Environmental Student Grants

Paying for school is something that crosses every student’s mind when they think about going to college. There are scholarships, grants, and even loans available. When it comes to searching for scholarships and grants that will fit your major or field of study, this is a good place to start. If you are a student in Environmental Studies or related fields, read on to find grants and scholarships that will fit your major.

Where to Find Grants

When it comes to Environmental Studies, there are many grants available. The Environmental Protection Agency of the United States has grants available for many different organizations. Some grants can be found for individuals at the EPA’s grants page.

When applying for grants, you will be required to register with them and that process can take as much as 3-5 business days. This website offers a simple search of grants that would be available to you: Grants.gov. There are hundreds of grants available to choose from.

The Garden Club of America also offers scholarships and grants for college students interested in Environmental Studies. Scholarships and grants are offered in various subjects ranging from Botany, Conservation and Ecological Restoration, to Landscape Architecture and Urban Forestry. For a complete list of different categories available, visit their website at: gcamerica.org.

Botany Grants

If you are interested in getting grants or scholarships in Botany, these following scholarships might help:

The Anne S. Chatham Fellowship in Medicinal Botany

The Anne. S. Chatham Fellowship is available to students who are enrolled in Ph.D. programs only at recognized universities. It is also available to Ph.D. graduates who have received their degree within the last 5 years.

The fellowship’s purpose is to provide a $4,000 grant every year, to enable a student to be able to pursue research that might otherwise not be available. To apply for this fellowship, you will need the following:

• An application letter
• An abstract that consists of 200 words or less
• A research proposal. It should be set in 12-point type and should be as detailed as possible but should not exceed 1-2 pages.
• One page budget plan
• Current curriculum vitae
• A letter from a major advisor certifying your graduate enrollment
• Copies of permits for field work that are relevant, as well as any studies that includes animals or research clearances. For foreign research, copies of permission from government agencies should be provided.

The deadline for proposals is February 1, 2012. You can mail your proposal to:

Dr. Wendy Applequist
Missouri Botanical Garden
Dept. 43
P.O. Box 299
St. Louis, MO 63166-0299

More information on this particular fellowship can be found at www.wlbcenter.org.

Garden Club of America Awards in Tropical Botany

This award is available only to students who will complete the requirements for a Ph.D. in Botany within two years. The applicants must already be enrolled in Ph.D. programs at a US university.

This award allows candidates currently enrolled in a U.S. Ph.D. program to be able to participate in field work in the tropics. Two awards are usually offered: one is for study of tropical plant systematics and the second is a study in tropical forest ecology.

In order to apply for this award, you need to submit an application packet that consists of the following:

• A curriculum vitae
• If the award is for out of country research, evidence of foreign language capability is required
• A two-page statement of the proposed research. State how it is relevant to conservation efforts. The statement should begin with a summary statement of the proposal’s purpose, field location, what types of vegetation and plant groups are included, and questions that need to be answered. The summary statement should be one to three sentences long.
• A personal letter describing your plans for the future and your commitment to tropical conservation
• A letter of recommendation from your graduate advisor that includes an evaluation of your progress.

Application packets can be mailed to:

Andrea Santy
Senior Program Officer
Conservation Leadership Programs
World Wildlife Fund
1250 24th Street NW
Washington, DC 20037

Applications must be postmarked by January 15th to be eligible.

Garden Club of America Summer Scholarship in Field Botany

The GCA Summer Scholarship in Field Botany is open to undergraduates and graduate students who are working towards their Masters Degree. All students must be currently enrolled in a US college or university.

This scholarship is designed to encourage students who are interested in field botany to go further in their studies. It gives students an opportunity to gain valuable knowledge as well as experience. $2,000 is awarded annually to one student, for a summer study in the field. There is an application form, which can be downloaded here.

In addition to filling out the application form, you will need to include the following information:

• A short essay on what you know about the program you have chosen, how the program fits into your future plans, and what you hope to achieve during the summer program.
• Two letters of recommendation: one from your advisor and the other from a professor who is familiar with your interests and work.
• A copy of your transcript.

