Effective Jan. 1, the minimum stipend for doctoral students in the UNC Graduate School increased from $17,000 to $20,000 over a nine-month service period. Service stipends often include coverage of tuition, fees and health insurance. Any income above the minimum stipend depends on the academic department.
According to a recent Graduate and Professional Student Government survey, the average rent among over 1,100 graduate student respondents was $1,260.72 per month — about ⅔ of a monthly minimum stipend check.