Biology Scholarships for Graduate Students

Application Letter of Recommendation Form

Instructions

The Biology Scholarships are awarded once per year during the fall semester. Applications will be accepted each fall between September 1st and September 30th of each calendar year. Scholarships recipients will be notified in November or in early spring.

Students need submit only ONE application in order to be considered for all available scholarships for which they meet the criteria. Scholarships are awarded based on requirements specified by the donors. Applications will be considered for all awards for which applicants are qualified, based on donor criteria. Students may submit the recommendation letter form (link above) and/or a traditional recommendation letter from their advisor, which may be uploaded into the online application or emailed directly to the IB Program Coordinator.

John Nambu Scholarship for Molecular Biology

Established in 2015 in memory of the late John Nambu, Professor of Biology, this fund is used to award two (2) scholarships annually to an outstanding graduate student participating in molecular biology research and up to two (2) outstanding graduate students participating in neuroscience research, with a minimum 3.0 GPA.

If you’re interested in donating to this scholarship fund, send a check made out to Florida Atlantic University in a sealed envelope to Ana Wildman (Sanson Life Sciences, room 136).

Courtenay Graduate Scholarships in Conservation Biology

Created by faculty, staff, and friends of Dr. Walter Courtenay, who retired from a 32-year teaching career in 1999, the scholarship is awarded to a graduate student in conservation biology based on academic merit.

Capt. Al Nathan Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship is awarded annually to graduate students studying marine biology.

Boca Raton Orchid Society Endowed Scholarship

Established in 1995 by the Boca Raton Orchid Society, this scholarship, which provides awards to botany majors, is based on academic ability.

Vincent Saurino Fellowship for Grad Students in Biological Science

This fellowship was created in 2000 by Richard Huisking, in memory of Dr. Saurino, a founding faculty member in the Biological Sciences Department. It is to be used to annually award scholarship support to four (4) outstanding graduate students who are pursuing academic and professional careers in Biological Sciences. Recipients must be full-time, degree-seeking students enrolled in FAU's Department of Biological Sciences and will be chosen principally on the basis of academic merit and academic performance.

Dr. G. Alex and Carla Marsh Scholarship Fund

Created in 2006 by the generosity of Dr. G. Alex and Mrs. Carla Marsh, this fund is used to award two scholarships annually; one to a student enrolled in Marine Biology and one to a student in the Ecology program. Recipients must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and be enrolled full or part-time as a graduate student pursuing a Master's or Ph.D. degree.

Rosalyn E. Schonzeit Scholarship in Environmetal Studies

Established in 2000 by the late Sydney Altman in memory of his late wife, this scholarship is awarded to students pursuing a course of study in environmental studies, with a minimum 3.0 GPA, and demonstrated financial need.

Lutz Memorial Scholarship

Established in memory of the late Dr. Peter Lutz, Eminent Scholar in Biology, this scholarship is awarded to two (2) outstanding students pursuing a course of study in marine biology, with a minimum 3.0 GPA.

National Save the Sea Turtle Foundation Scholarship

This scholarship provides support for up to 8 graduate students whose studies center on the ecology, evolution or behavior of marine organisms.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

The Biology Scholarships are awarded once per year during the fall semester. Applications will be accepted each fall between September 1st and September 30th of each calendar year. Scholarships recipients will be notified in November.

Students need submit only ONE application in order to be considered for all available scholarships for which they meet the criteria. Scholarships are awarded based on requirements specified by the donors. Specify in your application which scholarships you wish to be considered for. Your application will be considered for all awards for which you are qualified, based on donor criteria.

The Biology Scholarships are awarded once per year during the fall semester. Applications will be accepted each fall between September 1st and September 30th of each calendar year. Scholarships recipients will be notified in November.

The Department of Biological Sciences offers many departmental scholarships for graduate students pursuing a course of study in the following areas: biological sciences, molecular biology, neuroscience, marine biology, conservation biology, sea turtle biology and conservation, botany, ecology, and environmental studies.

In addition to the requirements stipulated by the donors of each of the Biology graduate scholarships, the following qualifications also apply:

1. The applicant must be an enrolled graduate student of the Department of Biological Sciences at the time of application.

2. The Advisory Committee must have a faculty member in the Department of Biological Sciences serving as a committee chair or co-chair. Courtesy appointments to the department or faculty members from other departments or colleges are not considered as “Biology faculty.”

3. The applicant must have minimally one semester (for Masters students) or two semesters (for doctoral students) of graduate study remaining beyond the semester when the scholarship is awarded. Exceptions to this rule, however, may be considered after a review by the Scholarship Committee of a petition describing special circumstances.

4. To be considered for a scholarship, the applicant must have all required materials, including the letter of recommendation form completed by a Biology faculty member, submitted by the deadline. No exception will be allowed.

5. Students receiving scholarships will not receive funding until they complete a “Thank-you” letter to the scholarship sponsor(s), copied to the Scholarship Committee by the indicated deadline.

6. Students who have received a departmental scholarship during a previous year will be considered for another scholarship in subsequent years, but at reduced eligibility.

No, the online application applies to all graduate student scholarships offered by the Biology Department. Students need submit only ONE application in order to be considered for all available scholarships for which they meet the criteria. Your single application will be considered for all awards for which you are qualified, based on donor criteria.

Please see the scholarship descriptions and eligibility criteria listed above.

Please click on the Application button at the top of this page.

Please click on the Letter of Recommendation Form button at the top of this page. After your Biology Department faculty advisor fills out this form, please upload it into the online application.

Yes, you will need to upload the letter of recommendation form into your application. You may upload a personalized letter of recommendation from your advisor along with the recommendation form as a single document into the application.

To be considered for a scholarship, the applicant must have all required materials, including the letter of recommendation form, completed by a Biology faculty member and submitted by the deadline. No exception will be allowed.

Yes, there are graduate student scholarships available from FAU, the College of Science, and the Graduate College. Please check their websites for more information about FAU scholarships and financial aid, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science Scholarships, and the Graduate College Fellowships and Awards.