External Fellowships
Caltech encourages applicants and current students to seek financial support from external sources. Some of the most common fellowships/scholarships available to graduate students are listed below. These fellowships and grants require direct application to the granting agency.
External Fellowships by Category
Alphabetical Listing of External Fellowships
Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)
A*STAR Graduate Academy offers and awards scholarships and fellowships to young aspiring scientific talent at top global universities to enable them to pursue their passion in science and to prepare for a rewarding R&D career. Since 2001, A*STAR has supported and nurtured a pipeline of more than 1300 local PhD talent, ensuring a sustainable flow of capable and committed PhD students and early-career researchers at public research institutes, industry and universities, as part of Singapore's efforts to strengthen the growing community of scientific talent in Singapore.
Air and Waste Management Association (A&WMA) Graduate Scholarships
The Air & Waste Management Association (A&WMA) provides several scholarships to outstanding students who are pursuing courses of study and research leading to careers in air quality, waste management, environmental management / policy / law, and sustainability.
Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Scholarship
AG Bell offers several scholarship for full-time students who have a pre-lingual bilateral hearing loss in the moderately-severe to profound range, use listening and spoken language, and who are pursuing a bachelors, masters or doctorate (not law or public policy) degree at an accredited mainstream college or university.
Amelia Earhart Fellowship Zonta International Foundation
Established in 1938 in honor of famed pilot and Zontian, Amelia Earhart, the Amelia Earhart Fellowship is awarded annually to women pursuing Ph.D. degrees in aerospace-related sciences or aerospace-related engineering. The Fellowship of US$10,000, awarded to 35 Fellows around the globe each year, may be used at any university or college offering accredited post-graduate courses and degrees in these fields.
American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) Foundation Grants
Grants are open to all geology graduate students. Grants are based on merit, and in part, on the financial needs of the applicant. Although the focus of the program is the support of qualified candidates for Masters or equivalent degrees, qualified doctoral candidates are also encouraged to apply.
American Association of University Women (AAUW) - International Fellowships
AAUW International Fellowships are awarded for full-time study or research to women who are not U.S citizens or permanent residents. Recipients are selected for academic achievement and demonstrated commitment to women and girls. The overwhelming majority return to their home countries to become leaders in government, academia, community activism and the arts and science. Both graduate and postgraduate studies at accredited institutions are supported.
The Mellon/ACLS supports a year of research and writing to help advanced graduate students in the humanities and related social sciences in the last year of PhD dissertation writing. The program encourages timely completion of the PhD. Applicants must be prepared to complete their dissertations within the period of their fellowship tenure.
American Council of the Blind Scholarship
For blind individuals who plan to attend or are attending college, graduate school or vocational training.
American Foundation for the Blind Scholarships
The AFB offers the Paul and Ellen Ruckes Scholarship of $1,000 to a full-time undergraduate or graduate student in the field of engineering or in computer, physical, or life sciences. The Karen D. Carsel Memorial Scholarship offers one scholarship of $500 to a full-time graduate student.
American Geophysical Union (AGU) - Horton Research Grant in Hydrological Sciences
Grants are awarded each year in support of Ph.D. candidates in hydrology or water resources research.
American Heart Association (AHA) Predoctoral Fellowship
AHA's predoctoral fellowship helps students initiate careers in cardiovascular and stroke research by providing research assistance and training. Proposals are encouraged from all basic science disciplines, bioengineering or biotechnology, public health, behavioral, epidemiological and community and clinical investigations that bear on cardiovascular and stroke problems.
American Indian Graduate Center Fellowship
The AIGC Fellowship program provides fellowships to over 400 American Indian and Alaska Native graduate and professional students each year.
American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) Scholarships
AISES offers several fellowships to students in STEM fields.
American Political Science Association Graduate Fellowships for Minority Students
For doctoral students in political science.
