Princeton University - The Graduate School

The Graduate School has a continuum of programs and policies in place to ensure that graduate degree candidates can meet the needs and demands of personal and family life while successfully pursuing their academic programs. Family focused initiatives include:

This policy has two parts, as it seeks to acknowledge the demands on and accommodate the needs of graduate degree candidates who give birth. It also provides relief to graduate degree candidates faced with the additional time demands of being the primary caregiver for an infant during that critical first year of life. For graduate students who give birth, 12 weeks of maternity leave are provided during which the birth mother continues to receive financial support, and teaching and other academic obligations are suspended. While applications are required, the benefit is automatic. Also, birth mothers or primary caregivers who are pursuing doctorates will be eligible for an extension of academic deadlines that provides for one additional term of financial support to complete their studies for each child they give birth to or adopt. More information is available on the Childbirth Accommodation and Adoption Policy website.

This program provides taxable grants, based on total, annual household income, to eligible graduate degree candidates with pre-kindergarten children to help them meet the cost of child care. The grants are portable and can be used to pay for a wide range of possible arrangements from in-home care to licensed day care centers. The maximum grant for one eligible child is $5,000; an additional grant of up to $5000 is available for a second eligible child. To be eligible, the full-time student may be unmarried or may have a spouse or partner who is employed at least 50% time, is a full-time student matriculated in a degree or certificate program, or is eligible for and seeking at least 50% employment. More information, including additional details about the eligibility criteria, is available on the Student Child Care Assistance Program website.

Princeton University has partnered with Bright Horizons to provide you with backup care when you experience temporary disruptions in your child, adult, or elder caregiving arrangements that would otherwise prevent you from fulfilling work or study obligations.

The Backup Care Advantage Program is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, for infants though the elderly, whether they are healthy or mildly ill.  This program helps to resolve various gaps in caregiving, including replacing regular caregivers when they are sick or on vacation; caregiving for spouses, partners, and loved ones who are recovering from medical treatment; and caring for children or adult family members when they are ill, home during a school closure, or need help because the graduate student is traveling for academic-related work.  Family members need not reside in the home of the graduate student to be eligible.  Bright Horizons has providers in all 50 states and Canada.

In-home care will cost you $4 per hour (for up to three dependents) and center-based care will cost $2 per hour per child.  As a graduate degree candidate, you have 100 hours of care available for each calendar year.  More information is available at the Human Resources website.

Princeton University has contracted with the Carebridge Corporation to provide confidential assistance to graduate students for managing work, personal or family issues at no charge. The Carebridge Employee Assistance Program for Faculty and Staff (EAP) helps faculty and staff members work through many difficult personal issues such as: 

• Drug and/or alcohol abuse
• Stress and depression
• Financial issues
• Interpersonal relationships
• Married life and parenting
• Grief and loss 

• Child care
• Elder care
• Adoption
• Time management and life balance
• Personal financial management 

For more information visit the Human Resources website, or to use the Carebridge Library, visit the Carebridge website. Enter the Princeton client code of TW8AE. Carebridge is also available by email or telephone (1-800-437-0911).

University-affiliated Childcare Centers
The University League Nursery School and University-NOW Day Nursery are not-for-profit child care facilities located at 171 Broadmead on the Princeton campus. ULNS provides half-day and full-day programs for children ages 2.5 years until kindergarten; University-NOW Day Nursery provides a full-day program for children ages 12 weeks until kindergarten. The children of University faculty, staff, and students have priority for admission.

Information about Area Childcare Centers
The Harmony School operates a full-day child care center in the Princeton Forrestal Village for children ages six weeks through kindergarten and provides discounts on the monthly tuition for Princeton faculty, staff, and students. Enrollment is on a space-available basis. Tuition includes snacks, diapers and wipes.

The Lawrence Day School is Reggio Emilia inspired and NAEYC accredited school. The Lawrence Day School, located at 510 Lawrence Square Blvd. South, Lawrenceville, NJ, offers Princeton faculty, staff, and graduate students, a 10 percent discount off the monthly tuition for each family who uses the facility.  In addition, University affiliated families are given priority access to enroll in the center. The Lawrence Day School operates a child care center for children from the age of six weeks to 12 years years old. Part-day, partial week, drop in available. In addition, Lawrence Day School offers a summer camp for children ages 6 weeks to 11 years. Hours of operation for Lawrence Day School are 7:30 a.m. through 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.   If needed, extended hours available upon request in the morning or in the evening. Tuition includes: 2 snacks, milk, filtered water, sleeping mat, bibs, and crib sheets. For more information about Lawrence Day School’s programs and costs, please visit their website or call the center directly at 609-588-5700.

Lakeview Child Center offers Princeton faculty, staff, and graduate students a 10 percent discount off the weekly tuition at its seven locations for each family who uses the facility.  In addition, University affiliated families are given priority access to enroll in any of their centers. Lakeview Child Center operates seven full-day child care centers for children from the age of six weeks to six years old. Part-day, partial week, and drop-in programs are also available. In addition, Lakeview offers a summer camp for school-age children from kindergarten to age 9 at the Hamilton and Ewing locations.   Lakeview’s hours of operation vary slightly, depending on center but all are open by 7 a.m., Monday through Friday.   Tuition includes: formula, cereal, baby food for infants, diapers and wipes, meals and snacks. For more information about Lakeview’s programs and costs, please visit Lakeview’s website or call the center directly.

Princeton University has contracted with Lotsa Helping Hands (LHH) to provide graduate degree candidates with a no-cost, confidential Web-based tool during times of need. When friends and family want to help out, coordinating meals, errands, and rides can be a real challenge, and many well-intentioned efforts fail because the scheduling is too difficult.   You might be caring for an ill loved one or be responsible for the well being of an elderly family member. You might be a parent of a newborn. From the LHH website, you can create your own "circle of community" complete with a calendar where family , friends, neighbors, and colleagues can sign up to help.  This website is private and easy to use and requires no training. For more detailed information and to start building your own circle of community, visit the Human Resources website.

• University League Nursery School
• University-NOW Day Nursery
• The Harmony School
  
• Lawrence Day School
• Lakeview Child Center