PhD Insurance Grants

2024-25 Academic Year & Fall 2024 Health Insurance Grant Deadline: September 20 by 5pm ET

This need-based grant program helps to offset the cost of purchasing health insurance for PhD students whose insurance is not covered by their program or another source. The Health Insurance Grant Program provides need-based grants of up to $1,000 per semester ($2,000/year) to PhD students who meet certain eligibility criteria. This grant is funded by the Office of the Provost and administered by the Graduate Student Center and the Office of Student Registration & Financial Services. Applications and all supporting documents must be submitted electronically by official deadline. 

The grant is intended to offset out-of-pocket costs for purchasing health insurance and is not an up-front subsidy. Students are responsible for the full cost of purchasing insurance and may incur late fees if these are not paid on time.

2023-24 Academic Year and Fall Semester Insurance Grants
Application opens: August 19 | Deadline: September 20 at 5:00PM ET 
For 2023-24 Academic Year and Fall 2023 health insurance costs.

Spring 2025 Health Insurance Grants
Application Opens: January date TBD | Deadline: February date TBD
For new health insurance costs due to loss of coverage or change in funding status for the Spring 2025 semester. 

Please read all guidelines carefully. No extensions or exceptions can be made for those who miss the deadline or do not meet eligibility criteria.

Eligibility
To be eligible, applicants must: 

• Show they have personally purchased the Penn Student Health Insurance Plan (PSIP) or an unsubsidized health insurance policy for the period covered by the grant. 

  • Students enrolling in PSIP must provide documentation that they have personally paid all associated charges for coverage. 

  • Non-PSIP plans must meet University insurance compliance criteria. Non-PSIP plans cannot have been fully or partially paid for or subsidized in any way by a student's graduate group, an employer, spouse, or family.

  • Please note: If you choose to enroll in a non-PSIP plan, you must waive PSIP or you will be automatically enrolled in and charged for PSIP.
     

• Be currently registered in a Penn PhD program and in good academic standing throughout the period covered by the grant.  

  • Students on leave (except family or medical leave) during either semester are not eligible.

  • Students enrolled in professional doctorate programs are not eligible. 

  • Students enrolled in joint or dual degree programs must be actively registered in the PhD portion of their degree throughout the period covered by the grant. 
     

• Be enrolled in years 1-8. Students in year 9 or beyond are not eligible.

• Not be receiving a full fellowship from their program, the University, or an external funding body.

• Students who receive AY grants during the fall term are not eligible to reapply during the spring cycle unless they have experienced a change in enrollment or insurance status.

• Preference will be given to students with an annual household income of:

  • $58,000 or less for household of 3 or more
  • $38,000 or less for household of 2 
  • $30,000 or less for household of 1

Submit the completed online application and all required documentation by the posted deadline. Incomplete forms, forms submitted without documentation, and forms submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

A complete application includes:

• Online Application (link will work only when application is live)
   
• Required documentation uploaded into this online document submission form:
  Select "PhD Grant Application" in the drop-down menu.
   
  • Proof of cost and payment for an eligible health insurance plan. 
     
  • Benefits summary for non-PSIP health insurance plan, if applicable. Benefits summary must outline what the insurance plan covers and show that it meets University insurance requirements.  
     
  • Copies of the 2023 U.S. tax returns and 2023/2024 W2s for student and spouse/partner. (instructions for accessing Penn W2s are available here)
    • Fall applicants should submit 2023 W2s; Spring applicants submit 2024 W2s
       
  • Copies of the two most recent payment stubs for all paid positions, both on- and off-campus, for student and spouse/partner (if applicable). (Stipend and campus employment records can be found in Workday).

Please have digital copies of all relevant documentation ready before you begin the application.  Failure to provide all necessary documentation will result in delays reviewing your application or rejection of application. You may be asked to provide additional documentation or information needed to evaluate your application. 

*We are committed to ensuring the security of your information. We have put in place reasonable physical, technical, and administrative safeguards designed to prevent unauthorized access to, or use of, the information collected online. 

• Grants are not guaranteed. Grants are disbursed as funding allows, with priority given to the students who demonstrate the highest financial need.
   
• Grants are awarded in the range of $500 - $2,000. The maximum grant for one semester is $1,000. The maximum annual grant is $2000. 
   
• Grants are awarded annually, and you must reapply each year.
   
• Academic Year and Fall Semester-only grant recipients are typically notified by late October, with funds disbursed in November. Spring semester grant recipients will be notified by mid-March and funds will be disbursed in late March to early April. 
   
