Graduate Funding

Students admitted to the Ph.D. program in the Department of Biology are guaranteed 10 semesters of support either as a teaching assistant or a research assistant. Both provide a $33,950 nine-month stipend and an annual 18-credit tuition waiver. M.S. and B.S./M.S. students must secure their own funding to cover tuition and stipend.

In addition, various grants and fellowships are available to Ph.D. Students. These include:

GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS AT FAIRCHILD

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in partnership with UM College of Arts and Sciences is offering two fellowships for continuing Ph.D. students. The Graduate Fellowships at Fairchild program supports high-quality teaching experiences for Ph.D. students in an informal science education setting.

The program offers:

• up to three years of financial support to be renewed annually
• opportunities to engage Pre-K through 12^thgrade students and teachers in authentic research (i.e. Growing Beyond Earth partnership with NASA, the Million Orchid Project) as a part of the award-winning Fairchild Challenge program
• access to Fairchild’s world-renowned tropical plant collection, greenhouses, and state-of-the-art DNA, microscopy, and micropropagation labs
• training in the core disciplines that contribute to conservation biology, such as systematics, ecology, evolutionary biology, and genetics
• travel and research funds (awarded on a competitive basis)

For the right kind of student, our program can provide fantastic opportunities for developing skills in science education and public outreach.

DEAN’S, UNIVERSITY, AND MAYTAG FELLOWSHIPS

Applicants to the Department of Biology are eligible for a Dean’s Fellowship, University Fellowship, or a Maytag Fellowship. The department will nominate top applicants for all of these awards. The Dean’s Fellowship provides funding for two years at $44,000 per year plus $3,000 in travel funds. The UM Fellowship provides funding for two years at $39,000 per year. The Maytag Fellowship provides funding for three years at the standard stipend amount. The College will provide a tuition waiver for as many as 18 credits per year to accompany a Dean’s, University, or Maytag Fellowship.

LISA D. ANNESS GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP

Applicants to the Department of Biology are eligible for Anness Fellowships. This fellowship supports graduate students in biology who will be co-mentored by a member of the faculty of the University of Miami and a member of the research staff of the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. The fellowship provides three years of graduate student support. An 18-credit per year tuition waiver accompanies the fellowship.

ROTATION  FELLOWSHIP

Applicants to the Department of Biology are eligible for a Rotation Fellowship. This fellowship provides a first-year graduate student with an opportunity to rotate through three different lab group during their first year of study with no teaching obligation. The Rotation Fellowship provides one year of graduate student support.

JAMES W. MCLAMORE FELLOWSHIP IN TROPICAL BIOLOGY

Current Department of Biology graduate students may be considered for the McLamore Fellowship. This fellowship supports graduate students working in the area of tropical biology. The fellowship provides one year of graduate student support. An 18-credit per year tuition waiver accompanies the fellowship.

U-LINK FELLOWSHIP

Department of Biology graduate students are eligible to apply for U-LINK Predoctoral Fellowships. These fellowships are an excellent fit for students who wish to pursue problem-based interdisciplinary research. The U-LINK Predoctoral Fellowship requires the student to identify at least two UM faculty advisors, representing at least two distinct disciplines, with whom to complete their dissertation work. Fellows are especially encouraged to tackle problems aligning with UM’s Road To Our New Century initiative; e.g., addressing environmental challenges, engineering smart/connected cities, promoting health and wellness, cultivating a culture of belonging, and applying the potential of big data to global issues. The U-LINK Predoctoral Fellowship provides funding for one year at $40,000.

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED STUDY OF THE AMERICAS (UMIA) DISTINGUISHED GRADUATE FELLOWS PROGRAM

Department of Biology graduate students are also eligible to apply for UMIA Fellowships. These fellowships provide support for students with a primary focus on Latin America, the Caribbean, or the diasporic communities. UMIA Fellowships provide funding for one year of graduate student support in exchange for involvement in UMIA and Latin American Studies Program initiatives (no more than 40 hours per month).

RESEARCH SUPPORT

We offer small research support grants to grant students through an annual competition supported by generous endowment gifts to the Department of Biology.  These grants are designed to help graduate students get started on their research, test out innovative ideas, or complete a final set of experiments for their dissertations.  Below is a list of awards for which you may apply.  Please note the restrictions for each award.  The Biology Department Awards Committee will consider applications for all awards on an annual basis. 

Dates for the 2025/26 calendar year are as follows:

You are free to apply for more than one award for different projects.  If you submit applications for multiple projects, you will need to submit items I-VI separately for each Fellowship. Award Committee members will be recused from decisions regarding their own students.  Include a complete budget (item VII) for all the funds you are requesting from the Department

Early-stage awards (pre-proposal defense)

1. William H. Evoy Graduate Research Support Fund (“Evoy Fund”) – funds are intended for graduate students in the early stages of their research, in any area. Preference will be given to doctoral students, but Master’s thesis research may also be supported. Awards will be given for a maximum of $500.

2. Jay M. Savage Graduate Research Support Fund (“Savage Fund”) – to graduates students in the early stages of their research; intended for pilot studies in tropical biology. The maximum award will be $800. This is a one-time award expected to cover expenses related to field research in a tropical locale, not including South Florida.

Awards for any stage

3. Kushlan Graduate Research Support Fund (“Kushlan Fund”) – provides financial assistance to graduate students in the Biology Department for research in organismal biology. This means working with whole organisms. Projects that present a reductionist (molecular) approach to investigating organism-level questions are not eligible. Amount of the award will vary depending on the number of applicants and research needs. Most awards will be made between $500 and $1500. The award can be used for travel for fieldwork, but not travel to a scientific meeting.
4. Molecular Biology Research Support Fund (“Molecular Fund”) – provides financial assistance to graduate students in the Biology Department for research in molecular and cellular mechanisms. Amount of the award will vary depending on the number of applicants and research needs. The award will be made up to $500 to support laboratory research.
5. Interdisciplinary and Innovative Research Support Fund (“Innovation Scholarship”) this award looks at new projects that involve collaboration with different laboratory groups in the department or university. The award seeks to recognize innovative approaches to biological research using interdisciplinary tools. This award will be made up to $500.

Grad students must use these funds during FY25 (June 1^st, 2025 – May 31^st, 2026). If grad students for some reason can’t use their funds by the May 31^st, 2026 deadline, they will need to request an extension from Dr. Searcy by December 15^th, 2025.