- Graduate students may need extra funding to finish their work and graduate.graduation image by timur1970 from Fotolia.com
While many graduate programs offer some level of funding to their students, graduate students may still find themselves without sufficient resources to complete their degrees. However, despite the high cost of many Master's and PhD programs, high-achieving students may qualify for merit-based graduate scholarships that can help them to fully fund their degrees. Here are several resources that can point graduate students towards foundations and organizations that give scholarships and grants based on merit. - Students interested in finding funding for their graduate degrees should first look into discipline-specific scholarships. These grant-makers may be connected to a branch of the government or a particular agency. Government-funded grants tend to be very lucrative, though the amount of the scholarship varies by field. Students interested in pursuing oceanographic studies, for example, may be interested in applying for the Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship, which awards graduate scholars and researchers up to $30,000 per year. Similar programs exist in other fields; the Foster scholarship is linked to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric administration, while other agencies may provide similar scholarships for different fields.
- Female graduate students may be eligible for an award from the International Federation of University Women (IFUW). This organization composed of members of National Federations or Associations of University Women around the world, awards grants of several thousand dollars for women who have finished at least the first year of a doctoral program. The IFUW gives around twenty scholarships each year, and focuses on women scholars and researchers who are studying internationally, at foreign universities. The scholarships are valid for eight months to one year. Potential applicants should first join the national branch of the IFUW before applying.
- One of the most prestigious merit-based scholarships, the Marshall Scholarship provides American graduate students with the opportunity to study abroad at a British University. Founded in 1953, the Marshall Scholarship provides 40 students each year with generous stipends to cover tuition, living expenses, and incidentals. Most recipients of the scholarship choose to attend Oxford or Cambridge, with some attending the London School of Economics; however, the Marshall Scholarship will pay for studies at any degree-granting university in the U.K. A renowned program, the Marshall Scholarship is also one of the most competitive. Students should have outstanding academic records and show a history of extracurricular involvement. Interested applicants should begin their applications early, usually in the year before they wish to attend their proposed university.
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