Funding & Scholarships
Graduate Assistantships and Fellowships
Graduate research and teaching assistantships with competitive stipends are available to students in our MS-Geology and PhD-Geology graduate programs. They are not available for students in the coursework-based AEG-MS degree. AEG-MS students may be eligible to receive in-state tuition as part of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP). Finally, prestigious university-level fellowships may be awarded to select graduate students.
Tuition Support
The Department of Geosciences works hard to provide graduate tuition funding through a combination of state funding, research grants, and donations from generous alumni. Generally, if you receive a graduate teaching or research assistantship, or a graduate fellowship, your tuition is covered. In order to do so, you are required to take the steps to gain formal Utah residency in your first year here.
Student Health Insurance
Full-time graduate students receiving assistantship support are required to have health insurance, and we subsidize the majority, but not all, of the costs for USU’s student health insurance program. All enrolled graduate students, including those less than full-time or not receiving assistantship support, are eligible for this insurance.
Geosciences Department Funding Sources
Through the help of our generous alumni and friends, the department maintains the Benchmark and Summit funds, which provide important and varied support for our graduate students.
Scholarships
In addition, the Department of Geosciences has several named scholarships that are awarded on an annual basis to graduate students in support of field research. Find out more about these by following these links:
| Scholarship Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Benchmark Fund | The Geosciences Alumni Advisory Board initiated the Benchmark Fund in 2009; this fund helps us provide critical support to our graduate students. |
| J. Stewart Williams Graduate Fellowship | The J. Stewart Williams Graduate Fellowship was developed to honor the memory of this former faculty member, department head, and graduate dean of Utah State University. The endowment provides support for summer research expenses incurred by graduate students. |
| Kim R. Robeson Memorial Award | The award provides support of non-class-related trips for graduate students, including trips organized by student groups, particularly to help with expenses related to thesis laboratory and field work. |
| Logan Canyon Fund: Galloway-Cooley Scholarship | This fund has been thoughtfully created by alumni along with Jim and Susanne to support scholarships and research funding for graduate students in Geosciences. |
| Logan Canyon Fund: Evans-Jänecke Fund |
This fund has been thoughtfully created by alumni along with Jim and Susanne to support scholarships and research funding for graduate students in Geosciences. |
| Peter R. McKillop Memorial Scholarship | The award will go to a graduate student who, like Peter, has a strong academic record and is not already well funded. |
| Keith Miller Graduate Scholarship | This award provides support for graduate students. |
| Karen C. Rice Scholarship | This award provides support for graduate students currently engaged in thesis or dissertation work. |
| Robert Q. Oaks, Jr. Scholarship | The Robert Q. Oaks, Jr. Scholarship was developed to recognize Bob’s dedication and excellence in teaching and challenging all his students. The scholarship will assist undergraduate and graduate students who are nearing the completion of their degrees at USU. |
| Springer Memorial Scholarship | This award supports undergraduate and graduate geology majors. Undergraduate recipients must have at least junior-level standing. Recipients must demonstrate excellence in academic achievement. |
| Summit Fund | The Summit Fund was established to provide scholarship support for USU Geology graduate and undergraduate students and to honor the work of the late Craig B. Forster. |
Graduate Scholarship Application
Graduate Scholarship Applications are accepted in the Spring Semester.
Please note, FAFSA must be filled out before applying for scholarships.