Tuition and Financial Support

PhD Support Packages

All full-time students in Applied Mathematics receive a full support package and are guaranteed five years of funding, subject to satisfactory academic progress. Upon availability, students in their sixth year are also funded. CAM does not admit students who are self-funded. Please contact the CAM office for any questions or clarifications.

It is important to note that while students are guaranteed funding for five years, the form of support may vary. Due to CAM's interdisciplinary nature and faculty field structure, the actual dollars of guaranteed support often come from different departments across campus. This arrangement allows students to work closely with faculty, lab clusters, and students from different disciplines while still maintaining a home in CAM. For example, a student may hold a Teaching Assistant (TA) position for two years in Math, a Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) position for two years in Computer Science and a final year be on a Graduate School fellowship. While the funding comes from different sources, the student has received the guaranteed five years of support.

All full-time students receive a support package that includes the following:

Tuition

Fall and spring tuition is directly paid by the department supporting the student. The student is not responsible for any charge or duty in this process. The current tuition amount can be found on the Graduate School web site.

Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP)

The SHIP premium is paid on a yearly basis by the department(s) supporting the student. The student is not responsible for any charge or duty in the process. Information may be found on the SHIP web site. Please note that only the student's health plan is covered in the support package. Spousal/family insurance is available, but is the responsibility of the student. The student is also responsible for any copays or deductibles incurred as a result of using services while on the plan.

Stipend

All full-time students receive a competitive academic year stipend. Payment amounts vary according to the funding source, as does the payment schedule. All admitted students are informed of the amount of funding (pre-tax) for their first year in their admission letter. Subsequent years of funding may increase or decrease depending on the funding source. The amount you receive after taxes depends on your individual circumstances. All international students are required to obtain an American social security card directly after having arrived in the United States in order to receive their stipend. Cornell University also offers free direct deposit into your bank account.

Summer Funding

There is no tuition charged if a student enrolls in research over the summer (June-August). However, the student is responsible for tuition if they enroll in a class and are expecting to receive a residency unit. All PhD students at Cornell are guaranteed summer funding while working with a faculty member as a GRA or TA. If not working with faculty over the summer, many CAM students obtain internships with in various industries. 

Conference and Travel Grants

The Graduate School offers limited funding for presenting at conferences or undertaking research in other locations. Please refer to the Graduate School web site for details and procedures.

Computer/Printer Access

CAM has several shared workstations in Rhodes 657 that have relevant software. Color and black and white printers are also available on the shared workstations. Students also have access to other computers in computer labs on campus, and especially Rhodes Hall. Print jobs with more difficult requirements can be accommodated by working with departmental staff.

Work Space

Each student is guaranteed an individual cubicle in a shared work space environment. This set up allows for more collaboration and mentoring among students while giving a space to work and store your materials.

Funding Sources

There are typically three types of funding sources: fellowships, Teaching Assistantships (TA), and Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA). All three cover the above components described in a support package. However, stipend amounts and payment schedules will vary.

Fellowships

Fellowships are highly desirable because they do not carry an extra work/effort requirement. There are numerous types of fellowships available, with most being competitive. There exists a number of fellowships awarded by external to Cornell organizations, such as National Science Foundation, Departments of Energy, Defense and Homeland Security, and others. CAM awards the prestigious Presidential fellowship to two new students every year at the discretion of the Admissions Committee. The Cornell Graduate School also offers a number of fellowships according to certain criteria. Whenever possible, the Admissions Committee (for new students) and CAM faculty and advisors (for current students) nominate appropriate candidates for these competitive fellowships. Fellowship stipends are typically paid in two lump sums divided between the Fall and Spring semesters.

Teaching Assistantships (TA)

A TA is responsible for assisting a faculty member in administering a class. Duties could include grading, managing a course web site, leading discussion sections, holding office hours, etc. There is a maximum limit to the number of hours a student can be expected to devote to their duties. Please consult the Cornell Policy on Graduate Assistantships for further details and expectations. TA positions are a very valuable piece of a student's experience. Being a TA helps reinforce knowledge of material and is a very attractive item to colleges and universities when considering job applicants in academia, especially for tenure track positions. While TA positions require additional work, they have a large payoff and many students very much enjoy helping others learn and become more confident in mathematics. Stipends are typically paid in bi weekly paychecks.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

A GRA position allows a student to undertake research under the direction of a faculty member, usually the Committee Chair. Such a position allows a student to gain invaluable research experience that is helpful for their dissertation research and for finding a research or academic oriented position after earning the PhD. Stipends are typically paid in bi weekly paychecks.