310 likes | 434 Views
Graduate Extramural Funding. Georgia Ehlers, Director Fellowships & Community Engagement Graduate College Admin. 322 The University of Arizona. & Stay Out of Excessive Debt!. Average Grad & First Professional Student Debt at Graduation 09-10 . AZ Resident - $54,693
E N D
Graduate Extramural Funding Georgia Ehlers, Director Fellowships & Community Engagement Graduate College Admin. 322 The University of Arizona
Average Grad & First Professional Student Debt at Graduation 09-10 • AZ Resident - $54,693 • Non-resident - $36,105 • All Students - $49,297 Source: Arizona Board of Regents, 2011 Financial Aid Report • Cumulative US student debt is up 25% from 2008 to 2011 in sharp contrast to declining debt in other consumer sectors. • Source: NY Federal Reserve in the NY Times
How much debt is too much? • Money Magazine recommends that you not take on more debt than half your expected starting salary in your field • It is recommended that your educational loan payments represent no more than 10% to 15% of your income. Finaid.com
Focus • Overview of graduate student financing • Fellowships to know • Tips on obtaining extramural funding
Overview of UA Funding FY 2010 • State Appropriations - 21.5% of total funds • Tuition & Fees – 21.5% of total funds • Grants & Contracts – 35% of total funds • $601 million in total external awards (FY2010) • $547 million on research projects • $ 15 million for student salary & wages • UA ranks 16th in R&D expenditures among all publics • 24st for R&D expenditures among all private & public Source: 2010 Annual Financial Report; NSF Survey of R&D Expenditures
UA Funders 1997-2006 • Government ($2.310 B) • Industry ($438 M) • Foundations ($200 M) • Individual Philanthropy ($629 M)
Top Research Funders to UA 1997- 2006 $3.576 billion • Health & Human Services $ 876 M • NASA 477 • National Science Foundation 331 • Dept. of Defense 156 • Dept. of Education 119 • Industry 437 • Foundations 200 • Other Federal 349 • Other Non-Federal 628
World of Grad Funding • Federal Financial Aid - loans, grants, work study, remissions • Internal Support - Assistantships, research $, donors, college, depts. • Employer assisted educational benefits (UA Qualified Tuition Reduction) • Extramural Funding – external scholarships, fellowships, travel awards, research awards
Types of Extramural Awards • 1-3 Year Fellowships for Study & Training • Research support - fieldwork , thesis or dissertation • Travel Awards – archives, conferences • Internship, externship, coop, practicum • Special Projects & Service/Outreach • Post-doctoral Research/Young faculty awards
Why Apply for Extramural Grants? • Opportunity for reflection/planning tool • Independence - financial & academic • Enhance the quality of your research • Stepping stone to other grants • Valuable professional skill
Why Travel? • Conferences • Internships/Coop • Research • Study • Create or Present • Service
Searchable Databases • Scholarship Universe – UA Financial Aid • FinAid – comprehensive site • Fast Web – 1.5 million scholarships • Illinois Researcher Info. System (IRIS) • Community of Science (COS) • GRAPES – Grad Scholarships @ UCLA • Grants.gov • Sign up for Alert Service on IRIS & COS!
Resources on Campus • Department/College listservs & websites • CALS Alert • Gift Center Alert • Advisors, staff, & peers • 3-D memos, UA News, Wildcat • Grad.arizona.edu/finsup • Honors College Scholarship Pages
Who can apply? • Student applies directly • University/advisor on behalf of student • University applies & selects awardees • 3rd party -non-profit
Student Applies Directly DOD Graduate Fellowship DOE Climate Change Education Jacob K. Javits EPA STAR Homeland Security HS Fellowship Inter-American Foundation NIH R-31 Dissertation NSF Grad Research Fellowship Presidential Management Fellowship
UA Applies or Nominates Student • Fulbright IIE • NSEP David Boren • ED Fulbright-Hays DDRA • NSF Dissertation Improvement
UA Applies & Selects Students • DoEd FLAS, GAANN • NASA Grad. Student Research Program & Space Grant Fellowships • NSF IGERT, VIGRE, CESUM • NIH Training Grants • USDA National Needs
Fellowships To Know NSF Graduate Research Fellowship * National Defense Science and Engineering Grad Fellowship EPA STAR Fulbright IIE * Jacob K. Javits Fellowship Ford Foundation Mellon
International Students • Scientists – NSF Dissertation Support • Fulbright, Rotary, Rockefeller, IREX, Muskie, CONACYT • PEO Peace Scholarship, AAUW • Special funding from various countries • Enter “International” in IRIS or COS search
Where Do You See Yourself Going? • Contemplate your path • What do you want from further education? • Develop a map of educational goals • Plan ahead with focused attention • Develop a mix of funding strategies
Make Connections & Prepare • Network – Professors/Staff/Peers • Cultivate 3 recommenders • Develop affiliations and contacts at other institutions, research sites • Travel – conferences/research • Develop preliminary data
Timing Matters • Develop a plan for each year • Note deadlines • Apply in fall of 1st & 2nd yr for fellowships • Use summers to research & write • Advance to candidacy & have your topic approved in time for deadlines • File the FAFSA in Jan./Feb. each year (US)
Travel & Conferences • Search for travel support 6 -12 months before the experience! • Apply for the experience & seek funding to get there at the same time. • Seek affiliations & contacts early. • Apply for professional society scholarships & work at conferences. • Join your professional organization now
Learn by Doing - Practice • Classes/Workshops • Form a writing group • Offer to read, help on someone’s grant • Use courses to prepare • Learn to self-edit
Cultivate Great References • Get to know 3 referees before you need their help • Ask those who can best write for you • Ask if they can write you a strong letter for this application • Meet far in advance to plan • Give them everything needed • Provide reminders of deadlines
Stay Focused Each page of an application that you write may be worth thousands of dollars… stay on track. Write an hour a day!
Value the Process Regardless of Results • Your thinking will advance and you will often receive valuable input from reviewers. • You will strengthen your abilities & your topic.
Great Attitudes • Focus your passion • Overcome fears • Do the worst thing first • Practice optimism • Be persistent • Know your self-worth has nothing to do with receiving an award