The application form and extra materials should be put in one envelope and mailed to:

Summer Scholarships in Field Botany
The Garden Club of America
14 East 60th Street
New York, NY 10022

Applications must be received by February 1, 2012.

The Joan K. Hunt and Rachel M. Hunt Summer Scholarship in Field Botany

Undergraduates and graduate students working towards their Masters Degree are eligible for this scholarship. Preference is given to undergraduate students. Students must be enrolled in an US college or university.

This scholarship provides $2,000 annually to one or more students for summer study in the field. Some suggested studies for this scholarship are:

• Assisting a botanist with field studies
• Assisting a botanist with plant inventories
• Monitoring plants in a national forest
• Internship for a specific project in a botanical garden

In order to apply, you need to fill out an application form which can be found here.

Additional information is required:

• A short essay on what you know about the program you have chosen, how the program fits into your future plans, and what you hope to achieve during the summer program.
• Two letters of recommendation: one from your advisor and the other from a professor who is familiar with your interests and work.
• A copy of your transcript.

The application form and extra materials should be put in one envelope and mailed to:

Summer Scholarships in Field Botany
The Garden Club of America
14 East 60th Street
New York, NY 10022

Applications must be received by February 1, 2012.

The Zeller Summer Scholarship in Medicinal Botany

The Zeller Summer Scholarship is open to undergraduate students enrolled in a US college or university. $2,000 is provided annually to one student for summer study.

This scholarship encourages undergraduate students to expand their knowledge of medicinal botany; it supports summer study whether it be a project, course, or internship that has supervision as well as structure. The application form can be found here.

Additional information is required:

• A short essay on what you know about the program you have chosen, how the program fits into your future plans, and what you hope to achieve during the summer program.
• Two letters of recommendation: one from your advisor and the other from a professor who is familiar with your interests and work.
• A copy of your transcript.

The application form and extra materials should be put in one envelope and mailed to:

Summer Scholarships in Field Botany
The Garden Club of America
14 East 60th Street
New York, NY 10022

Applications must be received by February 1, 2012.

Coastal Wetlands Grants

If you are studying coastal wetlands science or related fields, scholarships and grants for Coastal Wetland Studies are listed below.

The Garden Club of America Award in Coastal Wetland Studies

This award promotes wetland conservation through the support of scientists involved in their field work. It is open to graduate students who are pursuing degrees in coastal wetlands science.

One student is chosen annually and receives $5,000 to support field-based wetlands research. The student may propose a wetlands program that is offered at a US educational institution that specializes in wetland studies. This scholarship defines coastal wetlands as tidal or non-tidal wetlands found within coastal states, including the Great Lakes.

There is a preference for students who are early in their programs and have field-based research that is based in coastal wetlands of the U.S.
More application information can be found here.

The application deadline is January 15, 2012. Applicants need to provide the following:

• A resume or C.V. It should contain education, work, or volunteer experiences that are relevant, as well as publications. Three references are needed: include names and contact information for the references.
• A completed 2012 Garden Club of America application form (which can be found here.
• An endorsement letter from your faculty advisor. Your advisor should e-mail the endorsement letter directly to the Garden Club of America Award Committee at gcawetlands@vims.edu, by January 15, 2012.
• The applicant’s name and “GCA reference letter” should be inserted in the subject line. The cover letter should include the contact information with e-mail address of the advisor and the student’s name, in order to assist with tracking. The endorsement letter should identify the student, state the status of the student in the graduate degree program, and evaluate the student’s ability as an independent researcher.

Conservation-Related Grants

Scholarships related to conservation and ecological restorations are listed below.

The Garden City Fellowship in Ecological Restoration

This fellowship is available to graduate students. Field of study is flexible, ranging from forestry to applied plant sciences. Fields of study from past recipients also have ranged from ecology to evolutionary biology.

An annual grant for $8,000 is provided for study and research at a university in the U.S. The purpose is to provide support to specialized graduate study and research in ecological restoration. The goal of this fellowship is to increase the numbers of scientists by supporting research that advances knowledge.

