Financial Support
The School of Biology and Ecology will typically support all of its graduate students financially through teaching assistantships and research assistantships. It automatically considers any applicant to the graduate program for these assistantships unless they indicate no need for financial support. Support is provided for the duration of a student’s degree program, typically 2 years for a student in an M.S. program and 4-5 years for a student in a Ph.D. program.
Teaching Assistantships in Biology and Ecology
The School of Biology and Ecology sponsors Teaching Assistantships to help with teaching in laboratory sections of its courses. A teaching assistantship is a 9-month appointment and involves approximately 9 hours of laboratory instruction per week plus additional time in preparation and grading. The assistantship entails a tuition waiver for up to 9 credit hours per semester. Decisions on awarding assistantships are typically made February–April for appointments to commence the following September. Awards are also made at other times as openings occur.
Research Assistantships
Individual faculty members in the School may have Research Assistantships funded through research grants. A Research Assistantship is expected to entail half-time commitment to assisting in research projects. Some grants pay tuition costs.
Other Funding Opportunities from the University of Maine
Announcements of these competitions are made in January. The School must nominate candidates for these awards. More information can be found at the Graduate School’s Funding Resources page.
Announcements of National Fellowships
- AAUW Educational Foundation Fellowships and Grants Career Development Grants support women who hold a bachelors degree
- Charlotte W. Newcombe Dissertation Fellowships, Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation
- National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine Fellowships
- Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program from NOAA for graduate-level research–particularly by female and minority students–in oceanography, marine biology and maritime archaeology
- Knauss Marine Policy Fellowships for study relating to national policy decisions affecting oceans, coastal, and Great Lake resources.
- National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships
Announcements of UMaine Graduate-Assistant Positions
The Graduate School posts announcements of open assistantships on the FirstClass site. Users of FirstClass can click on the folders “Academics” / “Graduate School” to see these postings.
Travel support
Funds for traveling to scientific meetings to present thesis research are available through grants from the Association of Graduate Students, the Alumni Association, the Hillborn Fund, the Hyland Fund, and, on a limited basis, the Director of the School.