The supplemental Top Up stipend no longer requires students to hold teaching appointments in order to receive the award. PhD students in the humanities and social science programs of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences are eligible to receive four terms of the Top Up stipend for use between the departmental G3 and G6 years. Students in the East Asian languages and civilizations program have three terms of eligibility for the Top Up stipend. The award stipend will pay $7,483 per term for the 2025-26 academic year.
Students can use their Top Up stipend to supplement teaching sections, research funding, traveling fellowships, research assistantships, or other income sources that support their academic progress and align with the GSAS employment policy. The Top Up stipend allows students to supplement their primary income source in the chosen term(s). Students supported by research or traveling fellowships should confirm that the fellowship terms allow for combination with other stipend funding. Students will be awarded the Top Up stipend in the G3 and G4 years. Students may decline use of the Top Up stipend in the Student Aid Portal and defer the use of the award to a term no later than the end of the departmental G6 year. Students in the Education program must use the Top Up stipend in the G3 and G4 years, and students in the Public Policy program must use the Top Up stipend by the end of the G5 year.
For questions about your Top Up stipend, please consult your financial aid officer.