Application Documents

Application information can be found here. The application requires four documents:

• A cover letter that is one page long. It should include the applicant’s name, academic advisor’s name and title, name of the university and department, title of research, the applicant’s e-mail address and phone number.
• A proposal that is no more than five pages, for the research that is going to be done. It should include literature cited, tables, figures, etc.
• A budget that is one page long, for the proposed research, describing how the award would be spent.
• A current resume that is no more than two pages.

The margins for the documents should be at least one inch. The font size should be 12 point or larger. Smaller font is allowed in figures for the budget, as long as they are still readable.

Attach the documents to an e-mail and send to Brad Herrick at bmherrick@wisc.edu. The subject line of the e-mail must read “GCA fellowship application”. The deadline for the application is December 31st.

Additional Requirements

In addition to sending the documents, the applicant needs to make sure that two letters are also sent:

• An endorsement letter written by the applicant’s graduate faculty advisor. A statement that the applicant is properly enrolled in graduate school should be included in the letter.
• An additional letter of recommendation.

The letters must be sent by their authors by e-mail. The letters can either be sent through the body of the e-mail or as an attachment. The deadline for the letters is December 31st. Send them to Brad Herrick at bmherrick@wisc.edu. Be sure that the subject line reads “GCA letter for (applicant’s name).”

The Sara Shallenberger Brown GCA National Parks Conservation Scholarship

This scholarship is open to undergraduates who are aged 19 or 20. It provides $3,000 annually for one student, where they can gain experience through field training as a crew leader apprentice for the Student Conservation Association. Hands-on experience in field training in protecting resources found in America’s National Parks is provided.

The application form can be printed from this link. In addition to filling out the application form, a short essay and references are required. The application must be mailed and received by February 15, 2012. It can be mailed to:

GCA Awards for Summer Environmental Studies
c/o Doug Caum, Conservation Crews
The Student Conservation Association (SCA)
P.O. Box 550
Charlestown, NH 03604-0550

Desert Study Grants

Scholarships for Desert Studies are listed below.

The GCA Award in Desert Studies

This GCA award is available to graduate or undergraduate students who are far along in their program. All applicants must be currently enrolled in a U.S. university.

Applicants need to submit the following through e-mail:

• A current resume
• A 2-3 page essay
• An itemized budget
• A letter of recommendation from the graduate advisor

Detailed information on the application process can be found at
www.dbg.org.

The deadline for submitting applications is January 15.

Horticulture Grants

Scholarships listed below are for Horticulture and other related fields.

The Catherine H. Beattie Fellowship in Conservation Horticulture

Graduate students pursuing a degree in biology, horticulture, or any related field are eligible for the Catherine H. Beattie Fellowship. Preference is given to students whose projects’ main focus is on endangered floras of the Carolinas and southeastern United States. Up to $4,000 is provided as a research grant for a student’s work at a botanical garden.

For detailed information on the application process, go to the Catherine H. Beattie Fellowship application and guidelines website.

Applicants are required to provide the following:

• A 2-3 page proposal
• An itemized budget
• A current resume
• A letter of endorsement from an academic advisor
• References
• Official Transcripts

The application deadline is November 30, 2011. Mail applications to:

Beattie Fellowship
Center for Plant Conservation
P.O. Box 299
St. Louis, MO 63166-0299

The Corliss Knapp Engle Scholarship in Horticulture

This scholarship is open to undergraduates, graduate students, advanced degree candidates, and applicants above the high school level who aren’t seeking a degree. It supports study at a university, major botanic garden, or arboretum. It was established to encourage the development of the field in horticulture.

The application form and additional information can be found here. Applicants must mail the application and extra materials in one envelope. The applications must be received by February 10. They can be mailed to:

The Corliss Knapp Engle Scholarship in Horticulture
The Garden Club of America
14 East 60th Street
New York, NY 10022

The Garden Club of America/Royal Horticultural Society Interchange Fellowships

For the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Interchange Fellowship, eligible applicants must be single and unaccompanied, and an American college graduate who has received a BA or BS. In order to be eligible, applicants must be 26 years old or younger, due to the age limit on Great Britain and Europe’s student travel vouchers.

