Funding Opportunities
Fellowships
Most of our students are supported by research assistantships provided by the faculty. There are no separate applications for financial assistance. All applicants accepted into the graduate program before January 10 are considered for College and University fellowships for the following year. Fellowships are competitive and usually awarded to PhD students. Award recipients will be notified by April 30 that they will receive a fellowship for the following school year.
Financial Aid
Approximately 75% of graduate students at USU receive some sort of financial assistance in supporting their graduate education. This assistance comes from a variety of sources:
- fellowships and scholarships (through the School of Graduate Studies, the student's college, or the student's department)
- paid work in the form of assistantships
- tuition awards are determined by colleges and departments, please contact your department for more information
Although graduate students are not eligible for federal tuition grants (such as the Pell Grant), they are eligible for federal loans to cover graduate school expenses. Small grants through the Graduate Student Senate are available on a competitive basis to cover graduate student travel and research expenses, and to enhance graduate students' assistantship pay.
Additionally, USU offers health insurance to graduate students who are employed 20 hours per week through an assistantship or have received a qualifying fellowship. Students who do not have either of these can still receive this insurance by paying the full premium.
Scholarships
The School of Graduate Studies offers 3 types of scholarships: 2 are awarded to students who have been nominated by someone from the college, and 1 is available to qualifying students whose parent(s) graduated from USU.
Although graduate students are not eligible for federal tuition grants (such as the Pell Grant), they are eligible for federal loans to cover graduate school expenses. Small grants through the Graduate Student Senate are available on a competitive basis to cover graduate student travel and research expenses, and to enhance graduate students' assistantship pay.
For more information on the scholarships offered by the School of Graduate Studies, please visit their scholarship page.
Ecology Center
Financial support opportunities for Ecology Graduate Students.
QCNR Graduate Student Travel Scholarship
The purpose of these awards is to partially fund costs associated with graduate student presentations at regional, national or international professional meetings. Please email any questions to: juan.villalba@usu.edu
Funding Amount and Process
The QCNR will award travel grants from $200 to $400 while funds last within the fiscal year. All awards require a dollar-for-dollar match from the advisor, Department, Grad School, Ecology Center (for students pursuing MS or PhD degrees in Ecology), or other university source. Grants are presented based on a review process that considers all the information provided in the application submitted (see below). The funds will only be applied on the student's travel authorization or travel reimbursement.
- Regional conference*: $200
- National conference: $300
- International conference: $400
*Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada
Covered Costs
Travel grants can be used to help cover any of the following expenses: conference registration, airfare, hotel, mileage, per diem, and international travel insurance.
Eligibility
To be eligible for a travel grant, applicants must be:
- A full-time graduate student
- Able to provide proof of acceptance to present at a conference
- Match from the advisor, Department, and Grad School. If the student is pursuing a degree in ecology, an application to the Ecology Center for support is also needed.
- Willing to share their experience and pictures with the College
- Willing to purchase the university’s SOS travel insurance if traveling internationally
Students are limited to one graduate travel award per fiscal year. Over the course of their degree, master’s students can receive up to two travel awards and doctoral students can receive up to three travel awards.
Only one student per presentation/poster will be funded.
Application Process
To apply, students are required to complete a graduate student travel application form. Applications are due on October 15, February 15, and June 15. The College will make awards based on application material and avaliable funding.
Applications will resume for 2025-2026 in July 2025. Please email any questions to: juan.villalba@usu.edu
Merilyn Bronson and Henry M. Reeves Professional Development Award
The purpose of this award is to support graduate student professional development - conference or workshop attendance, field work, or similar endeavors involving travel. Please email any questions to: juan.villalba@usu.edu
Funding Amount and Process
Three awards will be given annually to one MS or PhD student in each of QCNR’s three departments, open to graduate students working in research-based degree programs who are in the last half of their academic program.
Each student will be awarded $750. Selection is based on a review process that considers the information provided in the application submitted (see below). The funds will only be applied on the student's travel authorization or travel reimbursement.
Award recipients will receive a copy of “The Market in Birds” by Andrea Smalley and Milt Reeves along with a hand carved duck decoy.
Covered Costs
Professional Development awards can be used to help cover any of the following expenses: registration, airfare, hotel, mileage, per diem, and international travel insurance.
Eligibility
To be eligible for an award, applicants must be:
- A full-time graduate student
- Only one student per presentation/poster or field work research will be funded
- A justification for travel
- Willing to share their experience and pictures with the College, to provide a final report of activities with a thank you letter to Merilyn Bronson and Henry M. Reeves.
- Willing to purchase the university’s SOS travel insurance if traveling internationally.
Students are limited to one award during the course of their program.
Application Process
To apply, students are required to complete a graduate student travel application form. Applications are due on March 15, 2025. The College will make awards based on application materials.
Gregg and Julie Erickson Simonds Graduate Research Fund
Any QCNR graduate student performing relevant research on rangelands is eligible to apply for the research fund. Students may receive a maximum of $7,900 in QCNR research funding (including student stipends, and project-related costs) during their graduate degree program.
