Graduate Student Funding
This page lists resources to help ESP graduate students secure funding.
Looking for an external graduate fellowship? A job in your field? Check out a curated listing of opportunities especially for our ESP students here: https://science.gmu.edu/academics/departments-units/environmental-science-policy/quick-links/fellowships-internships
Funding by the Department of Environmental Science and Policy
Application Process for the Environmental Science and Policy Graduate and Undergraduate Fellowships and Scholarships
Students must submit the following materials by 8:00 a.m., Monday, February 16, 2026, by email to the ESP Graduate Program Office at espgrad@gmu.edu. Please include either “Graduate Student Fellowships Application” or “Undergraduate Student Fellowships Application” in the subject line of the email. Please note the application requirements for each program are specified under the tabs below.
File 1 – All applicants – Student Information attached as a pdf document
- Student Information Form A cover letter form (fill out required information)
- Students can use the same application for multiple scholarships, if applicable. Please denote your interest in being evaluated for specific scholarships on the form.
2. An Abstract of the proposed research, 250-character limit (total, including spaces)
3. A Curriculum Vitae (CV), including educational information, GPA, prior presentations, and publications (4-page limit)
File 2 – All applicants except for the Talbot Scholarship:
Proposal Template attached as a separate pdf document. Do not add any personal identification to this document (i.e., no name nor advisor name).
1. Two-page proposal describing the research that will be done during the period of the award. This should include the following sections:
A. Title
B. Introduction - A brief overview of the research topic, with reference to appropriate literature
C. Aims - What is the hypothesis and how will you test it?
D. Materials and Methods - How, where, and when the proposed research will be conducted
E. Expected Results - Expected outcome for the research activities
F. Significance of the Proposed Research - How will this research improve or add to general knowledge?
G. Statement on how this GRA/grant will help you complete the proposed research and how it will help advance your career.
2. References cited (no page limit)
3. If your research requires additional funding for travel, supplies or laboratory services, provide an itemized budget and justification. See specific fellowships for the maximum award amount. If you are applying to multiple awards, submit a separate budget for each award.
File 3 – for all applicants - Sent as a separate file by advisor/mentor
One letter of recommendation from the research advisor to be submitted via email to the ESP Graduate Program Office at espgrad@gmu.edu by 8:00 a.m., Monday, February 16, 2026. The letter should address all relevant aspects of the student’s proposal(s), including separate reasons why students should be selected for each scholarship (if they applied to more than one); only one letter needed per student, even if applying to multiple grants. Please ask your recommendation writer to title the email: “Letter of Recommendation for Applicant’s Last Name”.
All submitted materials must be single spaced, 11-point Arial font, with 1-inch margins and single line spaces. Student applicants should send the two PDFs with the correct filenames (Lastname_Student Information and Lastname_Proposal) as two files.
The grant applications will be double-blind reviewed and judged on the following criteria, based on the eligibility criteria set forth in the descriptions for each award:
1) completeness of the application,
2) relevance to the field of environmental science and policy,
3) idea originality,
4) rigor of research methods,
5) feasibility,
6) budget justification,
7) contribution to the field and impact on career, and
8) academic performance and achievements during graduate or undergraduate study.
Recipients of the fellowships will be informed by email.
Awardee Responsibilities
The awardee will be required to write a thank-you letter to the donor/family named in the award. The awardee will present progress in the form of an oral presentation at a student symposium event in Spring 2026. The awardee will be required to write a synopsis of their progress at the conclusion of the award that will be shared with the donors.
Contacts
- Gad Perry, Department Chair
- Younsung Kim, Associate Department Chair and Undergraduate Program Director
- Amy Fowler, Graduate Program Director
- Questions: Please email espgrad@gmu.edu
List of funding sources
Please click on each link below to read more information about the award funding and eligibility criteria.
