is approximately one-half the cost of student insurance) for quarters of fellowship use.

Fellows must enroll in eight, nine, or ten units each quarter (or TGR, if eligible) for a tuition credit to appear on his/her bill, and for a stipend check to be issued.

The stipend rate is reviewed annually by the GFFAC Committee. Fellows must enroll to receive a stipend. Stipends are paid at the beginning of each quarter.   The annual stipend for academic for 2008-09 is $31,200, and will be $32,000 for 2009-10.

A Stanford Graduate Fellowship may be awarded singly or as a combination award, in conjunction with a nationally competitive fellowship or with another award. (See section on Combination Awards for further information.)

At their discretion, schools, departments, or programs may supplement stipends to more than the established SGF amount and may fund tuition beyond the 8-10 unit rate without additional University funding.

The fellowship is awarded to the fellow, and is portable within the University, so long as the fellow is accepted into the doctoral program of the second department or program.

The fellowships are not available to terminal M.S. candidates or to postdoctoral students.

Award use begins in autumn quarter. Recipients of new awards may begin early tenure in summer when approved by the recipient's department/program.

Fellowship use may not extend beyond the fifth year of graduate study at Stanford. For purposes of the SGF, all years of graduate study at Stanford are included as part of the five. Years of graduate study at another institution are not included.

For any leave of absence starting Winter Quarter 2007-08 or later, quarters on leave will be considered part of the first five years of graduate study during which all fellowship support must be used, or the support will be forfeited. Refer to the leave of absence section for details.

Progress to Degree

Each year, departments and programs are asked to report on the progress of Fellows with remaining SGF support. For Fellows not making satisfactory progress fellowship support may be released on a quarter-by-quarter basis, or depending on type and length of issues, the fellowship may be suspended or remaining quarters of the award may be canceled.

SGFs are expected to complete department-qualifying procedures and advance to candidacy by the end of summer quarter of the second year as a Stanford graduate student. Otherwise support will be suspended until the quarter following completion of the milestone.

For programs where the usual time to advance to candidacy is not within the first two years of graduate school, support for autumn quarter of the third year will be released for the fellow's use. Subsequent support will be suspended until the quarter following completion of the milestone.

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Dual Fellow or Honorary Fellow Designation

Several agencies have agreed to a dual fellow designation for students in receipt of an outside fellowship and the SGF (e.g. Hertz Foundation, International Monetary Fund, and the National Science Foundation). Such Fellows will be known as the "x" - Stanford Graduate Fellow (e.g. National Science Foundation - Stanford Graduate Fellow).

Dual fellow designation will be awarded only when a fellow's other funding agency has agreed to the designation. SGF administrative staff will investigate whether an agency will provide approval for dual designation, as required.

Students awarded the SGF who accept a fellowship from an agency that has not agreed to a dual designation (e.g. NDSEG), will be named honorary Stanford Graduate Fellows until the outside award is ended. When the NDSEG ends, the Fellow generally has two years of SGF support remaining, and would then be matched to a named fellowship.  

Refer to the section Stipend and Tuition Configurations for financial information about combining a Stanford Graduate Fellowship with another award.

Interruption of Fellowship-Banking Support For Later Use

Fellowship support is to be used in consecutive quarters. Interruptions in use of the award will result in the forfeiture of the affected quarter(s) unless a request to bank (reserve) the quarter of fellowship support for later use is approved. (See Summer Quarter, Banking Procedures, and Banking for Combination Fellows ).

Quarters not used, and not banked, will be forfeited. In all instances, all quarters of the fellowship must be used within the first five years of graduate study at Stanford or they will be forfeited.

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Banking Procedures

DEPARTMENT PROCEDURES: Degree offices may augment these procedures with other requirements and Fellows should contact their student services administrator for local procedures and deadlines.

DEADLINE: It is advisable to submit requests before the start of the quarter for which banking is requested to avoid the Fellow's receipt of, and a need to return, a stipend check.

