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Scholarships

The Department of Biology offers a number of scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing doctoral and master's degrees in biology programs. View the Department of Biology scholarship below. For information on additional scholarships offered through the University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno, visit the University scholarship site.

Undergraduate biology student scholarships

To apply for an undergraduate biology student scholarship, , including a personal statement and two letters of support from Department of Biology faculty. Letters of recommendation should be submitted directly to the Department of Biology office (SFB 100). The deadline for undergraduate scholarship applications is March 1, annually.

General Scholarships

  • The Edwards Scholarship is intended to encourage degree-seeking students in the Department of Biology. Recipients must earn a minimum of 24 academic credits per year, and maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 for the duration of the award.  (Approx. $1000)

Sophomore Scholarships (>30 completed credits)

  • The Mead Scholarship is intended to help students pursue their higher education goals. The recipient should be a full-time biology major who has completed 30-70 credits, earns a minimum of 24 academic credits per year, and has a GPA of 3.0 or better. This will generally be at the end of sophomore year, although some freshmen may qualify. (Approx. $900)

Junior/Senior Scholarships (>60 completed credits)

  • The Moose Award is intended to encourage scholarship and preparation of students who intend to go on to graduate study in biology or a related discipline. We have one award for the "outstanding biology student of junior status." The recipient must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 for the duration of the award. (Approx. $700)
  • The Hadley-Lynch Scholarship is intended for students with junior standing or higher, and preference is given to female students and students with financial need. Recipients must earn a minimum of 30 academic credits per year, and maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 for the duration of the award.  This scholarship is also open to neuroscience majors. (Minimum of $1000)
  • The Freeman Scholarship is for biology majors with financial need. Recipients must have junior standing or higher, earn a minimum of 24 academic credits per year, and maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 for the duration of the award. A change of major by the recipient will result in loss of the scholarship. This scholarship is not renewable. (Approx. $1100)
  • The Ort Biology Scholarship is intended for biology majors pursuing health-related careers.  Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.2, full-time enrollment in 30+ credits per year, and completion of 60-120 credit hours at the start of the award. (Approx. $1000)

Graduate biology student scholarships

The Department of Biology offers a number of scholarships for graduate students pursuing doctoral and master's degrees in biology programs. To apply for one of these scholarships, , including your CV, a personal statement, and two letters of support from the Department of Biology faculty. If you are doing research with non-biology faculty, an additional letter from your research mentor is welcome. Letters of recommendation should be submitted directly to the Department of Biology office (SFB 100). The deadline for undergraduate scholarship applications is March 1, annually. 

Below is a list of graduate student scholarships:

  • The Wilson Award, the Hadley-Lynch Scholarship and the Edwards Scholarship are available to graduate students whose major advisor is a full-time member of the faculty within the Department of Biology.
  • The Brussard Scholarship is available to graduate students whose major advisor is a full-time member of the faculty within either the Department of Biology or the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science.
  • The Wilson Award is for native-born US citizen graduate students. Master's of Biology students, Ecology Evolution and Conservation Biology Ph.D. students, and Cell and Molecular Biology Ph.D. students are eligible if the major advisor is a Department of Biology faculty member.  The number of awards and monetary value may differ from year to year, but historically three awards of $4000 each have been given per year.
  • The Brussard Scholarship is available to Master's of Biology students, Ecology Evolution and Conservation Biology Ph.D. students and Natural Resources and Environmental Science graduate students.  One award of $500 is typically given each year.
  • The Hadley-Lynch Scholarship is intended for undergraduate or graduate students, and preference is given to female students and students with financial need. Graduate student recipients must earn a minimum of 12 academic credits per year, and maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 for the duration of the award.  The monetary value of this award varies from year to year.
  • The Edwards Scholarship is intended for undergraduate or graduate students.  Graduate student recipients must earn a minimum of 18 credits per year (12 credits with a graduate assistantship), and maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 for the duration of the award.  The monetary value of this award varies from year to year.

Jenkins Graduate Fellowship in Ecology

Biology M.S. students specializing in animal behavior, ecology, evolution or conservation biology and Ph.D. students in EECB are eligible to apply for the Jenkins Graduate Fellowship in Ecology.

Eligibility requirements are as follows:

  • The recipient shall be an M.S. or Ph.D. student in good standing in the Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology (EECB) program, or an M.S. student in good standing in Biology who is specializing in animal behavior, ecology, evolution, or conservation biology at the University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno. The Ph.D. student’s advisor can be in any department. The fellowship is currently for one semester. The recipient must be a full-time student.
  • The recipient will be selected based on:
    1. a proposal of no more than 2000 words explaining how the fellowship will contribute to the success of the recipient's graduate program
    2.  a resume summarizing his, her, or their academic record
    3. research and teaching experience
    4.   honors and awards, and
    5. two letters of reference.
  • The fellowship should be used to enhance the likelihood of future accomplishment by the recipient by helping to increase the quality of his, her, or their thesis or dissertation and publications resulting from it. For example, the fellowship might be used to support an MS or Ph.D. student in his, her, or their final semester or a Ph.D. student in his, her, or their final year to devote full attention to the last phases of data collection, analysis, and writing without having responsibilities as a teaching or research assistant.
  • The fellowship is funded at 115% of the minimum salary of a University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno graduate assistant. 
  • The donors encourage the recipient to use some of the funds to travel to another institution for consultation on his or her research or to attend a national or international scientific meeting to present the results of his, her, or their work.
  • Within four weeks after the beginning of the semester prior to use of the fellowship, the Chair of the Selection Committee will notify eligible graduate students about the opportunity to apply for the fellowship.
  • One fellowship will be awarded per year except in unusual circumstances.
  • No recipient may receive the fellowship more than once.
  • Within three months of completion of the award period, the recipient shall provide a written report of no more than 1000 words to the Biology Department Chair.  The report should explain how the fellowship was used to enhance the recipient's graduate education.
  •  To apply, email your application to Dr. Beth Leger.
  • Letters of reference should be emailed directly to the Biology Business Manager by the referees.