American Society for Microbiology (ASM) - Robert D. Watkins Graduate Research Fellowship
The goal of the fellowship is to increase the number of underrepresented groups completing doctoral degrees in the microbiological sciences. The ASM Robert D. Watkins Graduate Research Fellowship is aimed at highly competitive graduate students who are enrolled in a Ph.D. program and who have completed their graduate course work in the microbiological sciences. The fellowship encourages students to continue and complete their research project in the microbiological sciences.
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) - Graduate Teaching Fellowships
The Graduate Teaching Fellowship Program is a collaboration between ASME and mechanical engineering departments to encourage outstanding doctoral candidates in mechanical engineering education (and related engineering fields), particularly women and minorities. These fellowships are made possible with support from the ASME Foundation.
American Water Works Association (AWWA)
The AWWA offers scholarships for graduate students conducting research in the improvement of drinking water quality and supply.
Argonne National Laboratory - Graduate Student Programs
Argonne National Laboratory offers several opportunities for qualified graduate students who are engaged in work related to Argonne Programs.
AT&T Laboratories Fellowship Program
For women and minority students in engineering and the sciences relevant to AT&T business.
Autism Speaks - Dennis Weatherstone Predoctoral Fellowships
Autism Speaks supports global biomedical research into the diagnosis, causes, prevention and treatment of autism. Autism Speaks invites applications from predoctoral students interested in pursuing careers in autism research.
Candidates must be an enrolled student in a program leading to a research doctorate such as a Ph.D. or Sc.D., or a combined degree such as an M.D./Ph.D., in an academic department of an accredited university or health/medical institution. The selected pre-doctoral fellow must spend at least 80% of his/her professional time engaged exclusively in their Autism Speaks' autism research related activities for the duration of the award, and cannot simultaneously hold another named fellowship award during the support period. International applications are encouraged.
Chateaubriand Fellowships for Science & Technology Research in France
The Chateaubriand Fellowship in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Health for doctoral students aims to initiate or reinforce collaborations, partnerships or joint projects between French and American research teams. The Chateaubriand Fellowship supports PhD students registered in an American university who wish to conduct part of their doctoral research in a French laboratory.
This fellowship is offered by the Office for Science & Technology (OST) of the Embassy of France in Washington in partnership with American universities and French research organizations such as Inserm and Inria. It is a partner of the National Science Foundation's GROW program.
Christine H. Eide Memorial Scholarship Award
For full-time graduate or undergraduate students who are legally blind and who are entering or attending an accredited college or university.
Council of Graduate Schools (CGS)/Proquest Distinguished Dissertation Award
Sponsored jointly by CGS and ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, a Division of ProQuest Information and Learning, and first presented in 1981, these awards are made annually to individuals who, in the opinion of the award committee, have completed dissertations representing original work that makes an unusually significant contribution to the discipline.
Two awards are given annually in two different broad areas (biological sciences; social sciences; mathematics, physical sciences and engineering; and humanities and fine arts). Individuals must be nominated for these awards by a member institution.
The Dan David Prize Scholarships are granted according to merit and applicants must be registered doctoral students or post-doctoral researchers. The Dan David Prize covers three time dimensions - Past, Present and Future - that represent realms of human achievement. The prizes are granted to individuals with proven, exceptional, distinct excellence in the sciences, arts, humanities, public service and business, that have made and continue to make an outstanding contribution to humanity.
Department of Defense (DOD) - Science, Mathematics & Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship
The Science, Mathematics And Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship for Service Program is an opportunity for students pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines to receive a full scholarship and be gainfully employed upon degree completion.
Department of Energy / Krell Institute Computational Science Graduate Fellowship (DOE CSGF)
The Department of Energy's Computational Science Graduate Fellowship (DOE CSGF) program was developed to meet the Nation's growing need for science and technology professionals with advanced computer skills. The fellowship - now jointly funded by the DOE's Office of Science and the DOE's National Nuclear Security Administration - requires that graduate students plan and follow a course of study that transcends the bounds of traditional academic disciplines. It requires substantive graduate work in each of a scientific or engineering discipline, computer science and applied mathematics.
The Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration Stewardship Science Graduate Fellowship (DOE NNSA SSGF) provides excellent financial benefits and professional development opportunities to students pursuing a Ph.D. in fields of study that solve complex science and engineering problems critical to stewardship science.
Department of Energy Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) Program
The goal of the Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program is to prepare graduate students for science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) careers critically important to the DOE Office of Science mission, by providing graduate thesis research opportunities at DOE laboratories. The SCGSR program provides supplemental awards to outstanding U.S. graduate students to pursue part of their graduate thesis research at a DOE laboratory in areas that address scientific challenges central to the Office of Science mission.
Department of Energy Office of Science Graduate Fellowship (DOE SCGF)
The DOE Office of Science Graduate Fellowship program (SCGF) has supported outstanding graduate students pursuing graduate training in basic research in areas of physics, biology (non-medical), chemistry, mathematics, engineering, computational and computer sciences, and environmental sciences relevant to the Office of Science mission areas to encourage the development of the next generation of scientific and technical talent in the U.S.
Directed Energy Scholarships in High Energy Laser & High Power Microwave Technologies
The Directed Energy Professional Society (DEPS) is the premier organization for the exchange of information on the development and application of directed energy (DE), which includes both high energy lasers (HEL) and high power microwaves (HPM). DEPS fosters research and development of DE technology for national defense and civil applications through professional communication and education. The traditional academic disciplines involved in DE research include, but are not limited to, physics, electrical engineering, chemistry, chemical engineering, materials sciences, optical sciences, optical engineering, and aerospace engineering.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - STAR Fellowship in Environmental Studies
EPA's STAR graduate fellowship program supports masters and doctoral candidates in environmental studies. Each year, students in the United States compete for STAR fellowships through a rigorous review process. Students can pursue degrees in traditionally recognized environmental disciplines as well as other fields such as social anthropology, urban and regional planning, and decision sciences.
Epilepsy Foundation of America - Research Training Fellowships
The Epilepsy Foundation supports a series of grants and fellowships to advance the understanding of epilepsy that will lead to better treatment, more effective prevention, and ultimately to a cure. Funding is available to researchers at all professional levels including students, junior investigators and established investigators.
Facebook Graduate Fellowship Program
Facebook offers fellowships to graduate students in computer science, electrical engineering, and related fields.
Fermilab Graduate Student Research Program in Theoretical Physics
The Fermilab Graduate Student Research Program in Theoretical Physics is intended for graduate students at U.S. universities who are in the research phase of graduate study in theoretical particle physics or theoretical astrophysics. Positions in this program will last for one year (12 months), generally starting in the Fall. Graduate students in the Graduate Student Research Program will remain matriculated at their home universities but be in residence at Fermilab.
Ford Foundation Fellowship awards are offered at the Predoctoral, Dissertation and Postdoctoral levels. Fellowships are awarded in a national competition. Awards are made to individuals who, in the judgment of the review panels, have demonstrated superior academic achievement, are committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level, show promise of future achievement as scholars and teachers, and are well prepared to use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students.
To be eligible to receive a Ford Foundation Fellowship award, you must be a citizen, national, and permanent residents (holder of a Permanent Resident Card) of the United States, or individuals granted deferred action status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program. Receipt of the fellowship award is conditioned upon each awardee providing satisfactory documentation that he or she meets the eligibility requirements.
Fulbright Program for Foreign Students
The Fulbright Program brings citizens of other countries to the United States for Master's degree or Ph.D. study at U.S. universities or other appropriate institutions. Foreign students apply for Fulbright Fellowships through the Fulbright Commission/Foundation or U.S. Embassy in their home countries. The Institute of International Education (IIE) arranges academic placement for most Fulbright nominees and supervises participants during their stay in the United States. See the Fulbright website for country specific information.
Gamma Mu Foundation Scholarship
The Gamma Mu Scholarships Program provides support to gay men who want to further their education at a college, university, or vocational or professional training program. The program supports a wide range of educational options, including vocational and technical training, associate, bachelors and graduate degrees.