Funding open to graduate students:
GMU College of Science and ESP Department Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA)
GMU Presidential Scholarships for Incoming Graduate Students
Ann C. Powel Endowed Memorial Fund
Lee and Marty Talbot Foreign Student Endowed Scholarship
Richard S. Groover Award – Virginia Academy of Science
Funding open to undergraduate students:
Litchfield Undergraduate Research in Environmental Microbiology Endowed Scholarship
ESP Department Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)
Graduate teaching assistants support the department by engaging in activities related to teaching. These activities include: teaching sections of courses or labs, supporting instructors teaching large sections, tutoring, and advising. Teaching assistantship awards may or may not come with a tuition waiver. The ESP and Biology departments offer a limited number of teaching assistantship opportunities to qualified students each year.
All teaching assistants are evaluated from year to year; renewal is not an automatic process. Download the application form for the current application cycle and DO NOT use forms from a previous academic year.
GTAs generally teach laboratory sections in undergraduate courses. Examples of courses are Introductory Biology for Non-majors, Environmental Biology, Introduction to Environmental Science, Biological Diversity and Ecosystems, Microbiology, Environmental Policy Making in Developing Countries, Tackling Wicked Problems in Society & the Environment, Biostatistics, Human Anatomy & Physiology, Cell Biology, Genetics, and Biodiversity, & Evolutionary Ecology.
For full details on the application process (page 1) and to apply (page 2) please download the ESP Graduate Teaching Assistantship Application for 2026-27 and follow the instructions below.
Application deadline: Please attach your transcripts and CV to the end of the application form to make one pdf file, and send it to espgrad@gmu.edu by 8:00am Monday, March 16, 2026. Please name your file "Lastname_GTA_AY2627."
International applicants, please remember to attach your TOEFL or IELTS exam scores and a demonstrated knowledge of conversational English.
Biology Department Graduate Teaching Assistantships
Many ESP graduate students also become Biology Department GTAs and teach Biology courses.
The Department of Biology in the College of Science invites well-qualified George Mason University graduate students to apply for a teaching assistantship. This will include a stipend as well as 6 credits of in-state tuition for fall and spring semesters.
George Mason University Resources
Office of Fellowships
George Mason University understands that one key way to increase the accessibility of graduate education is to help students secure financial support for research, fieldwork, writing, professional development or related activities. The Graduate Division has a pool of funds available to help Mason graduate students earn their degrees and conduct research. Mason will also help you find funding from outside sources to help cover the cost of your studies. The Office of Fellowships has a full listing of internal and external funding opportunities.
The Office of Fellowships works to recruit, mentor and support graduate students seeking external funding though nationally competitive awards. That support includes:
- Information sessions, announcements, and search tools to identify funding opportunities.
- Fellowship advising and grant writing support.
- Workshops on how to craft strong applications.
- One-on-one coaching and feedback during the application process.
- Support for faculty mentors and advisors.
- Class visits, workshops, webinars, and lists of opportunities tailored by discipline.
Office of the Provost
Dissertation Completion Grants are awarded by the Office of the Provost to doctoral students in the final semester of their dissertation. This grant enables them to focus full time on research and writing, improving the quality of their work, and shortening the time to complete their degree. Please see ALL graduate education funding opportunities from the Office of the Provost at https://provost.gmu.edu/academics-and-research/graduate-education/awards-and-grants.
Graduate Student Travel Fund
The Graduate Student Travel Fund was created for the purpose of facilitating its students’ development outside the classroom. Funding is provided on a competitive basis for students to present at conferences.
The Environmental Science and Policy Graduate Student Association (ESP-GSA) also offers travel grants to support ESP-GSA members who are presenting at conferences. See the ESP-GSA page for information about eligibility and how to apply.
Student Financial Aid
Financial Aid eligibility is based on several criteria. Students must be enrolled at Mason in a degree program to receive financial aid. Grants are available only during the fall and spring semesters. Federal and private loans may be used for summer enrollment. Students who study abroad may receive the same financial aid as if they were studying on campus. Students must be enrolled at least half-time to be eligible for federal loans and the majority of grant funds. Full time for graduate students is 9 or more credit hours. Students must make satisfactory academic progress in order to maintain eligibility for financial aid. Students must be US citizens, permanent residents, or meet other criteria to receive financial aid. Male US citizens and non-citizens living in the US, ages 18-25 must register with the Selective Service in order to be eligible for financial aid. For full details, and to apply, visit Financial Aid Services.