The Plant and Microbial Biology graduate program at the University of Minnesota seeks to support students from diverse backgrounds in pursuit of research and academic excellence.
Students in good academic standing are typically financially supported for up to five years:
- All first-year students receive either a research or teaching assistantship ($27,480/year as of fall 2022).
- All incoming students get access to a career development fund to support participation in professional conferences, workshops, or other professional development opportunities.
- For the remaining years, students may receive:
- Research assistantships from faculty advisors
- Training grants
- Fellowship stipends
Please note: While your assistantship or fellowship will cover your tuition and payment towards health insurance premiums, you will be responsible for paying student fees and any required course or laboratory fees. Course and laboratory fees are very uncommon. Check student fee details.
PMB fellowships and awards
Bernard and Jean Phinney Graduate Fellowship in Plant Molecular Biology
The Phinney Fellowship is awarded periodically, as funds are available. The fellowship includes a stipend at the graduate assistantship level for the semester, plus tuition and health insurance coverage.
Plant and Microbial Biology Travel Awards
PMB travel funding is available to current PMB students who do not have a dedicated career development fund. These funds are to help support travel to professional meetings (to present a talk or poster) or workshops/trainings to develop new skills or learn new techniques.
CBS (College of Biological Sciences) funding opportunities
- Philip C. Hamm Memorial Scholarship Program
- Microbial & Plant Genomics Institute (MPGI) funding opportunities
University-wide funding opportunities
- Graduate School Fellowship Office listings
- Interdisciplinary Center for the Study of Global Change fellowships
- Council of Graduate Students (COGS) grants (career development and conference travel)
External funding sources
- American Association of University Women
- Association for Women in Science
- American Indian Graduate Center
- American Museum of Natural History
- The American Society for Microbiology (ASM)
- American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
- American Society of Plant Biologists
- American Society of Plant Taxomomists (ASPT)
- Department of Energy/Computation Science Graduate Fellowship
- Department of Energy Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) Program
- Environmental Leadership Program
- Fulbright Program
- Ford Foundation pre-doctoral scholarships
- Future Leaders for Food and Agriculture fellowships
- Gamma Sigma Delta
- Gates Millennium Scholars
- Garden Club of America scholarships
- Glenn/AFAR Scholarships for Research in the Biology of Aging program
- Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN)
- Howard Hughes Predoctoral Fellowships in Biological Sciences
- Jack Kent Cook Foundation fellowships
- Jacob K. Javits fellowships
- Juran Fellowship Program
- International Foundation for Ethical Research
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and Dept of Energy (DOE)
- Link Foundation fellowships
- NASA fellowships and scholarships
- National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science (GEM)
- National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship
- National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship
- National Science Foundation Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities
- National Science Foundation East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes for U.S. Graduate Students
- Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans
- P.E.O. Sisterhood. International Peace Scholarship Fund
- Resources for the Future Walter O. Spofford Jr. Memorial Internship
- Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future fellowships
- Sigma Delta Epsilon and Graduate Women in Science
- Sigma Xi Grants-in-Aid of Research
- Smithsonian Office of Fellowships and Internships
- Torske Klubben Fellowship for Minnesota Residents
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency research fellowships
- Wood-Whelan Research Fellowship/International Union of Biochemistry