Dean’s Normative Time Fellowship (DNTF)
Updated: February 10th, 2012
NOTE: For students entering eligible departments beginning in Fall 2010, a new fellowship program replaces the DNTF. Please go to the Doctoral Completion Fellowship (DCF) web page for more information.
The Dean’s Normative Time Fellowship (DNTF) provides an incentive for students in certain graduate programs, to make progress to their degree within normative times. Normative time has two components: 1) time from your first enrollment as a graduate student at Berkeley until you advance to doctoral candidacy; and 2) time in candidacy until the dissertation is filed. DNTF eligibity is determined by whether or not you advance to candidacy within the time specified for the first component.
Students in the following majors may be eligible for the DNTF:
African American Studies Information Management and Systems
Ancient History and Mediterranean Archaeology Italian Studies
Anthropology Japanese Language
Architecture Jewish Studies (with GTU)
Asian Studies Jurisprudence and Social Policy
Buddhist Studies Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning
City and Regional Planning Latin American Studies
Chinese Language Linguistics
Classical Archaeology Medical Anthropology (with UCSF)
Classics Near Eastern Religions (with GTU)
Comparative Literature Near Eastern Studies
Demography Performance Studies
Economics Philosophy
Education Political Science
English Public Policy
Ethnic Studies Rhetoric
French Romance Languages and Literatures
Geography Scandinavian Languages and Literatures
German Science and Mathematics Education
Hispanic Languages and Literatures Slavic Languages and Literatures
History Social Welfare
History of Art Sociology
South and Southeast Asian Studies
Eligibility
To be eligible for the DNTF, you must:
- Be in good academic standing with a minimum GPA of 3.0
- Be advanced to candidacy within the number of semesters established as the normative time for advancement in your major
- Submit your application for Advancement to Doctoral Candidacy to Graduate Degrees by the deadline date specified for DNTF in Dates for Completion of Requirements for Higher Degrees for that semester
Please Note: Withdrawal for research or other academic purposes does count in accrued time. If no withdrawal form is filed, the interim semesters count in accrued time. Retroactive withdrawals are not permitted for purposes of altering the calculation of Normative Time.
Approved Normative Time Calculation Credits for DNTF
- A maximum of two semesters of withdrawal for medical leave only (documented by formal petition) will not count in calculating eligibility.
- Credit for up to two semesters of parental leave can be granted if 1) the student formally withdraws for that purpose, or 2) the student intends to register to undertake a modified schedule and applies for parental leave status before or at the start of the proposed semester. This request must be endorsed by the student’s Head Graduate Adviser.
Fellowship Calculations
- If you are advanced within the normative time for advancement to candidacy established for your major, you will receive a two-semester stipend of $16,000 plus fees (and nonresident tuition for international students).
- If you were admitted to graduate study before the academic year 2008-2009 and are advanced within the following year of your normative time, you will receive a one-semester stipend of $8,000 plus fees (and nonresident tuition for international students).
The chart below illustrates eligibilty if your major’s normative time to passing the qualifying examination and being advanced to candidacy is 6 semesters:
| Time to Advancement (in semesters) | Student advances by the DNTF deadline in semester # | Student is eligible for: |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 6 | 2 semesters of DNTF |
| 6 | 7 | 1 semester of DNTF* |
| 6 | 8 | 1 semester of DNTF* |
| 6 | 5 | 2 semesters of DNTF |
Students admitted in 2008-2009 or later years are not eligible for the one semester award.*
Claiming the DNTF Award
- You must be registered by university deadlines in the semester(s) you intend to receive this fellowship and submit the DNTF Award Activation Form to the Fellowships Office before the beginning of the semester in which you want to use the award. Since the DNTF pays for fees, this means that you are responsible for enrolling in units and removing any blocks on your registration.
- After your advancement, you may claim your award in any subsequent semester(s) remaining within your major’s normative time.
Beginning in fall semester 2008, the Dean’s Normative Time Fellowship (DNTF) may be supplemented by a single one-semester GSI, AI-GS, GSR, Reader, or Tutor appointment for no greater than 25 percent time. For students who are eligible for two semesters of DNTF, the 25 percent time appointment may only be taken in one of the two semesters.
You may use this fellowship after advancement to candidacy and before the expiration of normative time for completion of the doctorate in your major.
For eligibility questions, contact the Graduate Services Degrees staff (318 Sproul Hall, 510-642-7330).
For details concerning activating and receiving the award, contact the Graduate Services Fellowships staff (318 Sproul Hall, 510-642-0672).
Relevant Policies
For more information, see applicable policies in the Guide to Graduate Policy:
See All Topics in the Category: Guide to Graduate Policy