Finalists of this fellowship will be required to attend an interview at their own expense. They will be notified of a place and time. For the Garden Club of America (GCA) Interchange fellowship, graduates from a British university who have received a degree in horticulture, landscape architecture, botany, or environmental studies are eligible. British student horticulturists who have horticultural qualifications that are recognized are also eligible for this fellowship.

The RHS fellowship provides up to 12,000 GBP, allowing one American student to spend ten months in the UK. The student would spend those ten months working and studying at leading horticulture centers or botanic gardens.

The GCA fellowship provides up to $30,000 for a British student to participate in a graduate program in any of the following fields: horticulture, landscape architecture, or environmental studies, at a U.S. university, for one year. It also offers a year-long internship at Longwood Gardens in the U.S. in exchange of attending a graduate program.

The application for the RHC fellowship (American applicants only) can be found here. Applicants need to submit the following with their application:

• Three essay questions
• Copy of official college transcript
• Four letters of recommendation

The application for the GCA fellowship (British applicants only) can be downloaded at www.rhs.org.uk. The application can also be requested by writing to:

RHS Interchange Fellowship Coordinator
RHS Garden Wisley
Woking
Surrey GU23 6QB

The Katharine M. Grosscup Scholarships in Horticulture

Undergraduate students in their junior or senior year and graduate students studying horticulture or a related field are eligible for this scholarship. Preference is given to students who are from the following states: Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

This scholarship awards several students annually with up to $3,000 each, for financial assistance. Additional information about the application requirements and the application form can be found at gcamerica.org.

In addition to the application form, the following needs to be included with the application:

• Statement of career goals
• Two letters of recommendation
• Official college transcript

Mail applications to:
Katharine M. Grosscup Scholarship
5227 Little Woods Lane
Dayton, OH 45429

The deadline for the application is February 1.

The Loy McCandless Marks Scholarship in Tropical Horticulture

Advanced undergraduate students and graduate students are eligible for this scholarship, which is intended to supplement a student’s accepted program of study abroad. This scholarship awards $4,000 to a student that is specializing in one of the following fields: tropical horticulture, botany, or landscape architecture.

For more information on the application form and application process, go to gcamerica.org.

There is additional information required for the application:

• One short essay
• References
• Official college transcript
• One page budget plan for the proposed travel and study

The deadline for applications is January 15. Mail applications to:

Loy McCandless Marks Scholarship
GCA Scholarship Committee
The Garden Club of America
14 East 60th Street
New York, NY 10022

Native Bird Habitat Scholarships

Scholarships related to Native Bird Habitats are listed below.

The Frances M. Peacock Scholarship for Native Bird Habitat

Undergraduate seniors and graduate students are eligible for this scholarship. Financial aid of up to $4,000 is offered annually, allowing students to study areas that provide seasonal habitats for endangered or threatened native birds in the United States.

The study areas would turn up information that can be useful towards land management decisions when it comes to working with endangered or threatened species. More information on the application process can be found at birds.cornell.edu.

Proposal guidelines for the application process can be found at this link. Personal information is also required in the application process. The personal information form can be found here.

The application deadline is January 15.

Summer Environmental Studies Grants

Scholarships for Summer Environmental Studies are listed below. All of the scholarships listed in the Summer Environmental Studies are considered together. Applicants only need to submit one application if applying for several summer environmental studies scholarship. The Caroline Thorn Kissel Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship is an exception due to its restriction on eligibility. That scholarship requires a separate application.

The Caroline Thorn Kissel Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship

Undergraduate and graduate students and Ph.D. candidates are eligible for this scholarship. Applicants who are above the high school level but not seeking a degree are also eligible.

U.S. citizenship is required and applicants must be residents of New Jersey, studying in New Jersey or elsewhere. Nonresidents pursing study in New Jersey or the surrounding waters are also eligible. $2,000 is provided in financial assistance annually, to promote environmental studies.

