Who We Are

The Graduate Student Organization (GSO) is the official body representing all graduate students at Stony Brook University. Our mission is to serve as the liaison between graduate students and the university administration, ensuring your needs are met and your voice is heard.

Comprised of an Executive Board and senators from every academic department, the GSO addresses graduate student issues and concerns at all levels. We are a student-run, non-profit organization funded by the graduate student activity fee.

Key services we provide include:

• Advocacy: Championing graduate student interests in discussions with university leadership.

• Funding: Offering financial support for academic travel, research, professional development, and more.

• Events: Hosting social and academic events to bring graduate students together across all disciplines.

• Communication: Keeping you informed about critical resources, opportunities, and university news.

GSO Resources

The GSO hosts many large-scale events for graduate students on and off campus, as well as many resources, including:

• Graduate Student Emergency Relief Fund

  • Please also refer to the Student Emergency Support Fund (SESF) for resources and support.

The GSO also offers various funding opportunities! Whether you are taking in-person classes or if you are an online/remote student, you can still apply for the GSO reimbursement lines. These range in $300 - $1,750 in reimbursements, including:

• Conference expenses

• Online courses (i.e., Coursera, DataCamp, not degree requirements)

• Professional development activities (i.e., Software subscriptions like Adobe, Prism)

• Fitness activities (i.e., gym membership fees, exercise classes)

• Recreational activities (i.e., tickets to concerts, sports games, Broadway musicals/plays, museums)

• Travel expenses to internships, research/clinical rotations

Fall 2025: The funding lines for Fall 2025 haven’t opened yet. All the graduate students will be notified before the funding lines open. Any IRs (Invoice Requests) submitted in Blackbaud will not be considered

Please note: Any form of harassment (stalking, excessive calling, any form of aggression and appearing at the living quarters of ANY Graduate Student Organization Executive Member, Officer, Senator, or any related member of GSO) will NOT be tolerated. If any student is found to be harassing any Graduate Student Organization member will be given a verbal warning, a meeting with the Dean of Students, and/or suspension as a Graduate Student Organization Affiliate. This will bar students from attending Graduate Student Organization events, seek reimbursements, or run for any seat within the organization so long as they enrolled at Stony Brook University.

The GSO is the graduate student government at Stony Brook University. The GSO is incorporated in the State of New York as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and is legally and structurally independent of the university administration.