Funding & Fellowship Opportunities for Graduate Students

Graduate students impact the lives of many undergraduates through their classroom teaching. To acknowledge this excellence we award Graduate Teaching Scholarships for a semester. To be eligible for these awards, the graduate student must

• Have a GTA appointment for the semester that includes some classroom, lab, or field-work teaching. Grading GTAs are not eligible. GTA portion of the appointment must be at least 10 hours.
• Have completed one of three sets of professional development (see below) before the semester starts.
• Be in good standing
• Apply for the scholarship before the 1^st day of the semester

There are three levels of scholarships, each requiring an increasing level of professional development:

To apply for this award, please fill out and submit the Graduate Teaching Scholarship Application below. For questions, contact the Graduate School at [email protected].

 denotes required fields.

The Graduate School is pleased to announce an internal competition for community building mini-grant. We will provide ~10 mini-grants of $500 each to graduate-student organizations.

All sorts of projects will get funded, ranging from community engagement, to outdoor activities, to professional development, to celebrations of different cultures or groups of students, to local gatherings for students who are taking online graduate courses.

The deadline for submission is Monday, September 25, 2023 at 5pm. For submission details and criteria, visit the Community Building Mini-Grant page.

MSU PhD students who will be in their final term of PhD research and dissertation writing can apply for a PhD Dissertation Completion Award. The expectation is that recipients of this award will graduate at the end of the term of the award. The application for a Fall 2023 award is open with a deadline of July 15.

The award consists of a graduate research assistantship (GRA) for one term and includes a stipend of $1,975/month and an additional payment of $225/month for five (5) months, as well as a tuition waiver for three to six (3-6) credits. University fees and other fees are not included. As a GRA, the student will be represented by the Graduate Employee Organization (GEO).

Eligibility

• The application is open to PhD candidates in any department at MSU-Bozeman.
• Applicants must have completed all requirements for the PhD except the dissertation.
• Applicants must have submitted an Application to Graduate for the term of the award. 

Exclusions

• Graduate students who hold teaching or research assistantships or who are employed by MSU in any capacity during the same time period.
• Graduate students who have previously received a PhD Dissertation Completion Award.

Evaluation Criteria

1. The impact that this award will have for the student and the degree to which it will assist the student in completing his/her PhD.
2. Regular POS committee meetings.
3. The student’s committee chair and the members of the committee will provide input on how close the student is to completing the degree.
4. The amount of funding available to the research advisor (per a check run by the Office of Sponsored Programs). Depending on available funding, the application may not be awarded or advisors may be asked to contribute up to three-quarters of the amount of the award.

If awarded, it is expected that:

1. The recipient will meet with the Assistant Dean of The Graduate School to discuss plans for completing the dissertation
2. The recipient will participate in writing coaching and peer accountability or review sessions run by the Writing Center.

Application

Applications are closed for Fall 2023.

The Graduate School has limited funding for these awards and will consider all applications submitted by the application deadline (listed above).

Application Process:

After the Application is submitted, the student's academic status will be confirmed by The Graduate School and then the application will be routed to the student's advisor for input and signature. The Graduate School will not process the application until after the application deadline.

The document has sections for

• A statement from the student on where they are in completing their dissertation, what research remains to be done, and what writing remains to be done
• Dates of recent PoS committee meetings
• Names and emails of their academic department head, as well as their committee chair and committee members who will provide input on how close the student is to completing the degree.

For further information, contact the Graduate School at [email protected] or (406) 994-4145.

Professional Advancement Grants (formerly known as Travel Awards) can be used to partially support opportunities for existing MSU Bozeman graduate students from any department to conduct poster or oral presentations at professional conferences, present performances, or to conduct scholarship. 

In order to be considered for this award, applicants must be current degree-seeking graduate students in good standing. 

Graduate students are not eligible to receive an award within 3 years of receiving a previous award.

Applications will be reviewed monthly and awarded based upon availability of funds each term. If traveling, you will need to follow University guidelines and obtain required approvals for MSU Affiliated Travel.

