Dean’s Dissertation Completion Fellowship

The Graduate College Dean's Dissertation Completion Fellowship supports PhD students in their penultimate or final year of degree work as they complete their dissertations. The fellowship provides financial support to students whose research and scholarship contribute to their academic fields and the University of Cincinnati. Fellowships are awarded through a competitive selection process. Recipients are recommended by a selection committee, with final award decisions approved by the Graduate College dean. 

For the 2027–28 academic year, the Graduate College anticipates awarding four two-semester fellowships, or an equivalent combination of one- and two-semester fellowships. 

• Stipend: $12,500 per semester, up to $25,000 for two semesters.
• Tuition scholarship: Covers the instructional fee, non-resident surcharge (if applicable), campus life fee and general fee for the funded semester(s).
• Graduate Student Health Insurance Award: Fellows are eligible for the Graduate Student Health Insurance (GSHI) Award, which covers 100% of the single-student UC Student Health Insurance premium.

Eligible students must: 

• Be in the penultimate or final year of their PhD program.
• Have completed all coursework by the beginning of the fall 2027 semester.
• Be sufficiently advanced in their dissertation research and writing to credibly commit to graduating by the end of the fellowship year or the following year, for students funded in their penultimate year.
• Be eligible for fellowship funding under the 174 graduate credit rule.

Each PhD program may nominate up to two students. Nominations are submitted by the graduate program director in consultation with program faculty.

The Dean’s Dissertation Completion Fellowship is nonrenewable and is limited to a maximum of two semesters of funding per student.

Fellows must:

• Register for a minimum of 12 graduate credit hours, exclusive of audits, during each funded semester.
• Not hold teaching or research employment at UC or elsewhere during the fellowship.
• Participate in approved professional development activities each month, with a minimum of four activities per semester. Activities may include:
  • Supporting Graduate College programming as a panelist or speaker.
  • Participate in Preparing Future Faculty events.
  • Creating a professional development workshop in collaboration with Graduate College staff
  • Participating in the annual UC Graduate College Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition as a competitor, preliminary round judge or trainer/coach for students.
  • Serving on a Graduate College committee.
  • Completing another professional development activity approved by the Graduate College program director. 
• Acknowledge the Graduate College Dean's Completion Fellowship in publications resulting from work completed during the fellowship year. 

Each PhD program may nominate up to two students for the 2027-28 academic year.

Nominations must be submitted by the graduate program director or program staff member. Graduate programs interested in nominating a student for the fellowship should visit the Dean’s Dissertation Completion Fellowship page in Bearcats Landing.

Nominations are due by 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, December 1, 2026. Announcement of awardees will be made by Friday, January 22, 2027.

The nomination form requires student information, funding and degree-progress information, and the following materials:

• Recommendation letter from the student’s dissertation chair providing context for the significance of the dissertation work.
• Student curriculum vitae. 
• Dissertation abstract or summary.
• Dissertation impact statement describing the relevance of the student’s research or scholarship to related fields and the contribution the research or scholarship will make. The impact statement should be one to three pages if written or no more than three minutes if submitted as an elevator pitch or 3MT-style video.
• Statement of goals for use of fellowship support during the fellowship year and anticipated timeline for dissertation work and graduation. This statement should be one to three pages.

The impact statement should be written for a non-specialist audience. The selection committee includes members of the UC community from a wide variety of fields. Use accessible language, limit field-specific terminology and define specialized terms when necessary.

Please direct questions to Megan Carroll (carrolm2@ucmail.uc.edu).