External Funding Resources for Graduate Students

Office of Fellowships & Community Engagement

Graduate College Admin. 322The University of Arizona

Average Grad & First Professional Student Debt at Graduation 11-12 AZ Resident - $61,681 Non-resident - $43,644 All Students - $56,469

Source: Arizona Board of Regents, 2012 Financial Aid Report, pg. 55.

Cumulative US student debt is up 25% from 2008 to 2011 in sharp contrast to declining debt in other consumer sectors.

Source: NY Federal Reserve in the NY Times/Aug. 2011

Don’t be like Brad & Marissa. Apply for external funding!

World of Grad Funding1. Federal Financial Aid - loans, grants,

work study, tuition remissions2. Internal Support - Assistantships,

research $, donors, UA scholarships3. Employer assisted educational

benefits (UA Qualified Tuition Reduction)

4. External Funding –scholarships, fellowships, travel awards, research awards from funders outside the UA

WHERE TO FIND FUNDINGWhere’s the Money?

Types of Grad Student Awards

Study and training - 1-3 year fellowships Travel Awards – archives, conferences,

language learning, presenting Internship, externship, coop, workshops Special Projects, Service & Outreach Dissertation Research - thesis or

dissertation Post-doctoral Research

Campus Resources

Grad College Funding site Office of Nationally Competitive

Scholarships – Honors College College & Departmental Resources

SBSRI – Social & Behavioral Sciences Scholarships & Financial Aid Career Services (internships) Join your professional society as a student!

Searchable Databases Pivot – pivot.cos.com Grant Forward - www.grantforward.com GRAPES – Grad Scholarships at UCLA http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/grpinst.htm Grants.gov – Federal government

portal Foundation Center – Pima Main Library

Sign up for Alert Services through Pivot and Grant Forward!

Tips for Using Pivot Sign up as a new user using your UA

email and affiliate with UA Alerts - carry out a search, save

your query, click on receive weekly updates.

Pivot Support Documentshttp://pivot.cos.com/support

Pivot Training Videos on YouTubehttp://www.youtube.com/user/ProQuestPivot

Scholarship Databases

UA’s Scholarship Universe – Scholarships & Financial Aid https://scholarshipuniverse.arizona.edu/splash/splash.aspx

Fin Aid - www.finaid.org/ Fast Web - www.fastweb.com/

Graduate College Support

GradFunding newsletter & advice Workshops Fellowship Application Support

Programs NSF GRFP Support Program

Grad College Funding Resources grad.arizona.edu/financial-resources

GradFunding News & AdviceTo subscribe, email list@list.arizona.edu. In the subject line type:"subscribe gradfunding Firstname Lastname" Leave the message body blank and delete any automatic signature. More info on subscribing @ http://uits.arizona.edu/services/email/email-lists/help/subscribe

Application Support Programs NSF GRFP, GROW, DDIG & EAPSI DAAD Priority Research Candidate Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation

Research Abroad Inter-American Foundation

Grassroots Development P.E.O. Scholar Award

UA NSF Grad Research Fellowship Support Program Review your eligibility firsthttp://www.nsfgrfp.org/how_to_apply/eligibility_guide

Register for the UA Grad College Support Program at:

grad.arizona.edu/gradfunding/applicationsupport/nsfgrfp

Favorite OpportunitiesNSF Grad Research FellowshipFulbright (IIE)Foreign Language & Area Studies (FLAS)National Labs InternshipsNatl. Defense Science & Engineering

Graduate FellowshipEPA STARDAAD, Ford, Mellon, Tinker, Marshall,

and SpencerNIH R-31 Dissertation/Ruth Kirschstein

A Brief Example

The National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship

To help ensure the vitality and diversity of the scientific and engineering workforce in the U.S. It recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees in fields within NSF’s mission.

