PhD Student Stipend Budget Planner

The stipend arrives for nine months. The rent is due for twelve. Every PhD student learns this in their first summer — usually the hard way. This Budget Planner is built around the funding calendar: stretch the stipend across all twelve months, see the summer shortfall in September instead of June, and know exactly what to set aside each paid month to close it.

What it does for you:
– Start Here — 5-minute setup: enter your monthly stipend take-home, how many months a year it is paid, and your per-semester fees.
– 12-Month Stretch — the whole academic year month by month: stipend paid vs monthly need, surplus/shortfall per month, and a running balance that goes red before the money does.
– The set-aside number — the planner calculates exactly how much of each paid month’s stipend must be saved to fund the summer gap. One number, no guessing.
– Conference & Research Fund — conference travel, registration, software, books and fees planned against their funding (grant, department, stipend), with Difference and the true cost landing on your stipend separated out.
– Expense Log — log everyday spending once; the budget reads it automatically.
– Monthly Budget — zero-based monthly budget where every dollar gets a job; Actual pulls from the Expense Log by itself.
– Dashboard — annual stipend vs annual need, the year shortfall, and the set-aside figure at a glance.
– Monthly Summary — 12 months of spending in one view.
– Sample rows pre-filled so every formula works the moment you open it; formula cells are locked (password disclosed in Start Here) and every formula is error-wrapped. Tracking tool only — not financial or tax advice; fellowship tax treatment varies, so confirm with your university.

What’s inside (.xlsx, works in Excel AND Google Sheets): Start Here · 12-Month Stretch (9-month stipend, 12-month life) · Conference & Research Fund · Expense Log · Monthly Budget (zero-based) · Dashboard · Monthly Summary (12 months).

Instant download. No shipping, no waiting. Message us if you need help setting it up — we answer fast.