Graduate Funding Guarantee & Opportunities
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Internal Funding
Our program guarantees at least 5 years of stipend, paid tuition and health insurance for all accepted students. Students do not need to apply for most internal sources of funding, but will be encouraged once they arrive to consider applying for external fellowships and/or prestigious internal fellowships for which they may be competitive. Students may be supported by University Fellowships, Teaching Assistantships, Research Assistantships and Research Grants, as well as other (e.g., external) Fellowships. Internal awards and appointments are made by The Graduate School acting on the recommendations of the department. The Graduate School provides additional information on financial support. Twice a year, in the fall and spring, the departmental faculty evaluates each student's progress. At these times, decisions about the continuation and type of support are made.
University Fellowships usually are awarded to first-year graduate students.
Teaching Assistantships may be awarded to students in the first and subsequent years. Teaching is an essential element of the education and training experience of PhD students at Northwestern. The Graduate School requires that all PhD students serve in some instructional capacity for at least one academic quarter during their graduate education at Northwestern. This teaching requirement is unique to American higher education, and is an integral aspect of professional development. Students are expected to do comparable teaching work to other students within their program. The Graduate School strives to ensure teaching demands are as similar as possible across academic programs.
Research Assistantships are a principal source of financial support for students admitted to Ph.D. candidacy. Research Assistantships are obtained by faculty members from outside sources for research on specific topics. Each student is urged to identify fields of interest as early as possible and to contact the relevant faculty members about the possibility of their employment as a Research Assistant. Research projects and financial support are arranged by mutual consent of the student and faculty members.
Sloss Fellowships are supported by endowment funds and provide a tuition scholarship and stipend to qualified senior graduate students (i.e., following the third or fourth year in the program).
Sloss Research Awards are granted annually, whenever possible, based on evaluation of research proposals written by students. To compete for the award, students must be in good academic standing and demonstrate financial need (no other sources of support). Awards typically help to offset the cost of fieldwork and other research.
Boos Fellowships are supported by endowment funds and provide a tuition scholarship and living stipend to qualified senior women graduate students (i.e., following the third to fourth year in the program). In special cases, these fellowships may be awarded to first- or second-year women.
Conference Travel Funding - Financial assistance is available to help defray expenses for students traveling to meetings to give academic presentations. First-year students presenting research completed at Northwestern may apply to the Department Chair for support up to $600. Students who have completed at least 3 quarters of full-time registration may apply for a Graduate School Conference Travel Grant for one award of $500 per year, that may be further supplemented by $300 from the Department, upon application to the Department Chair. For travel to a second annual meeting, departmental support of up to $300 may be awarded upon application.
Other fellowships can be found through The Graduate School's fellowship and grants information pages.
Health insurance is required by the University of all graduate students. The department and the Graduate School collectively pay the annual premium for students' health insurance provided through the university.
External funding
Many external organizations offer scholarships and funding for academics and research in related fields. Some of these financial awards also come with additional benefits, such as inter-institutional collaboration, mentoring and more. Have a funding source you want to see added to our list? Contact deeps@northwestern.edu
| Funding Source | Award | Description |
| Alliance of Hazardous Materials Professionals (AHMP) Chicago Chapter Scholarship | $1,500 | The purpose of the AHMP Chicago Chapter scholarship is to support students who are investing their future in the protection of the environment. Only undergraduate upperclassmen or graduate students at northern Illinois institutions are eligible to apply for the AHMP Chicago Environmental Scholarship. |
| American Geophysical Union (AGU) Travel and Research Grants and Scholarships | Varies | The American Geophysical Union offers a number of awards to graduate students and early career scientists in the fields of Earth and space science. |
| American Geosciences Institute Scholarship | Varies | The AGI Federation of societies and associated organizations offer a variety of scholarships to support undergraduate and graduate students in the geosciences. These scholarships are designed to help students pursue their education and careers in the geosciences. |
| American Meteorological Society (AMS) Scholarships and Fellowships | Varies | The American Meteorological Society (AMS) administers an array of graduate fellowships and undergraduate scholarships with the support of its members, corporations, and government agencies nationwide. The fellowships and scholarships range from $1,000 to $26,000 and help further the education of outstanding graduate and undergraduate students pursuing a career in the atmospheric and related oceanic or hydrologic sciences. |
| Anchor QEA Scholarship Program | Up to $10,000 | Anchor QEA’s Scholarship Program helps graduate students pay for higher education to assist them in taking on the world’s challenging environmental problems. This effort seeks to create more opportunities for the next generation to advance in their studies and careers. |
| Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship | Varies | The Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship (DOE CSGF) provides opportunities to students pursuing doctoral degrees in fields that use high-performance computing to solve complex science and engineering problems. The program fosters a community of energetic and committed Ph.D. students, alumni, DOE laboratory staff and scientists who want to have an impact on the nation while advancing their research. |
| Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program |
Yearly support of up to $47,000 per student (a 12-month stipend of $35,000 in addition to an education allowance of up to $12,000), and up to $10,000 of support for a 4-6 week program collaboration at a NOAA facility | In accordance with the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, the Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program recognizes outstanding scholarship and encourages independent graduate level research in oceanography, marine biology, maritime archaeology—these may include but are not limited to ocean and/or coastal: engineering, social science, marine education, marine stewardship, cultural anthropology, and resource management disciplines. Masters students may be supported for up to two years, and doctoral students for up to four years. Depending on funding, approximately two to four scholarships are awarded each year. |
| Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Research Fellowships & Scholarships | Varies | The EPA offers a variety of fellowship and graduate opportunities for graduate students and early career scientists. |
| The Explorers Club Grants | Varies | The Explorers Club offers multiple grant opportunities to support young scientists conducting fieldwork around the globe. Awards up to $25,000 are available |
| The Field Museum Graduate Student Fellowships | varies ~$50,000 | The Field Museum offers a limited number of fellowships to graduate students engaged in dissertation research associated with the museum. These fellowships provide a stipend and limited funds for research and travel. |
| ForEverglades Research Enhancement Grant | Up to $30,000 | ForEverglades Research Enhancement Grants provide graduate students with up to $30,000 for research-related expenses. Formerly known as ForEverglades Scholarships & Fellowships, these awards are intended to support outstanding graduate research in areas related to the current and future restored Everglades ecosystem. ForEverglades Research Enhancement Grants are made possible through the generosity of supporters of The Everglades Foundation. |
| Fulbright Study/Research Awards | Varies | Applicants for study/research awards design their own projects and will typically work with advisers at foreign universities or other institutes of higher education. The study/research awards are available in approximately 140 countries. |
| Garden Club of America Scholarships | Varies | The Garden Club of America offers numerous scholarships and awards to undergraduate and graduate students in fields of study ranging from botany to bird habitat and wetland conservation to desert horticulture. |
| Gloria Barron Wilderness Society Scholarship | $25,000 | The Gloria Barron Wilderness Society Scholarship seeks to encourage individuals who have the potential to make a significant positive difference in understanding wilderness and how to protect it. The scholarship is available to currently qualified graduate students in the United States. |
| The Geological Society of America Grants and Scholarships | Varies | Every year, GSA distributes hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants and scholarships to help further the future of the geosciences. Funds are available to both undergraduate and graduate applicants. |
| Geothermal Rising Scholarships | Varies | Geothermal Rising (GR) awards are open to Graduate and Undergraduate students from a broad array of disciplines related to any aspect of geothermal energy, including but not limited to geosciences, environmental studies, engineering, renewable energy, energy policy, public policy, water rights, and other social sciences. |
| Illinois Space Grant Consortium Graduate Fellowship | $10,000 | The Illinois Space Grant Consortium (ILSGC) awards fellowships to outstanding students pursuing a graduate degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) disciplines that support NASA’s mission. |
| Mineralogical Society of America Grants for Student Research in Mineralogy & Petrology | $5,000 | The Mineralogical Society of America’s Grants for Student Research In Mineralogy And Petrology are funded by an endowment created by contributions from the MSA membership. The grant comprises two awards of up to $5,000 each for research in mineralogy and petrology by graduate students and a $2,000 grant for research in this field by an undergraduate student. |
| National Garden Clubs (NGC) College Scholarships | Up to $4,000 | NGC's college scholarship program offers financial aid to undergraduate and graduate students in fields of study related to horticulture and the environment. For additional scholarship opportunities, visit your state's garden club federation website. |
| NEHA/AAS Environmental Health Scholarships | $3,750 | NEHA/AAS aims to positively contribute to the future of environmental health by offering scholarships for eligible undergraduate and graduate students. The scholarship program aims to encourage early commitment by students to pursue a career in environmental health. |
| NOAA Sea Grant Graduate Fellowships | Funding and opportunities vary | Sea Grant internships and fellowships allow students to partner with various STEM organizations to promote professional development in new careers and expand leadership in their fields, with opportunities in research, communication, policy, outreach, and other applied skills. |
| The Next Swell Scholarship | $5,000 | The Next Swell was created partly to provide financial and academic scholarships to graduate students pursuing degrees in the associated fields of marine biology and marine conservation. Scholarships are merit-based and will be awarded to the most qualified applicants who display a passion for marine conservation. |
| Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) Scholarships | $500 - $10,000, avg ~$3,600 | The Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) Scholarships encourage the study of geophysics and related geosciences in universities around the world. Focused on attracting the best and brightest high school and college students, they are intended to recognize those students who have demonstrated outstanding academic merit and commitment to the study of a career in geophysics and related geosciences. |
| The Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Programs | Varies | The Smithsonian Institute offers a variety of fellowship opportunities to work in collaboration with its scientists and curators to incorporate the Smithsonian's resources, collections, and facilities to answer your research questions. |
| United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation Scholarships | Varies | The USGIF scholarship program aims to support and encourage talented individuals who demonstrate a passion for geospatial intelligence, geospatial sciences, and related disciplines. Successful applicants receive financial assistance to pursue their education and achieve their academic goals. The program has historically attracted a diverse pool of applicants, ranging from graduating high school seniors to graduate students pursuing advanced degrees. |
| The Woman’s National Farm and Garden Association (WNF&GA) Scholarship for the Study of Conservation and Natural Resources Management | $4,000 | One scholarship will be awarded annually to a post-baccalaureate, full-time graduate student who is studying, or will study, at an accredited institution in the United States, and who wishes to pursue a career in conservation and natural resource management or related fields of study. Preference will be given to a candidate with a strong commitment to the environment and to the management and preservation of natural resources as evidenced through the candidate’s achievements and work-related, volunteer or other community activities. |
Looking for more? The Office of Fellowships maintains its own database of awards and hosts additional resources for applicants, including personal support and mentorship.