funded phd computer science

Fully Funded PhD Programs in Computer Science

Last updated August 9, 2022

In the follow-up to my article on How To Fully Fund Your PhD , here is a list of universities that offer fully funded PhD programs in Computer Science. If you are seeking funding for your doctoral studies, finding and entering a PhD program that offers full funding to incoming doctoral students is more achievable than winning a competitive, external doctoral fellowship. When a doctoral program indicates that they provide full funding to their Ph.D. students, in most cases this means they provide each admitted student full tuition and a stipend for living expenses for the three to five-year duration of the student’s doctoral studies. Not all universities provide full funding to their doctoral students, which is why I recommend researching the financial aid offerings of all the potential Ph.D. programs in your academic field, including small and lesser-known schools both in the U.S. and abroad.

Below is a list of universities that offer full funding to all of the admitted students for their PhD programs in computer science, computer engineering, and computer graphics.

Would you like to receive the full list of more than 1000+ fully funded programs in 60 disciplines? Download the FREE Directory of Fully Funded Graduate Programs and Full Funding Awards !

1. Brown University, PhD in Computer Science

(Providence, RI): Provided a student is in good academic standing, Brown guarantees five years of financial support, and students are typically funded through to completion.

2. Columbia University, Department of Computer Science

(New York, NY): Most admitted students receive full financial support through Graduate Research Assistantships or Teaching Assistantships, which consist of a monthly stipend plus full tuition exemption

3. Cornell University, PhD in Computer Science

(Ithaca, NY): There are three types of funding available that are awarded to our best applicants. Each of them includes a full tuition waiver, an academic year stipend, and a Student Health Insurance package provided through the University.

4. Duke University, Department of Computer Science

(Durham, NC): Typically, Ph.D. students receive full funding for their graduate studies, including tuition, fees, insurance, and stipend. Stipend support comes in the form of graduate fellowship, teaching assistantship, or research assistantship.

5. Georgetown University, Department of Computer Science

(Washington, DC): Doctoral students have full support during the academic year through scholarships and research assistantships.

6. Harvard University, School of Engineering and Applied Science

(Boston, MA): All students admitted to our Ph.D. program receive full financial support. This includes tuition, fees, and a cost-of-living stipend.

7. Stanford University, PhD in Computer Science

(Stanford, CA): The department funds the Ph.D. candidates for the first quarter, after which he is expected to find an advisor, who usually funds them for the rest of their stay at Stanford.

8. University of Maryland-Max Planck PhD Program in Computer Science

(College Park, MD, and Berlin, Germany): Admitted students receive full financial support throughout the program, including during summers. Admission and funding info is here

9. University of Michigan, PhD in Computer Science and Engineering

(Ann Arbor, MI): The College of Engineering at the University of Michigan operates under a fully funded model for all Ph.D. students. Students receive a guarantee of full funding at the point of admission and throughout the duration of their five-year program.

10. University of Toronto, Department of Computer Science

(Toronto, Canada): The Department of Computer Science will ensure that all full-time M.Sc. and Ph.D degree graduate students receive financial support to at least the basic departmental level, provided that they are making satisfactory progress in their graduate program.

11. Washington University in St. Louis, PhD in Computer Science or Computer Engineering

(St. Louis, MO): Our PhD students are fully funded, including full tuition support and health insurance. As a doctoral candidate, you will also receive a generous stipend to cover living expenses and a new, high-end Apple laptop computer.

12. Fordham University

(New York, NY): With guaranteed support for five years, accepted students will have the opportunity to find their focus area while building a strong foundation across computer science fields and becoming grounded in computer science pedagogy.

13 University of Surrey

(Surrey, United Kingdom): Studentships are available for the duration of 3.5 years (or 7 years at 50% time) in all areas of its research portfolio, which includes cybersecurity and cryptography, distributed and concurrent systems, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. UKRI stipends £16,062 plus £3,000 per annum for full-time students; 50% of these amounts are for part-time students. Tuition fees are also covered.

14 Dalhousie University

(Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada): PhD students making satisfactory progress are fully funded for tuition and school fees, plus a minimum of $18,000 per year for at least four years. This funding commitment includes a requirement to be a teaching assistant for two terms each year.

15. University of Washington

(Seattle, WA): The Allen School provides every student accepted to their Ph.D. program with full financial support in the form of teaching and research assistantships or fellowships, from program inception to degree.

16. Johns Hopkins University

(Baltimore, Maryland): All full-time CS PhD students in good academic standing are guaranteed full funding. This includes a yearly stipend of approximately $37,333, tuition, and health insurance. Our students are primarily funded on research assistantships, with some amount of time on teaching assistantships.

