Funding

FUNDING OVERVIEW

Funding opportunities are available through the University of Utah’s Graduate School’s Tuition Benefit Program (TBP). The TBP offers eligible students a full tuition waiver, subsidized health insurance, and a yearly stipend based on employment as a Graduate Research Assistant (RA) or Graduate Assistant – Research Focus (GR). The department does not offer Teaching Assistant positions. Students in the PHS program are paid through positions in research groups. 

Applicants who apply to the PhD program in Population Health Sciences are matched with funding during the admissions process. There is not a separate application for funding. All students, including international students, are considered for fully funded positions. 

Due to TBP restrictions, applicants who already hold a PhD or clinical doctorate such as PharmD, DPT, DNP, DDS, or MD are ineligible to participate in the TBP. These applicants will not be considered for financial support.

Annual stipend levels are set by the current NIH pre-doctoral level.

    • Yearly stipend for part-time (20-hours per week): $29,600
      • Students may work up to 40-hours per week over the summer (based on available funding). This increases the yearly stipend to $37,000. 
    • Health, vision and dental insurance. The Graduate Subsidized Health Insurance Program (GSHIP) includes health insurance through United HealthCare Student Resources, and dental and vision insurance through Educators Mutual.
    • Full coverage of tuition (including differential tuition) and mandatory fees for 9-12 graduate credits per semester. 
      • Tuition and fees vary by student status (international, domestic out-of-state, domestic in-state) and credit hours per semester.
    • 15 days of vacation (vacation/personal time must be approved in advanced, preferably with a month’s notice)

PHS Student Funding Policies

  • All students funding follows the University of Utah’s Tuition Benefit Program guidelines. An overview of the guidelines can be found below.
    • Students who are fully funded in the Department of Population Health Sciences fall under the 100% Tuition Benefit Category and are classified as either Graduate Research Assistant (RA) or Graduate Assistant – Research Focus (GR).
  • It is each student's responsibility to be aware TBP requirements and restrictions. Students need to make all changes to their course schedule before the tuition deadline for the given semester. Deadlines can be found on the University of Utah Academic Calendar.
  • Annual renewal of funding is contingent on satisfactory progress in coursework, completing research relevant to a student's degree, and funding availability. Formal renewal will take place during the summer semester.

    • Although funding is renewed annually, students must be entered into the TBP and GSHIP every semester. This means every Fall and Spring semester, students on the TBP must:

      1. Students must meet TBP enrollment and funding eligibility (as detailed below).

      2. Accept or decline enrollment in the GSHIP by completing the Declaration to Accept of Decline Graduate Subsidized Student Health Insurance Form. Only after the PHS Academic Program Manager receives the complete form will students be entered into the TBP.

        • GSHIP enrollment happens before the start of each semester. Students coverage for Fall is from August 16 -  December 31. Spring coverage automatically includes Summer enrollment and runs from January 1 - August 15.

      3. Once a student is entered into the TBP, students must electronically sign their TBP approval. 

        • Students only receive one automated email asking them to sign their TBP approvals. If students are auto forwarding their Umail to an external email, there is a chance that a “no-reply@utah.edu” email will land in a junk folder. Students can go directly into CIS to sign by following this path: CIS > student homepage > tuition & loans > tuition benefit approval, which will be found on the left-hand toolbar.

    Important Reminders:

    • The TBP does not cover differential tuition. However, PHS student faculty mentors cover these charges. This means the PHS Academic Program Manager will enter scholarships to cover the differential tuition balance.

    • GSHIP premiums are billed to a student’s tuition bill. Due to enrollment periods, students are enrolled in GSHIP AFTER the tuition deadline. Specifically, students enrollment in GSHIP happens around the census deadline. 

    • International students are automatically billed for the full amount of student health insurance. International students will not see the GSHIP reduced amount until the census deadline. Please be assured that courses will not be dropped for lack of payment and no late fees should occur (so long as you have paid the international student fee).

