Students enter the program in the autumn quarter in all but exceptional cases. Virtually all incoming Ph.D. students receive financial aid. Fellowships generally provide twelve months of support for at least one year. Departmental assistantships entail working 20 hours per week assisting faculty with research and teaching. As they progress through the program, some students also obtain support from the Mershon Center, the Political Research Laboratory, and Foreign Language and Area Studies fellowships.
Most advanced students have an opportunity to teach their own courses.
For students making normal progress, departmental funding typically continues for five years. Support may be extended beyond five years through awards and fellowships granted outside the university. It is expected that most students will finish Ph.D. requirements within about five years, though students doing fieldwork may require additional study and may petition the department to gain eligibility for more than five years of funding. All financial aid is distributed for autumn quarter admission. To be considered for university fellowships and departmental assistantships, all application materials must be received by January 1.