17. Carnegie Mellon University

(Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania): All applicants admitted to the doctoral program receive full financial support. The department will also supplement the stipends of students with an outside fellowship to meet the stipends of students with internal funding.

18. University of British Columbia

( Vancouver ,  BC   Canada): Ph.D. students in good standing each receive $24,000 per year based on a combination of teaching and/or research duties and the Tuition Fee Award. Support is generally guaranteed for the first 60 months of the program, contingent on the student’s satisfactory performance in his or her assigned tasks.

19. University of Colorado Boulder

(Boulder, CO): Research-based MS students may transfer to the Ph.D. program at any time during their academic career at CU Boulder. All Ph.D. students in the department receive 100% funding through assistantships, fellowships, and faculty research grants.

20. Northeastern University

(Boston, Massachusetts): All students admitted to the Computer Science PhD programs receive a 5-year scholarship. This takes two forms: a 5-year graduate assistantship, or a 1-year graduate fellowship with a 4-year graduate assistantship. These scholarships provide tuition remission of up to 12 credit hours each fall and spring term, and health insurance is also covered.

21. Baylor University

(Waco, Texas): Most students finish their doctoral program within 5 years. Nearly all incoming doctoral students receive full tuition support, subsidized health insurance, and a multi-year stipend assistantship by working as Graduate assistants.

22. University of Iowa

(Iowa City, Iowa): All the PhD students receive teaching or research assistantships that fully cover tuition and additionally provide a stipend for living expenses. This support is guaranteed for a minimum of four years, given good academic standing. Several scholarships and fellowships are also available for graduate students of the Computer Science Department.

23. University of South Florida

(Tampa, FL): The Department offers financial help and almost all the Ph.D. students are covered by financial aid in one form or another. They always have new assistantships (TA/RA) for new Ph.D. students entering the Department. It comes with a stipend ranging from $15,000 to $20,000 plus a tuition waiver.

24. University of Illinois

(Urbana, IL): Ph.D. students, with very few exceptions, are funded by a research or a teaching assistantship. These provide a stipend and a full tuition waiver. Applicants to Illinois Computer Science graduate programs are automatically considered for fellowships based on the strength of their application materials.

25. University of Texas at San Antonio

(San Antonio, TX): Program applicants will automatically be considered for scholarships, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships.  Support for a typical Ph.D. student offers financial compensation of $18,000 or more per year (12 months) in addition to covering tuition and fees.

26. Brandeis University

(Waltham, Massachusetts): Each applicant to the PhD programs will be automatically considered for a full-tuition scholarship, plus a stipend. Funding includes a competitive fellowship, a full-tuition scholarship, and health insurance benefits for five years.

27. Old Dominion University

(Norfolk, Virginia): Most Ph.D. students are guaranteed $18,000 with the possibility of receiving $21,000 with a 100% tuition waiver by a Graduate Research Assistantships, or Graduate Teaching Assistantships. During the Summer, the CS department will provide $3,000 of support.

28. University of Michigan-Dearborn

(Dearborn, MI): All Ph.D. students receive guaranteed full funding for up to five years based on continued good academic standing and adequate progress towards the Ph.D. degree. Funding is provided in the form of an appointment as a Graduate Student Instructor (GSI), Research Assistant (GSRA), or a combination of both which covers: a monthly stipend, health insurance, and tuition waiver.

29. University of Massachusetts Amherst

(Amherst, MA): The Ph.D. program provides assistantships for students during their first full year and during each academic semester following the first year. The assistantship provides a tuition waiver and a 95% discount on the UMass Amherst health insurance plan. The stipends for the academic year 2019-2020 were $34,850.00 for 12-month appointments.

30. Rutgers University

(Piscataway, New Jersey): The department typically provides Ph.D. students with financial support in the form of teaching assistantships, fellowships, or grant-funded research assistantships. This includes a stipend for living expenses, health insurance, and tuition remission.  Financial support is typically guaranteed for the first two years and a student can expect it to be extended to the following three years.

31. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

(Troy, New York): Most CS graduate students receive financial support as teaching or research assistants. These assistantships provide both tuition and a stipend and guarantee funds for the duration of the Ph.D. studies. In addition, there are a limited number of fellowships for outstanding applicants.

For application tips on applying to a PhD program, see  How To Get Into a Fully Funded PhD Program: Contacting Potential PhD Advisors .

Sign up to check our fellowship database to learn about other opportunities to fund graduate and doctoral studies.

© Victoria Johnson 2020, all rights reserved.

