oneColumn
Assistantships and Awards
There has never been a better time to explore UNF's graduate programs. We offer affordable, high quality programs with available financial aid from multiple sources. Contact the Graduate School at GraduateSchoolAwards@unf.edu if you have any questions.
Information
The Graduate School has several types of awards available to graduate students including graduate assistantships, tuition waivers, fellowships, and scholarships. Colleges and other university offices also offer a variety of awards. Graduate student awards are offered on a competitive basis. Full-time university staff are ineligible for awards offered by the Graduate School. Students are encouraged to make a financial plan to pay for graduate school including federal student loans, institutional aid and/or external funding. The Graduate School has resources to assist you including Paying for College Tips and our Cost Calculator. We strongly recommend contacting the Office of Financial Aid for additional information.
Some awards require a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Complete the FAFSA online and enter UNF's school code: 009841. For more information, refer to the Financial Aid Checklist. Please note that students may not be able to accept multiple awards and, if necessary, will be required to forfeit an award.
Graduate Assistantships
Graduate assistantships are state-classified university positions supported with university or grant funds and made available through the individual college in which your program of study is housed. Assistantship positions should complement the student program of study. Graduate students who wish to apply for an assistantship should contact the Graduate Program Director for their program of study for available positions.
Eligibility and Requirements
|
- Eligibility for an assistantship is limited to graduate students who are officially accepted into a degree seeking program and who are registered full-time in graduate level courses for the fall and spring terms.
- Full-time enrollment is considered nine (9) credit hours of graduate level courses for masters students, six (6) credit hours of graduate level courses for doctoral students.
- In special circumstances for students graduating at the end of a term, a reduction in class load may be approved. An Assistantship Criteria Exception Form will be required detailing the reasons for not being enrolled full-time. For the summer term only, the Assistantship Criteria Exception Form is waived for reduced enrollment.
- All graduate assistants are required to uphold a 3.0 cumulative GPA to maintain their award.
- Graduate assistants are typically not allowed to work more than 20 hours per week in all combined assistantship and student positions at UNF. Support, A&P, and faculty staff are not allowed to hold an assistantship position. Students who have been awarded assistantships are strongly discouraged from obtaining full-time employment outside the university.
- As required by Florida Statute 1010.35, the University of North Florida will collect additional information from applicants seeking research or research-support (Graduate Research Assistant) positions prior to an interview or an offer of employment. This information is not used in the evaluation of qualifications for the position. Your hiring department will provide you with the Graduate Foreign Influence Review Form link.
- Students registered with the DRC are encouraged to contact the Graduate School for information about how accommodations and exceptions may impact eligibility.
- Graduate Teaching Assistants are required to enroll in the Graduate School Canvas GTA Orientation or a department led GTA orientation.
|
Waiver Eligibility
|
|
To be eligible for the waiver(s), students must meet the all of the requirements for each waiver:
- In-state tuition waiver (awarded to select graduate students; not all positions are eligible)
- Be an active degree-seeking graduate student
- Hired at a minimum of 10 hours per week as a graduate assistant, graduate teaching assistant, or graduate research assistant
- Position must meet minimum stipend requirements
- Out-of-state tuition waiver
- Be an active degree-seeking graduate student
- Be classified as an out-of-state resident for tuition purposes
- Hired at a minimum of 10 hours per week as a graduate assistant, distance learning coach ggraduate assistant, graduate teaching assistant, or graduate research assistant.
|
Waiver Information and Processing
|
- Waiver is only applied towards graduate level tuition
- Fees* are not covered
- *Portion of the out-of-state financial aid fee is covered with an out-of-state waiver
- Students are liable for tuition not covered by the waiver(s), and fees
- In-state tuition waiver is determined from the position hours and is pro-rated based on enrollment of up to nine (9) graduate credit hours
- Waiver is only good for the semesters during which the student is employed
- Eligibility requirements must be maintained throughout the semester
- If the position is terminated or the student withdraws from courses before the final deadline to withdraw from the term in which the position is held, the waiver will be adjusted accordingly. This may result in an outstanding balance being owed. Refer to the Academic Calendar for the final withdrawal deadline.
- Student's are required to contact us if enrollment changes after the date the waiver was applied
Waivers are processed when the Workday Hiring Form (PAP) is received and approved by the Graduate School. An email notice is sent to the student when the waiver is processed. It takes 1-3 business days for the waiver to credit to the student bill. Students who are expecting a waiver should consider a payment plan if it has not posted within 3-5 business days of the payment deadline.
Each college's Dean's Office will notify the Graduate School which students are in-state tuition waiver eligible. Please speak with your hiring department if you have questions regarding your in-state tuition waiver eligibility.
Out-of-state tuition waiver does not require college notification and will be applied to all students that meet the above eligibility requirements.
|
Assistantship Types
|
- Graduate Assistant
- Performs general educational administration duties, and has no research and teaching responsibilities.
