MSEN Based Funding
The MSEN Graduate Program is a full participant in the Walton Fellowship Program at the University of Arkansas. The funding for this program was provided by the Walton Family Charitable Trust, and is used to fund two types of Fellowships in support of students planning to complete a PhD at the University of Arkansas. The first type is a Walton Doctoral Academy Fellowship (DAF) and the second type is a Distinguished Doctoral Fellowship (DDF).
These Fellowships provide supplemental funding to a base financial position (Teaching Assistantship, Research Assistantship). Walton Fellows are provided a stipend and all tuition costs, but must pay miscellaneous fees from their private funds.
Students applying for either of the Doctoral Fellowships are expected to have a record of high academic performance, prior demonstrated excellence in the pursuit of research opportunities, demonstrated leadership ability, and the ability to thrive in the type of non-structured environment that enables rapid progress in the high tech arena.
In addition to the Walton Doctoral Fellowships, we now offer an NSF 2D Quantum Materials Research Traineeship, as well as Fellowship. This traineeship offers unique opportunities for MS and PhD MSEN students. Competetive two-year fellowships are available to cover the cost of tuition and provide a stipend of $34k per year. In order to be eligible for the traineeship or fellowship, you must be actively pursuing and participating in research applicable to the concentration of 2D quantum materials.
The following table shows both the selection criteria and the financial benefits of the two types of Fellowships.
| Requirement | Doctoral Academy Fellowship | Distinguished Doctoral Fellowship | NSF 2D Quantum Materials Fellowship |
|---|---|---|---|
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Note 1: Some NSF Fellowships used as base funding allow payment of student fees. Note 2: MS GPA will be used if candidate is currently enrolled in a MS graduate program. Note 3: Includes all fees, but does not include health insurance deduction. |
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| Base Position Stipend | No less than $12k/12 months | No less than $12k/12 months | No less than $34k/12 months |
| Out-of-state tuition | Paid by Grad School | Paid by Grad School | Paid by Grad School |
| In-State Tuition | Paid by base position | Paid by base position | Paid by base position |
| Fellowship Amount | $12k/yr for max of 4 years | $22k/yr for max of 4 years | $34k/yr for max of 2 years |
| Miscellaneous fees | Paid by student (note 1) | Paid by student (note 1) | paid by fellowship (note 3) |
| Minimum GPA | BS 3.50, MS 3.65 (note 2) | BS 3.65, MS 3.8 (note 2) | BS 3.25, MS 3.25 (note 2) |
| Minimum GRE V+Q | 302 | 307 | No minimum |
| Minimum GRE Writing | 4.0 | 4.5 | No minimum |
In addition, the MSEN program will qualitatively assess all evidence brought forth by candidates when considering applicants. Exceptional performance outside of the numerically measured academic areas above may be used as justification for forwarding an application that does not meet all of the numerical minimum values to the Graduate School for consideration.
Walton Fellowships will be used to help attract new students to the MSEN graduate program whose skills, interests, and background are strongly aligned with the needs of the varied research efforts associated with the MSEN program. The process is designed to allow some flexibility when considering students with high potential but limited access to research opportunities at their prior institution.
Applicants with completed MS degrees will receive higher consideration than applicants just completing a BS degree because of their higher level of research training, but no MSEN applicant will be arbitrarily excluded due to lack of a completed MS degree.
These Fellowships are not restricted to US citizens, although US citizens will be given preference when selecting Fellowship recipients. There are other sources of funding for graduate students offered by the university.