Research Funding Opportunities
Several external programs fund undergraduate, master’s and Ph.D. student research.
AAPG Foundation Grants-in-Aid for Graduate Students
The American Association of Petroleum Geologists Foundation Grants-in-Aid program supports M.S. and Ph.D. students whose thesis research has application to the search for and development of petroleum and energy-mineral resources, and/or to related environmental geology issues.
Applications Typically Due: Mid-January
American Geophysical Union Research Grants and Awards
The American Geophysical Union Funds several types of research:
- Ph.D. candidates in hydrology or water resources research
- AGU student members who have designated Near-Surface as one of their AGU affiliations
- Graduate students studying atmospheric science and space physics
Applications Typically Due: Mid-April
Geological Society of America Graduate Student Research Grants
The primary role of the GSA research grants program is to provide partial support of master's and doctoral thesis research in the geological sciences for graduate students enrolled in universities in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Central America.
Applications Typically Due: Early February
Geological Society of America South-Central Undergraduate Student Research Grants
The South-Central Section of the Geological Society of America offers competitive undergraduate research grants to students enrolled in institutions of higher education in the South-Central Section and who are student members of the Geological Society of America.
Applications Typically Due: Early April
Gulf Coast Associations of Geological Societies Student Grant
Open to master’s or doctoral degrees or special studies of undergraduates under the direct supervision of a faculty member. Research projects in the following fields of study related to the Gulf Coast region are eligible for consideration: geology, geophysics, energy and mineral resources, geohydrology, environmental geology, and paleontology. Also eligible are general geosciences topics with direct, well-explained application to the Gulf Coast region.
Applications Typically Due: Mid-February
Society of Economic Geologists Student Research Grants
Individual Student Research Grants are for one year and typically range from $1,000 to $5,000. These grants support graduate student research projects leading to master's or doctoral degrees, and exceptional B.S. Honors projects. Students in mineral resource study programs throughout the world are eligible and encouraged to apply.
Awards Typically Announced: Late April
Society for Exploration Geophysicists Near-Surface Research Award
The SEG Near-Surface Geophysical Research Endowment helps students doing research in the field of near-surface geophysics. Near-surface geophysics involves the application of geophysical methods to the study of subsurface targets primarily associated with hydrogeological and environmental studies, earthquake hazard assessment, geotechnical evaluation, archeological investigations, and agricultural studies. Depths of investigation may range from less than a meter to approximately a kilometer.
Applications Typically Due: End of April