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Graduate School

Scholarships and awards

AGRADE Master's Scholarship
Graduate Professional Scholarship
Graduate School thesis/dissertation research support
Graduate Student Professional Travel Awards
Heberlein Teaching Award
Summer Dissertation Award

AGRADE Master's Scholarship

The AGRADE MA Scholarship is designed to recruit and reward AGRADE students who have graduated with their bachelor's degree and are ready to enroll in their first master's-only semester at Wayne State. The AGRADE scholarship will pay for up to 4 credit hours of tuition at the in-state Graduate School rate for two consecutive semesters, Fall and Winter OR Winter and Fall (no coverage is provided during the Spring/Summer term).

AGRADE application deadlines come up in April and October of each year. Students who have been admitted to a master's program and who will start their first master's-only semester in either the Spring/Summer or Fall term should apply in April for funding in the Fall cycle. Students who have been admitted to a master's program and who will start their first master's-only semester in the Winter term should apply in October for funding in the Winter cycle. Recipients of the AGRADE scholarship must register for a minimum of 6 credit hours each term.

Application deadline: November 19, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. ET

AGRADE application

Graduate Professional Scholarship

The Graduate School sponsors an annual Graduate Professional Scholarship competition for tuition awards in the fall and winter semesters. The GPS scholarship provides tuition coverage at the in-state rate* (differential tuition included, EXCEPT for the College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences where coverage is only at the Graduate School in-state rate). A minimum of 6 graduate credits and maximum of 10 credits can be covered in each of the fall and winter semesters. Covered courses must count towards degree requirements (undergraduate, audited or dropped/withdrawn courses are not covered by GPS).

The review process is conducted by a selection committee of university faculty. Award decisions are not subject to appeal. Applicants must reapply to be considered for subsequent years.

Eligibility

  • Students pursuing advanced professional degrees (Ed.D., M.S.W.) or graduate degrees (master's, Ph.D.) in all Wayne State University schools and colleges are eligible. Students pursuing the PharmD., J.D. or M.D. are ineligible and should consult the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Law School or School of Medicine respectively concerning financial assistance.
  • Students must have applied for admission to a Wayne State graduate or advanced professional degree program before they can apply for the Graduate Professional Scholarship.
  • To be considered for a Graduate Professional Scholarship award, new students must be formally admitted to an advanced professional or graduate program by May 1, 2025. 
  • Students admitted to post-bachelor, graduate non-degree and graduate certificate programs are not eligible.
  • Recipients may not hold:
    • A graduate assistantship (GRA, GSA or GTA)
    • A tuition-paying internship
    • A tuition-paying fellowship
    • A tuition-paying scholarship
    • A full-time WSU position with tuition benefits
  • Recipients must make satisfactory progress in all courses and must register for a minimum of six graduate credit hours each semester to retain the scholarship award.
  • The scholarship must be used during the period for which it is granted.
  • The purpose of this scholarship is to support students to become skilled professionals. Thus, recipients are encouraged to participate in at least three Professional Development (PD) events during the academic year.

Application

Before applying for or accepting any scholarship or fellowship, please consult with WSU Financial Aid regarding how such an award may affect your financial aid package, including loan eligibility.

  1. Click on the button below to apply.
  2. Applicants will need to create a new Slate account or use their existing Slate account to submit the application.
  3. Once logged in, click on "Start New Application."
  4. Select "2025-2026 Graduate Professional Scholarship" from the drop down menu.
  5. Click on "Create Application."

GPS application

Application opens: November 1, 2024
Application deadline: March 7, 2025

*Students who are assessed out-of-state tuition, including students on F1 visas and other non-resident students are still responsible for paying the out-of-state portion of their tuition bills. To determine if you qualify for in-state tuition rates, check here.

Graduate School thesis/dissertation research support

The Graduate School has a grant program to defray expenses necessary to the completion of approved thesis or dissertation research. Awards are limited to a maximum of $1,000 for dissertation research and $500 for thesis projects. Matching support from the student's department is required. Eligibility is restricted to one award per student per degree. Funds from the thesis/dissertation program must be expended within six months from receiving the funds.

