Programs and Fellowships
Our students have been very successful in securing many of the University Fellowships that are available during the application process. In addition, many of our entering students participate in a program to apply for National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships. This approach has been particularly successful and includes support to perform research with a faculty member in the summer prior to official entry into the graduate program.
In addition, we offer several large programmatic and training grants as detailed below.
Chemistry-Biochemistry-Biology Interface (CBBI) Program
The Chemistry-Biochemistry-Biology Interface Program is an NIH-funded program which trains predoctoral students in an interdisciplinary environment that provides significant cross-training at the interface of chemistry, biochemistry, and biology. The CBBI Program is open to graduate students conducting research in CBBI laboratories across the Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Biology. CBBI fellowship applications are due May 1 of each year, with awards starting in the following fall semester. For the 2018-2019 academic year, the CBBI fellowship provides a stipend of $33,500 per year plus health benefits in addition to $53,146 in tuition support. Appointments are made for twelve months and are renewable for one additional year based on satisfactory performance.
Integrated Biomedical Science Program (IBMS)
The Integrated Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program at the University of Notre Dame is a cross-departmental Ph.D. program for research and training in a range of fields in the biomedical sciences. Scientists across the campus, representing 55 different research groups, are organized into thematic research and training clusters that offer students the opportunity to engage in cutting-edge biomedical research that transcends traditional departmental and disciplinary boundaries. A key aspect of the IBMS program is that unlike traditional PhD programs, students apply and are admitted to the program, rather than a department (a separate application is required). New students spend their first academic year performing three successive research rotations. After the end of their first academic year, students are able to select an advisor from any of the participating faculty, regardless of the department in which the faculty are appointed. For the 2020-2021 academic year, the IBMS fellowship provides a stipend of $31,057 per year plus health benefits in addition to $57,450 in tuition support.
Materials Science & Engineering Program
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry is one of seven departments and programs at Notre Dame that offer the interdisciplinary Materials Science and Engineering doctoral degree. Incoming students who are interested in the program should follow the department’s admissions process, with details available at graduateschool.nd.edu. To successfully complete the Materials Science and Engineering degree, students will be required to complete their home department's requirements, nine hours of materials science courses, and a materials science-focused doctoral thesis. Students who successfully complete the program will earn either a “Chemistry: Materials Science and Engineering" or "Biochemistry: Materials Science and Engineering" doctoral degree.
Please discuss your interest in the Materials Science and Engineering doctoral program with the departmental Director of Graduate Admissions or Director of Graduate Studies. For more information, please visit https://mse.nd.edu/
International Research Experiences for Students (IRES)
The Notre Dame International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) program is sponsored by the US National Science Foundation. It provides financial support for Notre Dame Ph.D. students pursuing dissertation research in several subdisciplines of chemistry and biochemistry that are closely aligned with those of participating laboratories at the University of Heidelberg, Germany. Students are selected each year during the program and will spend sixteen weeks pursuing research on a unified theme of developing new methods in catalysis. All travel, accommodation and living expenses are all covered by this award.
Eck Global Health Fellowship
The University of Notre Dame’s Eck Institute for Global Health is a university-wide institution founded in 2009 and is based on an endowment from the Frank Eck Family. The Institute recognizes health as a fundamental human right and endeavors to promote research, training, and service to advance health standards for all people, especially people in low- and middle-income countries who are disproportionately impacted by preventable diseases. The Institute has established a graduate student fellowship program to support students enrolled in the University of Notre Dame PhD program. Outstanding graduate students from across the University of Notre Dame and the Indiana University School of Medicine – South Bend who have a specific interest in global health and whose research is directed to questions that impact global health are invited to apply.