In previous years, funding for the sixth year was secured through a Dissertation Completion Plan (DCP) application process, but as this funding is now guaranteed, the application is no longer required. Students who were in their second, third, fourth, or fifth year of study in spring semester 2020 may be eligible to apply for a COVID-19 Appointment Extension and can find more information on the Appointment Extensions for Doctoral Students page. Rising seventh-year or later students seeking tuition scholarships and insurance may apply through the Dissertation Extension Proposal (DEP) process.
Graduate School
Sixth-Year Funding and Dissertation Extension Proposal Processes
Sixth-Year Funding Process
In early February, the Graduate School will provide each program with a list of students expected to be entering their sixth year during the next academic year. Programs will review and confirm the list and then proceed to enter appointments for students as appropriate. Although the DCP application process has now been eliminated, we continue to use the DCP designation (Ex: DCP-TA) for sixth-year student appointments. Most students receive Teaching Assistant appointments in their sixth year, but programs may decide to appoint students to a University Fellowship or a previously approved Proctorship for any semester fully supported by the program, or students may have alternate appointments if they have external funding or have been approved for an Interdisciplinary Opportunity.
Internal Fellowships
Students in their fifth year are encouraged to apply for internal fellowship support at Brown open to rising sixth-year students, including distinctive interdisciplinary opportunities through participating Brown Institutes and Centers, Deans’ Faculty Fellowship, and other fellowships.
External Fellowships
Students who win external fellowship funding during their sixth year will be eligible to receive top-up funding in addition to continued funding for tuition, insurance and the health services fee.
Dissertation Extension Proposal
Each year there are a small number of graduate students who may need additional support in their seventh year or later. After consultation with the DGS in their program, students will be asked to submit their Dissertation Extension Proposals (DEPs) through UFunds by March 1. Students can find the application in UFunds under "Graduate School Humanities and Social Sciences Advanced Student Funding." Programs will be asked to submit supporting materials, also through UFunds, by March 8.
Please note that DEP applications can be submitted after the initial deadline, through summer, and are reviewed on a rolling basis. The Graduate School grants full and partial students tuition scholarships as well as support for insurance, if needed. These students may also seek student employment on campus through the Student Employment Office. (The Graduate School does not provide stipend support to students beyond their sixth year unless they have received a COVID-19 Appointment Extension.)