• Funds will be processed through your student account. This is a separate system from Workday. You must you must set up direct deposit in in PennPay via a U.S. bank, FlyWire, or PayMyTuition or a paper check will be mailed to the permanent address listed in your Penn Profile. 
   
• If you have an outstanding balance on your student account, the grant will be applied to your bill. Any remaining funds will be disbursed to you as a student account refund, leaving a zero balance on your student account. If you have outstanding charges in excess of the grant amount, the grant will apply to those charges and no refund will be processed. 
   
• All University grants to individuals may be considered taxable income by the government. You are responsible for reporting the grant income and paying any applicable taxes.  Depending on your tax status, taxes may be withheld prior to the grant disbursement. Such taxes may be refunded when students file annual taxes with the IRS. The SFS website provides additional information regarding withholding taxes on grants and aid for non-U.S. citizens.  
   
• If you are receiving student loans or other forms of aid, this grant could reduce your loan amount or exceed your semester budget maximum. Students who are receiving funding up to or beyond their approved aid budget are responsible for contacting Student Financial Services to understand how receiving this grant may affect their aid package. There may be options available to you for a budget adjustment or other steps in order to receive all awarded funds, depending on your individual circumstances. Contact graduateaid@pobox.upenn.edu or schedule an appointment with a Graduate Financial Aid Counselor to discuss your account status.
   
• If you do not remain in good academic standing during the period covered by the grant, some or all of the grant funds may be rescinded.
   
• Applicant funding status and fellowship stipend amounts will be verified with graduate groups and school finance administrators. You are responsible for notifying us if your funding status changes during the period covered by the grant. Failure to do so will result in grant funds being rescinded.
   
• If you provide false or misleading information or documentation in your grant application, the grant funds will be rescinded, and  you will be referred to the Center for Community Standards and Accountability (CSA) for disciplinary action. 

Direct all questions to grad-grants@upenn.edu.

2024-25 Academic Year & Fall 2024 Dependent Health Insurance Grant Deadline: September 20 by 5pm ET

This need-based grant program helps to offset the cost of purchasing dependent health insurance for PhD students with children and/or spouses. Grants are provided in amounts of up to $500 per semester, per dependent ($1,000/year, per dependent). Applications and all supporting documents must be submitted electronically by official deadline. 

The grant is intended to offset out-of-pocket costs for purchasing health insurance and is not an up-front subsidy. Students are responsible for the full cost of purchasing insurance and may incur late fees if these are not paid on time.

To be eligible, applicants must: 

• Have a dependent child or children under the age of 26 or disabled living with them at least part of the time and/or have a spouse.

  • Children must be born by December 15, 2023 for Fall applications. Children must be born/adopted by April 21, 2024 for Spring applications. 
  • Those expecting babies/children after the application deadline should still apply by the deadline then submit the proof of child documentation after the baby/child is born/adopted. Please indicate this late document in the application.  
     

• Show they have personally purchased a qualifying health insurance policy for their dependent(s)/spouse for the current year. To qualify, the coverage must be through the Penn Student Health Insurance Plan (PSIP) or the plan must meet the following criteria:

  • provided by a company licensed to do business in the United States, with a U.S. claims payment office, US. telephone number, and process to remit payments to providers within the U.S. However, if you and/or your family will be living outside of the United States the insurance plan must cover your dependents in the area where you/they reside.
     
  • provides coverage for pre-existing conditions, or have been in effect long enough that any waiting period has passed.
     
  • provide coverage for both in-patient and out-patient medical care in the area of your residence, including routine office visits, specialist office visits, diagnostic testing, imaging and physical therapy. A policy that provides only emergency or urgent medical care in this area does not meet this requirement.

• Be currently registered in a Penn PhD program and in good academic standing throughout the period covered by the grant.  

  • Students on leave (except family or medical leave) during either semester are not eligible.
     
  • Students enrolled in professional doctorate programs are not eligible.
     
  • Students enrolled in joint or dual degree programs must be actively registered in the PhD portion of their degree throughout the period covered by the grant.
     

• Be enrolled in years 1-8. Students in year 9 or beyond are not eligible.

• Students who receive AY grants during the fall term are not eligible to reapply during the spring cycle unless they have experienced a change in enrollment or insurance status.

• Preference will be given to students with an annual household income of:

  • $61,000 or less for household of 3 or more
  • $40,000 or less for household of 2 

Criteria for insurance plans for dependents/spouse:

1. The insurance plan must be provided by a company licensed to do business in the United States, with a U.S. claims payment office and a U.S. telephone number. The company must have a process to remit payments to providers within the U.S. However, if you and/or your family will be living outside of the United States the insurance plan must cover your dependents in the area where you/they reside.
2. The insurance plan must provide coverage for pre-existing conditions, or have been in effect long enough that any waiting period has passed.
3. Your insurance plan must provide coverage for both in-patient and out-patient medical care in the area of your residence, including routine office visits, specialist office visits, diagnostic testing, imaging and physical therapy. A policy that provides only emergency or urgent medical care in this area does not meet this requirement.