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Computer Science Fellowships , Fully Funded PhD Programs , PhD in Computer Science

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A summer fellowship for puerto rico’s future, 7 thoughts on “fully funded phd programs in computer science”.

hi, thanks for sharing but they are all top universities in US which admission is not easy do you have any idea if there is a medium university offering full found in PhD CS

yep its cool but i come from eritrea and i dont really think i can compete to get into these universities.. if u have any other universities contact me through [email protected]

Has this list been updated recently? This is two years old and I was just wondering if it has been updated.

Hi Nita, yes, we review and update these articles regularly. I added an update date today (great idea!)

I am looking for fully funded Phd Computer Science studentships where I can carry out research in the domains of digital forensics and cyber security.

Hi Joseph, you can generally do this in any Computer Science PhD program, however the key is to identify universities that have faculty who have done research on this topic. Please see my article: https://www.profellow.com/tips/how-to-get-into-a-fully-funded-phd-program-contacting-potential-phd-advisors/

I am looking for fully funded Phd program in cyber security, preferably USA, any recommendations of Universities offering fully funded programs, my background is Computer Engineering.

Comments are closed.

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College of Arts & Sciences

Apply for Fully-Funded Ph.D. Positions in Computer Science starting in Fall 2024

The Department of Computer Science at Georgetown University is seeking applications for several fully-funded Ph.D. positions in the following broad areas, starting in Fall 2024:

• Security, Privacy and Cryptography
• Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Information Retrieval
• Theoretical Computer Science
• Systems, Networking, and Architecture

Students with interdisciplinary research interests may add a concentration in Cognitive Science in combination with one of the above research areas.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree from an accredited academic institution in computer science, computer engineering, information science, electrical engineering, or a closely related field. 
• Candidates with strong programming skills are especially encouraged to apply.
• Candidates with strong mathematics and/or statistics backgrounds are especially encouraged to apply.

About Georgetown University

Georgetown University is a private institution located in the heart of Washington, D.C., Founded in 1789. Georgetown University is a prestigious university ranked #22 in the 2024 U.S. News Best National Universities.

Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Affirmative Action (IDEAA)

Georgetown University provides educational opportunities without regard to, and does not discriminate on the basis of, age, color, disability, family responsibilities, familial status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, personal appearance, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, source of income, veteran’s status or any other factor prohibited by law in its educational programs and activities.  Inquiries regarding Georgetown University’s non-discrimination policy may be addressed to Institutional Diversity, Equity & Affirmative Action, 37th and O Sts., N.W., Suite M36, Darnall Hall, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. 20057.

How to Apply

• December 15, 2023 (preferred deadline)
• January 15, 2024 (final deadline)
• How to apply to Georgetown: https://grad.georgetown.edu/admissions/application-procedures/
• Information for international applicants:  https://grad.georgetown.edu/admissions/admissions-faq/#international-applicant-questions 
• Where to submit application: Application Website
• GRE is not required and will not be used for admission decisions. 
• If the application fee presents a financial hardship for you, contact  [email protected]  to request an application fee waiver (a limited amount of fee waivers are available on a first-come, first-serve basis).

More Information

• Overview of Georgetown’s CS Ph.D. program (including course and degree requirements): https://cs.georgetown.edu/academics/phd/  
• Link to the research labs: https://cs.georgetown.edu/computer-science-research/

Research-related questions: email faculty directly

General Inquiries about Ph.D. Admission: [email protected]

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Computer Science Ph.D. Program

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The Cornell Ph.D. program in computer science is consistently ranked among the top six departments in the country, with world-class research covering all of computer science. Our computer science program is distinguished by the excellence of the faculty, by a long tradition of pioneering research, and by the breadth of its Ph.D. program. Faculty and Ph.D. students are located both in Ithaca and in New York City at the Cornell Tech campus . The Field of Computer Science also includes faculty members from other departments (Electrical Engineering, Information Science, Applied Math, Mathematics, Operations Research and Industrial Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Computational Biology, and Architecture) who can supervise a student's Ph.D. thesis research in computer science.

Over the past years we've increased our strength in areas such as artificial intelligence, computer graphics, systems, security, machine learning, and digital libraries, while maintaining our depth in traditional areas such as theory, programming languages and scientific computing.  You can find out more about our research here . 

The department provides an exceptionally open and friendly atmosphere that encourages the sharing of ideas across all areas. 

Cornell is located in the heart of the Finger Lakes region. This beautiful area provides many opportunities for recreational activities such as sailing, windsurfing, canoeing, kayaking, both downhill and cross-country skiing, ice skating, rock climbing, hiking, camping, and brewery/cider/wine-tasting. In fact, Cornell offers courses in all of these activities.

