Financial Support

The USC Marshall School of Business provides full financial support to Ph.D. students for four to five years in the form of a fellowship or assistantship. After a student has advanced to candidacy (typically in the third year), the student becomes eligible for additional research awards.

Fellowships

Applicants who apply by the priority application deadline are automatically considered for competitive fellowships. Accepted students receive a package that includes a full tuition waiver, generous stipend, individual health and dental insurance, and coverage of mandatory student health center fees. The total financial support provided is approximately $60-70K per year, depending on a student's course-load.

Fellowship recipients are guaranteed funding through either the continuation of the fellowship or through an assistantship (described below) for four years as long as they maintain satisfactory academic progress. Funding is also available in the fifth year for students who meet certain performance criteria.

Graduate Assistantships

Accepted students receive a competitive graduate assistantship package that includes a full tuition waiver, a generous stipend, individual health and dental insurance, and coverage of mandatory student health center fees. The total financial support provided is approximately $60-70K per year, depending on a student's course-load. Graduate assistants work 10-13 hours per week to support faculty research and teaching activities.

The assistantship is guaranteed for four years for those who maintain satisfactory academic progress. Funding is also available in the fifth year for students who meet certain performance criteria.

Outside Funding

Occasionally a student brings outside funding to replace or supplement the funding from the USC Marshall School of Business. Examples of outside funding sources include the Ph.D. Project, foreign governments, and the Accounting Doctoral Scholars program. Such funding is acceptable, but applicants should understand that funding source is not considered in the evaluation process. We accept only the top applicants regardless of the source of funding.

Research Support & Awards

Marshall Ph.D. students are provided with a discretionary account for teaching and research activities. The annual funding increases as the student progresses in the program into more research activities in the later years.

After advancing to candidacy, students become eligible for competitive research awards open exclusively to USC Marshall Ph.D. students. Past awards have been sponsored by the Ford Foundation, USC Marshall Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurship, USC Marshall Society and Business Lab, USC Marshall Center for International Business Education & Research.