Applications for thesis/dissertation support must be submitted to and approved by the Graduate School prior to beginning the actual conduct of research activities for which support is requested. To meet this provision, applications should be submitted well in advance of the desired starting date of research. Requests for retroactive funding of activities already conducted will not be considered.

Please note that expenses must be approved before the related research activity begins. Costs associated with preparation of the thesis or dissertation manuscript itself are not allowable under this program.

Eligibility

  • All applicants must be in good academic standing and registered for doctoral candidate or maintenance status dissertation research credits, or master's thesis research credits at WSU.

Ph.D. students

  • Limited to Ph.D. candidates who are engaged in dissertation research.
  • Ph.D. candidates must have an approved dissertation prospectus on file in the Graduate School to receive awards.

Master's students

  • Limited to master's candidates involved in thesis research.
  • Master's candidates must have an approved thesis outline on file in their school/college or a letter from their advisor stating that a thesis plan has been approved at the departmental level.

Application

Thesis/Dissertation Research Support application

Receipt submission

Graduate Student Professional Travel Awards

Submit an application for support of travel to present at an academic or professional event. Awards will be made up to a maximum of $1000. A matching amount is required from your school/college, department, or PI. For more information on allowed expenses, visit the travel expenses webpage. Questions should be addressed to the Graduate School at gradscholarships@wayne.edu. 

Eligibility

  • Student must present their research at the conference
  • Check with your department for any additional guidelines or eligibility requirements

Application

Travel Award application

Garrett T. Heberlein Endowed Award for Excellence in Teaching for Graduate Students

These awards, established by contributions from the former Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School, Gary Heberlein, recognize Wayne State graduate students for demonstrating instructional excellence. The awards are designed, in part, to elevate the attention given to teaching as part of graduate education and the preparation of graduate students to serve as college and university faculty. The awards include an honorarium and a citation that will be presented at the Academic Recognition Ceremony. 

See previous recipients

Eligibility

The Heberlein Teaching Award competition is open to all graduate students who are currently enrolled in a Wayne State graduate program and who are employed as graduate teaching assistants at the university during the current 2024-2025 academic year. One award is made each year in each of three categories: Ph.D. students teaching lecture sections, Ph.D. students leading recitation/laboratory sections, and master's student instructors.  

Application

  • The Heberlein Teaching Award recipients are determined through the nomination process below.
  • Nomination materials
  • Nominations should be made by the department chair using the digital nomination form below.
  • Nominations must also include:
    • Letters of support from the department chair (please note any departmental awards for teaching won by the student) and other letters of support (up to three total)
    • The nominee's teaching portfolio (specific instructions are on the nomination form) 
    • A one-page table summary of the Student Evaluation of Teaching scores (no comments)
    • A current curriculum vitae
  • Nomination materials cannot exceed 15 pages.

Nomination deadline: December 2, 2024

Heberlein nomination form

Summer Dissertation Award

The Graduate School holds an annual competition for Summer Dissertation Award for advanced Ph.D. students. The award period covers the months of June, July and August, and provides summer support to recipients while they work full time on their dissertations.

Consideration will be given to Ph.D. candidates who have an approved prospectus on file and anticipate defending their dissertations within the academic year following the award period. The application requires the signed endorsement of the dissertation advisor, confirming that the student has sufficient resources and faculty support to conduct full-time dissertation work during the summer. The most recent Annual Review/Individual Development Plan must also be included in the application. See application below for full details.

Eligibility

Consideration for awards will be given to Ph.D. students who have:

  • Have satisfied all the requirements for their degrees except the final dissertation defense.
  • Have not exceeded the seven-year limit for completion.
  • Have completed sufficient work on their dissertation projects, plus have resources and facultysupport in place to devote full-time to completing and defending their dissertations by May 31, 2025. Students who plan to defend in spring/summer 2024 are not eligible.
  • Have not previously received a Summer Dissertation Award.
  • Have been continuously enrolled following a successful prospectus defense.

Note that as stated by university policy, Wayne State employees, i.e. persons providing a service to the university, are not eligible to receive fellowships.

Application deadline: December 18, 2023

Summer Dissertation application

Before applying for or accepting any scholarship or fellowship, please consult with WSU Financial Aid regarding how such an award may affect your financial aid package, including loan eligibility.