The Graduate Tuition Fellowship (GTF) is awarded by the College of Pharmacy with funds allocated from the University to pay all tuition and fees for eligible PhD students (but not Master’s students).

The following are requirements and limits that pertain to this funding:

1. A PhD student must have a 3.00 grade point average (GPA) and be enrolled fulltime (9 hours in a long semester). The student will pay tuition for any courses taken beyond the 9 semester credit hours (SCH) limit.

2. If the GPA falls below 3.00 at any time, GTF will be revoked immediately, and not restored until the GPA is again ≥ 3.00. If the GPA is very close to but still below 3.00, the university can be petitioned if there are extenuating circumstances and a plan to raise the GPA is outlined.

3. In addition to maintaining the 3.00 GPA, continuing students must show satisfactory progress in the degree program. Satisfactory academic progress includes the successful completion of the program deadlines for taking the qualifying exam, selection of a mentor and appointment of a dissertation committee. Undue delays in meeting these requirements will result in the loss of GTF.

4. Students who enter a PhD program with a Master's degree may hold the GTF for no more than 8 long semesters, unless the Master’s degree is not in a relevant discipline (these cases may be petitioned to the Department’s GEC then to the Assistant/Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and then submitted for approval to the university). Students who enter the PhD program directly from the baccalaureate may hold the fellowship for no more than 10 long semesters, and the following summer or fall (but no more than 3 SCH beyond the 10 long semesters).

5. PhD students with GTF must not be additionally employed off-campus, except when classes are either not in session or when the student is not enrolled in classes (i.e. between fall and spring semesters). Violation of this provision will result in withdrawal of the funding during the semester in which the violation occurs.

6. Graduate Research Assistants are guaranteed GTF, so long as they meet the GPA requirement and are making adequate academic progress.

7. GTF will pay only the current COP rate per SCH in the fall and spring semesters regardless of where the course is taken. For a summer course (when permitted) the student should consult the Assistant/Associate Dean for Graduate Program.

8. Unexpected student dynamics may cause the GTF allocation to be insufficient in the spring. The amount of the GTF funds will be known by mid-fall of each year. The college Graduate Studies Committee (GSC) in conjunction with the Department Chairs and the GEC Chairs will determine those teaching assistants (TAs) or instructional assistants (IAs) who may have their GTF discontinued, should GTF funds be limited, e.g.:

a. The most senior of students (since they are likely to be in the last semester and taking only 3 SCH).

b. Students who register to graduate but then fail to do so in that semester.

Additional criteria for determining GTF allocation, during a period of limited GTF funds, will be determined based on the students’ performance and merit. These criteria include factors such as GPA, publication record and awards.

9. GTF is not paid in the summer when the student is not required to be enrolled in SCH. A possible exception of base years (even numbers). Summer GTF will always be awarded: (1) If a required course is offered only in summer; (2) If a student plans to graduate in August and therefore must be enrolled in the summer (unless a student took a reduced course load [RCL] in the spring).