Financial Aid/Assistantships

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Public Affairs, with a Concentration in Community Development

The Ph.D. in public affairs program supports several financial aid opportunities for doctoral students.

Graduate Assistantships (G.A.'s), which cover tuition costs and fees and include a stipend and inclusion in a university health insurance plan, are available on an academically competitive basis to students accepted for full-time study. If interested, be sure to indicate full-time status and a preference for funding in your application.

Graduate Assistants are represented by a collective bargaining agreement at Rutgers University and require 15 hours a week of research assistance under the supervision of a faculty member during the academic year (September 1-June 30). Students awarded Graduate Assistantships may be eligible for up to five years of funding, and must limit outside employment during the academic year. 

The university provides an additional competitive financial award, the Presidential Fellowship, for an outstanding incoming student awarded a G.A. by his or her program; renewable for up to five years.

In addition, doctoral students may be eligible for the following scholarships and grants:

Dean's Graduate Scholarship.  Awarded to full- and part-time Ph.D. students to partially offset tuition. May be renewed for up to four consecutive semesters.

Dean's Competitive Scholarship for Out-of-State Students.  Awarded on a competitive basis to in-coming, full-time, Ph.D. students who reside out-of-state. The scholarship covers the tuition cost differential between in-state and out-of-state tuition for students registered for 9 to 12 credits per semester for up to four sequential semesters. May be renewed for up to four consecutive semesters as long as the student maintains a 3.0 cumulative GPA.

Chancellor's International Scholarship.  This award is for nonsponsored, international F-1 visa holders who enroll full-time in a master's or doctoral degree program. All scholarship recipients must meet the international admissions criteria. Additional information may be found on the Rutgers University-Camden Admissions website.

Coverdell Fellowships.  A limited number of Coverdell Fellowships are available to Returning Peace Corps Volunteers by application to the Ph.D. program. Contact the Public Affairs program graduate director for more information.

DPPA Dissertation Research Grant.  Funded by the department, a one-time award to advanced doctoral students to support dissertation research activities by providing up to $1,500 for research-related expenses.

Graduate Student Conference Travel and Research Grant.  Available on a first-come, first-served basis for students participating in professional conferences. Funded by the Rutgers University-Camden Graduate School and the Department of Public Policy and Administration.

Master of Science (M.S.) in Public Affairs, with a Concentration in Community Development

M.S. students in public affairs may be eligible for the following awards:

Trustee Fellowship in the Humanities and Social Sciences.  For a student representing a diversity population and pursuing a master's degree likely to lead to a Ph.D. in the same field.; includes tuition remission and a stipend.

Hazel Vera Dean Fellowship.  Awarded to one graduate student who is a New Jersey resident and who demonstrates financial need.

Bunche Fellowship.  Two Bunche Fellowships are awarded campuswide to incoming, full-time graduate students representing a diversity population. The fellowship includes a stipend plus tuition remission, with a possible reappointment for a second year of study.