NSF Graduate Research FellowshipNSF Graduate Research FellowshipNSF Graduate Research FellowshipNSF Graduate Research Fellowship

• Five Year Award – $132,000

• Three years of support• $32,000 Stipend per year• $12,000 Educational allowance to institution

• International research opportunities

• Access to XSEDE cyberinfrastructure resources

NSF GRFP Key ElementsNSF GRFP Key ElementsNSF GRFP Key ElementsNSF GRFP Key Elements

• Chemistry• Computer and Information

Science and Engineering• Engineering• Geosciences• Life Sciences• Materials Research• Mathematical Sciences• Physics and Astronomy• Psychology • Social Sciences • Science, Technology, Engineering

and Mathematics Education (research-focused)

GRFP Supported DisciplinesGRFP Supported DisciplinesGRFP Supported DisciplinesGRFP Supported Disciplines

Via NSF FastLane

• Personal Statement, Relevant Background and

Future Goals

• Graduate Research Statement

• Transcripts

• Three letters of reference

• Additional information required for some candidates See Solicitation at www.nsfgrp.org

NSF GRF ApplicationNSF GRF ApplicationNSF GRF ApplicationNSF GRF Application

Advice from experienced grant writers.

Grantwriters Checklist Set goals Note timing Read guidelines

carefully. Develop ideas Cultivate

references Write regularly Keep on

applying!

Prepare yourself Get a variety of

experiences, including travel, service & research

Network with faculty & peers

Publish & present

Where Do You See Yourself Going? What do you want from your

education? Develop a map of life goals Plan ahead with focused attention Develop a mix of funding strategies Be flexible

Timing Matters

Apply in fall of 1st & 2nd yr for fellowships

Note deadlines – allow 6-12 months! Allot time to adequately prepare Use summers and classes to write Advance to candidacy & have your

topic approved in time for deadlines File the FAFSA in Jan./Feb. each year

Make Connections

Network – Faculty/Staff/Peers Cultivate 4 solid recommenders Develop affiliations and contacts at

other institutions, research sites and conferences

Travel & Enjoy Interesting Experiences Conferences Internships Research Short term study Workshops Service/Outreach

Learn by Doing - Practice

Classes/Workshops Offer to read or help on

someone’s grant Use courses to prepare

background research Learn to self-edit Take a grant-writing class Form a writing group

Stay Focused

Each page of an application that you write may be worth thousands of dollars.

Make a plan & stay on track.

Write every day!

Value the Process Regardless of Results Advance thinking & quality

of research Get valuable feedback Strengthen writing skills Valuable skill for future Independence Valuable skill for the future.

Graduate College Contacts Georgia Ehlers, Director Shelley Hawthorne Smith, Asst.

Director Katie Silvester – NSF GRF Program

ofce@grad.arizona.edu

APPENDICESMore Opportunities for Graduate Students

Training Grants/UA Selects

Education - FLAS, GAANN NASA Grad. Student Research

Program & Space Grant Fellowships NSF IGERT, VIGRE, CESUM NIH Training Grants USDA National Needs

Student Applies DirectlyNSF Grad Research FellowshipNational Defense Science &

EngineeringDOE Climate ChangeEPA STARNational Laboratories and

ObservatoriesNational Park ServiceNIH R-31 DissertationPresidential Management FellowshipSmithsonian

UA Applies on Behalf of Student Fulbright (IIE) NSEP David Boren Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation

Research Abroad NSF Dissertation Improvement

(DDIG) DAAD

Foundations Supporting Graduate Education AAUW Beinecke Jack Kent Cooke DAAD Ford Gates Hertz Inter-American Japan Kellogg Lindbergh

Mellon/ACLS Charlotte W.

Newcombe P.E.O. Rockefeller Sloan Social Science

Research Council Spencer Tinker Whitaker Woodrow Wilson Zonta – Amelia Earhart

Awards through Other Universities & Libraries FLAS (San Diego State, U Wisconsin) Dartmouth – Thurgood

Marshall/Cesar Chavez Harvard Travel Award U Texas Harry Ransom Library Library of Congress, Rockefeller

Archives, Newberry