The Cornell Tech campus in New York City is located on Roosevelt Island.  Cornell Tech  is a graduate school conceived and implemented expressly to integrate the study of technology with business, law, and design. There are now over a half-dozen masters programs on offer as well as doctoral studies.

FAQ with more information about the two campuses .

Ph.D. Program Structure

Each year, about 30-40 new Ph.D. students join the department. During the first two semesters, students become familiar with the faculty members and their areas of research by taking graduate courses, attending research seminars, and participating in research projects. By the end of the first year, each student selects a specific area and forms a committee based on the student's research interests. This “Special Committee” of three or more faculty members will guide the student through to a Ph.D. dissertation. Ph.D. students that decide to work with a faculty member based at Cornell Tech typically move to New York City after a year in Ithaca.

The Field believes that certain areas are so fundamental to Computer Science that all students should be competent in them. Ph.D. candidates are expected to demonstrate competency in four areas of computer science at the high undergraduate level: theory, programming languages, systems, and artificial intelligence.

Each student then focuses on a specific topic of research and begins a preliminary investigation of that topic. The initial results are presented during a comprehensive oral evaluation, which is administered by the members of the student's Special Committee. The objective of this examination, usually taken in the third year, is to evaluate a student's ability to undertake original research at the Ph.D. level.

The final oral examination, a public defense of the dissertation, is taken before the Special Committee.

To encourage students to explore areas other than Computer Science, the department requires that students complete an outside minor. Cornell offers almost 90 fields from which a minor can be chosen. Some students elect to minor in related fields such as Applied Mathematics, Information Science, Electrical Engineering, or Operations Research. Others use this opportunity to pursue interests as diverse as Music, Theater, Psychology, Women's Studies, Philosophy, and Finance.

The computer science Ph.D. program complies with the requirements of the Cornell Graduate School , which include requirements on residency, minimum grades, examinations, and dissertation.

The Department also administers a very small 2-year Master of Science program (with thesis). Students in this program serve as teaching assistants and receive full tuition plus a stipend for their services.

Graduate Programs

Computer science.

Working with faculty who are leaders in the field, our Ph.D. students conduct cutting-edge research, earning prestigious fellowships and awards. After graduation, they contribute widely to science, learning, culture and their communities.

Brown's Computer Science Ph.D. program offers one of the best environments for research and education in computer science. The faculty, consisting of world leaders in their research areas, has grown steadily in number over the years. The program offers a wide variety of research options in both established and emerging areas of the discipline, and seeks out Brown's many opportunities for multidisciplinary research. Ph.D. candidates can earn a master's degree on the way to completing the Ph.D., but students admitted for a terminal master's degree cannot automatically transition to Ph.D. candidacy.

Additional Resources

The Department of Computer Science provides leading–edge computing technology to all its students. PhD students' offices are very similar to those of faculty, with windows overlooking the campus and surrounding area. Students also have access to compute clusters and labs.

Application Information

Application requirements, gre subject:.

Not required

GRE General:

Dates/deadlines, application deadline, completion requirements.

Eight courses satisfying distribution requirements, major and minor course sequences, programming comprehensive examination and research project by the end of the second year in residence, dissertation proposal, and dissertation.

Alumni Careers

Contact and Location

Department of computer science, mailing address.

• Program Faculty
• Program Handbook
• Graduate School Handbook

Computer Science

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Computer Science is an area of study within the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Prospective students apply through Harvard Griffin GSAS; in the online application, select “Engineering and Applied Sciences” as your program choice and select "PhD Computer Science" in the Area of Study menu.

In the Computer Science program, you will learn both the fundamentals of computation and computation’s interaction with the world. Your work will involve a wide range of areas including theoretical computer science, artificial intelligence and machine learning, economics and computer science, privacy and security, data-management systems, intelligent interfaces, operating systems, computer graphics, computational linguistics, robotics, networks, architectures, program languages, and visualization.

You will be involved with researchers in several interdisciplinary initiatives across the University, such as the Center for Research on Computation and Society, the Institute for Applied Computational Science, the Data Science Initiative, and the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society.

Examples of projects current and past students have worked on include leveraging machine learning to solve real-world sequential decision-making problems and using artificial intelligence to help conservation and anti-poaching efforts around the world.

Graduates of the program have gone on to a range of careers in industry in companies like Riot Games as game directors and lead scientists at Raytheon. Others have positions in academia at University of Pittsburgh, Columbia, and Stony Brook.

Standardized Tests

GRE General:  Not Accepted

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Questions about the program.