However, since all banking requests are not known until after the quarter begins, the final deadline for submitting a banking request to the SGF Administrative Staff is the final study list deadline of the quarter for which banking is requested.

WITH DEPARTMENTAL APPROVAL : SGF administrative staff will process requests to bank an SGF quarter with department approval when: 1) a fellow has a 50% teaching appointment, 2) a fellow is supported by a departmental training grant, or 3) during the first 4 quarters a fellow is on approved leave from the department/program. Upon notification to SGF administrative staff, or after such actions are entered in the Fellow's University record, the SGF is budgeted for the fellow's later use, provided it can be used during the first five years of graduate study.

WITH ADVISOR AND FELLOW APPROVAL : When a fellow participates in any other activity not listed above (e.g. internship, research work, practical training, the fellow's advisor or department chair must send SGF administrative staff verification that the activity is contributing to the fellow's Ph.D. program.

Verification can be either 1) a completed SGF Banking Request Form (Appendix A), or 2) a letter or electronic mail with the fellow's name, the quarter for which banking is requested, a brief description of the fellow's activity, and a short explanation of how the activity contributes to the fellow's Ph.D. program.

If the alternate activity is a research appointment (RA) the Fellow must inform SGF administrative staff that they wish to bank the quarter of fellowship support either via signature on the SGF Banking Request Form or by contacting SGF Administrative Staff.

Banking for Combination Award Fellows

Combination award fellows with five years of support are not eligible for banking since all SGF support must be used in the first five years of graduate study. Any fellow with a combination award of less than 5 years of support is eligible for banking quarters when supported fully by the SGF, provided all other banking procedures and requirements are met.

Fellows from award year 2005 or earlier, and in receipt of a concurrent combination award (e.g. outside support supplemented by the SGF), should contact SGF Administrative Staff to discuss the particular situation. Each year a pool of SGF funds is set aside to address individual situations for concurrent combination award fellows who wish to bank a summer quarter of support to pursue internship opportunities, or due to other unique circumstances. Banked quarters for concurrent combination award fellows are paid at the standard SGF rates, and provide the same eligibility for a health insurance subsidy as an SGF.

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Summer Quarter

The expectation is that SGF Fellows enroll for eight, nine, or ten units (or TGR, if eligible) during summer quarter and are progressing toward their Ph.D. degree. Often, in summer, Fellows enroll in directed research or directed reading in addition to, or, instead of course work.

Summer activities vary from program to program. Some departments or programs supplement the SGF fellowship with a research appointment. A summer supplemental research appointment may be up to 50%, and should comply with all degree program or school policies. When a supplemental research appointment is added, the Stanford Graduate Fellowship provides its usual levels of tuition and stipend. Fellows enroll for eight, nine, or ten units provided by the fellowship. The supplemental research assistant appointment pays salary. In many departments the combination of stipend and RA salary is equivalent to the salary of a 100% RA.

If an SGF Fellow does not register summer quarter, the quarter will be forfeited, unless it is banked as described in the sections Banking and Banking for Combination Fellows.

Practical Training

Fellows may not use the SGF to support a quarter in which he/she is registered for practical training (curricular or optional). The quarter can be banked if it is certified as described in the section Banking.

STIPEND AND TUITION CONFIGURATIONS

To complement the academic requirements and recruitment needs of different disciplines, several configurations of the Stanford Graduate Fellowship have been approved.

Standard SGF

The standard SGF is a three-year award providing support for four quarters each year. Fellows receive a stipend and tuition support (combining fellowship and university funds) for minimum full-time enrollment (8 to 10 units).

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  Combination Awards

The talent and potential of new and current Stanford Graduate Fellows is frequently confirmed by their receipt of additional prestigious awards. Departments or programs should encourage nominees and current Fellows offered another award, to accept both. This section describes how additional awards are combined with an SGF award.