- Graduate Assistant DL Coach
- Duties include, but are not limited to, communicating with the instructor, posting announcements, assisting students with technical questions, participating in discussions, and documenting student comments, questions, and concerns.
- Graduate Research Assistant
- Involved in faculty-supervised research, but has no teaching responsibilities.
- Graduate Teaching Assistant
- Performs teaching duties under the supervision of an appropriate faculty member or administrator of a State University. This person may be the instructor of record for a course or a portion of a course.
|
Graduate Student Award
The Graduate Student Award is a means to recruit high caliber students who demonstrate financial need. This award provides first time graduate students with a total of $5,000 each academic year (split between fall and spring semesters) and can be awarded for up to two years as long as the student remains eligible. Thus, students who qualify will be granted a $10,000 award for their graduate education. Students moved from the waitlist may only be eligible to receive the Graduate Student Award for one academic year and granted a $5000 award for their graduate education. *Note: The Graduate School has limited funds, and all applicants will not receive an award.
Eligibility
|
|
To be eligible for the award, applicants must meet all of the following requirements:
- Be a first-time, degree-seeking graduate student at UNF and have submitted all required application materials for the summer 2025 or fall 2025 term. Students previously enrolled as post-baccalaureate or in a graduate certificate program at UNF are eligible.
- Show financial need as demonstrated by the FAFSA. Note: Graduate students are considered independent for FAFSA purposes; students who were not eligible for financial aid as an undergraduate dependent, may be eligible as a graduate student. International students cannot apply for federal student aid and are therefore ineligible for this award.
- Be enrolled full-time in their degree program (Programs may determine what is considered full-time for their nominees but it may be no fewer than 6 credit hours).
- Remain in Good Academic Standing (GPA of 3.0 or higher) for the duration of the award.
- Renewal for the second year is automatic if the recipient still demonstrates need via FAFSA, is in good academic standing, and funds are available.
Please note, full-time university staff are ineligible for awards offered by the Graduate School.
|
Request Form & Deadline
|
|
To be considered for this award, prospective students must:
- Submit all required graduate program application materials for an eligible term by the posted deadline;
- submit the Graduate Student Award Form; and
- have a FAFSA on file for the upcoming academic year by the award request form deadline.
Important Dates:
- Application opens March 1
- Application and FAFSA deadline May 1
- Recipients will be notified in June
|
Graduate Research Grant
The UNF Graduate School offers a limited number of grants each semester to graduate students pursuing experiences that are potentially transformative, both for advancing their scholarship and creativity and for expanding their future career opportunities.
Students submitting applications may apply for a maximum of $1000 in one of two categories listed below:
- Funding for research, creative activities, or training/clinical experience. Examples of appropriate expenditures include travel for research; expenses for an unpaid internship; and purchase of supplies, equipment, or data sets considered important for scholarly or creative work.
- Funding for disseminating the results of research. Examples of appropriate expenditures include article processing fees or subventions; registration and travel for presenting a paper or poster at a professional conference; costs for musical performances and recordings.
Eligibility
|
|
To be eligible for the grant, applicants must meet all of the following requirements when they apply, and maintain them during the semester in which the grant funds are disbursed:
- Completion of at least 6 credit hours in their program of study.
- Good Academic Standing, with a GPA of 3.5 or higher.
- Enrollment in at least one (1) credit hour (audited coursework will not count towards this requirement) during the term in which the grant will be awarded.
- We strongly recommend that you present at one of the UNF student research events UNF student research events U-GLIDE (December), SOARS (April), or ARISE (July); or submit to publish in the UNF PANDION journal.
- Submit proof of the activity with the application, e.g., proof of being accepted to present at a conference or research/creative proposal for a specified activity, in addition to a list of estimated expenses and your submission to present/publish at one of the above options.
|
Application & Deadline
|
|
To be considered for the grant, the application and supporting documentation should be fully completed and submitted before the activity's start date and the term end date as per the Academic Calendar. Grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis due to limited funding, which may lead to early closure of applications. Please note that multiple approvals are necessary before the Graduate School can process your application, so early submission is recommended at the beginning of the term.
- The grant application is submitted using Online Forms in myWings:
|
Notes
|
- If you are unsure if an activity qualifies under this grant, please email graduateschoolawards@unf.edu to verify prior to submitting your application.
- Master's students can only receive one award.
- Doctoral students can only receive two awards.
- Funds cannot be used to pay costs associated with tuition and fees.
- Funds cannot be used to fund faculty-led study abroad trips.
- Funds cannot be used to attend a conference, you must be presenting.
- Applications may be returned for additional information or further proof if needed.
- Funds can only be used on travel, registration, research/creative expenditures, etc. for the awarded student.
- Funding for the graduate research grant is intended to support independent or small research group (3-4 students) student efforts. Students participating in class group activities are not eligible.
- Applications may be submitted for activities taking place in the next term. If approved, funding will be disbursed during the application term.
- If approved, students will receive the amount requested in their application so long as the anticipated expenses are allowable and appropriate up to the maximum award amount.
