Contact the NAU Graduate College
Presidential Fellowship Program
Northern Arizona University launched the Presidential Fellowship Program (PFP) in 2015 to provide generous support packages to highly qualified incoming Ph.D. students. The fellowship awards consist of a graduate assistantship stipend, a supplemental fellowship stipend, full tuition remission, major medical insurance benefits, and annual professional development funding. Awards are renewable for up to four years.
Academically outstanding students, who are considering a Ph.D. program at NAU, are encouraged to submit admission materials as early as possible to be eligible for this fellowship program. NAU faculty members may nominate top students to receive fellowships following receipt and review of an early application, an interview, and acceptance into a Ph.D. program.
Fellows receive:
- Stipends totaling $23,000 or higher
- Professional development opportunities
- Additional funding to support research, equipment needs, or conference presentation travel
- Full tuition remission and major medical insurance with their full-time assistantship
Qualified Ph.D. programs Accordion Closed
- Applied Linguistics: Department of English
- Applied Physics and Materials Science: College of Engineering, Informatics, and Applied Sciences
- Astronomy and Planetary Sciences: Department of Physics and Astronomy
- Bioengineering: Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Biology: Department of Biological Sciences
- Curriculum and Instruction: Department of Educational Specialties
- Combined Counseling/School Psychology: Department of Educational Psychology
- Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability: School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability
- Forest Sciences: School of Forestry
- Informatics and Computing: School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems
- Interdisciplinary Health: College of Health and Human Services & College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Mechanical Engineering: Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Political Science : Department of Politics and International Affairs
Faculty nomination process Accordion Closed
To be eligible for a Presidential Fellowship Program nomination, a student:
- Must have applied to a Ph.D. program and gained admission
- Must be awarded a graduate assistantship
- Must provide relevant nationally-normed standardized test scores (GRE, GMAT, etc.), with superior percentile
- Must demonstrate outstanding academic potential based on undergraduate or master’s level academic record
- Other department-specific criteria relevant to decision making
Recruitment travel funding Accordion Closed
The program may also provide $20,000 per year in recruitment funds for departments to bring top students to campus for recruitment visits early in the Fall recruitment cycle. Funding requests open November 1.
Funding may be used for transportation, lodging, and other expenses associated with the recruitment visit. Departments/units may request recruitment travel funds as targeted fellowship-eligible candidates are identified or admitted to NAU. Prospective students must have applied to an eligible Ph.D. program before the program submits a travel request. Travel requests should be submitted via email by the graduate coordinator or department chair.
To request funding for recruitment trips, faculty members, program coordinators, or unit leadership should email the Graduate College at GradAwards@nau.edu. The email should describe the nature of the trip and include an estimate of expenses. Programs will cover expenses, then submit receipts to the Graduate College for reimbursement.