Information for Graduate Students
Investing in the Next Generation of Scientists
Graduate students are an integral part of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ research mission, and the college provides numerous forms of support to help graduate (M.S. and Ph.D.) students succeed in their studies and research.
Recruiting Graduate Scholars
CALS is committed to recruiting passionate graduate scholars and supporting them academically, financially and professionally. By providing funding opportunities, a rich research environment and professional development, the college ensures its graduate students can contribute meaningfully to scientific discovery while progressing toward their degrees.
Graduate Student Support
Funding and Scholarships
Graduate students receive assistantship support (as teaching or research or administrative assistantships) through their departments or external grants, which provide tuition scholarships and stipends.
In most cases, CALS faculty support graduate students through graduate assistantships using their research grants. Departmental support may be available for students in graduate programs. CALS provides teaching assistantships to departments which are administered at the department level. Additional support is available through college-funded scholarships that are provided on a competitive basis. These awards, nominated through departments, recognize academic excellence, leadership and research potential. College supports its interdepartmental graduate programs (link to each) by supporting rotations, giving students an opportunity to experience different labs and projects before deciding on their mentor.
In addition to college-level awards, university-wide fellowships often find their way to CALS students. The college and its departments strive to provide multi-year funding packages for Ph.D. students whenever possible, combining internal and external sources. Students are also encouraged to apply for external fellowships with support from faculty mentors.
Professional Development and Community
Beyond financial support, CALS and Iowa State foster an environment where graduate students can grow professionally. Graduate students regularly present their work at conferences – and travel funding is often available from the Graduate College, research grants or professional societies to enable this.
Graduate students can also take advantage of mentoring and training resources. CALS faculty often involve grad students in grant writing and journal publishing, providing hands-on mentorship in proposal development and scientific writing. Iowa State’s Center for Communication Excellence offers writing consultants for theses/dissertations, and the Graduate College sponsors workshops on topics like research ethics, teaching and career preparation. Within CALS, departments often have seminar series where graduate students present research updates, gaining feedback in a friendly setting.