University Scholarship and Tuition Awards

Tuition awards provided by the School of Interdisciplinary and Graduate Studies (SIGS) will cover a maximum of 9 hours of Regular Graduate Tuition per term. Students or graduate programs will be responsible for additional tuition charges for online courses or courses in Urban Planning and Public Administration. SIGS does not offer tuition awards or scholarships to students enrolled in professional degree programs.

SIGS has a limited number of tuition match awards. Preference will be given to doctoral students funded by grants and contracts. A small number of awards will be available for doctoral and master’s students funded by program revenues, gifts and endowments.

With the exception of University Fellowships and Diversity Fellowships which have deadlines that are announced annually, nominations for awards on this page should be submitted no later than the following dates:

March 1st for Summer

April 1st for Fall Tuition Match Awards, June 1st for Fall Dissertation Completion Awards

October 1st for Spring

     

    Nominate a Student

    Click to Nominate a student for any award other than a University Fellowship or Diversity Scholarship and Assistantship. These two awards have separate nomination forms.

     

     

    Doctoral Dissertation Completion Award

    Goals:Support outstanding Ph.D. candidates in the final semester for dissertation completion and defense.
    Eligibility:Ph.D. candidates entering the final semester.
    Application Date:Applications should be submitted prior to student's final semester.
    Award date:Beginning of final semester 
    Nominator:Department Chair or Director of Graduate Studies.
    Maximum award:Full stipend, candidacy fee and health insurance
    Duration of award: One semester
    Program commitment:Must nominate students able to complete program within the semester and commit to subsequent funding if necessary.
    Criteria:Strong evidence of scholarly ability and program progress plus a detailed plan for completion within the semester agreed upon by student, mentor and committee.
    Student responsibilities:Students must be engaged in full time dissertation and defense work.
    Students awarded Doctoral Dissertation Completion Awards shall have no other duties or obligations beyond those of the academic program, and are also precluded from other work for compensation while supported by the award.

    Diversity Scholarships and Assistantships


    		NOTE:This is a continuation of the current Diversity Fellowship program.  A call for nominations will issue early in the Spring semester.

    Goals:To supplement graduate education support and promote racial and ethnic diversity of the student population.
    Eligibility:Programs may nominate students from historically underrepresented ethnic/racial groups, including US citizens and permanent residents who are African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Alaskan Natives, and Pacific Islanders.
    Maximum award:Full stipend, tuition and health insurance premium
    Duration of award:One academic year (10 months) for masters students; up to 2 years for doctoral students.
    Program commitment:Provision of full stipend, tuition and health insurance for an additional year for masters and up to two additional years for doctoral students .
    Criteria:Strong evidence of scholarly ability.
    Student responsibilities:Students must be engaged in full time academic program studies and maintain good academic standing.
    Students may be required to work up to twenty hours per week in research or service work closely related to their scholarly activity.  Students are responsible for participation UofL diversity activities.
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    Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Programs

    Goals:The Southern Regional Education Board's Doctoral Scholars Program was developed with support from The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Ford Foundation. It is part of a nationwide initiative, the Compact for Faculty Diversity, to produce more minority Ph.D.s and to encourage them to seek faculty positions. All applications for SREB Funding are made directly to SREB. To Apply, please go to the SREB website at http://www.sreb.org/page/1074/doctoral_scholars.html

     

    Southern Regional Education Board (SREB)- Doctoral Scholars Program

    Eligibility:Minority students who are entering a doctoral program or who have not yet completed their first year of graduate study.
    Maximum award:Full stipend, tuition and health insurance premium. SIGS provides tuition for three years.
    Duration of award:Three years from SREB; program commits full stipend, tuition and health insurance for an additional two years.
    Program commitment:Provision of full stipend, tuition and health insurance for an additional two years.
    Criteria:Strong evidence of scholarly ability and an interest in pursuing a new faculty position after graduation.
    Student responsibilities:Students must be engaged in full-time academic program studies and maintain good academic standing;
    during the first three years of the fellowship (when they receive the stipend through SREB and tuition through SIGS), they shall have no other duties or obligations beyond those of the academic program. During years four and five, while the department supports the student, the student may be required to work up to twenty hours per week in research, teaching, or service work closely related to their scholarly activity. Students are precluded from other work for compensation (part-time or full-time) while supported by the SREB Doctoral Fellowship.  Students are responsible for participation in SREB and UofL diversity activities.

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    Southern Regional Education Board (SREB)- Dissertation Year Fellowships

    Eligibility:Minority students in Ph.D. programs in the last year of their programs.
    Maximum award:Full stipend, candidacy fees, and health insurance premium; SIGS pays candidacy fees and SREB pays the stipend.
    Duration of award:One year
    Program commitment:Best efforts to help student complete program within the year and commitment to subsequent funding if necessary.
    Criteria:Strong evidence of scholarly ability plus a detailed plan for completion within the year agreed upon by student, mentor and committee.
    Student responsibilities:Students awarded SREB Doctoral Fellowships must be engaged in full-time academic program studies and maintain good academic standing.
    Students are precluded from other work for compensation (part-time or full-time) while supported by the SREB Dissertation Year Fellowship. Students are responsible for participation in SREB and UofL diversity activities.


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    Non-Resident Differential Tuition Award

    (This program has been suspended for the 2017-2018 academic year)

    Goals:Support of excellent students in Master's or Ph.D. programs. Priority will be given to doctoral students funded by grants or contracts. Doctoral or master's students funded by endowment or gift accounts, distance education funds or other program revenues will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
    Eligibility:Currently enrolled full-time students
    Application Date:See deadlines at top of this page
    Award date:Variable
    Nominator:Department Chair or Director of Graduate Studies.
    Maximum award:Non-resident differential tuition.
    Duration of award:One year. Awards can be renewed for more than one year but need to be re-nominated annually.

    Program commitment:Provision of resident tuition, full stipend plus health insurance using grants, contracts, endowment or gift accounts, distance education funds or other program revenues.
    Criteria:Student must be in good academic standing or meet program criteria for admission at time of nomination.
    Student responsibilities:Students must be engaged in full time academic program studies and maintain good academic standing. 
    Students may be required to work up to twenty hours per week in research, teaching or service work if directly related to their scholarly activity.

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    Candidacy Fee Award

    (This program has been suspended for the 2017-2018 academic year)

    Goal:Support of excellent graduate student candidates. Preference will be given to doctoral students whose stipend is funded by grants or contracts. Doctoral or master's students funded by endowment or gift accounts, distance education funds or other program revenues will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
    Eligibility:Currently enrolled, full time Master's or Ph.D. students and candidates
    Application Date:Applications will be accepted at any time
    Nominator:Department Chair or Director of Graduate Studies.
    Maximum award:Candidacy Fees
    Duration of award:Up to one year. Students may be funded for more than one year but need to be re-nominated annually
    Program commitment:Provision of full stipend plus health insurance support via endowment or gift accounts, distance education funds or other program revenues.
    Criteria:Student must be in good academic standing and making satisfactory progress toward degree.