    • Students must be registered for at least one course from the time of formal admission through completion of all requirements for the degree (qualification exam, dissertation proposal, or dissertation defense). Students on the TBP should be mindful of TBP restrictions if planning to complete any requirements exam over the Summer semester. Eligible students may use the TBP to help pay for the Summer credit hours, but students must meet all TBP requirements (this includes maintaining .50 TBP and be registered for 9 credit hours). 

  • Students participating in the Tuition Benefit Program (including extended tuition benefit) must meet the following requirements:

    1. Enrolled as full-time, matriculated graduate students in good academic standing
    2. Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0; students on academic probation are not eligible to participate in the Tuition Benefit Program
    3. Full-time student status means registration for a minimum of 9 credit hours during each Fall and Spring semester; full-time Summer enrollment is a minimum of 3 credit hours.
      • This provision does not affect full-time student status definitions or requirements used elsewhere for the purpose of loan repayment, student insurance, or other reporting requirements.
    4. FTE cannot exceed 0.74; this FTE requirement includes all employment at the University of Utah, including hospital & clinics, Huntsman Institute, and athletics division. An FTE of 0.50 is the recommended maximum for 100% tuition benefit, 0.375 for 75% tuition benefit, and 0.25 for 50% tuition benefit.

    Credit hours covered per semester

    • A student participating in tuition benefit for both Fall and Spring semesters may have up to 24 graduate credit hours of tuition benefit available over the academic year (Fall thru Summer semesters). 
      • The 24 credit hours should be split over Fall, Spring and Summer semesters. 
        • For example, a student could potentially enroll in 9 credit hours in Fall semester, and 9 credit hours in Spring semester, leaving 6 credits available for Summer semester.
    1. Tuition benefit does not cover
      1. Fees outside of mandatory fees (specialized program fees, lab fees, course fees, e-book/materials fees, etc.); 
      2. Undergraduate courses;
      3. Repeated courses outside of courses required for degree to be repeated (namely thesis/dissertation credits); 
      4. Enrolled credits more than then maximum coverage of 12 graduate credits;
      5. Non-credit/continuing education courses;
      6. Withdrawn course;
      7. Audited courses;
      8. International student surcharges

    RA 84-Credit Hour Rule

    1. Students who are supported as research assistants (job code 9314) concurrent to the semester(s) in which they have met or exceeded 84 cumulative graduate credit hours will be responsible for the non-resident portion of their tuition bill. 
    2. If the student is eligible for tuition benefit (or XTBP), resident tuition and mandatory fees will continue to be waived.
      1. However, affected students who have completed required coursework may enroll for thesis/dissertation credits only (9 credits – no more, no less) to avoid the non-resident charges.
      2. Departments desiring to cover such non-resident charges should do so through Scholarship Administration.

  • All students receiving a tuition benefit must meet the minimum financial support requirements – through an assistantship and/or fellowship – paid through the University of Utah for each semester in which a benefit is anticipated.

    • Fall 2023/Spring 2024 Minimum Support Requirements:
      • $10,000 per semester: 100% tuition benefit

    Assistantship wages will count toward minimum required tuition benefit support when earned within the following date ranges (please note that the final paycheck of each semesters’ pay periods will fall outside the below ranges):

    • Fall semester: August 16 thru December 31 (9 pay periods)
    • Spring semester: January 1 thru May 15 (9 pay periods)
    • Summer semester: May 16 thru August 15 (6 pay periods)

  • Semester limits for participation in the Tuition Benefit Program are as follows:

    1. Students in a doctoral program who entered with a bachelor’s degree are eligible for up to five years (10 semesters) of tuition benefit support
    2. Students in a doctoral program who also received their first master’s degree at the University of Utah are eligible for up to five years of tuition benefit support (two years for master’s + three additional years for a doctorate)
    3. Students entering a doctoral program with a master’s degree from another university are eligible for up to four years (eight semesters) of tuition benefit support

    Student who already hold a PhD or clinical doctorate such as PharmD, DPT, DNP, DDS, or MD are ineligible to participate in the TBP.

Contact Us

Phone: 801-587-1606
Email: phsphd@hsc.utah.edu

Williams Building, Room 1N490
295 Chipeta Way
Salt Lake City, UT 84108