For further information, contact the Graduate School at [email protected] or (406) 994-4145.

Past McNair scholars can apply for an application fee waiver and/or tuition waiver  to be used at Montana State University.

Current and alum of AmeriCorp can apply for an application fee waiver and/or tuition waiver to be used at MSU.

Montana INBRE Native American Graduate Fellowships provide an opportunity for highly motivated Native American students who have demonstrated leadership potential in the biomedical, social and behavioral health sciences, as well as in the development of STEM programs and research in tribal colleges, to pursue their doctoral degree. In some cases, applications for study at the master’s degree level will be considered, though applicants are strongly encouraged to pursue the Ph.D. as their terminal degree.

The Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation Native American Graduate Fellowship will be awarded to an MSU graduate student who is an enrolled member of a Montana Native American Tribe and a resident of the State of Montana. Students can be pursuing a graduate degree in ANY discipline at MSU. The award is $15,000 for the academic year. A recipient may reapply for a renewal up to 1 additional year for a master’s program and 2 additional years for a doctoral program.

Applicants will need to register and apply via Cat Scholarships website.

For additional information contact the Graduate School at [email protected]. 

Cat Scholarships is the MSU online scholarship platform that is used for most MSU scholarships.

Only accepted MSU students will be able to use Cat $cholarships online applications.

Childcare scholarship details and application

Food scholarship details and application

Students may not apply for these awards. They must be nominated by faculty or their department.

Delta Grants are designed for faculty to admit a Ph.D. student if the faculty’s grant has some years of funding for the student, but perhaps not long enough for the full duration of a Ph.D. Delta funds can be used to cover the difference between the typical GRA and GTA stipends.

We have two types of Delta grants: Future Delta grants will allow faculty members to plan ahead and provide GRA-level stipends for an additional year than their grant has funds for. If the faculty member receives a Delta award, they can include this stipend amount a multi-year admission letter sent to the student. This may allow faculty members to write offer letters including a constant stipend over the full length of the Ph.D. Current Delta grants will allow current students to continue at their previous GRA rates when they have up to a year of GTA duties, so that when the Ph.D. student is teaching, they don’t have a decrease in their level of stipend.

Each Delta Ph.D. award will provide the difference between the GRA stipend the faculty has been paying the student (or will pay) and the average GTA stipend for that department. A Delta award is for either one or two semesters.

 Students may not apply for these awards. They must be nominated by faculty or their department.

Faculty should apply by July 15.

MSU’s Humanities, Arts, and Social Science graduate programs contribute enormously to the scholarship and creative works that advance the mission of our university. In recognition and to advance their continued excellence, we invite applications from faculty for one year of GRA support for doctoral students in one of the following doctoral programs; American Studies, History, and Psychology.

Each HASS Ph.D. fellowship will have a 10-month GRA stipend of $20,000, $175/month additional payment for 10 months, and up to 18cr of tuition waivers. The intent is that the Ph.D. student will be supported by the nominating faculty and department for the other years of their Ph.D. degree. The student can be a current student at any stage of their Ph.D. program or an incoming student for Fall 2023 or Spring 2024. We anticipate that three awards will be made during FY24.

 Students may not apply for these awards. They must be nominated by faculty or their department.

Departments can offer top master's prospective students who do not intend to complete a thesis a Professional Master's Fellowship. Each fellowship comes with a 6-credit tuition waiver to be used in the first two semesters of the student's masters degree program. The fellowship is for top masters prospective students who do not intend to complete a thesis and are not receiving other funding such as a GTA or GRA appointment, or staff tuition waivers.

These waivers will be either resident or non-resident depending on the recipient’s residency status and provide a 20% discount for a 30 credit master's. The fellowships are allocated proportionally to the current enrollment, for a total of ~ 30 fellowships.

Students may not apply for these awards. They must be nominated by faculty or their department.

Nominations for the University Fellowship (formerly known as the Meritorious Award),  for Fall 2023 are now closed. The purpose of this award is to attract outstanding new doctoral students and thus grow graduate student enrollment in alignment with the university’s academic strategic plan.

