Scholarships, Research Grants, and Dissertation Fellowships for Current Students

College of Education Graduate Student Scholarships

Several scholarships have been created through the generous support of alumni and friends of the College of Education. Awards range from $1,000 to $2,500. Each scholarship has specific criteria. Faculty in the program areas select the recipients from a list of eligible students. Please see your program chair for eligibility and application information.

Program area scholarships at the graduate level have been created through generous donors. Each scholarship has specific criteria. Faculty in the program areas select the recipients from eligible students.

Graduate Scholarship Name	Program Area
Frank B. DeBruicker	Learning Design and Technology
Feldhusen Doctoral Fellowship	Gifted Education
Harbridge Scholarship	Literacy and Language
Mike Keedy Award	Mathematics Education
General Wei-chin & Madame Phoebe Lee Award	Social Studies Education
Bruce Shertzer Award	Counseling Psychology

---

Dissertation Fellowships and Scholarships

Note: The Bilsland Dissertation Fellowship and the Dean’s Dissertation Scholarship Applications have been consolidated into a single Application Form. You can indicate on the form if you wish to be considered for one or both awards.

Bilsland Dissertation Fellowship

The Bilsland Dissertation Fellowship is a Graduate School fellowship which includes a stipend/salary and tuition coverage. It is awarded to outstanding College of Education PhD students who will enter their final year of their program. Recipients are expected to devote full-time effort to the completion of all requirements necessary to receive their doctoral degree at the conclusion of the year of funding. Exceptions are allowed for Counseling Psychology students who are eligible to apply for a Bilsland before their internship year.

Applicants must have completed their coursework and passed their qualifying examinations. There are no assistantship expectations for Bilsland Fellows. Applications and the awarding of fellowships are handled at the department level. Applications are due to the Department by the 3rd Friday in January. The number of awards available for each department varies based on Graduate School allocations.

Note: There is a combined application for the Bilsland Dissertation Fellowship and the COE Dean’s Dissertation Scholarship. Applicants who apply for both will first be considered for the Bilsland.  

• Guidelines (Billsland Dissertation Fellowship and Dean’s Dissertation Scholarship)
• Application Form (Billsland Dissertation Fellowship and Dean’s Dissertation Scholarship)
• Rubric (Bilsland Dissertation Scholarship and Dean’s Dissertation Scholarship)

Dean’s Dissertation Scholarship

This award is given to an outstanding doctoral student in the College of Education who is currently completing dissertation research. Scholarships are $2,500. The number of scholarships available varies each year. 

Note: There is a combined application for the Bilsland Dissertation Fellowship and the COE Dean’s Dissertation Scholarship. Applications and the awarding of these scholarships are handled at the department level. Applications are due to the Department by the 3rd Friday in January. The number of awards available for each department varies based on available funds. Applicants who apply for both will first be considered for the Bilsland.  

• Guidelines (Billsland Dissertation Fellowship and Dean’s Dissertation Scholarship)
• Application Form (Billsland Dissertation Fellowship and Dean’s Dissertation Scholarship)
• Rubric (Bilsland Dissertation Scholarship and Dean’s Dissertation Scholarship)

---

College Of Education Graduate Student Awards

The submission deadline to the Departments of the College of Education for the following awards is the last Friday in January except for awards due directly to the College which are due by the second Friday in February. ALL AWARD NOMINATIONS ARE TO BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY INCLUDING ALL DOCUMENTS IN ONE PDF FORMATTED FILE OR THEY WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

Dean’s Graduate Student Outstanding Scholarship Award

Description – This award recognizes a graduate student in the College of Education who demonstrates exceptional scholarly contributions. Preference is given to work completed since enrolled at Purdue and the College of Education. Graduate students at all levels are encouraged to apply. The winner receives $500. 

