Our students enjoy the resources of an outstanding research university. These include, but are not limited to, various levels of support for tuition and living expenses. Students accepted into the PhD program who remain in good standing receive six years of full funding in the form of Arts and Sciences (A&S) Fellowships, with an annual stipend of $37,582 for the 2025-2026 academic year, full tuition remission, and subsidized health care. First-year PhD students have no instructional responsibilities. As part of our program requirements, PhD students then register for seventy units of Mentored Teaching Experience (MTE), typically over the course of five semesters. Typical MTE assignments are as section leaders in our large introductory courses. Two-plus years of fellowship support without instructional responsibilities may then be devoted to the preparation, defense, and submission of the dissertation. Advanced PhD students may also offer summer courses through the College of Arts and Sciences summer program to gain valuable independent teaching experience. This is an exceptional professional opportunity.
Standalone MA students are eligible to receive assistance over their two years in the program with tuition charges, which may include full tuition remission. The Department will cover the annual student health and wellness fees, as well as the annual student health insurance fees. Moreover, we help students locate part-time jobs, federal work-study positions (for eligible U.S. citizens) and local opportunities for summer employment in the Digital Art History Lab (DAHL), Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, Kranzberg Art and Architecture Library, or elsewhere on campus.
The following sections are meant to convey only general ideas of the possibilities open to graduate students, together with an outline of the advantages and requirements of each of the major forms of assistance.
University Tuition Scholarships (Tuition Remission)
Scholarship grants may cover part or all the costs of tuition to the limit of full- time study. Scholarships are available both to new and continuing students. Beyond the course work requirements for the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees, partial or full tuition scholarships will be considered only for students who are receiving a fellowship, or an external fellowship or traineeship that funds partial tuition remission.
Since perception of academic merit is the sole criterion for the award of tuition scholarships, these grants are not subject to taxation under federal tax law. However, stipend awards, including those described below, are taxable.
University Fellowship Opportunities
A & S Fellowships are stipend awards aimed at supporting full-time study, although a certain amount of teaching or research may be required as part of the advanced degree program. A&S Fellowship stipends for the 2025-2026 academic year are $37,582 in the Humanities. Most fellowships are awarded on an annual basis, based on timely and satisfactory progress toward the PhD degree; funding decisions are made each spring semester for the following academic year.
The Dean’s Distinguished Graduate Fellowships in Arts & Sciences supports incoming Ph.D. and MFA students with the promise of exceptional academic distinction; with a demonstrated interest to advance the public good; and who will contribute to the diversity and intellectual vitality of our university community. Fellows will receive a merit stipend supplement in addition to their Arts & Sciences Fellowship or Research Assistantship for each year of funding support the student receives at Washington University. Moreover, there will be an annual summer supplement to support professional development or research activities. There will also be special Arts & Sciences programming and activities for this select group of Fellows.
The Ann W. Spencer T. Olin-Chancellor’s Fellowship (OCF) is an elite cohort of outstanding graduate students with diverse backgrounds and from varied disciplines. The OCF is committed to promoting diversity in all dimensions including cultural, socioeconomic, gender, racial, ethnic, geographical, philosophical/religious, and other distinctive backgrounds and perspectives. Visit the fellowship page for details.
External Grants and Fellowship Resources
Graduate students in the department of Art History and Archaeology have had recent success in applying for long- and short-term external grants and fellowships from institutions in the United States and abroad. Graduate students are encouraged to discuss external grant opportunities and applications with their advisors and the departmental Director of Graduate Studies; some fellowships may require departmental nominations before applications can be submitted. The faculty of the department may be available to review applications and conduct mock interviews on request.
Withdrawals and Refunds
Requests for refund of tuition paid by a student who is withdrawing from a degree program should be made by submitting a Withdrawal Form to the Office of Graduate Studies.
Requests for refund of tuition paid by a student who is withdrawing from a specific course should be submitted in writing to the registrar in the Office of Graduate Studies. The last date of class attendance is ordinarily used in determining the amount that can be refunded. Students withdrawing within the first two weeks of classes will receive a full refund; those withdrawing before the end of the fourth week pay 20 percent; those withdrawing before the end of the eighth week pay 40 percent. Students who have had their full tuition remitted for them by the Office of Graduate Studies or by a third party will not receive any refund.