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…due to the "financial uncertainty" created by the threat to NIH funding (Pittsburgh, recall, is a major recipient of NIH funding). The suspension applies across all departments, according to the linked article, not just programs in the medical sciences. Is this happening elsewhere?
(Thanks to Ruchira Paul for the pointer.)
I can't remember if you've posted on this but it's also happening at upenn:
https://www.thedp.com/article/2025/02/penn-graduate-student-class-size-cut-trump-funding
Applicants to Pitt HPS's and Philosophy's graduate programs should wait to hear back from these respective programs, to see how this suspension affects admission in our programs. We will meet the dean soon to get more information.
Lots of places (including Vanderbilt, USC, Washington, Columbia, UNC) are described as having reductions, pauses, etc., here:
https://www.statnews.com/2025/02/19/trump-funding-freeze-grad-student-postdoc-acceptances-paused-nih-research/
Will the MIT hiring freeze affect their postdoctoral positions? Do they count as "faculty" or "non-faculty"? Does anyone know? https://orgchart.mit.edu/letters/hiring-freeze-non-essential-positions
Yes.
It’s happening at York University (https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7462610), Queens University (https://www.queensu.ca/secretariat/senate/temporary-suspension-admissions-programs), University of Windsor (https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6608375) and the list of different programs pausing admission at different Canadian schools goes on and on.
In our case, the reason is the same – lack of funding – but the causes are somewhat different.
I suspect an admissions pause, at least, is happening at all universities that depend of Federal funds for some of their grad-student support. Indeed, they'd be nuts not to. Only some schools have made announcements.
BL: I wouldn't assume that at this stage. And the issue isn't reliance on federal funds for graduate support: with the NIH, it's that federal funds were covering a lot of "indirect" research expenses, that the university will now have to absorb which will mean cuts elsewhere: hence suspension of admissions at some places, suspension of hiring, etc.
Just to be clear, in fairness to my colleagues in Ontario, that York, Queens, and Windsor have not as far as I am aware suspended graduate admissions to their Philosophy programs. Rather, they have only suspended admission to one or a few programs in humanities as a result of Ontario-wide post-secondary funding shortfalls (which look likely to continue).
Comment #3 above describes UNC as having a reduction or pause or something. But the linked article refers only to a cancer research center, not to the Chapel Hill Philosophy Department. We have no reduction, pause, etc.
UC San Diego is still planning on admitting PhD students this cycle. However, the offers will be much less attractive than they previously were. Starting this year, admissions letters will include the following:
“These terms and conditions are subject to change as a result of action by federal and/or state governments or the Administration of the University of California, San Diego and/or UC regents. The funding commitment stated in this letter may be modified, reduced, or rescinded and is not guaranteed.”
I would urge caution in accepting this sort of offer – as it seems possible that funding could evaporate with little warning. More generally, I recommend that students consider the language in their offers carefully when deciding where to enroll.
(To be clear, this change only affects students who have yet to matriculate. Students who are already enrolled have funding guaranteed by their contracts).
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