Each award is $4K/year for up to 5-years.

Students may not apply for these awards. They must be nominated by faculty or their department.

Nominations for the Mildred Livingston Presidential Award are now closed for Fall 2023.

The award is for new graduate students. The award is valued at $2,000, to be given over the course of two years, beginning Fall 2023 and ending Spring 2025.

Past McNair scholars can be nominated or apply for an an application fee waiver and/or tuition waiver  to be used at Montana State University.

Students may not apply for these awards. They must be nominated by faculty or their department.

Indigenous (Native American, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian – U.S. Citizenship) graduate students pursuing degrees in STEM at MSU are eligible to apply for the scholarship program established by the A.P. Sloan Foundation. 

Please click on the link above or contact Dr. Barbara Komlos, [email protected], (406) 994-4206, for general information.

This funding is designed for faculty who work with graduate students.

The Graduate School will consider bridge tuition waiver requests when an investigator’s funded project has not been renewed and temporary support is needed to support an existing graduate student who was to be supported by the unfunded grant. Faculty who can submit a request for bridge tuition waivers must be productive researchers who are in-between grants. Bridge tuition waiver requests are not intended to support new projects, new graduate students, or to be used as match.

The Graduate School will evaluate the request as quickly as possible and notify the requesting faculty of the decision.

For more information, please click through to the PhD Start Awards informational page.  (note this program used to be known as the PhD Enhancement award, but the name changed to better reflect that it is to assist students at the start of their PhD).

The Rhodes Scholarships are the oldest and most celebrated international fellowship awards in the world. Each year 32 students from the United States are selected as Rhodes Scholars, through a decentralized process representing the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories. Rhodes Scholars are chosen not only for their outstanding scholarly achievements, but for their character, commitment to others and to the common good, and for their potential for leadership in whatever domains their careers may lead. This scholarship covers all college and university fees at the University of Oxford, including a stipend for living expenses, transportation to and from England.

Internal submission: Typically, August; External submission typically, October.

Institutional nomination required.

The Marshall Scholarship finance young Americans of high ability to study for a degree in the United Kingdom in a system of higher education recognized for its excellence.  Selectors seek candidates who have the potential to excel as scholars, as leaders and contributors to improved UK-US understanding. Assessment will be based on academic merit, leadership and ambassadorial potential.  

Internal submission: Typically, August; External submission typically, October.     

Institutional nomination required.

The Gates-Cambridge Scholarships are awarded to outstanding applicants from countries outside the UK to pursue a full-time post-graduate degree in any subject available at the University of Cambridge. The selection criteria are outstanding intellectual ability, leadership potential, a commitment to improving the lives of others, a good fit between the applicants qualifications and aspirations, and a good fit between the post graduate program at Cambridge for which they are applying. 

Internal submission: Typically, August; External submission typically, October.

The Schwarzman Scholarship Program is designed to help future leaders meet the challenges of the 21st century and beyond by preparing them to better understand China's culture, economy, governance and evolving role in the world. Scholars will study for a one-year Master’s degree, with options to focus on public policy, international relations, or economics and business at Tsinghua University. Successful candidates will demonstrate extraordinary leadership potential, the ability to anticipate paradigm changes, strong intellectual capacity and exemplary character.   

Internal submission: Typically, August; External submission typically, October.

Institutional nomination required.

The Fulbright US Student Program provides grants for individually designed study/research projects or for English Teaching Assistant Programs. A candidate will submit a Statement of Grant Purpose defining activities to take place during one academic year in a participating country outside the US. Key characteristics include the quality and feasibility of the proposal as described in the Statement of Grant Purpose, academic or professional record, and language preparation if applicable.  

Internal submission: Typically August; External submission: Typically, Mid October.

The George Mitchell Scholarship enables American graduates to pursue a year of post-graduate study at institutions of higher learning in Ireland and Northern Ireland. They characteristics sought by the review committee include academic excellence, leadership, and a commitment to community or Public Service.

Internal submission: Typically, August; External submission typically, October.

