Ph.D. students in the Ecology program are typically funded for five years; master's students are funded for two years. Funding typically covers tuition (or provides a tuition waiver), plus a stipend. Some funding sources may also cover certain research costs. Please discuss funding options with your potential faculty advisors or the program chair. Students may be funded through research or teaching assistantships, fellowships, or grants.
Research Assistantships
Research assistantships are coordinated through the student's faculty advisor. A limited number of research assistantships are available through funds from the Huck Institutes and the J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School.
Teaching Assistantships
Teaching assistantships are available through the advisor's home department, or in special cases, through the Department of Biology, as arranged by the Ecology program.
Fellowships
University Graduate Fellowships may be available to highly qualified students.
Supplementary Funding
Travel Awards
Current Ecology students can apply for three awards available to a limited number of students in the program each year:
- The Ecology Professional Meeting Travel Award offers $200 toward travel costs to a national or international scientific meeting.
- The Frank A. Andersen Ecology Travel Award for Graduate Students provides travel awards to students presenting at professional meetings.
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences Graduate Travel Award provides travel support to students presenting a talk at a domestic or international conference.
Ecology Awards
One Ecology student each year will receive this award, based on peer and faculty nominations:
- The J. Brian Horton Memorial Award recognizes outstanding achievement and service to the graduate community.
Other Awards
A number of financial awards are available from internal (eg, the Grad School at Penn State) and external (eg, NSF, DOE, private donors) sources.
Additional external awards are available to Ecology graduate students. The Program Chair can help students identify opportunities.