- Students who have U.S. Department of Education Loans are limited in the amount of funding they can receive based on the cost of attendance in accordance with federal regulations. Students who receive the maximum allowable amount of loans and receive a Graduate Research Grant may have to reduce the amount of loan money borrowed. For more detailed information, please see the Financial Aid website: .
|
Delores Auzenne Fellowship
The Delores Auzenne Fellowship is designed to assist Florida's State Universities in recruiting high achieving graduate students. Under this program, graduate students are nominated by Graduate Program Directors to receive awards of $5,000 each ($2,500 per semester; fall/spring) for full-time study for a maximum of two academic years. Recipients who are eligible for renewal will automatically be awarded the next year.
Eligibility & Requirements
|
To be eligible for the fellowship, applicants must meet the following minimum requirements:
- Be a first-time, degree-seeking graduate student at UNF for the summer or fall term. Students previously enrolled as post-baccalaureate or in a graduate certificate program at UNF are eligible.
- Have been classified as a Florida resident for tuition purposes for at least 1 year preceding the award of aid (Florida Statute 1009.21). Students still undergoing residency review (link residency page) and classified as incomplete residency for tuition purposes will be considered, providing they complete residency requirements by the posted residency deadline of their admission term.
Colleges may set additional eligibility and application requirements including, but not limited to:
Students are advised to contact their graduate program director no later than April 30 for further details on being nominated for this award.
Please note, full-time university staff are ineligible for awards offered by the Graduate School. |
Jim and Millie Milligan Family Foundation Presidential Fellowship
The Jim and Millie Milligan Family Foundation Presidential Fellowship is a fellowship awarded to outstanding University of North Florida graduate students. Eligible students must meet graduate admission requirements and be accepted to the University of North Florida, earn and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00, and be enrolled full-time (9 credit hours). The Graduate School will administer an application and selection process. The Provost, through the Graduate School, will identify and recommend a nominee to the President. For the 2025-2026 academic year, fellowship recipient(s) will receive an award in the amount of $5,000.
Eligibility
|
|
To be eligible for the award, applicants must meet all of the following requirements:
- Be an active graduate student admitted and enrolled in a degree-seeking program
- Have an overall graduate cumulative GPA of at least 3.00
- Be enrolled full-time (9 credit hours)
Please note, full-time university staff are ineligible for awards offered by the Graduate School.
|
Request Form & Deadline
|
To be considered for the fellowship, applicants must:
- Complete the Data Sharing Consent Form
- Visit UNF Academic Works and complete:
- The General Application; and
- The Jim and Millie Milligan Family Foundation Presidential Fellowship. The Consent Form and General Application are required before applying for awards from specific colleges and units.
- A one-page written statement explaining how the fellowship will assist you in meeting your academic goals will be required with the application.
- Submit a FAFSA for the upcoming academic year
Important Dates:
Application for this fellowship will be available during the 2025-2026 academic year. |
Key Bradbury STEM Fellowship
The Key Bradbury STEM Fellowship provides financial means for graduate programs to recruit high caliber students. Graduate programs should use these funds to recruit prospective students who exhibit commendable academic merit and a history of leadership. This fellowship awards first time graduate students with a total of $10,000 each academic year (split between fall and spring semesters) and is awarded for up to two years as long as the student remains eligible. Thus, students who qualify will be granted a $20,000 scholarship for their graduate education.
Eligibility
|
To be eligible for the fellowship, applicants must meet all of the following requirements:
- Be a first time Doctoral or Master's degree seeking graduate student at UNF admitted for the summer 2026 or fall 2026 term. Students who were previously enrolled as post-baccalaureate or in a graduate certificate program at UNF are eligible.
- Show academic merit as evidenced by a recalculated graduate admissions GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Be enrolled full time in a STEM designated Doctoral or Master's degree program (Programs may determine what is considered full time for their nominees but it may be no fewer than 6 credit hours per semester). STEM programs are defined based on the Florida Board of Governors Strategic Plan.
- At UNF, this currently includes graduate programs in Biology, Building Construction, Business Analytics, Computing, Educational Technology and Training, Engineering, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Material Science and Engineering, Mathematical Sciences, and Psychological Science
- Remain in Good Academic Standing with a GPA of 3.0 or higher for the duration of the award.
Please note, full-time university staff are ineligible for awards offered by the Graduate School.
|
Application & Deadline
|
To be considered for the fellowship, applicants must:
- Complete the Data Sharing Consent Form.
- Visit UNF Academic Works and complete:
- The General Application; and
- The Key Bradbury STEM Fellowship. The Consent Form and General Application are required before applying for awards from specific colleges and units.
- A letter of recommendation from a professor or dean; and
- An essay of no more than 500 words that describes your leadership experience will be required with the application.
- Leadership experience includes, but is not limited to, athletic team involvement, school club or Greek organization officer, youth group leader, volunteer service leadership, etc.
- Submit an admissions application.
Important Dates:
- Application for this fellowship will be open for the 2026-2027 academic year.
|
Other Award Opportunities
