The Graduate School is dedicated to ensuring that its scholarly community is enriched by individuals who, through their various backgrounds and life experiences, contribute to an intellectually challenging and inclusive educational environment. Our priorities are to maximize opportunities for disadvantaged and first generation students and to provide students the opportunity to learn in and from an environment that reflects the demographic diversity of our society. To that end, the Graduate School encourages applications from individuals who come from diverse backgrounds and whose academic and research experience and plans will contribute significantly to diversity and academic excellence at the Graduate School.
In support of these objectives, the Graduate School offers a limited number of fellowship and scholarship opportunities on a competitive basis to talented students who apply for the fall term, are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and who demonstrate a commitment to diversity that supports our goals. (1)
(1) These diversity awards are not available to students studying in the NYU Abu Dhabi or NYU Shanghai Ph.D. tracks, or in the GSAS affiliate programs. The following programs are affiliate programs of GSAS: Basic Medical Sciences programs, Environmental Health Sciences, Bioinformatics, and Ergonomics and Biomechanics, housed in the School of Medicine; Cinema Studies and Performance Studies, housed in the Tisch School of the Arts; and programs in Data Science, Institute of Fine Arts, and Institute for the Study of the Ancient World.
Diversity Programs
GSAS Dean’s Doctoral Fellowship
The Dean’s Fellowship provides either four or five years of full-funding fellowship support, consisting of a 12-month stipend; a full tuition scholarship, including registration and services fees; student health insurance; a one-time start-up stipend; a guaranteed spot in the MacCracken Housing Program, if you apply, for your first year of study; and an annual housing subsidy beginning in the second year of study. The Graduate School will award 32 Dean’s Fellowships for fall 2021 admission. The Dean’s Fellowship improves the full-funding MacCracken Fellowship that a student would have already received if admitted to the Ph.D. program.
GSAS Dean’s Master’s Scholarship
The Graduate School awards 10 full tuition awards to new master’s students for fall admission each year. These scholarships include an award for registration and services fees.
Application Process
To apply for an award, you will be asked to submit a Personal History Statement as part of your application for admission. The purpose of the Personal History Statement is to get to know you as an individual and as a potential graduate student, and to understand how your background and/or academic pursuits will contribute to the diversity of our school. You may consider discussing any of the following questions:
- How has your personal background motivated you to pursue a graduate degree? For example, how have educational; familial; cultural; socioeconomic; first-generation college status; racial, ethnic, gender, or other identity; or other personal experiences or challenges affected your decision to pursue graduate education?
- Have you worked in community services or other outreach services that affected your decision to pursue graduate education?
- Do you plan on doing research or working in areas that will serve under-privileged populations, under-represented minorities, or other diverse populations?
- Will your planned studies broaden ways to promote diversity and/or widen our view of diversity?
Award Decision Timeline
Doctoral Fellowship
Awards for the GSAS Dean's Doctoral Fellowship will be announced between March 1 and April 1.
Master's Scholarship
Awards for the GSAS Dean's Master's Scholarship will be announced on a rolling basis between March 1 and May 15.