Graduate College Awards
Provost’s Graduate Research Award: Fall Semester Heading link
Since its inception in 2009, the Provost’s Graduate Research Award has supported multidisciplinary scholarship to expose students to varied research and creative fields. The award mechanism has naturally evolved into a way for students early in their studies to develop new research directions for their PhD dissertations or terminal degree thesis/capstone project and has been used by graduate programs as a way for students to practice writing research proposals. Funding is available for pilot grants (or preliminary research) to help students to develop stronger applications for funding from external sources.
Award Amount: $5,000
Student Submission to DGS Deadline: October 8th, 2021
Award for Graduate Research (AGR): Fall and Spring Semesters Heading link
The Graduate College’s longest-running research support mechanism, the Award for Graduate Research (AGR) is open to all current graduate students, in programs under the auspices of the Graduate College, who seek funding in these three categories: travel, summer stipend, and materials/supplies. There are two competitions annually: one in the fall semester and one in the spring semester.
Award Amount: \$1000 to \$3000
Student Submission to DGS Deadline for Spring Award: March 8, 2022
Annual Graduate College Outstanding Thesis and Dissertation Award (OTD): Fall Semester Heading link
The Annual Graduate College Outstanding Thesis and Dissertation Award (OTD) rewards the most outstanding doctoral dissertation and master’s thesis in each of the Graduate College’s four divisions. Winners may compete in a regional competition held by the Midwest Association of Graduate Schools (MAGS).
Award Amount: $500 for master’s thesis winners and $1,000 for doctoral dissertation winners.
Student Submission to DGS Deadline: October 14th, 2021
Access to Excellence Fellowship: Spring Semester Heading link
The goal of the Access to Excellence Fellowship at the University of Illinois at Chicago is to increase the number of students from historically underrepresented groups in graduate education who enter careers as researchers and college faculty. Historically underrepresented groups include: African American, Latinx, American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islanders.
Award Amount: $26,000 + tuition and partial fee waiver
The Access to Excellence Fellowship has both a recruitment and a retention competition.
University Fellowship: Spring Semester Heading link
The University Fellowship seeks to recruit outstanding students newly admitted to terminal master’s and PhD programs under the auspices of the Graduate College at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Applicants must be nominated by their academic program/department.
Award Amount: $26,000 during the first year and \$26,000 during the fourth or fifth year
Pipeline to an Inclusive Faculty (PIF) Fellowship: Spring Semester Heading link
Acknowledging the lack of diversity in faculty around the country, the Pipeline to an Inclusive Faculty (PIF) Fellowship was created to recruit and support outstanding underrepresented PhD students who are interested in pursuing careers as faculty members. The intent is to support these students with competitive funding packages, skills and professional development opportunities and mentoring in order to ensure their success in graduate school and in their future careers.
Award Amount: PIF Scholars will receive three years of funding at \$28,000 and one year of top-off funding at \$10,000 to add to the stipend provided by a teaching assistantship.
Selection Process: Five underrepresented scholars in PhD programs in any discipline will be selected each year from among the Access and University Fellowship applicants. Applicants should indicate their interest and commitment to a career in the professorial in their personal statement.
Dean’s Scholar Fellowship: Spring Semester Heading link
The Dean’s Scholar Fellowship is a one-year, non-renewable award presented by the Dean of the Graduate College in recognition of a student’s scholarly achievement. The award is intended to provide the most distinguished, advanced-level graduate students with a period of time dedicated solely to the completion of their programs. The Dean’s Scholar competition is open to doctoral students who have passed the Graduate College-required Preliminary Examination and are well into their dissertation work.
Award Amount: \$26,000
Student Submission to DGS Deadline: March 1, 2022
Provost's Graduate Internship Award: Spring Semester Heading link
The Provost’s Graduate Internship Award competition incentivizes graduate students to independently identify one short (3-month) internship opportunity that might lead to employment following graduation. This internship program is limited to full-time students, in good academic standing, who are in a PhD or terminal master’s program.
Award Amount: \$5.000
Student Submission to DGS Deadline: March 8, 2022