Fellowships & Awards

The Chancellor’s Scholarship is awarded to incoming biomedical PhD students in the School of Medicine. Each year applicants are nominated by their programs and vetted by a faculty committee. A one-time signing bonus of $2,000 is given to top student awardees designated as Chancellor’s Scholars to supplement their institutional stipend.

The Chancellor’s Scholarship for International Students is awarded at the end of the first year of study. Applicants are nominated by their programs and vetted by a faculty committee. International student awardees are supported for their second year of graduate school with a stipend, tuition remission, fees, and health insurance. 

Past recipients of Chancellor's Scholarships can be viewed here.

The Office of Biomedical Graduate Education (OBGE) works to recognize current biomedical PhD students in the School of Medicine who have been unusually successful in the research mission. To that end, and with Chancellor Washington’s enthusiastic support, a Chancellor’s Award for Research Excellence (CARE) was created in Fall 2018. The Chancellor's Award for Research Excellence is targeted to senior students who have excelled in the basic research endeavor, evidenced by an exceptional publication record and/or a substantial impact on the research trajectory of the lab. The CARE is highly selective. Nominations are submitted by a student's faculty advisor and no more than four awards are conferred in any given year. This award comes with an engraved memento and a cash award of $1,500. Read more about recipients of The Chancellor's Award for Research Excellence.

OBGE Professional Development Awards are designed to support professional development for biomedical PhD trainees who have shown an interest in engaging in OBGE’s mission to develop student’s full potential as independent scientists. The award provides reimbursement or travel advance for activities that directly enhance the recipient’s professional growth, including, but not limited to conference registration and travel and workshop attendance.  

Awards are open to full-time biomedical PhD students in any School of Medicine or Interdisciplinary PhD program. To be considered, applicants must have successfully completed the preliminary exam prior to submitting an application and have engaged in one of the optional OBGE BIOTRAIN courses or O2 series programs. Each recipient will receive an award of up to $1000.  

Submission Deadlines

Current Award Cycle: July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023

Guidelines

1. Applicants must be full-time biomedical PhD students in any of the School of Medicine and Interdisciplinary PhD programs.  
2. Applicants must have successfully completed preliminary exams to be considered.
3. Applicants are eligible to receive one Professional Development Award during their PhD training experience.
4. Awards cannot be used for computers or other personal electronic devices.
5. All award funds must be expended within the fiscal year designated by the award.
6. Awards will not be applied retroactively for travel completed prior to notification of award.
7. For reimbursements, funds will be reimbursed once the entire sum has been expended. If appropriate documentation is not provided, the award will be rescinded and the recipient will be responsible for the costs incurred.
8. Some expenditures may be eligible for pre-payment through the OBGE office. Please contact obge@duke.edu to inquire about pre-payment.
9. Recipient must be enrolled as a PhD student at time of reimbursement.
10. Funds must be expended as outlined in the application and budget.  Because award decisions are based upon the original application, the award may not be used for any purpose other than that originally proposed. If the recipient is not accepted to a competitive workshop, or decides s/he would prefer to attend a different conference, receives additional funds that cover the cost, or otherwise changes his/her plans due to personal or professional reasons, the award will be rescinded.  

Application requirements

1. A one-page cover letter (see requirements below)
2. An up-to-date T3 Professional Development Tab
3. A detailed budget proposal

Cover letter requirements

1. A brief description of the applicant’s research topic and its significance.
2. A description of the applicant’s career goals with a description of how this award will help the applicant achieve those goals.
3. A listing of OBGE courses and programs in which the applicant has participated and what the applicant has gained from participating.
4. A proposed use for the award funds.
5. If the application is for a conference, applicant must provide the conference name, location and dates (including conference URL if available); if presenting, attach an abstract.  

Please submit application materials as a single PDF document to OBGE Director of Trainee Development Kristin Russell at kristin.russell@duke.edu.