Graduate school can be extremely expensive, with tuition often costing tens of thousands of dollars per year. However, there are still numerous options for students looking to fund their graduate education through scholarships and grants. This article will provide an extensive overview of some of the top full graduate scholarships available for the 2024-2025 academic year. We will cover scholarships that do not require a separate application or application fee and accept unofficial transcripts.
University-Wide Graduate Scholarships
Many universities offer scholarships and grants to all incoming graduate students, regardless of their program of study. Below are some top options:
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona offers several university-wide merit-based graduate scholarships for both domestic and international students, including:
- President’s Graduate Tuition Scholarship:Â Covers 100% of resident tuition for both thesis and non-thesis master’s students, and PhD students before they advance to candidacy.
- Graduate Access Scholarship:Â Covers 85% of resident tuition for underrepresented domestic master’s and PhD students.
- Graduate Scholars Award:Â Covers 50% of resident tuition for domestic and international master’s and PhD students.
To qualify, students only need to submit the standard graduate school application by the program’s deadline. Awards are automatically considered based on application materials.
Florida State University
Florida State University (FSU) offers several university-wide graduate funding options, including:
- Graduate Fellowships:Â These $12,500 fellowships are awarded to select doctoral students. Eligible students are automatically considered.
- McKnight Doctoral Fellowships: This $17,000 annual award is available to African American and Hispanic doctoral students. The online application opens in October.
- Graduate Grant Programs:Â FSU offers needs-based grants between $500-$1500 per semester to graduate students who complete the FAFSA application.
University of Delaware
The University of Delaware also offers some university-wide graduate scholarships, including:
- Doctoral Fellowships: These $23,000 fellowships support incoming PhD students for up to 5 years. The application opens in December.
- Master’s Fellowships: These $16,000 fellowships support full-time thesis master’s students for up to 2 years. The application opens in December.
Program-Specific Graduate Scholarships
In addition to university-wide funding, many graduate programs at both public and private institutions offer scholarships and grants to students pursuing degrees in certain fields. Some top options include:
Biology Programs
- Oregon State University – College of Science Graduate Scholarships: OSU’s College of Science offers several graduate research fellowships between $17,000 – $25,000 per year to students pursuing MS or PhD degrees in Biology and other sciences.
- University of Florida – NSF Graduate Research Fellowships: The UF Biology department actively encourages students to apply for the National Science Foundation’s prestigious Graduate Research Fellowship, which provides a $34,000 annual stipend and $12,000 cost-of-education allowance. All applicants must submit a separate NSF application.
Education Programs
- Columbia University – Dean’s Fellowships for Excellence in Special Education: For students pursuing an MA in Special Education, Columbia University offers up to 15 Dean’s Fellowships annually to provide full tuition and fees. The application opens in December.
- Vanderbilt University – Peabody Professional Grants: Vanderbilt’s Peabody College offers need-based grants between $500 – $15,000 for students pursuing master’s degrees in education and human development. Students must submit the FAFSA.
Engineering Programs
- Rice University – Graduate Merit Fellowships in Engineering: Housed in the George R. Brown School of Engineering, these fellowships provide between $1,000 – $5,000 supplements to graduate engineering students. All applicants are automatically considered.
- University of Texas at Arlington – GAANN Fellowships in Engineering: The College of Engineering offers Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) Fellowships that provide an annual stipend of $32,000 – $37,000 to PhD students, plus full tuition remission. The application opens in December.
External Graduate Scholarships
Along with university-funded awards, many external public and private organizations offer prestigious portable graduate scholarships and grants. Some top national options include:
STEM Fields
- National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship (NDSEG):Â This Department of Defense fellowship provides full tuition and fees plus a $38,400 annual stipend to master’s and doctoral students pursuing studies in STEM fields. Students must submit a separate application through the NDSEG website.
- National Physical Science Consortium Graduate Fellowship:Â This fellowship is available to U.S. citizens pursuing a PhD in astronomy, chemistry, computer and computational sciences, geology, materials science, mathematical sciences, physics, or their subdisciplines. It provides full tuition and required fees plus a $32,000 annual stipend. A separate application must be submitted through the NPSC website.
Humanities Fields
- Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship: This fellowship provides $30,000 in funding to PhD candidates pursuing ethical or religious studies in order to complete their dissertation. The application opens in September.
- Whiting Public Engagement Fellowship: This fellowship awards $50,000 to emerging writers, artists, and culture makers to create a public humanities project. The application opens in September.
General Fields
- Phi Kappa Phi Graduate Fellowship:Â Phi Kappa Phi offers $5,000 fellowships to members entering their first year of graduate or professional study. An application must be submitted through the Honor Society’s website.
- Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans:Â This merit-based fellowship supports immigrants and children of immigrants pursuing graduate study in the U.S. It provides up to $90,000 in funding over two years. A separate application must be submitted through the program’s website.
Tips for Finding Additional Graduate Scholarships
While this article covers some major full graduate scholarships at the university, program, and national levels, numerous other funding opportunities are available:
- Check departmental websites for additional fellowships and grants in your field of study.
- Talk to graduate coordinators and faculty advisors about funding opportunities in your program.
- Search online databases like Fastweb and Scholarships.com for external scholarships.
- Look for state-level graduate scholarships and grants in your field.
- Investigate funding through relevant professional associations and private foundations.
- Search for employer, military, diversity, travel, part-time, and discipline-specific graduate funding.
The key is to start your scholarship search early and be persistent.
Apply to as many reputable awards as possible, and contact all relevant university and program offices to inquire about available funding opportunities in your field of study.With some diligent searching and applying, it is possible to fund your entire graduate education through grants and scholarships alone.
The full graduate funding options covered in this article are some of the top opportunities currently available for master’s and doctoral students entering graduate school in 2024-2025.
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