The Michigan Program in Survey and Data Science offers all admitted students in the PhD program a continuous four-year funding package, including stipend and tuition, plus health and dental insurance. Our graduate students receive a combination of graduate student instructor positions, graduate student research assistant positions, or hourly paid research positions. With this guarantee of support, the program is investing in the potential of a PhD student to contribute basic methodological research to the field and allowing them to nurture and develop their ideas over an extended period of time.
Graduate Student Instructor Positions
The program offers several Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) positions in the Fall and Winter terms. First-year MPSDS students are first considered for these part-time, 20 hours a week, positions. GSIs predominantly have grading duties and assist MPSDS faculty in grading homework, tests, and final exams in their classes.
Graduate Student Research Assistant Positions
Typically, in years two through four, students are offered Graduate Student Research Assistant (GSRA) positions. Graduate students are hired to assist faculty in performing research that is relevant to the faculty member’s academic goals. GSRA positions are non-instructional and are typically supported by existing research contracts.
Additional Funding Options
MPSDS Funding
MPSDS encourages enrolled MPSDS students to share their research and learn from others at conferences around the world. Students may apply for MPSDS travel funding to help cover the cost of travel to attend these conferences that are of direct relevance to their research and training.
- Deadline: Ongoing
- Amount: Up to $600
- Terms and Use: MPSDS students only, one travel grant award (either domestic or international, but not both) during a fiscal year, which runs from July 1 to June 30, based on the start date of the conference.
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The Likert Fund supports MPSDS students to attend conferences that focus on survey and data science through the Conference Travel Award.
- Deadline: 2 months before the conference
- Amount: $300
- Terms and Use: MPSDS students only, one Likert travel award (either domestic or international, but not both) during a fiscal year, which runs from July 1 to June 30, based on the start date of the conference.
- Application
The Rackham Graduate School has allocated an One-Term Dissertation Fellowship per academic year to be awarded to a doctoral student at the program’s discretion.
- Deadline: August 15
- Amount: candidacy tuition and registration fees, plus a stipend (comparable to the GSI/GSRA rate) for one term (Fall, Winter or Spring/Summer). Recipients are also eligible for GradCare health and dental insurance coverage provided by the graduate school during the term of their award. A student may receive only one One-Term Dissertation Fellowship in their student career. The fellowship may not be divided into smaller awards.
- Terms and Use: To be selected a student must be a doctoral candidate and must have created a Rackham approved Dissertation Committee. Except in unusual cases, the fellowship will be awarded to students who are at the writing stage of their dissertation and, in particular, those who apply for this fellowship are in their last term of their degree. Recipients of this award in MPSDS may not be employed during the tenure of the fellowship. Recipients may not hold this award in conjunction with another award.
- Application: Closed for the 2025-26 academic year, but must apply through the program.
MPSDS has allocated one One-Term Dissertation Fellowship per academic year to be awarded to one doctoral student at the program’s discretion.
- Deadline: August 15
- Amount: candidacy tuition and registration fees, plus a stipend (comparable to the GSI/GSRA rate) for one term (Fall, Winter or Spring/Summer). Recipients are also eligible for GradCare health and dental insurance coverage provided by the graduate school during the term of their award. A student may receive only one One-Term Dissertation Fellowship in their student career. The fellowship may not be divided into smaller awards.
- Terms and Use: To be selected a student must be a doctoral candidate and must have created a Rackham approved Dissertation Committee. Except in unusual cases, the fellowship will be awarded to students who are at the writing stage of their dissertation and, in particular, those who apply for this fellowship are in their last term of their degree. Recipients of this award in MPSDS may not be employed during the tenure of the fellowship. Recipients may not hold this award in conjunction with another award.
- Application: Closed for the 2025-26 academic year
The Likert Dissertation Fellowship supports current doctoral students to solely focus on research for their dissertation for one term. The expectation is that the student successfully defends and submits their dissertation to Rackham and demonstrates their scholarly activities by submitting their dissertation work to peer-reviewed journals during the award term.
Eligibility:
- Deadline: August 15
- Amount: tuition, stipend at the current GSI/GSRA rate and Gradcare for one-term.
- Terms and Uses: A doctoral candidate must be enrolled, in good standing and in their last year of doctoral study in Michigan Program in Survey and Data Science (MPSDS).
- Application
This award provides funding to current doctoral students in survey and data science for data collection necessary for their dissertation. The goal of the data collection is to advance publishable contributions to knowledge in fields related to survey and data science.
Eligibility:
- Doctoral students in MPSDS who have successfully completed their dissertation prospectus
- Deadline: Rolling
- Amount: no more than $10,000
- Terms and Uses: A doctoral candidate must be enrolled and in good standing in either the Michigan Program in Survey and Data Science (MPSDS).
ISR Funding
ISR Fellowships and Awards are managed by different Centers within the Institute and have different eligibility, applications, and deadlines. Be sure to see awards offered by the Center for Political Studies, ICPSR Summer Program, Population Studies Center, and Research Center for Group Dynamics at the bottom of their page. Award amounts and terms of use may change marginally prior to applications closing
Rackham Graduate School Funding
The Rackham Predoctoral Fellowship supports outstanding doctoral students who have achieved candidacy and are actively working on dissertation research and writing. Rackham seeks to support students working on dissertations that are unusually creative, ambitious, and impactful.
- Deadline: January 20
- Amount: The fellowship provides three terms of support that may begin with spring/summer or fall term 2026. Rackham Predoctoral Fellows are expected to work full-time toward the completion of degree requirements throughout the period of the award. Fellowships include a stipend of $43,788 (currently), candidacy tuition, and required fees for twelve months. GradCare health and dental insurance will be provided during the fellowship period. Students may receive only one award.
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- Deadline: Ongoing
- Amount: Up to $1,400
- Terms and Use: one travel grant award (either domestic or international, but not both) during a fiscal year, which runs from July 1 to June 30, based on the start date of the conference.
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- Deadline: Rolling basis
- Amount: $1,500 (Precandidate); $3000 (Candidate)
- Terms and Use: Doctoral students are eligible for one award as a Precandidate and another award as a Candidate.
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- Deadline: Reviewed on a weekly basis
- Amount: up to $2,500
- Terms and Use: Master’s students are limited to one emergency fund award during their graduate career.
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- Deadline: various dates
- Amount: up to $150
- Terms and Use: currently enrolled graduate students
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The Rackham Doctoral Intern Fellowship Program allows doctoral candidates to pursue a fully supported internship as part of their graduate training. Internships offer students a mentored experience in non-academic settings that is tailored to meet the needs of partner organizations. This initiative provides a crucial experiential learning opportunity for students, while demonstrating the value of their advanced abilities and knowledge to employers in a wide array of fields.
CEW+
- Deadline: Reviewed on a weekly basis
- Amount: up to $2,500
- Terms and Use: Master’s students are limited to one emergency fund award during their graduate career.
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