Funding Amount
The QCNR Gregg and Julie Erickson Simonds Graduate Research Fund will provide funds for a maximum of $7,900, with $5,600 directed towards student stipends, and $2,300 for project related costs, including travel, equipment and/or materials.
Proposal Guidelines
The application will be uploaded as a single .pdf file. A complete application must include:
- Cover Page
- Project Narrative
- Budget Justification
- Letter of Support
- Evaluation of Proposals
More information about what is required for the application can be found here.
Application Process
To apply, all reports should be submitted to the Associate Dean Juan Villalba (juan.villalba@usu.edu) in electronic format, and copied to the faculty mentor.
Applications are due on March 15, 2025. Expect the committee to require multiple revisions of your proposal before an award is made. You will be given 48 hours to submit any required revisions.
Academic Opportunity Fund
The purpose of the Academic Opportunity Fund (AOF) is to provide financial support to undergraduate and graduate students who have been accepted or invited by a reputable organization to present a scholastic achievement or participate in an academic competition.
External Funding Opportunities
Graduate Student Research and Education – Western SARE
The Graduate Student Research and Education - Western SARE program involves full-time graduate students enrolled in an accredited university of Western U.S., their academic advisor and at least one producer implementing projects to address identified needs in sustainable agriculture.
National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship Grants Program Funding Opportunity- USDA-NIFA
The National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship Grants Grant Program supports: (1) training students for master's and doctoral degrees in food, agricultural and natural resource sciences; and (2) Special International Study or Thesis/Dissertation Research Travel Allowances (IRTA) for eligible USDA NNF beneficiaries.
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program
The purpose of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is to help ensure the quality, vitality, and diversity of the scientific and engineering workforce of the United States. A goal of the program is to broaden participation of the full spectrum of diverse talents in STEM. The five-year fellowship provides three years of financial support inclusive of an annual stipend of $37,000.
Sigma Xi
Since 1922, the Sigma Xi Grants in Aid of Research (GIAR) program has provided undergraduate and graduate students with valuable educational experiences. By encouraging close working relationships between students and mentors, the program promotes scientific excellence and achievement through hands-on learning.
American Philosophical Society
Since 1933 the American Philosophical Society has awarded research grants to more than 15,000 scholars and encourages all eligible candidates to apply for grants and fellowships.
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
The American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists offering numerous professional and student awards.
Morris Animal Foundation
Morris Animal Foundation works to accelerate promising research focused on improving the lives of animals around the world. They welcome applications from dedicated scientists who seek not only to discover but to turn discoveries into action for animals.
Wild Animal Initiative
The Wild Animal Initiative program is to fund research that deepens scientific knowledge of the welfare of wild animals in order to better understand how to improve the welfare of as many wild animals as possible, regardless of what causes the threats to their well-being.
National Geographic
The National Geographic fund individuals working on projects in science, conservation, storytelling, education, and technology that align with one or more of their focus areas: Ocean, land, wildlife, human history & culture, planetary health, space.
Mohammad Bin Zayed Grant
The Mohammad Bin Zayed grant has been established to provide targeted grants to individual species conservation initiatives, recognize leaders in the field and elevate the importance of species in the broader conservation debate. Its focus is global and eligibility for grants will extend to all plant, animal and fungi species conservation efforts, without discrimination on the basis of region or selected species.
National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
The National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program supports fellowships for outstanding graduate students who are pursuing full-time, research-based masters and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering or math or STEM education.
U.S National Science Foundation and Paul G. Allen Family Foundation
The U.S. National Science Foundation and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation are investing $16 million across 10 projects that will conduct basic science with direct conservation applications to benefit species and ecosystems.
EPA Research Fellowship
EPA Research Fellowship provides support for research fellowships and professional development opportunities to encourage students to obtain advanced degrees in the environmental sciences and pursue STEM-related careers.
Stem Graduate Programs and Fellowship for MS and PhD Students
PathwaysToScience.org offers a search portal of over 1,500 STEM programs across the United States for students from high school through the graduate level. An online resource library provides students with professional development resources designed to assist students in finding and applying to programs.
Gordon Research Conferences - Diversity Initiatives
The Gordon Research Conferences provide an international forum for the presentation and discussion of frontier research in the biological, chemical, physical and engineering sciences and their interfaces.
American Association of University Women
AAUW American Fellowships support women scholars who are pursuing full-time study to complete dissertations, conducting postdoctoral research full time, or preparing research for publication for eight consecutive weeks. They are offered domestic and international.
AISES Scholarship
AISES is a national nonprofit organization focused on substantially increasing the representation of Indigenous peoples of North America and the Pacific Islands in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) studies and careers.
AISES ExxonMobil Scholarship
In partnership with ExxonMobil, AISES is proud to offer the ExxonMobil Geosciences Scholarship. Through ExxonMobil’s generous support, AISES will offer scholarships to assist undergraduate, MS, and PhD students in financing academic costs and geosciences field work and research
AISES National Conference
AISES is pleased to announce the availability of travel scholarships for students to attend the 2024 AISES National Conference on October 3 - 5, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas!
Is there a matter you need to discuss that requires confidentiality? Please use the Confidential Contact Form to contact the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies directly. You will receive a response within 48 hours.