Financial Support for Students with Children

On this page:

• ​​Resources for Parents 
• Family Expenses 
• Child Subsidy Benefit for Harvard Griffin GSAS PhD Student Parents 
• Parental Accommodation and Financial Support (PAFS) 
• Winkler Fund for Parents 

Resources for Parents 

Many graduate students are accompanied by their spouses, domestic partners, and children. Harvard Griffin GSAS maintains policies and provides access to resources that help balance family needs with the demands of graduate study, information on which can be found on the "Support for Harvard Griffin GSAS Student Parents" web page. 

Students with external awards should contact their funding agencies for information about possible parental accommodations or funding. Students funded by government grants or other external sources are subject to the policies established by their funding agencies.  

Students may explore additional financial resources outlined on this page. As with all other stipends, the funding listed on this page is considered taxable income. For more information, please consult the "Taxes" section of the Harvard Griffin GSAS website. 

Family Expenses 

If you plan to bring your family, it is important to understand how additional family expenses will impact your budget and expected resources. Most financial aid sources have limitations on whether family expenses can be included when determining eligibility.  

It is critical to plan ahead to ensure that you have sufficient resources to cover these costs. The chart below provides an estimate of the resources needed to support a spouse, partner, or dependent children. Keep in mind that this is a general budget, and your personal expenses may be higher or lower, but it is a helpful place to start when developing your own budget.

Estimated 2026–27 Living Expenses Budget for Families (assuming off-campus) 

Child Subsidy Benefit for Harvard Griffin GSAS PhD Student Parents 

Student parents enrolled in PhD programs at Harvard Griffin GSAS are eligible for a child subsidy benefit. The subsidy is intended to help offset costs associated with raising children while enrolled in a PhD program. This benefit is separate from and in addition to the Parental Accommodation and Financial Support (PAFS) program, which provides support following the birth or adoption of a child. 

Funding Amounts  

• Funding is awarded in two cycles (fall and spring), and the amount awarded is based on the number of children under the age of 18. 
  • Students with one child are eligible to receive $3,250 per cycle (fall and spring), for a maximum award of $6,500 for the academic year. 
  • Students with two children are eligible to receive $3,750 per cycle (fall and spring), for a maximum award of $7,500 for the academic year. 
  • Students with three or more children are eligible to receive $4,250 per cycle (fall and spring), for a maximum award of $8,500 for the academic year. 
• Students are expected to be enrolled for the entire length of the cycle in which they receive this funding. Changes in enrollment status may impact eligibility and necessitate repayment of all or a portion of benefits paid prior to changes in enrollment.   

Eligibility Criteria 

Enrollment

• Students must be enrolled full-time in a PhD program and be making satisfactory academic progress to be eligible.   
• Students with a registration status of Leave of Absence or Studying at Another Harvard School are not eligible to receive this funding. 
• November degree students are not eligible to receive fall cycle funding. 
• February degree students are not eligible to receive spring cycle funding. 
• Students who have received a Dissertation Completion Fellowship (DCF) in a prior year are generally not eligible for this funding. 
  • Exceptions may be approved by appeal, provided that a student is making good academic progress with a clear plan to complete their degree. Students should reach out to their financial aid officer to discuss this exception. 
• Students past their G10 year are generally not eligible for this funding. 
  • On rare occasions, exceptions may be approved by appeal provided that a student is making good academic progress with a clear plan to complete their degree. Students should reach out to their financial aid officer to discuss this exception. 

Financial Need

• Eligibility includes a financial need threshold that must not be exceeded.  
• Students whose total family income, including income from a spouse, partner, or any parent of their children, from all sources (taxable and untaxed), exceeds $200,000 are ineligible for this award. 
  • Income from all parents of the child or children should be considered when determining whether the threshold is exceeded.
  • The most recently completed tax year should be used to calculate family income for this threshold (tax year 2025 for fall 2026 awards and tax year 2026 for spring 2027 awards).
• Students whose total family assets, including assets held by a spouse, partner, or any parent of their children, excluding equity in a primary residence, exceed $500,000 are ineligible for this award. 
  • Assets from all parents of the child or children should be considered and include savings accounts, investment accounts, retirement accounts, trusts, equity in nonprimary residences, and equity in businesses.
  • Students who exceed the family income or asset threshold should not apply for this funding.