Gates Millennium Scholars Program
The GMS Scholarship Award provides support for the cost of education by covering unmet need and self-help aid, renewable awards for Gates Millennium Scholars maintaining satisfactory academic progress, and graduate school funding for continuing Gates Millennium Scholars in the areas of computer science, education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public health or science.
GEM fellowship programs span the entire recruitment, retention, and professional development spectrum. GEM's principal activity is the provision of graduate fellowships at the MS and Ph.D. levels coupled with paid summer internships.The goal of these programs are to increase the number of minority students who pursue advanced degrees in engineering and the natural science disciplines.
GEM provides three Fellowship Programs: MS Engineering Fellowship; Ph.D. Engineering Fellowship; and Ph.D. Science Fellowship.
Generation Google Scholarship for Underrepresented Students in Computer Science
The Generation Google Scholarship was established to help aspiring computer scientists excel in technology and become leaders in the field.
Google - Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship for Women in Computer Science
Google Anita Borg Scholarship recipients will each receive a financial award for the academic year. A group of female undergraduate and graduate students will be chosen from the applicant pool, and scholarships will be awarded based on the strength of each candidate's academic background and demonstrated leadership.
Google Lime Scholarship for Students with Disabilities
Google has partnered with Lime Connect, a nonprofit organization that supports students with disabilities while they pursue education and promising careers, to help university students with disabilities work toward their academic goals in the field of computer science.
Google US/Canada PhD Fellowship
The Google U.S./Canada PhD Student Fellowship recognizes outstanding graduate students doing exceptional work in computer science and related disciplines. Applicants must be nominated by their department and forwarded to the Graduate Studies Office for review. Two finalists will then be forwarded to Google for consideration in the national competition.
Google SVA Scholarship for Veterans
The scholarship provides assistance to student veterans who are pursuing university degrees in the field of computer science in the U.S.
The Grass Foundation Fellowship Program
Grass Fellowships at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA, support investigator-designed, independent research projects by scientists early in their career. Early investigators (late stage predoctoral trainees and beyond) are eligible to apply. This includes applicants with prior experience at MBL or with the Grass Foundation (MBL course alumni are encouraged to apply). Priority is given to applicants with a demonstrated commitment to pursuing a research career. Please see FAQ page on website or contact the Program Coordinator for more information. International Fellows (i.e., not US citizens or resident aliens) must hold a valid visa (J-1, H-1B, F1 or F1-OPT) for the entire duration of the fellowship.
Harriet Evelyn Wallace Scholarship for Women in the Geosciences
The Harriet Evelyn Wallace Scholarship is available for female students pursuing a Master's or Doctoral degree at an accredited institution of higher education in a recognized geoscience program.
All science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) majors qualify for the HENAAC scholarships. Applicants must be of Hispanic descent and/or must significantly participate in and promote organizations and activities in the Hispanic community.
Since 1963, the Fannie and John Hertz Foundation has awarded over 1,100 doctoral fellowships with the goal of supporting the early stage research endeavors of applied physical, biological, and engineering science students who possess the potential to change our world for the better by solving difficult, real-world problems.
HHMI - Gilliam Fellowships for Advanced Study
The fellowships honor the legacy of the late James H. Gilliam, Jr., an HHMI trustee who devoted his life to fostering excellence and diversity in education and science.
The competition is open to:
- Alumni of HHMI's Exceptional Research Opportunities Program (EXROP), regardless of country of origin or nationally, or
- Students nominated by T32 predoctoral training grant principal investigators (PIs) supported by the National Institute for General Medical Sciences (NIGMS); each nominated student must be training grant eligible but does not need to have been a T32 trainee.
Each fellowship will support students for up to three years of their dissertation research, typically in years three, four and five of their PhD studies. Applicants must be in their second or third year of a PhD program in the life sciences or related sciences and have identified a thesis adviser. They must have advanced to candidacy before appointment. Students who are enrolled in an MD/PhD (i.e. Medical Scientist Training Program) program are not eligible.
