Are There Free PhD Programs Online in Rhode Island?

Rhode Island residents have the chance to earn online doctoral degrees at very low costs. We'd like to show you how to fund a high-quality graduate education.

Although fully free online PhD programs may not be available in every field of study, students seeking an affordable degree path can significantly reduce costs through various financial aid options. Federal and state aid, scholarships from higher education institutions, and other funding sources can cover a portion of tuition costs for eligible students. However, it is important to note that additional costs beyond tuition may apply.

Many Americans are returning to school to earn higher credentials, such as a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). These programs normally involve a significant financial commitment, though. It might be worth exploring Rhode Island's best fully funded online PhD programs for a low-cost alternative to expensive on-campus options.

While there are no free PhD programs online in this state, you could reduce all costs with the right combination of financial aid or find fully funded online PhD programs in other states to avoid student debt. We invite you to consider these reasonably priced programs for doctoral students in fields like healthcare, computer science, the social sciences, the humanities, educational leadership, social work, and other rewarding disciplines.

Are There Any Fully Funded PhD Programs in Rhode Island?

You can find fully funded PhD programs if you qualify for a sufficient volume of scholarships, grants, teaching assistantships, and so forth. The best place to start is to research tuition-free online colleges, which eliminates the largest expenses for most fields of study. You can enroll in almost-free PhD programs online while studying business administration, education, and other marketable subjects. So, you may not find a 100% free doctorate degree online in Rhode Island, but there are ways to bring costs down to zero by obtaining a solid financial aid package.

How Do I Receive PhD Funding?

Work-study opportunities are a terrific way to secure reliable PhD funding. Even online PhD programs can involve student teaching or similar employment.

It's common for online students to work as research assistants and teaching assistants while completing online doctoral coursework. This helps PhD students pay for their education and prepares them for the responsibilities of typical professors in academia.

You should also research and apply for scholarships, grants, fellowships, and other funding sources you won't have to repay. This starts by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which assists online students, in-state students, international students, and more. There are several relatively cheap online colleges that accept FAFSA in Rhode Island and other places across America.

What Does PhD Funding Cover?

Funding sources for graduate school cover much more than just tuition. You can use funding stipends to pay for all the other fees associated with online doctoral programs.

These include textbooks, application fees, graduation fees, technology costs, conference fees, and much more. It's also important to remember all your living expenses � especially if you pursue doctoral degree programs full-time without external income.

Graduate students who demonstrate financial hardship may qualify for needs-based scholarships to assist with tuition, living expenses, and miscellaneous fees. Most universities require you to complete the FAFSA to receive consideration for these awards, though.

Low-Cost Online Doctoral and PhD Programs in Rhode Island

Check out these reputable and affordable online PhD programs in Rhode Island. They offer accredited degrees with multiple specializations for in-demand subjects.

1. Rhode Island College

Rhode Island College has two PhD programs (in education or nursing) available in a hybrid delivery format. If you are pursuing a PhD in education, consider the school's Enhancement of Graduate Research Awards (EGRA), which gives you the chance to earn $2,000 and $3,000 scholarships. Graduate assistants can also earn money or defer fees through the Graduate Assistant United (GAU) fund.

Average in-state tuition: $907 per credit hour

Average out-of-state tuition: $907 per credit hour

Financial aid: Rhode Island College also encourages students to complete the FAFSA as soon as possible to stand a better chance at grants and other financial support.

Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)

2. University of Rhode Island

The University of Rhode Island (URI) grants a DNP degree designed to train nursing executives and other high-level public health administrators. Although these professional doctorates normally carry a high tuition rate, URI offers six graduate student funding opportunities to offset costs. These include full tuition scholarships for professional doctoral programs, like the DNP.

Average in-state tuition: $918 per credit hour

Average out-of-state tuition: $918 per credit hour

Financial aid: URI also has generous funding available through graduate research assistantships and its Graduate Fellowship Incentive programs.

Accreditation: NECHE

3. Johnson & Wales University-Online

Johnson & Wales University-Online offers three online versions of its Doctor of Business Administration (DBA): a general path, a concentration in hospitality management, or organizational development. These business programs provide students with the opportunity to develop real-world leadership skills through shorter, seven-week sessions. All faculty members hold terminal degrees and possess lots of practical business experience and training in sophisticated research methodologies.

Average in-state tuition: $993 per credit hour

Average out-of-state tuition: $993 per credit hour

Financial aid: The university offers generous alumni discounts on tuition fees (up to 25% off). It also grants a ''Returning Success Scholarship,'' which is equivalent to a 25% tuition waiver for students who return to school after two or more years.

Accreditation: NECHE

Other Fully Funded Online PhD Programs

There are also many other accredited fully online PhD programs that offer affordable tuition rates for students located anywhere in America. You can get additional financial support from these colleges by leveraging military veteran status, participating in paid research projects, or securing federal grant money.

Wright State University

Wright State University offers a hybrid program of online and in-person courses for its PhD in computer science and engineering. This program could be a solid fit for retired military personnel who wish to study at their own pace, part-time or full-time.

Successful graduates will gain advanced competencies in computer science specializations, like programming, data algorithms, operating systems, and computer problem-solving. The school offers the chance to pay for college by serving as a research assistant in one of its four engineering departments.

Average in-state tuition: $730 per credit hour

Average out-of-state tuition: $1,195 per credit hour

Financial aid: Wright State provides other financial support through graduate tuition scholarships, its Wright Fellows Program, and the Wright-Patterson AFB (WPAFB) Graduate School Scholarship. The latter involves the universities partnership with the Air Force in an effort to subsidize expenses for military personnel.

Accreditation: HLC

Capella University

Capella University has multiple online doctoral programs in diverse fields. This includes a Doctor of Education (EdD) degree with five specializations, along with other doctorates in business administration, health administration, information technology, and nursing practice. This private university mentions at least two lucrative doctoral scholarship awards, worth $5,000 and $20,000, for specific academic fields.

Average in-state tuition: $525 to $1,020 per credit hour

Average out-of-state tuition: $525 to $1,020 per credit hour

Financial aid: Capella also participates in employer tuition assistance programs and grants a $10,000 alumni scholarship to PhD students.