Graduate Students

Graduate Scholar Award

Purpose

The purpose of the Graduate Scholar Award is to provide financial support in the form of tuition waivers to academically qualified individuals underrepresented in graduate programs. There are up to 15 awards available each year.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

• Be admitted as classified (degree-seeking) graduate students
• Have no graduate credit hours at SIUE (new SIUE graduate student)
• Be members of groups nationally underrepresented in desired discipline
• Have at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale for undergraduate and previous graduate courses
• Students are not eligible for a tuition waiver as a State of Illinois Civil Service university employee
• Students cannot be an SIUE employee (student workers are eligible)

Award

The Graduate Scholar Award is a waiver of tuition for up to a maximum of two academic terms for a maximum of 15 credit hours per term. The tuition waivers must be used within four terms of earning the award (summer, fall, spring, summer).  The award can be received only once and used for only one graduate degree. Award recipients are not eligible to receive a subsequent award if pursuing another degree. Recipients are responsible for fees.

Application

Applicants must complete the Graduate Scholar Award Application by March 15 of the year in which the award is sought.
In the application, students will write a statement (350 words or less) describing how their experiences as a member of a historically/traditionally underrepresented group in their graduate field of study would promote a diversity of views, experiences and ideas in the pursuit of research, scholarship, and creative experiences.

Selection

Applications will be selected based upon the following factors:

• Applicant must meet the requirement of being underrepresented in the desired graduate program
• Applicant’s academic record
• Applicant’s statement describing how she/he is underrepresented in the discipline

Decisions will be made by April 1. Acceptance will be required no later than April 15, or the award will be forfeited.

Conditions

Recipients must be enrolled in at least 3 graduate hours each term of the award and must maintain at least a 3.0 GPA throughout the award period. A recipient is unable to hold a graduate assistantship or Competitive Graduate Award at the same time. If a recipient fails to comply with these conditions, the Graduate School may revoke the award.

Release of Information

In order to comply with the University’s Tuition Waiver Policy, all students applying for or receiving a tuition waiver must sign a Release of Information Form.