HHMI International Student Research Fellowships
This fellowship program supports outstanding international predoctoral students studying in the United States who are ineligible for fellowships or training grants through U.S. federal agencies. Participation is by invitation only. Nominated students must be in their second or third year of study to apply for the fellowship. To activate the fellowship, students must be in the third or fourth year of a PhD program at one of the designated institutions. Students in the first, second, or fifth year of their PhD programs cannot activate the fellowship. In no case will support be provided past year five of a PhD program.
Students invited to participate in this program are eligible for a fellowship to support years three, four, and five of a PhD program. Eligible fields of study include biology, chemistry, physics, math, computer science, engineering, and plant biology—as well as interdisciplinary research.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Predoctoral Fellowships (HHMI)
Fellowships are available to applicants who are citizens or nationals of the United States and to foreign nationals. They are intended for use by students who are at or near the beginning of their graduate study in biochemistry, biophysics, biostatistics, cell biology, developmental biology, epidemiology, genetics, immunology, mathematical and computational biology, microbiology, molecular biology, neuroscience, pharmacology, physiology, structural biology, and virology.
The IBM Ph.D. Fellowship Awards Program is an intensely competitive worldwide program, which honors exceptional Ph.D. students who have an interest in solving problems that are important to IBM and fundamental to innovation in many academic disciplines and areas of study. These include: computer science and engineering (including cyber security, cloud, and mobile computing), electrical and mechanical engineering, physical sciences (including chemistry, material sciences, and physics), mathematical sciences (including analytics of massive scale data with uncertainty, operations research, and optimization), public sector and business sciences (including urban policy and analytics, social technologies, learning systems and cognitive computing), and Service Science, Management, and Engineering (SSME).
Indo-US Science and Technology Research Internships in Science and Engineering (RISE)
Provides unique opportunities for science, technology, engineering
and medical students from the United States to undertake internships in national laboratories, federal research centers, academic research institutes, and private R&D laboratories in India. Objective of the internships are to provide students exposure to Indian S&T milieu, gain practical skills and develop collaborative networks. Internships are envisaged as a source of mutual cultural and professional enrichment for both the interns and their host institutions.
The Intel PhD Fellowship Program awards fellowships to exceptional PhD candidates pursuing leading-edge innovation in fields related to Intel's business and research interests.
Josephine de Karman Fellowship Trust
The Josephine de Karman Fellowship Trust was established in 1954 by the late Dr. Theodore Von Karman, world renowned aeronautics expert and teacher and first director of the Guggenheim Aeronautical Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology, in memory of his sister, Josephine, who passed away in 1951. The purpose of this Fellowship program is to recognize and assist students whose scholastic achievements reflect Professor Von Karman's high standards.
De Karman fellowships are open to students in any discipline, including international students, who are currently enrolled in a university or college located within the United States. Only candidates for the PhD who will defend their dissertation within two years and undergraduates entering their senior year are eligible for consideration. Postdoctoral and masters degree students are not eligible for consideration. Special consideration will be given to applicants in the Humanities.
Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies (KFAS) Scholarship
This program was established in 1974 to support talented young students in social sciences, natural sciences, computer science, and information technology-related fields. The program enables the students to pursue and successfully complete their doctorates at leading overseas research universities.
Latin American Scholarship Program of American Universities (LASPAU)
Laspau administers a part of the Fulbright Program which provides grants to individuals from Latin America and the Caribbean for graduate study in the United States. Grants are awarded for Master's and PhD programs in a variety of fields of study.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory - Livermore Graduate Scholar Program
The Livermore Graduate Scholar Program (LGSP) and its predecessor programs have played a critical role for many years in helping to recruit new scientific and engineering talent to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Top Ph.D. students are granted appointments of up to four years to conduct research of interest to the Laboratory while completing their thesis.
Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering and Technology Fellowship
Resident fellowships for the duration of a minimum of 1 month to a maximum of 9 months are offered in support of research projects in science, engineering, and technology; in the history of science, engineering and technology; or in interdisciplinary topics that link science or technology to the broader culture.
Recipients of fellowships are expected to work full time on their research projects while at the Library, to engage with other resident scholars, and to offer a presentation on their work to the general public.
