Graduate Funding Fellowships
Fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis in recognition of a student's demonstrated scholarship, scholastic and creative promise, and/or financial need. There is no service or work requirement associated with fellowship awards. A student holding a fellowship or a traineeship must be a full-time student during the period of appointment. Many fellowships are made available through the generosity of donors.
Students newly admitted to UNL graduate degree programs may be eligible for these fellowships.
Complete your Application for Admission as early as possible — many departments are reviewing applications by mid-January and making nominations for some fellowships by mid-February. For further information regarding fellowships that might be available to you, contact your academic department.
Learn MoreQuestions? Contact Caroline Knuth, Fellowships Specialist with the Office of Graduate Studies.
Othmer Fellowships
Othmer Fellowships are intended to assist in recruiting exceptional scholars who are seeking a terminal degree (i.e., Ph.D., Ed.D, D.M.A, M.F.A.).
Selection Criteria
- Newly admitted doctoral or M.F.A. student
- Exceptional scholar with excellent letters of recommendation and a minimum GPA of 3.5 in previous degree
- Student must be offered a department assistantship that is (1) at least equal to the highest amount offered by the department to first-year students and (2) renewable for up to 3 years
Award
In addition to the departmental assistantship: fellowships of $4,000 or $8,000 per year can be granted, renewable for up to three years given continued
excellent progress toward the degree.
How to Be Considered For It
Academic departments select recipients from their pools of newly admitted students.
Chancellor's Fellowships
Chancellor's Fellowships are designed to assist departments with the recruitment of superior graduate students by adding fellowship funds to an assistantship.
Selection Criteria
- Newly admitted doctoral or master's student
- Excellent academic record with excellent letters of recommendation and minimum 3.0 GPA in previous degree
- Student must be offered a full department assistantship that is (1) at the typical level for first-year master's or doctoral students and (2) renewable for up to two years
Award
In addition to the departmental assistantship: $4,000 fellowship per year, automatically renewable for a second year given excellent progress toward the
degree.
How to Be Considered For It
Academic departments select recipients from their pools of newly admitted students.
Edgren Tuition Fellowship
The Edgren Graduate Tuition Fellowship provides reduced tuition remission for unfunded, domestic, non-resident graduate students. Unfunded domestic graduate students may be awarded an Edgren during the recruitment process (prior to enrollment). There is no work or service requirement association with the tuition fellowship.
Selection Criteria
- Newly admitted full-time doctoral or master's student — must remain enrolled full time (or full-time certified)
- On-campus program — distance education students are not eligible
- US citizen or permanent resident — international students are not eligible
- Excellent letters of recommendation and minimum 3.0 GPA in previous degree
- Student must have no other assistantship or other tuition waiver benefit — if/when such a benefit is accepted, the Edgren will no longer be available
Award
Value is up to $7,000 per academic year and up to $1,500 per summer, credited toward the student's account to offset non-resident tuition.
How to Be Considered For It
Academic departments select recipients from their pools of newly admitted students.
Other Awards
The Presidential Fellowship is awarded to advanced doctoral or MFA students. The fellowship is $24,000. This award also includes tuition, fees, and the University's portion of the student health insurance for one academic year. Eligible students must be scheduled to graduate no later than August 2020.
The Fling Fellowship is awarded to advanced masters or doctoral students. Masters students must be within one year of graduation and doctoral students must be within two years of graduation. The fellowship is $20,000. This award also includes tuition, fees, and the University's portion of the student health insurance for one academic year.
The Dean's Fellowship will be awarded to advanced masters or doctoral students. The fellowship is $5,000.
Assistantships
A graduate assistantship provides financial support for a graduate student for a set period of time during which the student is expected to pursue activities towards the advanced degree.
Learn MoreTravel Grants
The Graduate Student Travel Award will provide support for student travel to present at professional conferences as well as student travel for work directly related to dissertation/thesis projects. The award will assist advanced Nebraska graduate students in sharing their scholarly and creative work beyond our state lines.
Learn More