Scholarships and Grants Offered for Environmental Science Students
With more and more consumers considering environmental impacts when making purchasing decisions, companies around the world are hiring environmental science workers to ensure that theyre creating the most eco-friendly products possible. Environmental science students can also go on to get jobs in areas like law and government as well as public health, agriculture, and more. To work in this field, you definitely need a degree and many positions require at least a masters. Luckily, even though youll have to make a time commitment to stay in school if you want to earn this degree, you dont have to make a huge financial investment if youre smart. Scholarships, grants, and other forms of financial aid are readily available for environmental science students.
Environmental Science Scholarships
The major advantage to environmental science scholarships is that you dont have to repay this money after you graduate, making it essentially free money for your tuition. Scholarships are given to students based on merit, and many require you to write an essay to apply. Fellowships are similar, though you might have to commit to completing a specific research project or serving as a teaching or research assistant while getting a masters degree in order to qualify. Here are some of the organizations where you can find scholarships in this field:
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Sierra Club
- Garden Club of America
- National Environmental Health Association
- Udall Foundation
- Windstar Foundation
- Alaska Association of Environmental Professionals
- 4-H
- American Nuclear Society
- National Poultry and Food Distributors Association
You can also find environmental science specific scholarships available directly to students from your local area or who are attending your specific college. You schools financial aid department can tell you more about those opportunities.
Environmental Science Grants
Unlike scholarships, grants are typically given to students who can demonstrate financial need. As an undergraduate, you can apply for the federal Pell Grant, but as a graduate student, youll need to look for other funding sources. Grants can be used for specific research projects or to pay general student expenses, like tuition. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and a number of other outside organizations all offer grants for environmental science students.