Link Foundation - Energy Fellowships
In an effort to foster education and innovation in the area of societal production and utilization of energy, the Link Foundation invites applications for 2-year fellowships for students working toward a Ph.D. degree.
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) - Graduate Research Assistantship
The Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) Program is a year-round educational program that provides students with relevant research experience while they are pursuing a graduate degree. In some cases, students can arrange to conduct master's or doctoral thesis research at the Laboratory.
Microsoft Research PhD Fellowship
Microsoft Research is committed to advancing the state of computer science. Our fellowship program provides financial support for students and early-career faculty, allowing them to focus on their research. Fellowships build lasting relationships between Microsoft Research and academic institutions. Applicants must be nominated by their department and forwarded to the Graduate Studies Office for review. Finalists will then be forwarded to Microsoft for consideration in the national competition.
Microsoft Research - Graduate Women's Scholarship Program for Doctoral Students
The Microsoft Research Graduate Women's Scholarship is a one-year scholarship program for outstanding women graduate students and is designed to help increase the number of women pursuing a PhD. This program supports women in the second year of their graduate studies. Women who are interested in this scholarship must apply during first year of graduate studies. Scholarships are granted by Microsoft Research at the discretion of Microsoft.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) - Earth and Space Science Fellowship (NESSF)
NASA is seeking fellowship proposals from accredited U.S. universities on behalf of individuals pursuing Master of Science (M.Sc.) or Doctoral (Ph.D.) degrees in Earth and space sciences, or related disciplines. The purpose of NESSF is to ensure continued training of a highly qualified workforce in disciplines needed to achieve NASA's scientific goals. Awards resulting from the competitive selection will be made in the form of training grants to the respective universities.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) - Harriett Jenkins Predoctoral Fellowships
The Jenkins Pre-doctoral Fellowship Project, or JPFP, seeks to increase the number of graduate degrees awarded to underrepresented persons (women, minorities and persons with disabilities) in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, disciplines. The ultimate goal is to increase the U.S. talent pool by developing a more inclusive, multicultural and sustainable STEM workforce.
National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA) - Soffen Grants for Travel to Conferences
The travel grants are awarded to students pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees in aerospace-related sciences or engineering fields (astrobiology, astronomy, earth and space science, engineering, etc.) to attend a meeting at which they will present their research. Students of all nationalities are welcome to apply; however, applicants must be enrolled full time in an accredited undergraduate or graduate institution of higher learning in the United States.
National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science, Inc. (GEM)
GEM offers a wide variety of fellowships for minority students in science and engineering.
National Defense Science & Engineering Fellowship Program (NDSEG)
The National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship is a highly competitive, portable fellowship that is awarded to U.S. citizens and nationals who intend to pursue a doctoral degree in one of fifteen supported disciplines.
National Federation of the Blind Scholarship
For students residing in the United States who are legally blind in both eyes and who plan to pursue a full-time degree program at a U.S. college or university.
National Hispanic Scholarship Fund
Grants for Hispanic graduate students.
National Indian Education Fellowship Program
For American Indians in business, education, engineering, medicine, law, or natural resources.
The NRSA/Kirschstein F31 predoctoral fellowship supports promising graduate students who are pursuing training and research in scientific health-related fields relevant to the missions of the participating NIH Institutes. Most research-oriented fields in the biomedical, behavioral and clinical sciences are eligible. Individuals may receive up to five years of support.
National Physical Science Consortium Graduate Fellowships for Minorities and Women (NPSC)
The National Physical Science Consortium is a partnership between government agencies and laboratories, industry, and higher education. NPSC's goal is to increase the number of American citizens with graduate degrees in the physical sciences and related engineering fields, emphasizing recruitment of a diverse applicant pool.
The National Research Council (NRC) Graduate Research Awards
The National Research Council has conducted the Research Associateship Programs in cooperation with sponsoring federal laboratories and other research organizations approved for participation since 1954. Through a national competition, the NRC recommends and makes Research Associateship awards to outstanding scientists and engineers, at the postdoctoral and senior levels, for tenure as guest researchers at the participating laboratories. A limited number of opportunities are available for support of graduate students in select fields.
