Columbia University, based in New York, NY offers a fully funded PhD in Philosophy. The purpose of earning a Ph.D. in Philosophy is to become an independent scholar as well as a teacher of the subject. There is a system of multi-year financial aid packages. Such funding is awarded, as far as possible, to all incoming PhD students regardless of nationality. The packages typically cover five years. All fellowship awards cover the entire cost of tuition as well as health insurance and access to the Columbia Student Health Service. In addition, they provide an annual nine-month fellowship stipend.