Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
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Student Support

Internal Scholarships and Awards

NSM Scholarships

The College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics offers scholarships for students though the NSM Scholarship Program. Applications open towards the end of the fall semester. Periodically, there may be other opportunities available. More Info ›

EAS Student Research Grants

Each semester, the deparment offers funding to all undergraduate and graduate students pursuing research. The maxmimum award is $2,500 with an award pool of $5,000. Students may receive only one award per degree.

Funds are awarded directly to students and can be used for laboratory analyses, fieldwork, or research supplies. Funds are not to be used for travel to conferences or general living expenses. All funds must be used as indicated in the proposal. Funds that remain unused 12 months after receipt should be returned.

Applications are evaluated by the EAS Scholarships and Awards Committee and include a CV and 2-page project narrative. The project narrative includes a desriptions of the proposed research, a detailed budget and budget justification, and a timeline for the project. When writing the narrative, students should consider that a wide range of geoscientists evaluate these proposals.

EAS Department Scholarships and Awards

Through its Scholarship and Awards Committee, the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences nominates or awards many scholarships and fellowships for well-qualified Geology, Geophysics, Atmospheric Sciences, and Environmental Sciences undergraduate and graduate students enrolled full time at UH.

These scholarships and fellowships are awarded through various scholarship endowment funds, the UH Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Alumni Association, the College of Natural Science and Mathematics Alumni Association, The Robert and Margaret Sheriff SEG Fellowship Endowment, the Houston Geological Society, and other sponsoring corporations and organizations.

Application

The departmental scholarship application opens in late March, and awardees are announced during the awards ceremony at our annual Student Research Conference. 

Types of Awards

  • Undergraduate Scholarships
  • Field Camp Scholarships
  • Graduate Scholarships
  • Outstanding Student Awards
  • Teaching Assistant Awards

Eligibility

For undergraduate awards, applicants must be an undergraduate student in good standing at the University of Houston, must be a declared major in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, must have a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher in all courses taken at UH, and must have 24 or more semester credit hours remaining in the degree program at the time of the scholarship award. The recipient must enroll in, and complete, a minimum course load of 12 semester credit hours (full-time equivalent) in the fall and spring semesters following receipt of the award as a major in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, and maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0. The exception to this is the Field Camp award, which can be used by graduating seniors to attend the UH field camp offered the summer immediately after the award is given and requires a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50 or higher in all courses taken at UH. Field Camp awards must be used for UH field camp tuition and fees the summer immediately after the award is given. If the student delays attendance at field camp, the funds will be rescinded and the student must reapply the following year.

For graduate student awards, applicants must be a graduate student in good standing at the University of Houston, must be a major in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, and must have a GPA of 3.25 or higher. The recipient must enroll in, and complete, a minimum course load of 9 semester credit hours each semester of the award, and maintain a minimum GPA of 3.25.

Selection Criteria

Scholarship applications are reviewed and ranked by the Scholarships and Awards committee. Awards are based on academic performance, involvement in the department, university, student groups, and the community, and financial need. Research progress and publications are also used in determining graduate awards. Sometimes, other criteria need to be used as defined by the industrial or philanthropic organization sponsor.

Note: Outstanding Student Awards and Teaching Assistant Awards are nominated by and voted on by the entire EAS faculty; there is no application.

Scholarship Fund Disbursements

Scholarship disbursements will be made directly into the recipient's student account upon verification of enrollment, major, and minimum qualification requirements. Once the award is posted to the student's account, it may take several weeks for UH apply and disburse the award.

Forfeiture

Failure of the recipient to register for classes (at least 12 semester credit hours for undergraduates and 9 semester credit hours for graduate students) by the published UH late registration deadline will constitute an automatic forfeiture of the scholarship, with the exception of the Field Camp Scholarships. For Field Camp Scholarships, failure of the recipient to register for the UH Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Field Camp the summer of the award will constitute an automatic forfeiture of the scholarship.

Other Department Awards

Several awards for outstanding research talks and posters are granted each year during the Student Research Conference in April, the Sheriff Lecture in November, and the Dobrin Lecture in February. A committee of faculty and alumni judges will review and rank talks and posters in choosing the most outstanding presentations for the awards.