PhD Excellence Initiative
In support of the University at Buffalo’s PhD Excellence Initiative, the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences offers competitive, elite fellowship packages designed to attract the best and brightest scholars in the world.
At a time when higher education is engaged in a national conversation about how to advance interdisciplinary collaboration and impact in research and how PhD programs can best prepare students to be leaders across a wide range of careers and professions, UB’s PhD Excellence Initiative seeks to ensure that our PhD programs remain among the strongest in the world. This campus-wide, student-centric effort aims to:
- Continue to recruit the best PhD students to UB
- Enhance diversity and inclusion in PhD programs
- Improve alignment of program-level PhD curriculum with intended program outcomes
- Enhance PhD degree completion and time to degree
- Balance teaching and scholarship for PhD students, as relevant to discipline
This year, funding for new research awards in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences has grown over $10 million, an increase of about 35%, increasing our need to recruit Research Assistants to support our efforts.
The success of our PhD programs depends on the success of our PhD students. Enhancing the experience of our doctoral scholars and researchers and providing competitive funding packages is one of our top priorities."
Kemper Lewis
Dean, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Presidential Fellowships
The Presidential Fellowship offers outstanding prospective graduate students an elite fellowship package to the top 10% incoming enrolled doctoral students each academic year. This competitive package pays a stipend over $46,000 USD per year for up to 4 years and includes summer support. This award also includes a full tuition waiver over $11,310 USD (and fees) for New York State Residents and $23,100 USD (and fees) for Non-Residents bringing the total package of support over $56,000-$68,000 USD per year. Other benefits include additional travel grants to support our fellows research and exclusive professional development opportunities.
Eligible students are automatically nominated by their academic program of interest but are strongly encouraged to apply early, preferably by January 1 for Fall entry or by November 1 for Spring entry as this is a highly competitive package and funding is limited.
Arthur A. Schomburg Fellowship Program and Future Leader Program
The Arthur A. Schomburg Fellowship and Future Leader Program is a distinguished graduate fellowship and leadership program designed to support eligible high achieving prospective underrepresented minority students. This competitive package pays a stipend of up over $38,730 USD per year for up to 4 years (2 masters + 2 PhD level = 4 years or 4 years at PhD level) and includes summer support. This award is open to both prospective doctoral and masters level students and includes a full tuition waiver of $11,310 USD (and fees for PhD students) for New York State Residents and $23,100 USD (and fees for PhD students) for Non-Residents bringing the total package of support to $50,040-$61,830 USD per year.
Our students also have access to work closely with numerous national engineering organizations, student chapters and community partners to build a strong, supportive environment.
Other benefits include additional travel grants to support our fellows research and exclusive professional development opportunities.
Eligible students can choose to self-nominate or be nominated by their academic program of interest but are strongly encouraged to apply early, preferably by January 1 for Fall entry or by November 1 for Spring entry as this is a highly competitive package and funding is limited.