Funding and Financial Support

NatSci Funding

Great IDEA Fellowship Program: A graduate fellowship sponsored by the College of NatSci to enable projects that promote inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA) in STEM at MSU.

Dissertation Completion Fellowship: DCFs are available annually to allow students to devote full time to writing the dissertation with the goal that the dissertation will be completed during the tenure of the fellowship.

John A. Penner Fellowship in Hematology, Thrombosis, and Inflammation: The recipients of the Penner award will be the highest ranked nominees whose area of research is Hematology, Thrombosis, or Inflammation.

Council of Graduate Students (COGS) Funding

GSO Event Funding: In an effort to increase awareness and diversity of the graduate community at MSU, COGS provides funding to graduate student organizations for the hosting of events.

Childcare Endowment Funds: For otherwise eligible graduate/professional students who apply for the MSU Child Care Grant but are ineligible to complete that application, COGS is pleased to be able to provide funds in coordination with OFA and The Graduate School to assist with a limited number of $500 awards per semester to help cover those situations.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award: MSU Council of Graduate Students (COGS) established this endowment in 2021 to recognize Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts by graduate and professional students in or through their program, unit, or department at MSU

Disciplinary Leadership Award: In 2010, the MSU Council of Graduate Students (COGS) established an endowment to recognize disciplinary leadership by graduate and grad-professional students.

Professional Development Award: This program is intended to support graduate/professional students attend events or engage in activities that enhance their professional development. A qualified event includes but is not limited to a local, regional, national or international workshop, academic competition, convention, or association meeting in which the primary goal of event participants is to obtain or hone a skill set useful to their profession both creative and scholarly.

Conference Award: To help defray the costs of traveling to and from conferences, COGS provides up to $300 in the form of a Conference award. This can be awarded only once during a graduate lifetime.

Graduate School Funding

Graduate School Travel Fellowship: Funds from the Graduate School are available for graduate and graduate professional students to present their research at professional conferences (in-person or virtual)

Research Enhancement Award: Funds are available to support activities that enhance graduate and graduate professional students’ research projects.

Emergency Fellowship: The Graduate School’s Emergency Fellowship Funding is available to graduate students who experience unusual or unforeseen emergency situations that are of a sudden and temporary nature.

Education Opportunity Fellowship (EOF): The purpose of the Education Opportunity Fellowship (EOF) is to provide financial assistance to Michigan State University’s graduate and professional students.

King-Chavez-Parks Future Faculty Fellowship Program: This program aims to increase the pool of academically or economically disadvantaged candidates pursuing faculty teaching careers in postsecondary education. Future Faculty Fellowship graduates are obligated, by a signed agreement, to remain in postsecondary faculty teaching or administration in a public or private, 2- or 4-year, in-state or out-of-state postsecondary institution for a minimum of three (3) years equivalent full-time.

View a full list of funding opportunities from the Graduate School.

Additional University Funding Opportunities

Graduate Student Award for Science and Communication Outreach: Michigan State University invites nominations for the Graduate Student Award for Science Communication and Outreach, conferred in recognition of the exemplary translation and communication of scholarly ideas, research findings, and advancements in all academic disciplines to the general public by a graduate or graduate professional student.

Graduate Student Award for Community Engagement Scholarship: Michigan State University invites nominations for the Graduate Student Award for Community Engagement Scholarship, conferred in recognition of exemplary community-engaged scholarship by a graduate or graduate professional student.

Support our Spartans Emergency Fund: Through the Support Our Spartans Student Emergency Needs Fund, the Division of Student Life & Engagement provides students with immediate financial support to cover educational costs and unanticipated expenses when hardships arise such as accidents, illness, death of a family member, fire damage or need for temporary housing, tuition bill, purchase food, make the monthly payment on their health insurance, travel home during an emergency, and many other unforeseen expenses.

MSU Child Care Grant: The MSU Child Care Grant program provides funds to students with children to assist in meeting the cost of licensed child care during the school year. The maximum award for the MSU Child Care Grant is $1,000 per semester per child.

Office for International Students and Scholars: OISS has a few methods of offering assistance specifically for international students and scholars who have a demonstrated financial need.

Office for Education Abroad: Education abroad can be affordable, but you have to do your research to make sure the program you choose fits academically and financially. Start by planning far in advance (we suggest a year). The cost of programs varies depending on length, timing, credits, and accommodations.

External Funding

Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31): The purpose of this Kirschstein-NRSA program is to enable promising predoctoral students with potential to develop into a productive, independent research scientists, to obtain mentored research training while conducting dissertation research.

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP): The purpose of the NSF GRFP is to help ensure the quality, vitality, and diversity of the scientific and engineering workforce of the United States. A goal of the program is to broaden participation of the full spectrum of diverse talents in STEM.

Gilliams Fellows Progam: The Gilliam Fellows Program aspires to build a more inclusive scientific ecosystem by supporting scientists at two levels — graduate students and their faculty thesis advisers.

Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship: Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowships provide three years of support for individuals working to complete a research-based, dissertation-required Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) degree that will prepare them for the pursuit of a career in academic teaching or research.

Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship: Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowships provide one year of support for individuals working to complete a research-based, dissertation-required Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) degree that will prepare them for the pursuit of a career in academic teaching or research.

Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans: The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans (PD Soros) supports thirty New Americans— immigrants or the children of immigrants—who are pursuing graduate or professional school in the United States.

View additional external funding oppurtunities.