The application form for this scholarship can be found here. Additional information is required for the application process:

• Short Essay
• Two letters of recommendation

Mail the application to:
GCA Awards for Summer Environmental Studies
The Garden Club of America
14 East 60th Street
New York, NY 10022

The Clara Carter Higgins Scholarship and GCA Awards for Summer Environmental Studies

Undergraduate students are eligible for this scholarship. $2,000 is awarded in financial assistance for courses in environmental studies taken during the summer. The award is offered to students who have shown an interest in the improvement of the environment as a whole.

Past recipients completed programs related to the study of hazardous waste, marine science, plant resources in the tropics, and oil spill cleanup and control. The purpose of this scholarship is to encourage careers in the environmental field and provide opportunities to gain experience and knowledge.

The Elizabeth Gardner Norweb Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship

Undergraduate students are eligible for the Elizabeth Gardner Norweb Scholarship. This scholarship provides $2,000 annually to one student in financial aid, towards the following: field work, research, or classroom work. The work has to be in the environmental field.

The Mary T. Carothers Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship

Undergraduate students are eligible for this scholarship. $2,000 is awarded annually to one student for the following: field work, research, or classroom work. The research, courses, or field work has to be in the environmental field.

The application form can be found here. All summer environmental studies scholarships are considered together. There is no need to send more than one application for the Clara Carter Higgins, Elizabeth Gardner Norweb, and Mary T. Carothers scholarships.

Additional information and documents in addition to the application form are required:

• Short essay
• Two letters of recommendation
• Official college transcript

Mail application forms to:

GCA Awards for Summer Environmental Studies
The Garden Club of America
14 East 60th Street
New York, NY 10022

Urban Forestry Grants

Scholarships in the Urban Forestry field are listed below:

The GCA Zone VI Fellowship in Urban Forestry

Advanced undergraduate students and graduate students in the fields of environmental studies, horticulture, forestry, or any related courses that have an interest in the urban forest, are eligible for a GCA Zone VI Fellowship. It funds one or more students $4,000 annually towards study and research in urban forestry.

Students are encouraged to study the planning and management as well as the horticulture of urban forests and what kind of effect health urban forests have on the environment.

The application process is done online. More information on the application process can be found here. The online application for undergraduate students is available here, while the online application for graduate students is available via this link.

The application deadline is January 31.

Environmental Science/Engineering Grants

Ohio Environmental Science & Environmental Engineering Scholarship Program

This scholarship is available to undergraduate students who are currently enrolled in a college, in Ohio. Students at both private and public colleges are eligible to apply. The scholarship is limited to fourth- and fifth-year students at universities. Second-year students at technical or community colleges are eligible as well.

There is a strict selection criteria; the more an applicant has on his or her resume as listed below, the better:

• Good academic record with an overall GPA that is at least 3.0.
• Additional experience in the following fields: education, employment or internships, awards, or community service. The more experience, the better standing the applicant will have in the application process.
• State reasons for why a career in environmental science or environmental engineering was your choice and how the scholarship will help you meet that goal.
• Any prior experience such as internships in the field or previous scholarships that were awarded.
• Extracurricular activities in the environmental science or environmental engineering or related fields that demonstrates leadership skills and abilities.
• Letters of recommendation from environmental professionals or educators.

The scholarship program awards $1,250 for two-year programs and $2,500 for 4- to 5-year programs. The application form can be found at www.ohiosci.org.

The application deadline is June 1.

Getting the Scholarship

One of the secrets of applying for college scholarships is to stay organized. If you are applying for multiple scholarships, it is a good idea to start a file system so it will be easier to stay organized. An example of an organization system is using a file folder. On each file folder, do the following:

• Put down the name of the scholarship on the tab of the folder.
• Have an index card taped to the inside flap of the folder; this will be to keep record of what has been completed.
• Have a printout of the scholarship information in the folder that includes when the application deadline is and what additional requirements are needed for this particular scholarship.

Staying organized is the best way to ensure that nothing is forgotten during the application process. It also is better to apply sooner than later.

In addition to the scholarships provided above, some colleges and universities have a scholarship and/or grant program. You can talk to your academic advisor and see if there are any scholarships available for your field of study at your school. If there are, your academic advisor will know about it and will be able to help you with the application process.

College Grant Information By State