Graduate Dean’s Merit Scholarships at University of Nevada, USA

February 3, 2021

Designation/Position- Graduate Dean’s Merit Scholarships

University of Nevada, Las Vegas invites application for Graduate Dean’s Merit Scholarships for eligible and interested candidates

About- The Graduate School will award a combination of fellowships and merit scholarships each academic year to an elite selection of master’s and doctoral students who show the potential to make substantive contributions to their discipline. Review the nomination procedures and eligibility requirements for Graduate Dean’s Merit Scholarships.

Study level- Ph.D., doctorate, MFA or master’s

Location- University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA

Eligibility/Qualification–

The applicant must be either: (1) a fully admitted, incoming domestic or international student who has been offered admission to a degree-granting doctoral or master’s program (Ph.D., doctorate, MFA or master’s) at the University of Nevada, Reno at the time of nomination, or (2) a fully admitted currently enrolled domestic or international student in a degree-granting doctoral or master’s program (Ph.D., doctorate, MFA or master’s) at the University of Nevada, Reno.
For incoming students, the applicant must meet the minimum requirements for admission to a doctoral or master’s degree-granting program at the University of Nevada, Reno Graduate School, either as a domestic or international student.
Scholarship recipients must meet the requirements for satisfactory academic progress for financial aid.
Scholarship recipients must enroll in 6 or more units during the fall and spring semesters.
Graduate assistantship status is not a criterion for the scholarship, and both graduate assistants and non-graduate assistants are eligible.
Full-time University faculty (> 0.50 FTE) are ineligible for the scholarship.
Budget is in $2,500 increments and represents the 50% of non-need access funds available for the year, less the amount budgeted in the Graduate Dean’s Fellowship. Budget estimates for the future year are not available prior to the spring fee distribution which the controller’s office completes in late March annually.
Merit scholarship offers for the February 8 nomination cycle should begin being announced by late February, and recipients will have until April 15 to accept admission.
Merit scholarship offers for the March 15 nomination cycle should begin being be announced by late March, and recipients will have until May 15 to accept admission.
Merit scholarship offers for the September 20 nomination cycle should be announced by the middle or end of October. These awards will be made to enrolled students who meet the eligibility requirements.

Nomination procedures

Each graduate program is allowed to submit a maximum of four nominations.
Nominations must be submitted by the graduate program’s director, as currently recognized by the Graduate School.
Nominations for currently enrolled students should be based on the student’s demonstrated ability to perform at the highest level in their discipline and their contribution to the Strategic Plan goals of the University.
Nomination decisions for incoming students should be based on a holistic review or the consideration of a broad range of applicant qualities. Criteria used in the holistic review include GPA, letters of recommendation, personal/research statements, research/work experience, standardized test scores, fit with program faculty, contributions of the applicant to diversity and inclusion and potential of the applicant to make substantive contributions to their discipline.
Nominations will be made via an online form (linked below) covering three areas; academic achievement, research experience, and broader impacts. The nomination statements should provide a summary of the student’s educational background, academic performance, accomplishments, and the potential for success in graduate school in 800 words or less total.
Preference will be given to incoming students in doctoral programs, although award decisions will reflect the need to balance the overall Strategic Plan goals of the University.

Job/Position Description-

Graduate Dean’s merit scholarships are open to both domestic and international master’s and doctoral students in any approved University of Nevada, Reno graduate program (Ph.D., doctorate, MFA or master’s). For spring nomination deadlines, only incoming graduate students are eligible. For the fall nomination deadline, both incoming and currently enrolled graduate students are eligible, but preference will be given to incoming students in doctoral programs. The amount of the one-year scholarship is $10,000 ($5,000 per semester) for new admits or $5,000 ($2,500 per semester) for continuing grad students per academic year.