Until 2005, departments had an option to configure combination awards concurrently that entitled the department to a renomination. Beginning with nominees for 2006 SGF awards, this option is no longer available. Combination awards will be arranged over 5 years. The most common example is a fellow in receipt of an outside award, three years in length, (e.g. NSF, NDSEG) and an SGF, used as follows:

Example of a NSF or a NDSEG Five Year Funding Pattern

Departments/programs should consult SGF administrative staff to develop specific configurations of other outside awards not providing three years of full support,   (e.g. Ford, NSERC), if the outside award is received after the start of the Fellow's graduate career at Stanford, or in cases where the graduate career is expected to be less than five years in length.

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  School of Education, School of Engineering Modified SGF

All round one School of Education (SUSE) SGFs are offered an 11-quarter modified configuration of the award.   School of Engineering (SOE) departments/programs decide locally whether to offer its round one SGFs the 11-quarter Modified SGF as an alternative, or instead of, the standard configuration.

All SUSE and SOE SGFs who are offered or elect the SOE Modified SGF, receive maximum tuition (11-18 units) for the first three quarters, and minimum full-time tuition (8-10 units) for the next eight quarters of the SGF. They receive the SGF stipend for the 11 quarters of support. Fellows may either begin use of the 8 quarters of support in summer of year one, or bank the summer support for later use and start the remaining 8 quarters of support in autumn of year two.

Below is an example of a Fellow using the 11-quarter Modified SGF and has also accepted another award, e.g. NSF:

   NSF-SGF (Five Year Plan with SOE Modified Option)

All SOE Fellows, will be awarded the standard SGF unless he/she is offered and elects the SOE Modified SGF before the add courses deadline of their first quarter (e.g., October 14, 2007 for autumn quarter 2007-2008). Any SOE departments or programs offering this plan, should include a description of it and the deadline for selecting it in their offer letter.

   OTHER TERMS

   Deferrals

When a department approves a deferral of admission, they may submit a request for approval to defer the SGFaward. The department's request should explain the reason for deferral cited by the recipient and sent to SGF administrative staff for consideration.

   Leave of Absence

For the first first four quarters of an approved leave of absence a fellow's SGF support will be reserved for the Fellow's later use, provided it can be used in the first five years of graduate school. A leave of absence does not lengthen the period of the first five years of graduate school during which fellowship support must be used. If the fellow does not return after 4 quarters of leave of absence, or extends the leave beyond 4 quarters, the remainder of the fellowship will be cancelled. In the case of a leave for serious illness or other medical condition, or active military service longer than 4 quarters, contact SGF administrative staff regarding fellowship arrangements during this period.

   Supplemental Appointments

University policy allows that students with full fellowship support may be employed for either an additional eight hours of hourly employment, or may hold a supplemental teaching appointment (e.g. TA, CA) or research appointment (RA) from a minimum of 4 hours to a maximum of 10 hours a week. If a student has a combination of hourly work and a supplemental appointment, the total commitment may not exceed 8 hours per week.

For supplemental TEACHING appointment tuition support use
1) Department tuition allowance (TAL); and then
2) SGF tuition funds.

For supplemental RESEARCH appointments (RA), the SGF fellowship provides all tuition support; tuition support from the supplemental RA is not needed.

University policy allows flexibility in summer quarter only to add a research assistant (RA) appointment from 10% to 50% to the fellowship. See Summer Quarter for details.

   Redistribution of Units

The standard SGF configuration provides tuition support for minimum full-time enrollment (8-10 units) for each of four quarters during the academic year. Fellows with this configuration may redistribute tuition payments during a given academic year provided all local requirements and any visa requirements are satisfied. The example below shows the shift that is is possible. Tuition totals charged to the SGF fellowship for four quarters in an academic year may not exceed the cost of eight, nine, or ten units of tuition for four quarters. Stipend dollars cannot be converted to tuition dollars or vice versa. Enrollment in fewer than eight units is allowable only in summer quarter.