Institutional nomination required.

The INL Graduate Fellowship Program is designed to identify exceptional talent in research areas aligned with INL’s strategic agenda to enable the current and future mission of the Department of
Energy (DOE) and INL. INL Graduate Fellows will receive a commitment from both INL and their university with agreements to pay tuition and compensation, and to provide the student the opportunity to conduct research while earning their degree. For more information visit the INL website.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science accepts applications for the Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program. The SCGSR program provides doctoral dissertation/thesis research opportunities for graduate students at DOE national laboratories.

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center accepts applications for the CPRIT TRIUMPH Postdoctoral Fellowship in Translational Cancer Research. This three-year fellowship provides basic, translational, and clinical training and aims to further develop talented PhD or MD/PhDs into successful clinical/translational research scientists. Please check this link for additional information on the MD Anderson Cancer Center CPRIT TRIUMPH Fellowship regarding eligibility, application process, and current trainees and program alumni profiles.

The Academy Scholars Program identifies and supports outstanding scholars at the start of their careers whose work combines disciplinary excellence in the social sciences (including history and law) with a command of the language, history, or culture of non-Western countries or regions. Academy Scholars are appointed for two years by the Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies and are provided time, guidance, and access to Harvard University facilities. They receive substantial financial and research assistance to undertake sustained projects of research and/or acquire accessory training in their chosen fields and areas. Please check this link for additional information or to apply for the Academy Scholars Program. 

The Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC) fosters international scholarship, education and cultural dialogue. This private nonprofit federation of independent overseas research centers promotes advanced research, particularly in the humanities and social sciences, with a focus on the conservation and recording of cultural heritage and the understanding and interpretation of modern societies. CAORC offers research fellowships throughout the year to doctoral candidates, postdoctoral scholars and independent scholars.

Please check this link for a listing of fellowship opportunities.  

Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship for Service Program. The purpose is to promote the education, recruitment and retention of outstanding graduate students in science, mathematics and engineering studies; the DoD is also interested in supporting the education of future scientists and engineers in a number of interdisciplinary areas.

Scholarships include a cash award of $25,000 to $41,000 per year, full tuition, health insurance and a book allowance. 

Predoctoral, Dissertation, and Postdoctoral fellowships will be awarded in a national competition administered by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on behalf of the Ford Foundation. Individuals committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level are encouraged to apply. The program is open to all U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals and U.S. permanent residents, as well as individuals granted deferred action status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program, political asylees and refugees, regardless of race, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability or sexual orientation.

Awards will be made for study in research-based Ph.D. or Sc.D. programs; practice oriented degree programs are not eligible for support. Prospective applicants should read carefully the eligibility requirements, the terms of the fellowship awards, application instructions and other information pertaining to the individual fellowship (Predoctoral, Dissertation, or Postdoctoral) for which they are applying.

Online application opens in September and typically closes in December each year. 

Visit theFord Foundation Fellowships Program website.

The National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship awards funding to U.S. citizens and nationals who are purusing a doctoral degree in one of fifteen supported disciplines at a U.S. institution.  

Application opens in September and typically close in December each year.

Please check this link for further information and to apply for the NDSEG Fellowship. 

P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship (IPS)

The International Peace Scholarship Fund, established in 1949, is a program which provides scholarships for selected women from other countries for graduate study in the United States and Canada. Members of P.E.O. believe that education is fundamental to world peace and understanding. The scholarship is based upon demonstrated need; however, the award is not intended to cover all academic or personal expenses.

At the time of application, the applicant is required to indicate additional financial resources adequate to meet her estimated expenses. Examples of additional resources are personal and family funds, tuition waivers, work scholarships, teaching assistantships, study grants and other scholarships.The maximum amount awarded to a student is $12,500. Lesser amounts may be awarded according to individual needs.

Applications are now being accepted for the first cohort of STEM Oral Communication Fellows. This fellowship is available for STEM graduate students who are beyond their second year of graduate studies. Questions? Contact PI Dr. Shannon Willoughby at [email protected]

This grant is funded by NSF Grant 1735124.