You will be asked to provide a benefits summary for the insurance plan when you apply unless it is PSIP, and we will audit the plans. In addition, you will be required to sign an attestation that your plan meets these criteria. If during the audit, we find that your plan does not meet these criteria, any grant funds will be rescinded.

Below are the required documentation* items that must be submitted via the online document submission form. Select "PhD Grant Application" in the drop-down menu when you upload documents.  Have all of your documents ready when you begin the application. If you are unable to provide a required document you must provide a written explanation of its absence. 

• Copies of the 2022 (or 2022) U.S. tax returns for student and spouse (if filing separately)
• 2022 W2s for student and spouse/partner. (Penn W2s for 2022 can be accessed here.)
• Copies of the most recent two pay stubs for all working adults in the household. (Stipend and campus employment pay stubs can be found in Workday.)
• Proof that you have personally purchased health insurance for your dependents/spouse. Document must include the amount paid for the insurance, this can be an invoice and must list the names of the family members enrolled in the plan. Dental and Vision insurance not included in this program. 
• A benefits summary for the health insurance plan, unless it is PSIP. Benefit summary must outline what the insurance plan covers so we can verify it meets our insurance requirements. Dental and vision insurance plans are not included in this grant program.
• Documentation of any other major costs or expenses reported in your application, as relevant. 

*Our office is committed to ensuring the security of your information. We have put in place reasonable physical, technical, and administrative safeguards designed to prevent unauthorized access to, or use of, the information collected online.

Before you apply, you should know:

• Grants are not guaranteed. Grants are disbursed as funding allows, with priority given to the students who demonstrate the highest financial need.
• Grants are awarded in the range of $250-$1000 for the fall cycle and $250-500 for the spring cycle. (Families with higher household income and assets may receive grants less than the maximum award amount.)
• If you are applying for an insurance grant for a spouse who is also a Penn PhD student, they should apply directly for the health insurance program for PhD students.
• Grants are awarded annually, and you must reapply each year.
• Fall 2023 and 23-24 AY grant recipients will be notified by late October, with funds disbursed in November 2023. Spring 2024 grant recipients will be notified by early March and funds will be disbursed in March 2024. 
   
• Funds will be processed through your student account. This is a separate system from Workday. You must you must set up direct deposit in in PennPay via a U.S. bank, FlyWire, or PayMyTuition or a paper check will be mailed to the permanent address listed in your Penn Profile. 
   
• If you have an outstanding balance on your student account, the grant will be applied to your bill. Any remaining funds will be disbursed to you as a student account refund, leaving a zero balance on your student account. If you have outstanding charges in excess of the grant amount, the grant will apply to those charges and no refund will be processed. 
   
• All University grants to individuals may be considered taxable income by the government. You are responsible for reporting the grant income and paying any applicable taxes.  Depending on your tax status, taxes may be withheld prior to the grant disbursement. Such taxes may be refunded when students file annual taxes with the IRS. The SFS website provides additional information regarding withholding taxes on grants and aid for non-U.S. citizens.  
   
• If you are receiving student loans or other forms of aid, this grant could reduce your loan amount or exceed your semester budget maximum. Students who are receiving funding up to or beyond their approved aid budget are responsible for contacting Student Financial Services to understand how receiving this grant may affect their aid package. There may be options available to you for a budget adjustment or other steps in order to receive all awarded funds, depending on your individual circumstances. Contact graduateaid@pobox.upenn.edu or schedule an appointment with a Graduate Financial Aid Counselor to discuss your account status.
   
• If you do not remain in good academic standing during the period covered by the grant, some or all of the grant funds may be rescinded.
   
• Applicant funding status and fellowship stipend amounts will be verified with graduate groups and school finance administrators. You are responsible for notifying us if your funding status changes during the period covered by the grant. Failure to do so will result in grant funds being rescinded.
   
• If you provide false or misleading information or documentation in your grant application, the grant funds will be rescinded, and  you will be referred to the Center for Community Standards and Accountability (CSA) for disciplinary action. 

