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Graduate Scholarships and Financial Aid

Departmental Scholarships

Many scholarships are available for Animal Science and Meat Science Graduates. Please see the link above to view available opportunities.

Applications will be accepted from February 1 through February 29, 2024.

Assistantships

Research and teaching assistantships are available for graduate students and include a competitive salary, tuition support, and health insurance. The tuition support for Master's students include at least 50% of the tuition, whereas the tuition support for Ph.D. students covers 100% of the tuition. In return, students are expected to work on a research project (usually, but not always, their thesis or dissertation research) and/or help teach classes. The assistantships are managed by individual faculty through their research grants, the Department of Animal Science, interdepartmental programs, or Iowa State University. The assistantships are awarded on the basis of the applicant's academic record and experience. The Graduate College offers general information on assistantships.

Research grants to individual faculty

Students awarded a research assistantship from a grant to a faculty member are expected to work directly with the individual faculty member on one or more specific research projects. Often, these research projects become the focus of the student's thesis or dissertation project. Prospective students should contact the faculty member that match the students research interest for information and availability of research assistantships.

Interdepartmental assistantships 

Students receiving assistantships through the Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Nutritional Science are expected to work with 3 different nutrition faculty members (in animal and/or human nutrition) and "rotate" through their laboratories during the first two semesters before they choose a major professor. The advantage of this rotation is that the student will learn about multiple faculty's research programs, learn various laboratory techniques, and choose a major professor and research program that best match the student's interest. There are up to 4 assistantships available every year through this program. Other nutrition-related interdepartmental graduate programs (e.g., the Graduate Program in Sustainable Agriculture and the Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Graduate Program) have similar assistantships available.

Teaching assistantships

The Department of Animal Science offers teaching assistantships on a competitive basis to graduate students. In return, the student is expected to spend a significant amount of time helping teach one or more classes in the Department each semester. Prospective students should contact the faculty member directly for information and availability of teaching assistantships.

Sarah Bludau, scholarship winner with donors Dorothy & Robert Rust
Graduate student Sarah Bludau with scholarship donors, Dorothy & Robert Rust

Stipends and scholarship

Below is a list of stipends and scholarships available to graduate students. Not all prospective students may qualify for all the awards. College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, graduate students in general and graduate students from underrepresented groups Graduate Minority Assistantship Program (GMAP) Graduate Program in Sustainable Agriculture, student funding opportunities Margaret Sloss Women's Center, Office of Student Financial Aid, Graduate Student Scholarships Graduate and Professional Student Senate, professional advancement grants and awards and scholarships.

2023/2024 Stipend Rates:

 

  • Benefits are applied to each stipend based on the approved university rate currently in effect
  • Tuition is also applied at the approved rate as appropriate for each degree of study
  • Amounts greater than approved minimums are allowed but subject to university guidance on appropriate worktags, etc.