EIU Graduate School

Scholarships

• Frances Meyer Hampton Graduate Scholarship Award
• Betty Wright Downing Graduate Scholar Award
• Annie L. Weller Undergraduate or Graduate Scholar Award
• EIU University Professionals of Illinois Graduate Annual Scholarship
• GSAC 2023 Scholarship

Frances Meyer Hampton Graduate Scholarship Award

Purpose: The scholarship was established by the family of EIU alumna Frances Meyer Hampton to provide two years of financial support for a full-time graduate student in a master's degree program at Eastern Illinois University. The 2023-2024 award is valued at up to $5,000 for fall 2022 and up to $5,000 for spring 2023, with the remaining year to be determined.

Award: Monetary value to be determined each semester, please contact The Graduate School for more information.

Eligibility: The candidate must provide evidence of acceptance as a full-time graduate student in a master's degree program at Eastern Illinois University, must retain degree status in the selected program and provide evidence of full-time enrollment (nine or more semester hours) each semester that support is available, must have demonstrated good character, must have high scholarship ability, must demonstrate financial need, and must have demonstrated a potential for worthy future achievement.

Deadline: Thursday, February 16, 2023

Number: One award per year.

Selection: Award winners are selected by the Awards Subcommittee of the Council on Graduate Studies.

Obligation: Candidates selected for the award are expected to attend the Distinguished Graduate Students Awards Ceremony to receive their award.

Applying: Frances Meyer Hampton Graduate Scholarship Award Application

Betty Wright Downing Graduate Scholar Award

The Graduate School is accepting applications for the 2023 Betty Wright Downing Graduate Scholar Award. The award, distributed in the fall semester, was established by the family of Betty Wright Downing to provide financial support for a full-time graduate student enrolled in a graduate degree program at Eastern Illinois University related to a pre-medical or health-related field. Eligible programs include Chemistry, Communication Disorders and Sciences, Health Promotion, Human Services Program Administration, Exercise Physiology,  Biological Sciences, Counseling and Clinical Psychology.

• The award recipient shall be a graduate student in the field of pre-medicine or another health related field.
• The recipient must have a high academic standing in all graduate level courses as well as in their undergraduate coursework.
• The recipient must show a potential for success in their chosen field.
• The recipient must prove involvement in campus and community activities.
• The recipient must produce the appropriate written recommendations.

Applying: Betty Wright Downing Award Application

Deadline: Thursday, February 16, 2023

Annie L. Weller Undergraduate or Graduate Scholar Award

The Graduate School is accepting applications for the 2023 Annie L. Weller Undergraduate or Graduate Scholar Award. The award was established by the family of Annie L. Weller to provide financial support for a full-time undergraduate or graduate student majoring in social sciences, history, or physical sciences accepted to Eastern Illinois University.

Requirements for the scholarship include that the recipient shall plan to pursue a career in teaching, shall have a minimum grade point average of 3.50, and shall be a full-time undergraduate or graduate student majoring in one of the social science, history, or physical science programs listed below:

• BA or MA in History
• BS or MS in Chemistry
• BS or MA in Economics
• BS in Geography
• BS in Geology
• BS in Physics
• BS or MA in Political Science
• BA in Psychology
• MS or  Specialist’s in School Psychology
• MA in Clinical Psychology
• BS in Sociology
• BA in Social Science Teaching
• BS in Science with Teacher Certification

Applying: Annie L. Weller Scholarship Application

Deadline: Thursday, February 16, 2023

EIU University Professionals of Illinois Graduate Annual Scholarship

The Graduate School is accepting applications for the EIU University Professionals of Illinois Graduate Annual Scholarship. The Award was established by Dr. John Allison, President of the EIU University Professionals of Illinois in 2012 to provide financial support for a full-time graduate student accepted into any degree program at Eastern Illinois University. Requirements for the scholarship include that the recipient is a degree candidate, has a graduate GPA of 3.00 or higher, and earns the highest rank on a 2000-word (minimum) essay on a topic which makes a contribution to understanding the significance of organized labor.

Applying: EIU UPI Graduate Annual Scholarship Application

Deadline: Friday, February 16, 2023.

GSAC Scholarship

The Graduate Student Advisory Council will provide a $250 scholarship to two qualified candidates from each of the four academic colleges, one candidate enrolled in an online program and one enrolled in an on-campus program.

  Applicants must be graduate students in a degree-seeking program at EIU and in good standing with the Graduate School and the graduate program. Financial need is not a consideration. The selection committee will be comprised of the GSAC Faculty Advisor, Graduate School advisor and the GSAC executive committee. Anonymous applications will be submitted to the committee to ensure fairness in the selection process.  Applicants will be unable to serve on the selection committee.

The awardees will be featured in the "Graduate Scholar- Journal of Scholarship and Recognition".

Applying: GSAC Scholarship Application

Deadline: 4:30 p.m. on March 3, 2023.

The application requires an essay component.

The application requires an essay component. In 500 words or fewer, please reflect upon any challenges you have faced and how you overcame them with regards to building community during your graduate school experience during the pandemic. You may respond to this prompt generally or refer to these questions: 
1) How has your sense of graduate community changed in the pandemic?
2) In your opinion, how important has community been while in graduate school?
3) What have you done to build community during your graduate studies, either in your department, on campus, or in the local community?

Be sure to include specific examples to demonstrate your engagement in and your influence on EIU's graduate life. Because this is a scholarship from a graduate student organization, please focus on your graduate involvement, rather than undergraduate involvement.