Last updated March 31, 2022
As part of my series on How to Fully Fund Your PhD, I provide a list of universities that offer full funding for a PhD in Biomedical Engineering. A PhD in Biomedical Engineering can prepare you for an academic career in teaching or research, or for a non-academic career with biotech companies, scientific consulting firms, medical and scientific journals, law firms dealing in intellectual property, science-focused nonprofit organizations and foundations, government agencies, and venture capital firms.
“Full funding” is a financial aid package for full-time students that includes full tuition remission and an annual stipend or salary for the three to six-year duration of the student’s doctoral studies. Funding is typically offered in exchange for graduate teaching and research work that is complementary to your 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 PhD programs in your academic field, including small and lesser-known schools both in the U.S. and abroad.
You can also find several external fellowships in the ProFellow database for graduate and doctoral study, as well as dissertation research, fieldwork, language study and summer work experience.
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The University of Arizona, College of Engineering (Tucson, AZ): All full-time BME doctoral students in good academic standing are supported financially during their graduate studies. This includes an annual stipend, in-state tuition, out-of-state tuition (if applicable), and health insurance. Support is typically provided by the department or the college in the form of a fellowship or research assistantship or teaching assistantships.
Boise State University, Biomedical Engineering PhD (Boise, Idaho): All full-time BME PhD students who have submitted complete applications by the application deadline are automatically considered for graduate assistantship (GA) funding. A GA will cover tuition costs and provide a competitive annual stipend.
Carnegie Mellon University, College of Engineering (Pittsburgh, PA): Full-time Ph.D. students receive full tuition support and a living stipend. Financial aid is normally offered simultaneously upon acceptance into the Ph.D. program irrespective of the financial need. Continuation of the support is contingent upon satisfactory performance in coursework and research, as reviewed each semester by the departmental faculty.
Cornell University, Department of Biomedical Engineering (Ithaca, NY): Since the BME Department was founded in 2004, all PhD students have been fully funded, i.e., tuition, stipend, and health insurance, throughout their degree program.
Duke University, Department of Biomedical Engineering (Durham, NC): Most applicants admitted to the PhD program are offered a fellowship or research assistantship. Financial support awarded to PhD students includes a stipend, tuition payments and payments for most Graduate School fees.
Johns Hopkins University, Department of Biomedical Engineering (Baltimore, MD): All students are admitted with a full fellowship that covers tuition, and provides a modest stipend for the duration of their PhD. Because students are fully funded, they can choose to perform their dissertation in essentially any laboratory in the University.
University of Michigan, Department of Biomedical Engineering (Ann Arbor, MI): All successful BME PhD students are fully supported by their research advisors, through external or internal fellowships, or as graduate student instructors.
University of Pennsylvania, Department of Biomedical Engineering (Philadelphia, PA): If accepted as a PhD student in Bioengineering, full funding will be provided that includes tuition, health insurance, and a stipend.
University of Texas at Austin, Department of Biomedical Engineering (Austin, TX): All admitted PhD students receive full financial support through graduate research assistant positions, fellowships, and teaching assistant positions. This includes a competitive annual stipend, paid tuition and fees, and health insurance coverage for the duration of the student’s degree program.
University of Utah, Department of Biomedical Engineering (Salt Lake City, UT): Biomedical Engineering graduate students at the University of Utah are supported by graduate Research Fellowships through the College of Engineering, Research Assistantships, Teaching Assistantships or Extramural Fellowships. The Department recommends a stipend of $27,000/yr for Ph.D. students.
University of Virginia, Department of Biomedical Engineering (Charlottesville, VA): All Ph.D. students are supported with full tuition, fees, health insurance, and a stipend. These are paid by graduate research assistantships, teaching assistantships, predoctoral Fellowships, departmental and institutional fellowships, and Training grants.
Washington University in St. Louis, James McKelvey School of Engineering (St. Louis, MO): PhD students are fully funded, including full tuition support and health and dental insurance. As a doctoral candidate, you will also receive a generous stipend to cover living expenses. This support is guaranteed as you continue to make satisfactory progress towards your degree.
Need some tips for the application process? See my article How To Get Into a Fully Funded PhD Program: Contacting Potential PhD Advisors.
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