Financing Graduate School and Beyond Keisha John, PhD Director of Diversity Programs Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs

Why Apply? Money Recognition Freedom Gain valuable experience in grant/proposal writing Much deeper understanding of a field of interest Reviewers comments ………

Finding the right fellowships for you Criteria- Demographics Research Potential Sources- Schools Foundations & Institutes Organizations & Professional Societies Government

Searching for Funding Professional Societies- ask your major professors, look at their CVs Searchable sites online- Illinois, UCLA, Cornell, Harvard, ….

Examples

Ford Foundation Fellowships Potential Applicants- U.S. citizens and nationals Fields- Research based Ph.D. and non practice-oriented program Number of Awards- 60 predoctoral and 35 dissertation Deadline- November Funding- $20,000 stipend and $2000 tuition and fees to institution for predoctoral. $21,000 stipend for dissertation.

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Potential Applicants- Graduate students in their 1st or 2nd year who are pursuing research-based master's and doctoral degrees, are US citizens or permanent residents, and do not hold a graduate or professional degree. ( student submits application) Fields- Engineering; Computer and Information Sciences and Engineering; Materials Research Mathematical Sciences; Chemistry; Physics; Astronomy; Social Sciences; Psychology; STEM Education; Learning Life Sciences; Geosciences Number of Awards- 2,000 new fellowships Deadline- October/November ( discipline specific deadlines) Funding- $44,000 per Fellow tenure year (12-month increments) $32,000 for stipend and $12, 000 for research costs.

National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship Potential Applicants- U.S. citizens and nationals who intend to pursue a doctoral degree Fields- All STEM fields Number of Awards- 200 Deadline- December Funding- 3 year fellowship package – stipend, educational costs, and insurance allowance http://ndseg.asee.org/apply_online

DOD Science, Mathematics And Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship Potential Applicants- US citizens 18 years or older with a GPA of 3.0 or greater and willing to work at the DoD after graduation Fields- All STEM fields Number of Awards- 300 yearly- all degrees Deadline- December Funding- Stipend, full tuition and fees, summer internship, health insurance allowance, book allowance Scholarship for Service: Employment placement upon graduation http://smart.asee.org/apply_/application_instructions

NATIONAL PHYSICAL SCIENCE CONSORTIUM graduate fellowships in science, mathematics, and engineering Potential Applicants- US citizens Fields- Physical Sciences STEM fields Number of Awards- varies Deadline- December Funding- 2 to 6 years tenure. Stipend, full tuition and fees, summer internship http://smart.asee.org/apply_/application_instructions

NASA Space Technology Research Fellowships Potential Applicants- U.S. citizen or permanent resident students that have applied to, have been admitted to, or are already enrolled in, a full-time Master’s or Doctoral degree Fields- science, mathematics, and engineering related to NASA technology roadmaps. Number of Awards- varies Deadline- November Funding- 2 to 4 years tenure. Stipend, full tuition and fees, summer internship, faculty support all with a maximum of $74,000 per year http://smart.asee.org/apply_/application_instructions

Loan repayment programs http://www.finaid.org/loans/forgiveness.phtml https://services.aamc.org/fed_loan_pub/index.cfm? fuseaction=public.welcome&CFID=1&CFTOKEN=39A1217C-DC78-E1C0-7ADA0D3AC3F128D5

Start Now! Complete a search and find opportunities for all stages of your graduate studies and beyond.

Common Application Components Application Form Proposal Personal Essay CV/ Resume Recommendation Letters IRB/Animal Approval Work Plan and Budget

Application Preparation Timeline TIME PRIOR TO DEADLINE TASK TO COMPLETE Anytime Determine Options and Strategy 3 Months Application Components Outline Request Recommendation Letters, Transcripts, and Scores 2 Months Submit Draft of Documents for Additional Audience Review 1.5 Months Submit Draft of Documents to Mentor/ Advisor 1 Month Submit Revised Drafts of Documents to reviewers 5 Days Submit Final Draft to Fellowship/Award Sponsor

Characteristics of a Successful Submission Meets sponsor’s review criteria Clear, Concise and Persuasive Documents Feasible Proposal Follows all directions Strong letters of recommendation Applicant demonstrated their potential for success- research, career, etc.. Will bring glory to sponsoring organization.

Keisha John, PhD keishajohn@virginia.edu Contact Information Keisha John, PhD keishajohn@virginia.edu