Computer and Information Science

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FNC Founders Graduate Fellowship

FNC Founders Graduate Fellowship Guidelines

The FNC Founders Graduate Fellowships are for the recruitment of outstanding Ph.D. students to graduate programs in the Computer and Information Science department. Each fellowship provides a four-year award package to the student.

Selection Process
Students do not apply directly for the FNC Founders Graduate Fellowships. Selection of the recipients is conducted by the graduate faculty of Computer and Information Science. The selection process considers the students’ academic achievements and scholarly abilities, based on admission application materials requested by the program. Applications from women and minorities are strongly encouraged. To receive full consideration, applicants must submit completed Graduate School application materials to the graduate program by the deadline (February 1st for Fall semester and October 1st for Spring semester).

Student Eligibility
Recipients of FNC Founders Graduate Fellowships must be admitted as Ph.D. students in Computer and Information Science and must demonstrate superior academic achievements and scholarly abilities.

Award Provisions
The FNC Founders Graduate Fellowship provides a four-year award package to the student, which includes stipend or salary for nine months, payment of tuition and medical insurance options. Fellowship recipients will be responsible to pay most of the student fees, if the department or research advisor does not cover them. Fellowship recipients are eligible to receive up to 2-month summer research support. Continuation of the FNC Founders Graduate Fellowship is contingent upon satisfactory academic and scholarly performance and progress, satisfactory work performance, and the fellow’s ability to meet and maintain Graduate School Assistantship guidelines.

Award Terms and Conditions
Recipients must:

  • Be enrolled and maintain status as a Ph.D. students in the computer and information science program at UM;
  • Register for at least nine credits in both the fall and the spring semesters;
  • Have a dissertation advisor, who can appropriately mentor the proposed research, within the first semester;
  • Take the comprehensive examination within the first two years and pass it in no more than two sittings;
  • Maintain satisfactory academic and scholarly performance and satisfactory work performance;
  • Adhere to the Graduate School guidelines.

Renewal
The FNC Founders Graduate Fellowships is non-renewable.

An FNC Founders Graduate fellowship commitment may be terminated if the fellow leaves the program or when the fellow fails to comply with FNC Founders Graduate Fellowship Guidelines, for example, fails to maintain the award terms and conditions.