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   Terminal Graduate Registration (TGR)

Fellows are expected to file for TGR status when they are eligible. The fellowship is reduced to finance tuition at the TGR rate.

NOMINATION PROCESS

Round One

   Allocation of Round-One Nominations to Ph.D. Degree Granting Programs

At the beginning of winter quarter, the GFFAC Chair or designee will inform the department chair or program director of the allocation of first round nominations awarded to the department or program for awards to begin the following autumn quarter.

The distribution of nominations is based on an algorithm which equally weights two components for the degree program's Ph.D. students : (1) 3-year average of the total of a degree program's Ph.D. students' (a) externally sponsored research assistantship salaries,plus (b) training grant stipends, and (2) the average number of Ph.D. degrees awarded during the most recent 3-year period.

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   Deadlines and Review

The deadline to submit round-one nominations for 2008 awards for all departments except biosciences is March 3, 2009. Biosciences nominations must be submitted by March 11, 2009. Committee decisions will be made and communicated to departments on March 12, 2009, except for biosciences, that will be decided on March 16, 2009.

   Eligibility

Round one is for students being actively recruited and applying to a doctoral course of study at Stanford University. Most often these are admits new to graduate study at Stanford and are entering a Stanford Ph.D. program, even if they had completed some graduate work elsewhere. In engineering programs where prospective students are admitted first to the M.S. program (e.g. electrical engineering), nominations of such students for round one will receive full consideration. Stanford coterminal students are eligible if they applied and were admitted to coterminal status in the academic year they are being nominated.

Current or former Stanford graduate students (e.g. M.D. program, M.S.) may only be nominated in round-one in instances where there is active recruitment to a doctoral course of study, and where the fellowship period will be completed within the first five years of graduate study at Stanford University.

The GFFAC Committee will review nominations and inform the department/program whether or not the nomination is accepted. When accepted, the department/program offers the fellowship and its terms to the nominee. (See Offers to Awardees.)

   Round One Materials to Submit

Departments should send three copies of each nomination packet containing the following materials:

SGF New Student Nomination Form;
Stanford application form;
statement of purpose;
all letters of recommendation, including cover sheets, submitted for the    candidate;
transcript;
other material as chosen by the department/program.

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Round One Response Deadline

It is important for each department/program to provide SGF Administrative Staff with a list of declinations and acceptances of award offers and to identify those with nationally competitive fellowships by April 16. (If April 16 is a weekend day, the deadline is delayed until the following Monday.) If departments/programs have circumstances that prohibit reporting all decisions by the deadline, it is essential to notify SGF administrative staff before then.

Round Two

   Allocation of Nominations, Eligibility, Deadlines and Review

On April 25 the second round of allocations will be decided. The nominations are allocated in proportion to the declines reported from Round One.

Round two provides the opportunity to reward and nominate a current Stanford graduate student seeking the doctoral degree for an award, and for whom the final year of the proposed fellowship does not extend beyond the nominee's fifth graduate year at Stanford. A round two offer may be made to a student who holds an NSF or other nationally competitive fellowship but the SGF support will be combined with the outside award such that both awards will be used within the first five years of graduate study.

Two year awards:Departments/programs may prefer to award two-year fellowships rather than three-year fellowships in round two. For example, a department/program allocated two three-year fellowships may convert the allocation to nominate three individuals for two-year fellowships.

Stanford coterminal students are eligible if they applied and were admitted to coterminal status in any year but the academic year they are being nominated.

Nominations from departments/programs allocated Round Two nominations must submit materials by May 6, 2009 and award decisions will be made and communicated to departments/programs on May 21, 2009.