Submit the completed online application and all required documentation by the posted deadline. Incomplete forms, forms submitted without documentation, and forms submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

A complete application includes:

• Online Application (link will work only when application is live)
   
• Required documentation uploaded into this online document submission form:
  Select "PhD Grant Application" in the drop-down menu.
  • Copies of the 2022 (or 2022) U.S. tax returns for student and spouse (if filing separately)
  • 2022 W2s for student and spouse/partner. (Penn W2s for 2022 can be accessed here.)
  • Copies of the most recent two pay stubs for all working adults in the household. (Stipend and campus employment pay stubs can be found in Workday.)
  • Proof that you have personally purchased health insurance for your dependents/spouse.
    • Document must include the amount paid for the insurance, this can be an invoice and must list the names of the family members enrolled in the plan. Dental and Vision insurance not included in this program. 
  • A benefits summary for the health insurance plan, unless it is PSIP. 
    Benefit summary must outline what the insurance plan covers so we can verify it meets our insurance requirements. Dental and vision insurance plans are not included in this grant program.
  • Documentation of any other major costs or expenses reported in your application, as relevant. 

Failure to provide all necessary documentation will result in delays reviewing your application or rejection of application. You may be asked to provide additional documentation or information needed to evaluate your application. 

*We are committed to ensuring the security of your information. We have put in place reasonable physical, technical, and administrative safeguards designed to prevent unauthorized access to, or use of, the information collected online. 

Direct all questions to grad-grants@upenn.edu. 

Read how Penn respects and protects your data. 

2024-25 Enrollment Deadline: September 20 

The Office of the Provost provides grants to reimburse 50% of the cost of the Penn Dental Family Practice Student Insurance Plan for all PhD students who purchase dental insurance through the Penn Dental School for the current, full academic year. Additionally, the Graduate School of Education reimburses 50% for eligible Full Time Residential EdD students who are within their first seven years of study. Both programs are administered by the Graduate Student Center and Penn Dental School. 

The School of Engineering, Annenberg School for Communication, and the division of Biomedical Graduate Studies within the Perelman School of Medicine provide additional reimbursements to cover the remaining 50% of the cost for PhD students in those schools who purchase the Penn Dental Family Practice Student Insurance Plan. These grants are administered in conjunction with the PhD Dental Insurance Reimbursement Grant but grant funds and details are determined by each school. SEAS, BGS, and Annenberg PhD students who purchase the Penn Dental plan by the deadline above will be automatically considered for both the Provost and School reimbursement programs. 

The grant is intended as a partial reimbursement and not an up-front subsidy. Students are responsible for the full cost of purchasing insurance and may incur late fees if these are not paid on time. 

Please note: students have several insurance and discount options for dental care. This grant applies only to the Penn Dental Family Practice Student Plan.

2024-25 Deadline to qualify for reimbursement: September 20

To receive the partial reimbursement grant, you must:

• Be currently registered in a Penn PhD or EdD program and in good academic standing. Dual or joint degree students must be registered in the PhD portion of their degree during the fall semester to be eligible. Students enrolled in other doctorate programs are not eligible. 
   
• Enroll in the Penn Dental Practice Student Plan by the grant program deadline.
  Penn Dental Plan deadlines may vary. Please review plan documentation and details carefully. Students who enroll in Penn Dental after the deadline are not eligible for the grant. 
   

Eligible students who purchase the Penn Dental insurance plan for students by the deadline will automatically qualify for the grant. No additional application or steps are needed. 

Please note: students have several insurance and discount options for dental care. This grant applies only to the Penn Dental Family Practice Student Plan.

Eligible students who enroll by the deadline will automatically receive the grant. Please note: the grant is intended as a partial reimbursement and not an up-front subsidy. Students are responsible for the full cost of purchasing insurance and may incur late fees if these are not paid on time.

Grants are typically disbursed in October. The disbursement process involves a few steps:

• All grant funds will processed through your student account. This is a separate system from Workday. You must you must set up direct deposit in in PennPay via a U.S. bank, FlyWire, or PayMyTuition or a paper check will be mailed to the permanent address listed in your Penn Profile. 
   
• If you have an outstanding balance on your student account, the grant funds will be applied to your bill. Any remaining funds will be disbursed to you as a student account refund, leaving a zero balance on your student account. If you have outstanding charges in excess of the grant amount, the grant will apply to those charges and no refund will be processed. 

Please note:

• All University grants to individuals may be considered taxable income by the government. You are responsible for reporting the grant income and paying any applicable taxes.  Depending on your tax status, taxes may be withheld prior to the grant disbursement. Such taxes may be refunded when students file annual taxes with the IRS. The SFS website provides additional information regarding withholding taxes on grants and aid for non-U.S. citizens.  
   
