Scholarships and Student Awards in Entomology Graduate Students
The departmental Awards Committee is pleased to announce that the following scholarships are available. We will evaluate the applications and select the award winners in each category. Students are encouraged to apply for the awards for which they are best qualified, and tailor their applications to the specific criteria. Award winners will be required to write a letter expressing appreciation to the sponsor, and submit a copy to the department before the award confirmation is forwarded to the Student Financial Assistance Office.
- Must be enrolled in one of our Kansas State University Entomology Programs for Spring 2026.
- Scholarships will be awarded by May.
- Students graduating in the semester when applications are due are not eligible for awards, since these funds are not available to students until the start of the following fall semester.
- In all cases except the Pankaskie Scholarship, students who received an award previously cannot apply for that same award, but may apply for a different award in the current year.
- Applicants may apply for up to two awards in one year if they so choose; however, the committee will strive to distribute the awards among as many qualified students as possible.
- Specific application requirements are outlined on the respective scholarship pages.
- Applications should be submitted as a single PDF file of less than 5 MB.
- Applications and supporting materials should be submitted electronically by 5:00 PM on Friday, March 6, 2026, to the Chair of the Awards Committee, Dr. Alison Gerken (alison.gerken@usda.gov). In the email subject line, please add "KSU Entomology Awards Application – [Name of the Award(s)]"
Summary of Scholarship Priorities
These are subject to change based on availability.
|
Award |
Category |
Award Range ($) |
|
Significant accomplishment of the student near completion of MS program |
$500-1,600 |
|
Award |
Category |
Award Range ($) |
|
Outstanding student within first three semesters of their doctoral program |
$200-600 |
|
|
Significant accomplishment of the student near the completion of PhD program |
$500-1,600 |
|
Award |
Category |
Award Range ($) |
|
Outstanding student at M.S. or Ph.D. level; renewable. Available only to citizens of the United States |
$800-1,600 |
|
|
Outstanding student at M.S. or Ph.D. level with strong scholarship (evidenced by grades and professional productivity) and exceptional service to the department, campus, community, and/or profession. |
$200-500 |
|
|
Outstanding graduate student in Entomology of either MS or PhD |
$800-1,200 |
|
|
Outstanding graduate student in Entomology of either MS or PhD |
$1,000 (up to 3 awards) |
Graduate Student Mini-Grants
Funding of $500 per grant (one each for MS and PhD students annually) will be used to support the thesis or dissertation research projects. The funds may be used to purchase necessary supplies, or to support travel for data collection or training workshops relevant to the student’s research program. Students may receive one mini-grant during their academic tenure in the department. Students must have completed at least one semester in their graduate program to be eligible for consideration. Contact current Chair of Academic Affairs Committee for more information (link is password protected). Applications are typically due November 1 of each calendar year (funds pending) and applicants are notified one month post application.
Graduate Support Available
The Department of Entomology at Kansas State University is always on the lookout for graduate students to undertake thesis or dissertation research in one of the top graduate entomology programs in the United States. GRAs are typically about $25,000, depending on credentials, and may include partial or complete tuition waiver or compensation. Contact entomology@ksu.edu or 785-532-6154.