Funding Your Doctoral Education
School of Social Work Support
1. Assistantships, Fellowships, Tuition Scholarships, and Health Care
Doctoral students are guaranteed three years of School of Social Work (SSW) financial support. Funding in Years 4 is contingent on student progress and available funding. The minimum reward includes:
First year (10 hours of service required): $9,532 assistantship + $6,000 fellowship + tuition + standard UI fees, including health and dental insurance allowance = 19,957-20,086. Out-of-state and international students: $28,364-28,493.
See http://www.uiowa.edu/financial-aid/cost/index.shtml for the Graduate Cost of Attendance.
Second year (10–20 hours of service required): assistantship and/or fellowship + tuition + standard UI fees, including health and dental insurance allowance= 19,957-23,085. Out-of-state and international students: $28,364-28,493.
Third year (10–20 hours of service required): assistantship + tuition + standard UI fees, including health and dental insurance allowance=up to $20,000. This year students who were making excellent progress received a $7,500 fellowship from the Graduate College.
2. Students from Under-represented Groups
Students from under-represented groups are eligible for Dean’s Graduate Fellowships, which include substantial financial support for four years. The SSW applies to the Graduate College to secure these awards at the time applicants are selected into the program. For a description of the award, go to:
http://www.grad.uiowa.edu/aid-youre-nominated-for
For under-represented students not receiving Dean’s Graduate Fellowships, the Graduate College (Office of the Dean, Human Resources & Finance) awards Graduate Diversity Scholarships to cover tuition for students from under-represented groups. These awards supplement the partial tuition award that students receive through their SSW assistantships, often resulting in students from under-represented groups not paying any tuition for those semesters in which they have an assistantship. Students must apply directly to the Graduate College (335-2144) at the time they are selected into the program and for each additional year they are earning course credit. Contact Donna Welter, Director (donna-welter@uiowa.edu).
3. Dissertation and Travel Grants
The SSW recognizes that students who undertake the PhD may incur expenses related to attending conferences and conducting their dissertation research. Consequently, a fund has been developed to support travel to conferences and dissertation related expenses. Students who are completing a dissertation on children or their families may also submit a proposal to the John Craft Research Award competition. This research award is made to honor the memory of John Craft, former professor of research at the SSW.
4. For applicants with English as a second language and/or who are not US citizens, a minimum TOEFL score of 100 (internet-based), 250 (computer-based) or 600 (written) is required.
University of Iowa Support
The Graduate College awards fellowships for incoming students, dissertation-year fellowships, summer fellowships, and travel awards. A complete list of awards can be located at:
http://www.grad.uiowa.edu/financing-your-education
http://www.grad.uiowa.edu/aid-you-can-apply-for
International travel awards are available from the Office for Study Abroad: http://international.uiowa.edu/study-abroad/parents/financing.asp
Student who are differently-abled (cf. disabled) are eligible for awards through the Student Disabilities Services Office: http://www.uiowa.edu/~sds/scholarships/index.html
External Pre and Post Doctoral Support
Information about funding for social work doctoral education, including dissertation support, from outside the University of Iowa can be obtained by going to:
The Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research’s website (IASWR): http://www.iaswresearch.org/
Click on “technical resources” and download list.
The Council on Social Work Education’s website (CSWE): http://www.cswe.org/CSWE//
The Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education’s website (GADE): http://web.uconn.edu/gade/
The Society for Social Work Research’s (SSWR) website: http://www.sswr.org/membership.php
The Fahs-Beck Fund for Research and Experimentation, a donor-advisory fund established with The New York Community Trust, announces two grant programs that are difficult locate at the SSWR’s site. Grants of up to $3,000 are available to help support doctoral dissertation expenses of students in the United States or Canada. Proposals must have clear relevance to major social problems affecting families or individuals or to interventions designed to assist individuals, couples, or families in their functioning and well-being. Deadlines: Twice annually - May 1 and November 1. To obtain an application, go to:
http://sswr.org/FahsBeckDoctoralDissertation.pdf 
