Scholarships,
Fellowships, and Assistantships
Scholarships are available
for undergraduate civil engineering students.
These scholarships vary in funding amounts, range from one to four years,
and all current and prospective students are highly encouraged to take
advantage of these opportunities.
Undergraduate students interested in learning more and applying for
scholarships should contact the Civil Engineering Department office for specific
instructions.
In
addition to teaching courses and the many other scholastic and service
activities, all professors manage their own research programs. Most research projects involve undergraduate
and/or graduate students to help conduct the research and maintain
laboratories; therefore, these professors are always looking for talented and
energetic students to help with their projects.
The availability of funding and the responsibilities of the students vary
greatly, but students find these activities rewarding and educational. Any student interested in participating in
research projects, particularly students who may be interested in continuing
their education beyond the BSCE degree, are strongly encouraged to inquire
about such opportunities.
Graduate
fellowships are essentially scholarships provided to graduate students
so that they can complete the coursework required for their graduate degree and
conduct research under the guidance of a professor. The funding for fellowships typically
includes tuition, books, and a stipend that will cover cost-of-living
expenses. Graduate fellowships are
always excellent opportunities, however, they are competitive. Each year, several graduate fellowships are
available through the
Similar
to fellowships, graduate research assistantships (GRA) and graduate
teaching assistantships (GTA) provide a monthly stipend intended to support
graduate students through their coursework and research. The funding for research assistantships comes
from research grants or contracts and therefore typically entails specific
research responsibilities. The awarding
of an assistantship is primarily at the discretion of the professor in charge
of the research in which the student would be involved. Graduate teaching assistantships involve
assisting with the teaching of a course or laboratory. The responsibilities and funding for
assistantships vary. There are many
research assistantships available through the Department and prospective
graduate students are strongly encouraged to inquire about availability. The level of funding associated with graduate
assistantships is typically sufficient to pay for cost-of-living expenses, and
tuition is “waived” through “tuition fellowships” by the AU Graduate School
(see the Graduate School web pages for details). Students supported through full fellowships,
GTA positions, and GRA positions can typically complete their graduate
education degrees without borrowing money or depending on their families for
financial support.
Finally, one of the best
ways to explore fellowship and assistantship opportunities is to directly
contact the professor(s) who are teaching and working in your areas of
interest. I am happy to answer any
questions about the Civil Engineering Structures Graduate Program.
We
get many inquiries from students abroad who wish to study here at