• If you are receiving student loans or other forms of aid, this grant could reduce your loan amount or exceed your semester budget maximum. Students who are receiving funding up to or beyond their approved aid budget are responsible for contacting Student Financial Services to understand how receiving this grant may affect their aid package. There may be options available to you for a budget adjustment or other steps in order to receive all awarded funds, depending on your individual circumstances. Contact graduateaid@pobox.upenn.edu or schedule an appointment with a Graduate Financial Aid Counselor to discuss your account status.

Direct all other questions to grad-grants@upenn.edu.

2024-25 Enrollment deadlines and instructions vary by program

In addition to the Provost-funded grants listed above, several of Penn's graduate and professional degree programs provide grants to assist with the cost of purchasing supplemental vision and dental insurance plans. 

Programs currently offering full or partial grants for supplemental (dental and/or vision) plans include: 

• PhD Dental Grants for SEAS, ASC, BGS: The School of Engineering, Annenberg School for Communication, and the division of Biomedical Graduate Studies within the Perelman School of Medicine provide additional reimbursements to cover the remaining 50% of the cost for PhD students in those schools who purchase the Penn Dental Family Practice Student Insurance Plan. These grants are administered in conjunction with the PhD Dental Insurance Reimbursement Grant but grant funds and details are determined by each school. SEAS, BGS, and Annenberg PhD students who purchase the Penn Dental plan by the deadline above will be automatically considered for both the Provost and School reimbursement programs. 
   
• PhD Vision Grants for BGS: The Perelman School of Medicine provide grants to reimburse costs for current PhD students in the Division of Biomedical Graduate Studies (BGS) who purchase the Penn Aetna Student Vision Plan. These grants are administered in conjunction with the PhD Dental Insurance Reimbursement Grant program but grant funds and details are determined by the school. BGS PhD students who purchase qualifying plans by the enrollment deadline (August 31 for Aetna Vision) will be automatically considered for the program.
   
• MD/PhD and VMD/PhD Dental and Vision Grants: The School of Medicine and School of Veterinary Medicine provide grants to reimburse costs for students in the MD- or VMD portion of the dual degree program who purchase the Penn Dental Family Practice Student Insurance Plan and/or Penn Aetna Student Vision Plan. These grants are administered in conjunction with the PhD Dental Insurance Reimbursement Grant program but grant funds and details are determined by each school. MD/PhD and VMD/PhD students who purchase qualifying plans by the enrollment deadline (August 31 for Aetna Vision, September 20 for Penn Dental) will be automatically considered for the program. 

The following terms and conditions apply to grants administered by the Graduate Grants office. Please be sure to speak with your program administrator to confirm whether your program is administered by the Graduate Grants team. 

Students must purchase an eligible insurance plan by the insurance or grant program deadline: 

• Aetna Student Vision Plan deadline: August 31  
   
• Penn Dental Practice Student Plan grant deadline: September 20 by the grant program deadline.

Eligible students who purchase a qualifying plan will automatically qualify for the grant. No additional application or steps are needed. Students are responsible for the full cost of purchasing a plan. You should not wait to receive the grant to pay any charges billed to your Bursar account or credit card. 

Grants are typically disbursed in October. The disbursement process involves a few steps:

• All grant funds will processed as a student account refund through PennPay. This is a separate system from Workday. You must you must set up direct deposit in in PennPay via a U.S. bank, FlyWire, or PayMyTuition or a paper check will be mailed to the permanent address listed in your Penn Profile. 
   
• If you have an outstanding balance on your student account, the grant funds will be applied to your bill. Any remaining funds will be disbursed to you as a student account refund, leaving a zero balance on your student account. If you have outstanding charges in excess of the grant amount, the grant will apply to those charges and no refund will be processed. 

Please note:

• All University grants to individuals may be considered taxable income by the government. You are responsible for reporting the grant income and paying any applicable taxes.  Depending on your tax status, taxes may be withheld prior to the grant disbursement. Such taxes may be refunded when students file annual taxes with the IRS. The SFS website provides additional information regarding withholding taxes on grants and aid for non-U.S. citizens.  
   
• If you are receiving student loans or other forms of aid, this grant could reduce your loan amount or exceed your semester budget maximum. Students who are receiving funding up to or beyond their approved aid budget are responsible for contacting Student Financial Services to understand how receiving this grant may affect their aid package. There may be options available to you for a budget adjustment or other steps in order to receive all awarded funds, depending on your individual circumstances. Contact graduateaid@pobox.upenn.edu or schedule an appointment with a Graduate Financial Aid Counselor to discuss your account status.

Direct all other questions to grad-grants@upenn.edu.