Funding Opportunities
Focus on Finishing Your Degree Award
Available only for 2024 spring and summer terms
The Focus on Finishing Your Degree (FFYD) Award is a one-time fellowship supporting degree completion of doctoral students (PhD and DMA) who finished the required coursework/credentials for candidacy status two or more years ago.
Students must be nominated by their academic unit.
About this award
Award details
- Spring 2024 - $12,000
- Summer 2024 - $8,000
Terms of award
- Students can be nominated for either spring 2024 or summer 2024 and receive this award only once.
- Nominees should have an achievable plan to complete their program within the term they are nominated (Ex. spring 2024 nominees should plan to defend their dissertation and meet graduation deadlines for spring 2024).
- Nominees must be in good academic standing and within allowable time to completion.
- Nominees cannot hold an appointment (RA, TA, GSA), be funded by a full fellowship or utilize ASU-qualified tuition reduction (QTR) in the awarded term.
- Students who have received a Graduate College Completion Fellowship are not eligible.
- The award will be applied to a student's ASU account through the financial aid awarding system and to the current charges. The remaining award amount will be processed as a refund by Student Business Services.
- Academic programs are not required to contribute any funding to recipients (for tuition, health insurance or fees).
Contact
Deadline
Spring 2024 Nomination Deadline: Wednesday, January 24, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. MST
Summer 2024 Nomination Deadline #1: Wednesday, January 24, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. MST
Summer 2024 Nomination Deadline #2: Monday, April 29, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. MST
Note: The nomination form has been shared with Graduate Program Chairs and Directors and should only be submitted by these individuals or their designees.
Eligibility
In order to be eligible to receive this award:
- Students must have reached their candidacy at least 24 months before and still be within the allowable time to completion during the awarded term.
- Students must enroll in an on-campus doctoral (PhD or DMA) program during the award term.
- Students must be in good academic standing during the award term.
- Students cannot hold an appointment (RA, TA, GSA), be funded by a full fellowship or utilize ASU-qualified tuition reduction (QTR) in the awarded term.
- Students who have received a Graduate College Completion Fellowship are not eligible.
- Students should have a solid plan to defend their dissertation in the awarded term (Note: the last day to hold an oral defense is April 12 for spring 2024 and July 8 for summer 2024).
Submission procedures
The Graduate Faculty Program Director or designee must provide the following information for each nominee utilizing the nomination form provided to Deans and Graduate Directors via email.
Nominating unit information: College, School/Department, Degree program, names and emails of Graduate Chair/Director, Faculty Advisor/Mentor of Student, Graduate Support Staff, Business Operations Manager.
Nominee Information: Student First, Last and Preferred Name, Student ID#, Student ASU email, Date student reached candidacy, Nomination term.
Short answer questions:
- In 250 words or less, please explain why you are nominating this student and how this award will help expedite the student’s completion in the nominated semester.
- Identify three significant milestones and deadlines the student will complete in the award semester (Ex. Submit a draft of chapter four to the chair by February 1).
- Student’s planned defense date (Note: the last day to hold an oral defense is April 12 for spring 2024 and July 8 for summer 2024).
Once the nomination form has been submitted, an automatic confirmation email will be sent for reference. If you do not receive an email confirmation of the nomination, please email GCFellowships@asu.edu.
There will be a 4–6 week turn-around time for recipient announcement notifications from the Graduate College deadline date. Once recipients have been selected, departments will be notified by email. Academic units are responsible for notifying the student and obtaining a signed confirmation form.
Additional Information
Taxes
Each fellow is personally responsible for individual taxes related to this award. Additional information regarding tax issues related to awards can be found in tax considerations. Specific questions should be directed to a tax advisor or ASU Financial Aid and Scholarship Services.
Overawards
An "over award" is when a student's need-based awards exceed their financial need, or the total of the awards exceeds the cost of attendance. If a student has been over-awarded, federal regulations require ASU to adjust their awards, which may reduce awards or a bill. Need-based aid includes grants, scholarships, Federal Work-Study, Federal Perkins Loans, and outside resources (i.e., faculty/staff tuition benefits, scholarships, stipends, etc.). Non-need-based aid includes unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans, Federal Graduate PLUS Loans and Private Education Loans. Overaward questions should be directed to the ASU Financial Aid and Scholarship Services.