The National Science Foundation awards Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants in selected areas of the biological sciences. Proposals must fall within the scope of any of the clusters in the Division of Environmental Biology (DEB) or the Behavioral Systems Cluster in the Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS). These grants provide partial support of doctoral dissertation research for improvement beyond the already existing project. Allowed are costs for doctoral candidates to participate in scientific meetings, to conduct research in specialized facilities or field settings, and to expand an existing body of dissertation research.
National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based Master's and doctoral degrees at accredited United States institutions.
Through GROW, NSF Graduate Fellows are provided an international travel allowance to engage in research collaborations with investigators in partner countries located outside the United States.
With GROW, NSF Graduate Fellows can benefit from partnerships developed by NSF with funding organizations in other countries. Building on the experience of the former Nordic Research Opportunity, GROW offers research opportunities of 3-12 months in duration in the following partner countries: Australia, Brazil, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, India, Ireland, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Sweden and Switzerland.
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Scholarships
The Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarships-Doctoral Program (CGS D) and NSERC Postgraduate Scholarships-Doctoral Program (PGS D) provide financial support to high caliber scholars who are engaged in a doctoral program in the natural sciences or engineering. NSERC encourages interested and qualified Aboriginal students to apply.
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Fellowship
The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) and Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) administer internships and research project training opportunities funded by EPA offices and laboratories and by other government and private sector organizations. These opportunities are available year-round to science and engineering undergrads, grad students, recent grads and post-docs.
Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans
The Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans will be awarded on the basis of a single national competition. Each fellowship supports up to two years of graduate study - in any field and in any advanced degree-granting program - in the United States.
P.E.O. Scholar Awards (PSA) are one-time, competitive, merit-based awards for women of the United States and Canada who are pursuing a doctoral level degree at an accredited college or university, and within two years of completing the PhD.
Qualcomm Innovation Fellowships in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
The QInF program is open to teams of two students from a preselected variety of top US based and international schools. Students are encouraged to apply and submit a proposal on any innovative idea of their choice. Qualcomm Research's top engineers carefully review submitted proposals and select the QInF finalists, who are then invited to present their proposals to a panel of executive judges. Winning students earn a one year fellowship and are mentored by our engineers to facilitate the success of the proposed research.
Roberto Rocca Education Program Fellowship
The Roberto Rocca Fellowship provides Ph.D. support for exceptional university graduates from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Mexico, Romania, and Venezuela in specific fields of study that include, but are not limited to Materials Science, Mechanical, and Petroleum Engineering.
Sandia National Laboratories - Master's Fellowships
The Master's Fellowship Program (MFP) provides exceptional bachelor's-level minority candidates with the opportunity to receive fully funded Master's of science degrees. Successful applicants will become regular full-time Sandia employees and will join multidisciplinary R&D teams. After spending at least two months at Sandia acclimating to the national-laboratory environment and contributing to Sandia's missions, MFP recipients will enter graduate school to pursue their technical Master's degrees full-time. After receiving their Master's degrees, MFP participants are guaranteed placement in appropriate technical staff positions at Sandia.
Schlumberger Foundation - Faculty for the Future (FFTF) Predoctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships
The Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future program supports outstanding women from developing countries in their pursuit of advanced graduate studies in engineering, science, and technology at leading universities worldwide.
Scholarships for Undocumented Students
The Educators for Fair Consideration (E4FC) maintain a list of scholarships and fellowships available for immigrant students attending graduate and professional schools.
Semiconductor Research Corporation Graduate Fellowship Program
SRC offers doctoral fellowships and master's scholarships through the Global Research Collaboration (GRC) and one doctoral fellowship through the Nanoelectronics Research Initiative (NRI), the SRC NRI/Hans J. Coufal Fellowship. The GRC Graduate Fellowship Program (GFP) is funded through GRC and the SRC Education Alliance and supports about 35 Fellowships each year. The GRC Master's Scholarship Program (MSP), targeting underrepresented minorities and women, is also funded through GRC and the SRC Education Alliance and supports about 12 Scholarships each year.
