Introduction

Admission

Itasca Orientation/Annual Retreat

Financial Aid

Frequently Asked Questions

Handbook

Resources

Student Life

Suggestions

Financial Aid

Financial support of graduate students via assistantships, both teaching and research, is an important goal of the Graduate Program in Plant Biological Sciences. It is program policy to guarantee 5 academic years of support to students accepted into the program for the Ph.D., and to support as fully as possible all students accepted into the M.S. program. In addition the Program has fully supported both M.S. students and Ph.D. students for the additional years needed to finish their degrees beyond their guaranteed support. The Graduate Program fully expects to continue this tradition. Financial support is available in many forms.

Teaching Assistantships support some students entering the program. Students are usually assigned to teach laboratory courses in Plant Biology or the Biology program.

First year students often teach
Biol. 1201 or Biol. 1009

Research Assistantships also support many graduate students and are provided by individual faculty research grants.

Graduate School Fellowships are available on a competitive basis for students entering the University for the first time in fall quarter. Students applying for the program before February 1 may be nominated by the Admissions Committee for this award. Generally, our program receives one or two of these fellowships per academic year.

USDA National Needs Fellowships - Depending on the level of support provided by the USDA, the Plant Biological Sciences Graduate Program at the University of Minnesota may award USDA National Needs Fellowships for doctoral students interested in Plant Biotechnology. The Fellowship awards provide an annual stipend for 3 years plus tuition waiver. An additional 2 years of support will be available from the graduate program. Applicants must be US citizens or US nationals and have an interest in training for a career in some aspect of plant biotechnology. Ask the PBS Graduate Program coordinator for the current status of these fellowships.

Health Insurance is typically provided to students on Teaching and Research Assistantships. Students pay 5% of the premium which is approximately $60 per semester. Some fellowships may also provide for health insurance. Due to the complex nature of insurance coverage provided by different funding sources, prospective students should inquire about additional insurance costs once they have identified their source of funding.

Travel Fellowships are available to support travel by students to scientific meetings and for short visits to other institutions to learn research techniques. Students receiving Fellowships are usually required to give oral or poster presentations when attending scientific meetings.

Summer Support is independent of academic-year funding. Summer support, for students not on a 12-month appointment may come from a teaching assistantship, research assistantship, or fellowship.

Other Financial Support, such as Fellowships for Minority and Disadvantaged Students, the GEM Minorities Fellowship Program, etc., are available through the Graduate School. The Graduate School also awards Doctoral Dissertation Fellowships for Ph.D. students in the final year of training. Please refer to the latest Graduate School Bulletin or write to the Graduate School, Fellowship Office, 422 Johnston Hall, 101 Pleasant Street, S.E., Minneapolis MN 55455, for more information. Highly qualified students should also apply for external fellowships such as the National Science Foundation pre-doctoral fellowship program.

Information about financial aid in the Graduate Program in Plant Biological Sciences may be obtained by writing to: The Program Coordinator, in the Plant Biological Sciences Graduate Program located at 250 Biological Sciences Center, 1445 Gortner Avenue, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108-1095, or calling the PBS program office at
612-625-4222 (FAX: 612 625-1738).