• Dean’s Graduate Student Outstanding Scholarship Award Guidelines and Nomination – E-mail the nomination packet with all the documents in one PDF formatted file to the Dean’s Office using the e-mail coeawards@purdue.edu by 5:00 p.m. on the second Friday in February.
• Dean’s Graduate Student Outstanding Scholarship Award Rubric

Diversity, Equity, and Social Justice (DESJ) Graduate Student Award

Description – This award recognizes a graduate student in the College of Education who demonstrates a commitment to the advancement of diversity, equity, and social justice (DESJ) issues in the areas of discovery, learning, and/or engagement. The awardee recognizes the collective benefit of building more inclusive and supportive communities. One of the signature areas of the COE is focused on addressing issues of diversity, equity, and social justice. In addition, Purdue University, as a public, state-supported land-grant institution with global impact, is committed to furthering the goals of diversity and inclusion. In an effort to promote and support a better understanding of DESJ issues, this award seeks to recognize those who have contributed to this important work, as well as inspire others to join. The winner receives $500.

• DESJ Graduate Student Award Guidelines and Nomination – E-mail the nomination packet with all the documents in one PDF formatted file to coeawards@purdue.edu by 5:00 pm on the second Friday in February.

• DESJ Graduate Student Award Rubric

Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award

Description – This award recognizes graduate teaching assistants for their current teaching efforts at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Nominations are handled at the department level. Each department forwards one nominee to the Dean’s Office and the College of Education Awards Committee selects the winner. The winner receives $500. 

• Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award Guidelines and Nomination – The nomination deadline for submissions to the Departments is the last Friday in January. (All awards are to be submitted electronically in PDF format. Please read the instructions in the Nomination packet.)
• Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award Rubric

Mary Kay Sommers Dissertation Award

Description – This award recognizes a completed outstanding doctoral dissertation. Nominations are handled at the department level. Each department forwards one nominee to the Dean’s Office and the College of Education Awards Committee selects the winner. The amount of award may vary but is typically $2,600. 

• Mary Kay Sommers Dissertation Award Guidelines and Nomination
• Mary Kay Sommers Dissertation Award Rubric

Marcia Gentry Dissertation Award

Description – This award recognizes doctoral dissertation work that moves the field of Gifted, Talented, and Creative (GTC) education forward by addressing the constructs of equity and excellence for underserved GTC populations (poverty, race, language, disability) from a strength-based perspective. Students with dissertations completed within two calendar years of the award date are eligible to apply. The amount of the award may vary, but is typically $2,000.

• Marcia Gentry Dissertation Award Guidelines and Nomination – E-mail the nomination packet with all the documents in one PDF formatted file to coeawards@purdue.edu by 5:00 pm on the second Friday in February.
• Marcia Gentry Dissertation Award Rubric

Maryann Santos Doctoral Fellowship

Description: This is a scholarship supported by the Maryann Santos Doctoral Fellowship Fund, an endowment named in honor of a former Dean of the College of Education. Dean Santos was a passionate advocate for diversity and social justice, which became one of the signature areas for our college under her leadership. Dean Santos was also a strong supporter of graduate students and programs. This award is only made in years when sufficient funds are available. Prior awards were $5,000, but amount of future awards may vary.

• Guidelines and Nomination: (TBD)
• Rubric: (TBD)

---

Dean’s Graduate Student Support Program

This program is designed to assist COE doctoral students in defraying the expenses of student-initiated research projects including dissertation research. Awards will be in the form of an S&E account of up to $300. Funds may be used to purchase instruments, acquire or duplicate research materials, travel to research sites, or for other legitimate research-related expenses. Funds may not be used for salaries, to purchase food or beverages, to provide incentives for research participants, or to travel to conferences.

Dean’s Graduate Student Support Program Application

---

Graduate School Summer Research Grants

Graduate School Summer Research Grants provide two months of dissertation research support for doctoral students who have been exclusively teaching during both of the preceding academic semesters. The eligibility criteria for the Summer Research Grant are as follows:

• Doctoral student
• 0.50 FTE Teaching Assistant for both preceding semesters
• No Research, Fellowship or Administrative/Professional Appointment
• GPA of 3.0 or higher

The Graduate School identifies eligible students and nominations are handled through the departments each spring semester.