Primary source of financial support
From 2011 to 2015, a research assistantship was the primary source of financial support for over one-half of the temporary visa holders intending to stay in the United States after earning a doctorate, for about one-third of those intending to leave, and for about one-quarter of U.S. citizen and permanent resident doctorate recipients. Foreign government support was the primary financial support for 11% of temporary visa holders who intended to leave, but it was the primary source for relatively few (1%) temporary visa holders who intended to stay in the United States after graduation. Over 21% of U.S. citizen and permanent resident doctorate recipients cited their own resources as their primary source of support. Only 6% of temporary visa holders intending to leave and 2% of those intending to stay relied primarily on their own resources to finance their doctorate (figure C).
Primary source of financial support, by resident type: 2011–15
| Primary source | U.S. citizens and permanent residents | Temporary visa holders intending to stay in the United States | Temporary visa holders intending to leave the United States | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Percent | Number | Percent | Number | Percent | |
| Teaching assistantship | 31,006 | 19.5 | 11,648 | 22.4 | 4,474 | 23.3 |
| Research assistantship | 37,937 | 23.9 | 29,066 | 55.8 | 6,155 | 32.0 |
| Fellowship or grant | 48,556 | 30.6 | 9,402 | 18.1 | 5,087 | 26.5 |
| Own resources | 33,880 | 21.4 | 1,115 | 2.1 | 1,193 | 6.2 |
| Foreign government | 179 | 0.1 | 690 | 1.3 | 2,095 | 10.9 |
| Other sources | 7,047 | 4.4 | 163 | 0.3 | 214 | 1.1 |
- NOTE: Percentages are based on the number of doctorate recipients responding to the primary source of financial support and postgraduation items.
- SOURCE: Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities 2015. Related detailed data: tables 35, 36, 37.
