The Best PhD Scholarships with Upcoming Deadlines

About PhD scholarships

The PhD, also known as the Doctor of Philosophy, is a graduate research degree. It is the highest level of academic qualification awarded by universities in the United States.

Although the name contains the term ‘philosophy,’ a PhD is not exclusively for philosophers. PhD is an abbreviation of the Latin term Philosophiae Doctor, which is connected to its original Greek meaning which means 'lover of wisdom'.

As the name implies, a PhD program will train you to become a researcher. While other doctoral degrees may focus on practice as well as research, the emphasis of a PhD is on academic research and the new knowledge that you can bring to your field of expertise. You can get a PhD in a variety of subjects, including but not limited to science, humanities, business, education, engineering, and law.

A PhD degree is normally obtained after at least 3 years of full-time study and research after earning a master's degree or sometimes just a bachelor's degree. During this time, doctoral students will do research at an accredited university. At the end of their PhD, they will present their doctoral research in the format of a dissertation.

While a PhD is a major achievement, you may be unsure of how to pay tuition. The average annual cost of a PhD is $96,800. The majority of Ph.D. students offset the cost of their degree with teaching and research assistantships, but if you still need help covering some of the tuition and fees that come with a doctoral program, there is plenty of financial aid available, including grants and scholarships that do not have to be repaid.

If you're looking for scholarships to help fund your PhD, you can find a variety of options on Bold.org. On our website, we have a variety of scholarships for graduate students, including PhD and doctoral students. Create a profile and start applying to our scholarships on our website.

What types of scholarships are there for PhD students?

Most scholarships for PhD and doctoral students are either merit-based or need-based scholarships, but some PhD scholarships combine these principles.

Merit-based scholarships are intended to help the most academically able students complete a PhD. To win one of these you need to be amongst the best students who apply, based on your transcripts, GPA, and research experience.

Need-based scholarships are intended to support students whose background or personal circumstances might make it harder for them get a PhD. You might be eligible for one of these if you are from a demographic that is under-represented at the PhD level.

How to qualify for PhD scholarships

Be a PhD Student

In order to get a PhD scholarship, you must be getting your Doctor of Philosophy at an accredited university. PhD students can also qualify for more general scholarships for graduate or doctoral students in addition to PhD scholarships. If you're a student who is about to get your PhD, you can also apply for PhD scholarships.

Meet any other eligibility requirements

Some scholarships have additional requirements beyond just being a PhD student. Students could need to have a certain field of study, education level, or career goals in order to get financial assistance. Student eligibility may also depend on the types of extracurricular activities that a student participates in. Make sure you check all of the eligibility criteria for scholarships before you apply.

How do you get a PhD scholarship?

At certain graduate schools, there are fellowships, grants, and scholarships that students can apply for. Most of the financial aid is given out based on your financial need and academic qualifications, meaning that your expected research contribution will be taken into consideration.

Doctoral scholarships are incredibly competitive, so in order to get fellowship programs and grants, you will have to stand out. You can do this by writing compelling essays or research proposals that will impress the scholarship committees.

Graduate students can also get scholarships either by submitting the Federal Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or applying for scholarships online. Undocumented students and international students are ineligible to complete the FAFSA but are still eligible for university scholarships or private scholarships.

If you are worried about the competitiveness of financial aid for PhD's, Bold.org has a variety of scholarships for any graduate student. You can easily apply to scholarships on Bold.org. Just make sure that you have a strong profile before you apply.

How to find scholarships for PhD students

You can find plenty of scholarships on Bold.org. If you go to our website, you can use the filter feature to browse scholarships by category. By restricting your search by education level, you will be able to see all of the scholarships available to graduate and PhD students. You can even bookmark scholarships you're interested in so you can go back to them later and apply.

If you are getting your PhD in a certain field, you can also find specific scholarships by going to the "education" category or by searching for scholarships by major. There, you will find scholarships that apply to specific programs.

How to apply for PhD scholarships

Applying for financial aid can be a daunting process, but it is an important step for your college education. Many graduate schools have scholarships that you can apply for through the FAFSA or through your university. If you want to find scholarships with an easy application process, though, Bold.org is the perfect place.

On Bold.org, it is extremely easy to find and apply for scholarships. Once you have a profile, you can apply for scholarships in only a few clicks. Applying for scholarships typically requires an essay submission, but no-essay scholarships often just require a few minutes to apply. Each scholarship will have relevant instructions or essay prompts in the description, making the application process simple.

When you apply for scholarships, keep in mind that there are certain ways to increase your chances of winning, such as having a detailed profile, earning as many bold points as possible, and writing impressive essays.

When to start applying for PhD scholarships

When it comes to securing financial aid for your college degree, it's never too early to start. You can begin applying for scholarships as early as high school so that you can apply for a larger range of scholarships and minimize your need for student loans. Many students begin applying for scholarships as high school seniors, but applying earlier will give you a head start on tackling your college costs.

However, don't worry if you're already in college and just starting to apply. Many scholarships are geared towards students pursuing college degrees or even graduate students, so you have plenty of time to apply. Bold.org has college scholarships for high school, undergraduate, and graduate students.

Frequently asked questions about PhD scholarships

What GPA is required for a PhD scholarship?

In order to get a PhD, many programs require students to have a college GPA of at least 3.0. For students who want to get a scholarship, and especially to get a merit scholarship, students will have to have a GPA far above the minimum GPA. A GPA above 3.5 is usually an excellent GPA to have in order to get a PhD scholarship, but there are scholarship options for students with a lower GPA.

What is the difference between a PhD and a doctorate degree?

Doctorate, or doctoral, is an umbrella term for the highest degrees that one can get. There are research doctorates and applied doctorates. PhDs are a kind of research doctorate, and they are the most common doctoral degree.

While a PhD and other research doctorates are more academic and research-focused, an applied doctorate degree allows students to master a subject in both theory and practice. Applied doctorates are generally paired with very specific careers, such as medical doctors, optometrists, psychologists, and law professionals. 

Doctoral students also present their research in different ways than PhD students. At the end of their doctoral degree, PhD candidates present their research findings in the format of a dissertation, while doctoral candidates present their findings in the format of a doctoral study.

Are PhD programs fully funded?

Most PhD programs are fully funded. These programs typically provide waived tuition and fees, as well as an annual stipend for living expenses. Some also offer health insurance and other benefits. For students who need help funding their research, there are plenty of research grants available. If you are in an accredited doctoral program that does not offer full funding for doctoral students, though, there are still plenty of options to help with the cost.

If your school does not fully fund your doctoral degree, there are other routes of funding available. Government-provided fellowships and grants are extremely useful, but there are options that don't come from public funds. Industry-sponsored PhDs allow students to pursue their research while developing excellent transferrable skills and providing you with business experience.

Can you get a full-ride scholarship for a PhD?

Yes, you can get a full-ride scholarship for a PhD. But, for PhD students who do not have their tuition and fees fully funded, private scholarships are a great option . You may be able to get private scholarships from local organizations or online websites. Bold.org has a wide array of scholarships for graduate school.

Minority doctoral students may also be able to find many full scholarships to get their PhD, as many donors want to encourage diversity in academia. Charles Cheesman's Student Debt Reduction Scholarship is a great option for PhD students who have a lot of debt from their undergraduate or graduate degree.