Society of Exploration Geophysics (SEG) Foundation Scholarships
SEG Foundation Scholarships encourage the study of geophysics and related geosciences. The SEG Foundation offers a range of different scholarship opportunities. Funds provided may be applied to tuition, books, and fees.
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) Foundation Dissertation Scholarships
Merit-based scholarships awarded to doctoral candidates, who demonstrate both significant motivation and aptitude for a career in science, technology, engineering or mathematics and have completed All But Dissertation.
Society of Women Engineering (SWE) Scholarships
SWE Scholarships support individuals who identify as women pursuing ABET-accredited baccalaureate or graduate programs in preparation for careers in engineering, engineering technology and computer science in the United States and Mexico.
Sons of Italy National Leadership Grants
For U.S. citizens of Italian descent (at least one Italian or Italian American grandparent) enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program at a four-year, accredited academic institution. Previous SIF scholarship winners are not eligible.
Switzer Environmental Fellowship
Switzer Fellowships are given to top graduate students in New England and California who demonstrate outstanding leadership potential, and who are committed to a career in environmental improvement.
Symantec Graduate Fellowship Program
Symantec will award Symantec Research Labs (SRL) Graduate Fellowships to outstanding Ph.D. students. Preference will be given to students with a desire to work in an industrial research lab and those working on innovative research projects in areas related to Symantec's businesses such as security, data mining, storage, backup, machine learning, virtualization, cloud computing, big data infrastructure, etc.
Taiwan/Caltech Ministry of Education Fellowship
The Ministry of Education (MOE), Taiwan and Caltech jointly administer Taiwan-Caltech Graduate Scholarships to support new graduate students from Taiwan of outstanding talents who are pursuing a Ph.D. degree at Caltech. Scholarships are tenable in all fields of study. Applicants should be ROC citizens preferably residing in Taiwan, although those currently studying outside Taiwan are not excluded. Applicants must gain admission to Caltech and are subject to Caltech's standard procedures and requirements. Each scholarship will normally be of three (3) years' duration and will cover stipend, tuition and mandatory fees. Applicants must apply directly to MOE between mid-December and mid-January.
Thermo Scientific Pierce Scholarship Award
The Thermo Scientific Pierce Scholarship Program includes two $10,000 scholarships and four $5,000 scholarships to be awarded to undergraduate and graduate students with a declared major of biology, chemistry, biochemistry or related life-science field.
UNCF/MERCK Graduate Science Research Dissertation Fellowships
The UNCF●Merck Graduate Science Research Dissertation Fellowships are intended to support African American graduate students as they complete coursework, conduct research, and prepare the dissertation required for the doctoral degree in the biomedical relevant life or physical sciences.
The Whitaker International Program sends emerging leaders in U.S. biomedical engineering (or bioengineering) overseas to undertake a self-designed project that will enhance their careers within the field. The goal of the program is to assist the development of professional leaders who are not only superb scientists, but who also will advance the profession through an international outlook. Along with supporting grant projects in an academic setting, the Whitaker International Program encourages grantees to engage in policy work and propose projects in an industry setting.
Woods Hold Oceanographic Institution - Geophysical Fluid Dynamics (GFD) Fellowship
Graduate students and researchers from a variety of fields who share a common interest in the nonlinear dynamics of rotating, stratified fluids share an intense ten-week research experience, and vigorous discussions of concepts that span different disciplines. Fellows pursue a research project under the supervision of the staff and present a lecture and a written report for a proceedings volume. Fellows are expected to be in residence for the full ten weeks of the program.
Additional Resources
For additional information concerning external fellowship opportunities, currently enrolled students may contact the Fellowships Advising & Study Abroad Office. Please do not contact the FASA office if you are a perspective student or inquiring about internal fellowships, assistantships, or the details of graduate finances. For these matters, please contact the Graduate Office, the Option Representative, or the Option Manager.