The L’ORÉAL USA FOR WOMEN IN SCIENCE Fellowship program annually awards five female postdoctoral scientists with grants of $60,000 each for their contributions in STEM fields and their commitment to serving as role models for younger generations. Candidates must have completed their Ph.D. and started in their postdoctoral research position by the application deadline. Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident to apply. Visit the For Women In Science website to find out more. Award announcements are made each October.

Typical application deadline: late January.

The Institute for Humane Studies offers Conference & Research Grants of up to $750 to cover travel costs and fees for career-related expenses. 

Funds are awarded on a rolling basis to current graduate students advancing the principles of freedom through their career. 

The Rowe Fund is an educational loan program of the Organization of American States (OAS) that helps citizens from Latin America and Caribbean OAS Member States finance their studies or research in accredited universities across the United States by awarding interest-free loans of up to $15,000 dollars.

Applications are accepted and reviewed year-round. To find out more about the required documents and forms, review this list.

For additional information contact: [email protected].

The Intertribal Timber Council (ITC), in partnership with the USDA Forest Service Research and Development is pleased to announce scholarship opportunities for Native American students who are planning or currently conducting tribally relevant research in a natural resource issue. The ITC Research Scholarship is designed to support tribally relevant, natural resource-based research being conducted by Native American scholars enrolled in a graduate program. For complete application requirements, please see the Intertribal Timber Council website.

Typical application deadline: late November.

The ITHS TL1 program is a one-year mentored research training program in translational science for predoctoral students. This program creates a cross-disciplinary community of emerging researchers and provides them with specific training, career development opportunities, and team science skills to help them function effectively within translational science teams.

Through a combination of thoughtful mentorship, interdisciplinary interaction, and focused training, TL1 Trainees receive the career development tools needed to become impactful translational researchers.

https://www.iths.org/education/graduate/tl1/

OnlineMastersDegree.org has a guide that highlights 30 different scholarship opportunities and 20 different resources for Native American and Alaskan master's students.

https://grad.ucla.edu/funding/#/  

https://ls.berkeley.edu/ls-divisions/arts-humanities/diversity-directors-office/resources/continuing-students/dissertation  

https://gradfund.rutgers.edu/stage/dissertation-writing-completion/  

https://as.nyu.edu/departments/anthropology/graduate/fellowship-directory/post-field-and-dissertation-write-up-fellowships.html  

https://www.purdue.edu/gradschool/fellowship/funding-resources-for-students/fellowships/outside-fellowships.html  

https://citizensandscholars.org/fellowships/for-scholars-education-leaders/charlotte-w-newcombe-fellowship/ 

Award: $25,000 for 12 months  

Approximate Deadline: November 15 (annually)  

Fields: Humanities and social sciences

https://www.acls.org/programs/dcf/ 

Award: Stipend: $35,000, plus funds for research costs of up to $3,000 and for university fees of up to $5,000 

Approximate deadline: October 

Fields: Humanities or social science

https://www.usip.org/grants-fellowships/fellowships/peace-scholar-fellowship-program 

Approximate Deadline: October 

Fields: Broadly related to conflict management, peacebuilding, and relevant security studies

https://sites.nationalacademies.org/pga/fordfellowships/pga_047959 

Award: $28,000 

Approximate deadline: January  

Fields: Most research-based Ph.D and Sc.D programs

https://www.aera.net/Professional-Opportunities-Funding/AERA-Funding-Opportunities/Grants-Program/Dissertation-Grants

Award: $27,500 

Approximate deadline: January 

Fields: all fields engaged in education-related research

To find additional dissertation writing fellowships, use SPIN. This search engine can send you email updates on fellowships with upcoming deadlines. To set up a SPIN alert:

• Open SPIN and set up an account (this could take 24-48 hours to be approved)
• Search for the desired criteria (ex. “Dissertation fellowship”)
• Add any desired filters
• Click “Save” next to the search bar
• Label your search and select preferences for email updates and frequency

For more detailed instructions, see “SPIN funding alert service” above.