Transcript How to Fund Your Graduate Studies

How to Fund your Graduate
Studies:
An Overview of National Graduate
Fellowships and How to Compete for Them
July 27, 2007
Office of Proposal Development
Office of the Vice President for Research
Robyn Pearson ([email protected])
For more information
 For
an electronic version of this
presentation and background
materials
Go to http://opd.tamu.edu/
 Click on “Seminar Materials” then “Seminars
by Date”
 Click on today’s date

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How to Fund Your Graduate
Studies
 Types
of Fellowships
 Why bother?
 Where’s the $$$?
 How to apply and win
Overview of the Process and Strategies
 Examples

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Funding for Graduate Students

Research Assistantships
Funded by faculty’s research funding
 Typically funded through proposal process
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Teaching Assistantships
Funded by department
 Teaching-related responsibilities, separate
from research

Graduate Fellowships
 Dissertation Grants
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The Continuum
Graduate School
Generic Fellowships
Dissertation Grants
Fellowships for Early
Grad Students
Senior Year
Undergrad
1st Year
Finish
classes
Dissertation Work
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Post-Doc
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Two Types of Fellowships

Awards directly to Students
Students compete directly for award
 Award is portable with student
 Examples:
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NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate
Fellowship
J. Javits, Ford Foundation, Humane Studies Fellowships
Many targeted fellowships (e.g., Semiconductor Research
Graduate Fellowship, Whitaker Fellowship for Biomedical
Engineering, AT&T Fellowship, etc.)
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Two Types of Fellowships

Institutional Awards
 Awarded to departments, programs, etc.
 Students selected by department,
program or faculty
 Examples: Graduate Assistantships in
Areas of National Need (GAANN), larger
programs (IGERT, AGEP, etc.)
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Graduate Fellowships – why bother?
Guaranteed source of funding
 Stipends generally much higher than
department RAs (NSF stipend $30K/yr)
 Fellowships are portable
more
autonomy in selecting advisor, research
project
 Fellowship can be path to a job (e.g.,
National Lab)

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Finding Potential Fellowships

Fellowship programs often targeted based
on discipline, demographic group, career
interests

Look for the fellowship programs that apply to
you
Excellent web resources available
 Talk to faculty in your department
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Finding Potential Fellowships
 Variety
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of funders
Federal agencies (NSF, DoD, NASA, NIH, EPA,
NEH, USDA, Dept. of Ed., Dept. Homeland Security,
etc.)
Foundations
Professional Organizations
Corporations
For various stages

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Early Graduate training
Dissertation Grant
Post-doctoral
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Using the Internet to Find
Fellowships
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See OPD webpage
See handout
Two types of sites
 Lists sorted by topic area or date
 Cornell:

http://www.gradschool.cornell.edu/?p=132
Specific agency fellowships
 DHS
Graduate Fellowship:
http://www.orau.gov/dhsed/
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Example National Fellowships

National Science Foundation, ~ 1000 awarded annually, usually due
early November annually
https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/grfp/

NASA Earth Systems Science Fellowships, ~ 50 new fellowships
awarded annually, due February
http://research.hq.nasa.gov/code_y/nra/current/FellowshipESS05/main.html

Department of Defense Science and Engineering Graduate
Fellowships, ~ 200 awarded annually, due January
http://www.asee.org/ndseg/index.cfm
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EPA STAR and GRO Fellowships, ~ 115 awarded annually, due Oct.
or Nov. annually http://es.epa.gov/ncer/fellow/
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DHS, ~ 60 awarded annually due Jan. annually http://www.orau.gov/dhsed/
Dept. of Education, J. K. Javits Fellowships (48) due Oct. annually
http://www.ed.gov/programs/jacobjavits/index.html
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National Defense Science and
Engineering Graduate Fellowship
http://www.asee.org/ndseg/

Eligibility:
 US citizen or national
 Pursuing doctoral degree in, or closely related to, one
of the following disciplines having the greatest benefit
to national security:
Aeronautical and Astronautical Eng
Biosciences
Chemical Engineering
Chemistry
Civil Engineering
Cognitive, Neural, and Behavioral Sci.
Computer and Computational Science
Electrical Engineering
Physics
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Geosciences
Materials Science and
Engineering
Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering
Naval Architecture and
Ocean Engineering
Oceanography
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Fellowships for Minorities

Ford Foundation - Predoctoral Fellowships for
Minorities. The $21,000/year fellowships are awarded to individual
minority students who demonstrate superior scholarship and show promise
for future achievement as scholars, researchers, and teachers. November
deadline. http://www.nationalacademies.org/fellowships

American Sociological Association - Minority
Fellowship Program. An annual stipend of $14,688 for up to three
years for minority graduate students in the early stages of sociology
graduate programs with emphasis on mental health issues and research.
January deadline.
http://asanet.org/page.ww?section=Funding&name=Minority+Fellowship+Progr
am
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GEM PhD Engineering Fellowship Program.
Min $14,
000 for 5 years for engineering (M.S, PhD) and science (PhD)majors. Due
November. http://www.gemfellowship.org/gem_fellowship/overview.php
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Fellowships for Minorities
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United Negro College Fund & Merck Foundation Science
Initiative - Graduate Science Research Dissertation
Fellowships. Up to $42,000 stipend to assist African-American graduate
students in completing coursework, conducting research, and preparing
dissertation in the biomedical sciences. December deadline.
http://www.uncf.org/merck/programs/grad.htm
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Social Science Research Council and the Andrew W. Mellon
Foundation - SSRC-Mellon Minority Fellowship Program. Up to
$,5000 to increase number of African Americans, Latinos, and Native
Americans in the arts and sciences for students enrolled in Ph.D. programs
in Mellon-designated fields. Citizenship: unspecified. Deadline: November
(annual). http://www.ssrc.org/fellowships/mellon/