Family Circumstances

• Students must have at least one child under 18 as of the application deadline to be eligible for funds in a given applicable cycle. 
• If both parents of a child are enrolled at Harvard Griffin GSAS, only one parent may receive the funding. 
• The Child Subsidy Benefit can be used for any child-related expenses a student may have.  
  • This is not a subsidy to be used exclusively to pay for childcare, nor is it a reimbursement program. 
  • No receipts will be collected.
• Students can receive PAFS funding and the Harvard Griffin GSAS Child Subsidy Benefit simultaneously. 
  • PAFS funding is a one-time benefit available at the time of the birth of a new child. This benefit is administered by the Office of Student Affairs. 
  • The Child Subsidy Benefit is a semiannual benefit administered by the Office of Financial Aid.

Application Process & Logistics

• All PhD students will receive an email when each application cycle opens. This communication will contain a link to the application form. 
  • Eligible students must apply in every application cycle via the online application form to be considered for this funding. 
  • Applications are reviewed twice per academic year, in the fall and spring, and students may receive funds in both cycles.  
  • The child subsidy benefit is paid on the stipend payroll on or around the first of the month in November and April.   
  • More information about stipend payments, direct deposit, and income tax obligations can be found on the "Stipends" web page of the Harvard Griffin GSAS website and on the Student Financial Services web page.    
  • We encourage you to elect direct deposit to ensure efficient and prompt receipt of this funding. 
• Generally, students should submit their complete application before the application deadline to be considered for funding. 
  • Students who welcome new children after the application deadline for the current cycle and before the next cycle begins are still eligible to apply and should email the Office of Financial Aid to request a late application.
  • Only applications received within the stated coverage period for each cycle (see timeline and coverage periods below) can be considered. 
    • The child subsidy benefit cannot be paid retroactively for prior cycles or academic years. 

Application Timeline for 2026–2027

Fall Cycle (Covers September 2, 2026–January 24, 2027)

• September 14, 2026 – Application opens. 
• October 11, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. – Application deadline. 
• Week of October 19, 2026 – Students will receive notification of award decisions. 
• November 1, 2026 – Students receive the stipend payment for the fall cycle. 

Spring Cycle (Covers January 25–August 31, 2027)

• February 15, 2027 – Application opens. 
• March 7, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. – Application deadline. 
• Week of March 22, 2027 – Students will receive notification of the awards. 
• April 1, 2027 – Students receive stipend payment for the spring cycle. 

Parental Accommodation and Financial Support (PAFS) 

Students of all gender identities enrolled in Harvard Griffin GSAS PhD programs are eligible for the Parental Accommodation and Financial Support (PAFS) program following a childbirth or adoption event, which provides a one-time supplemental stipend and academic adjustments. Details about the program and how to participate can be found on the "Support for Harvard Griffin GSAS Student Parents" web page. Students should reach out to the student-parent resource coordinators in advance of the birth of the child. 

The Office of Financial Aid collaborates with the student-parent resource coordinators to distribute the one-time supplemental stipend payment to eligible Harvard Griffin GSAS PhD students. For the 2026–2027 academic year, the award amount is $7,484. 

Winkler Fund for Parents 

Student parents of all gender identities enrolled in Harvard Griffin GSAS PhD programs are eligible to apply for support from the Winkler Fund for Parents. The Winkler Fund may provide stipend support to help students with the additional costs associated with raising children under 18. Students must be enrolled full-time in a PhD program and making satisfactory academic progress. Students post-DCF or beyond the G10 year may not be eligible for Winkler funding. Contact your financial aid officer if you have questions. 

Eligibility for the Winkler Fund is based on financial need and is subject to the availability of funding. Successful applicants typically demonstrate annual household income below $100,000. Priority is given to single parents and single-income households. Average award amounts range from $2,000 to $6,000 per year. 

Applications for the 2026-2027 academic year have closed. Applications for the 2027–2028 academic year open on March 15, 2027, in CARAT. All applications are due by May 15, 2027. Please complete the required budget form and upload it to your Winkler Fund application in CARAT. 

Winkler Budget Worksheet