Prospective Graduate Students
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Our Charge
Preparing and inspiring scholars to transform our world.
From admission to graduation, The Graduate School (TGS) supports graduate students throughout their experience, awarding doctoral and master’s degrees in more than seventy disciplines. We are a resource throughout your academic journey.
Find Your ProgramApplication StepsPoints of Pride
See what makes TGS special, by the numbers
A Stipend for the 21st Century
$34,176
annually for PhD students through fellowships or assistantships. More on stipend rates
Support for Parents
12 weeks
paid parental leave for PhD students who are new parents. All family resources
A smooth transition
34%
of students are international, supported through language and other programs. See all supports
Connected to Campus & City
7 miles
between our Evanston campus and Chicago. Travel by free buses and trains. U-Pass transit programs
Ongoing Inclusion
1:1
mentor/mentee pairings in our Diversity Peer Mentor Program. More diversity initiatives
Funding Your Studies
Fellowships, grants, assistantship options, and more
TGS provides most doctoral students with a stipend and scholarship to pay tuition costs; they are supported for a minimum of five years. For master’s students, external grants and loans make graduate study accessible.
Funding OptionsTGS Spotlight
TGS is home to more than 3,200 PhD and 1,400 Master’s students, from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds. Get to know our diverse community.
Happenings at TGS
Don't miss news, opportunities and announcements.
News
May 2022 Message from Dean Mayo
This is an exciting time of the year as we near the end of another academic cycle. The passion and accomplishments of Northwestern’s graduate students and postdoctoral trainees are on full display through conference presentations, dissertation defenses, theatrical performances, job interviews, award ceremonies, and many other scholarly endeavors.
Events
Application for a degree due to The Graduate School to receive a ...
July 8, All Day
Application for a degree due to The Graduate School to receive a degree in Summer Quarter
Dissertation, PhD Final Exam, and change of grade forms due to TG...
August 5, All Day
Dissertation, PhD Final Exam, and change of grade forms due to TGS for Summer PhD candidates
Announcements
OSL Spotlight: Science Policy Outreach Taskforce (SPOT)
The Science Policy Outreach Taskforce (SPOT) is the sole graduate student group at Northwestern that is dedicated to science policy, a field that is growing in popularity and importance.
2022-2023 Graduate Fellowship Award Winners
The Alumnae of Northwestern University has selected four recipients to receive its 2022-23 Graduate Fellowships for graduate-level tuition. The fellowships are awarded to full-time students in terminal master’s degree programs who show promise of achieving distinction in careers that will serve the public good. Criteria for selection include quality of scholarship, leadership, community service, professional experience, and financial need. The Alumnae Graduate Fellowship Committee’s chair, Erin Leddon, notes: “The Alumnae is extremely proud to support these outstanding Northwestern graduates as they work to complete their master’s degrees.”