National Physical Science Consortium Traditional Fellowships
for Minorities and Women. $15,000 stipend for 2 to 3 years. Nov.
deadline. http://www.npsc.org
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Fellowships for Women
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American Association of University Women International Fellowships. $18,000 awards to women
graduate students studying in the United States who are
not U.S. citizens. December deadline.
http://www.aauw.org/fga/fellowships_grants/internati
onal.cfm
American Association of University Women Selected Professions Fellowships. Approximately
$5,000-12,000 awards for women in the final year of
graduate study in historically under-represented
professions, including Business Administration, Law,
Medicine, Architecture, Computer Sciences,
Mathematics, and Engineering. January deadline.
http://www.aauw.org/fga/fellowships_grants/selected
.cfm
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Analysis of Applicant Instructions/RFP
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What are eligibility requirements?
When is the application due?
How many are awarded each year?
Apply through university or as individual?
What criteria are used to evaluate applications?
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Check with faculty in your department (may have been
on review panel)
Look at goals of funding organization
What are the required components of the
application and what is application process?
Contact awarding organization if you have
questions
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Typical Application Components
Biographical information/Resume
 GRE scores
 Transcript
 Letters of Reference
 Essay/Proposal
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Discussion of proposed research
 May include discussion of one or more
research experiences
 Follow guidelines to the letter
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Fellowship Application is
“Mini-Research Proposal”
You are selling yourself and your ideas
 Identify fellowship opportunities for which
you are eligible
 Analyze what they are looking for (review
criteria)
 Write best possible application
 Gather and submit other required material
(references, GRE scores, etc.)
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What are They Looking For?
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Will you further the goals of the funder?
Will you be a successful graduate student and
researcher?
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Do you understand the research process?
Do you do your homework?
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Can you express your ideas well?
Is your selected area of research something they
want to support?
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i.e., read the literature in your area, understand previous
work, etc.
Varies in importance depending on mission of funder
Are you one of the best candidates in the
applicant pool?
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Putting together your application

Find faculty mentor(s)
Faculty with whom you plan to do your
graduate research
 Faculty in your undergraduate department
 Graduate coordinator in your department
 They will provide advice on research plan,
critique your writing

Ask for references early and check
 Make sure GRE scores, transcripts, etc.
will be available on time
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Writing Strategies
Start early and get feedback from your
peers and professors!
 Write in a scholarly style
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Make it clear you understand your subject
 Cite references if allowed
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Make it clear that you understand the
research process
 Clear
hypothesis, goals, objectives
 Discussion of your planned approach with
sufficient detail to show your understanding of the
topic
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Hotlinks to Writing Strategies
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Many resources available on how to write good
proposals
See OPD website
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“Grant Doctor” in Science Magazine
Agency-specific guides
Google
Excellent books on writing
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Strunk and White (http://www.bartleby.com/141/)
The Art of Writing Proposals, by the Social Science
Research Council, available online at
http://www.ssrc.org/publications/
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Evaluation & Review Criteria
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Read application, related information
carefully
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find out what they are looking for
Investigate goals and culture of funder
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Reflect vision of the funding agency
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References
Select faculty who know you well
 Select faculty who will give you a positive
reference!
 Undergraduate research experience great
opportunity to develop references
 Follow up and make sure they sent in your
reference letter
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Strategies to Win
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Good grades and GRE scores help
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GPAs typically 3.7 or higher but not always
Undergraduate research experience
 Good essay answers
 Great research proposal
 Excellent references
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Example: NSF Graduate
Research Fellowships
Typically due early November
 1000 to be awarded this year
 For any research area funded by NSF

Includes Education, Social and Behavioral
Sciences as well as Science and Engineering
 Look through NSF web site at www.nsf.gov for
research areas
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How to Apply for NSF Fellowship
See www.ehr.nsf.gov/dge/programs/grf/
and https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/grfp/ for
application instructions, FAQ, etc.
 Apply on-line using NSF’s “Fastlane”
system at www.fastlane.nsf.gov
 Parts of application
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Information form (name, school, etc.)
Application form (includes two essay questions)
Proposed Plan of Research
Previous Research Experience
References
GRE, GPA form and transcript request form
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NSF Fellowship
$30,000 per year plus $10,500 education
allowance for 3 years
 Must be US Citizen or permanent resident
 May apply:

during undergrad senior year
 prior to or during 1st year of grad school,
 or at beginning of 2nd year of grad school
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Research Proposals
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Be original.
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Be rigorous.
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“A less polished essay that shows evidence of the student’s own
creativity is usually more impressive than a sophisticated plan
that is not original.”
“The best research proposals…demonstrate that the applicant
understands how to conduct research in his/her discipline using
the scientific method”
Be clear and well-organized.
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“The best proposals… demonstrate creativity in thinking about
research questions as well as communication and organizational
skills.”
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Finally….
Start early
 Do your homework
 Ask for help

The Office of Proposal Development is
available to help:
Robyn Pearson [email protected]
Lucy Deckard [email protected]

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