Graduate Recruitment Fellowships
Please note that the terms, benefits, timeline, and all other logistics of this fellowship are currently under review by the University Graduate School Bloomington (UGS) in consultation with campus partners. Finalized details, including the fellowship’s timeline and structure, will be communicated to all campus units promptly in Fall 2025.
As part of our Student Opportunity and Success initiative, University Graduate School’s recruitment fellowships provide financial support that enables students to focus on their research, deepen their engagement with their academic discipline, and contribute to IU’s vibrant intellectual community. Aligned with the Student Success pillar of the IU’s Strategic Plan 2030, these awards offer a competitive package that allows fellows to fully dedicate themselves to their graduate training without financial barriers.
Departments may nominate up to 4 students in total for all of the following recruitment fellowships. In nominating a student, the department commits to providing academic and research mentorship, supporting professional development, and facilitating access to funding opportunities that promote academic excellence. Additionally, recruitment funds are available to support prospective fellows’ visits to Bloomington.
We encourage departments to structure their funding as follows:
- M.F.A. students: Three-year packages.
- Ph.D. students (entering with a master’s degree): Four-year packages.
- Ph.D. students (entering with a bachelor’s degree): Five-year packages.
Early Deadline: Friday, January 16, 2026
Late Deadline: Friday, February 20, 2026
Graduate Fellowship for Academic Excellence
The Graduate Fellowship for Academic Excellence is Indiana University Bloomington’s premier multi-year funding award designed to recruit and support exceptional graduate students pursuing an M.F.A. or Ph.D. degree. This fellowship reflects IU’s commitment to academic excellence, opportunity, and student success, ensuring that the most promising scholars have the resources needed to launch and sustain their graduate education.
Fellowship Structure and Benefits
This multi-year fellowship provides a combination of direct financial support and departmental funding to ensure sustained success throughout the student’s academic journey.
- One year is fully funded by the University Graduate School Bloomington (UGS), with no service obligations beyond continued academic progress. During this year, fellows receive:
- A stipend of $30,000.
- Subsidized health insurance provided by UGS.
- Tuition and fee remission provided by the department, college, or school.
- For the remaining 2–4 years, financial support is provided by the student’s home department, which may consist of:
- Research or teaching assistantships (AIship, RAship, GAship).
- Departmental awards, scholarships, or external research funding.
- Tuition remission and subsidized health insurance.
- Opportunity to participate in mentoring workshops in the Graduate Mentoring Center and the Preparing Future Faculty and Professionals Program
- Possibility for expenses to be paid to attend the Institute for Teaching and Mentoring, up to 3 years.