   Round Two Materials to Submit

Departments should send two copies of each nomination packet containing the following materials:

*SGF Round Two Continuing Student Nomination Form;
*a copy of the nominee's application to his or her current degree program;
*a current, unofficial Stanford transcript;
*an updated CV for the nominee;
*a nomination letter from a faculty member in the nominee's home department that documents the nominee's engagement in research, gives evidence for the nominee's ability to make important contributions to knowledge, and provides examples of ways in which  the nominee has shown potential for leadership in his or her discipline. If the nominee contributes to diversifying the graduate population of the program or department, the way in which s/he does so should be noted.
*a second letter of recommendation from a different faculty member.

OFFERS TO AWARDEES

Once the GFFAC Committee approves awards, the department/program notifies the nominees of the awards. Departments/programs are responsible for communicating the award terms to the fellowship winner, as well as all necessary information about the fellowship, including any departmental supplements to the award, and other program or academic matters. An award letter is not sent centrally. Offer letters should:

*include a clear message that this is a high honor;
*indicate that they were nominated by the department/program and approved by a University committee;
*describe the SGF terms, e.g. the standard SGF is payment through endowed and university funds for minimum full-time tuition support  (8-10 units) for 12 quarters, and a stipend. Any additional configurations being offered to the student should also be clearly described, as well as any deadlines for decisions the applicant must meet;
*award continuation is based on a showing of satisfactory progress toward receipt of the Ph.D. degree;
*encourage candidates to accept external awards and a combination award. Additional information can be included to explain that outside awards will extend the length of funding, up to a maximum period of five years, unless such a possibility is prohibited by the outside award. University practice is to use outside awards first;
*the following paragraph:

This fellowship is financial aid, so there is no specific work requirement - your sole obligation is to make satisfactory degree progress. If you are offered and accept an appointment as a Research Assistant, either to supplement or to defer the Fellowship support (within the guidelines of the SGF program), the salary that you earn in exchange for work performed will be separate from the support provided by this fellowship. If you have any questions about the distinction between your fellowship, which does not constitute student employment, and research or teaching assistantships and other forms of supplementary work which do constitute student employment, please feel free to discuss them with me.

Fellows should be provided details about the requirements of satisfactory progress in the offer letter, or at orientation. Each year, departments and programs are asked to report on the progress of Fellows with remaining SGF support. For Fellows not making satisfactory progress fellowship support may be released on a quarter-by-quarter basis, or depending on type and length of issues, the fellowship may be suspended or remaining quarters of the award may be canceled.

SGFs are expected to complete department-qualifying procedures and advance to candidacy by the end of summer quarter of the second year as a Stanford graduate student. Otherwise support will be suspended until the quarter following completion of the milestone.

For programs where the usual time to advance to candidacy is not within the first two years of graduate school, support for autumn quarter of the third year will be released for the fellow's use. Subsequent support will be suspended until the quarter following completion of the milestone .

The hope of the GFFAC Committee is that the fellowship can be used as a recruiting tool, and that word of the nomination itself is an honor. However, it is important to understand not all nominations are approved by the GFFAC Committee, and therefore, any notice to an applicant about his/her nomination should be conditional.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS IN PUBLICATIONS

Fellows should acknowledge the Stanford Graduate Fellowship in publications including world wide web pages of any material, whether copyrighted or not, by either an authorship footnote, or an acknowledgment of support. Examples follow.

Authorship footnote of a Stanford Graduate Fellow:
Jay Smith, Stanford Graduate Fellow, Department of Outstanding Science, Stanford University

Authorship footnote of a named Stanford Graduate Fellow:
Kelly Sun, XYZ Stanford Graduate Fellow, Department of Outstanding Science, Stanford University

Acknowledgment:
This material is based upon work supported under a Stanford Graduate Fellowship.

Marc Lee is supported by a XYZ Stanford Graduate Fellowship.

Jennifer Miller is supported by a XYZ Stanford Graduate Fellowship and a National Science Foundation Fellowship.

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APPENDIX A: BANKING REQUEST FORM (Download form)