hmm... it may be a school by school thing... i'm not sure that all schools fully fund their phd students... although i would think that they would all be at least partially funded... two years ago when i got my acceptance to penn it included all of the funding information.

I agree with architphil. Academic departments can be obtuse and/or disorganized when it comes to correspondence and communications. Add to that the current economic climate and the evaporation of funding for students, and that letter doesn't sound so odd.

On the good side, at least the letter is clear (as you describe it): You're in, and we'll let you know about money if if becomes available. Pretty clear-cut.

phase123 .... I've heard of this happening in PhD programs before. I wonder if your program will divvy out funds only when it figures out the make-up of its incoming cohort? But, yeah, this seems like it is indeed a school thing.

Congratulations on your acceptance ... that's something to bask in :)

I know a few people it happened to. I'd consider making a VERY humble and polite call to anyone you already have a relationship with at the school to find out what the typical process is in this case. start with departmental secretaries and work up.

Some departments offer no funding to most students for the first year and admit widely, then fail a fair number out over the course of the year (I heard Sci Arc used to do the same in their MArch program). Others offer one or two exceptionally good students that they can't fund a spot during a good application year, betting that next year's yield will be worse, and they can shift a funding line.

In one case, a very sweet person I know talked his way into a tuition waiver for an unfunded spot.

thanks everyone. I think I should make a call or at least try to find out what the funding process is. I emailed my future supervisor and got no reply.

I don't know whether I should be happy about the admission or not. It's a good school but not a top notch one like Harvard or MIT. I'm out of work for six months and is happy to have a chance to become a professor but no definite funding for a five years' Phd program seems scary to me.

Phase,

It's always good to be direct and ask, respectfully. Getting a PhD is an entrepreneurial venture. Initiative and self-motivation are very important, not only in the scholarly work but also in the administrative process. This proactive attitude is critical to finishing --which many people never do.

As for schools: the Ivies are wonderful, yes. But many people (dozens and dozens, I've heard) attend other universities and go on to do great work and live fulfilling lives. (Sorry for the sarcasm, but the regular worship at the altar of John Harvard by some youngsters on Archinect wears a little thin sometimes.)

Good luck to you!