Tuition & Aid

Graduate Scholarships

Graduate Studies Committee Achievement and Academic Awards for AY 2026-2027

The Graduate Studies Committee Awards & Scholarships Subcommittee is responsible for administering the Academic Award and the Achievement Award each spring. The cycle begins in February/March and culminates in recognition at the University Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD) celebration at the end of the spring semester.

Other scholarships are administered through the Office of Institutional Advancement are available at www.ccsu.edu/scholarships, or you may call the office of Institutional Advancement at 860-832-1748.

The IBP (Institute for Broadening Participation) would like to remind students of upcoming graduate fellowship and undergraduate scholarship deadlines. Many programs have application deadlines in the coming weeks and months!

Students can browse 77 different fellowship and scholarship listings.

Or use our advanced search feature to narrow down your selections by program.

Students can also sign up to receive notifications about programs.

GSA Scholarships

The Graduate Student Assembly provides funding for graduate research projects and educational conferences that enable graduate students to expand on their research, participate in professional development opportunities, and support their program’s graduate community.

Eligibility & Requirements

  • You must be a matriculated graduate student in good standing (GPA 3.0 or above).
  • You are allowed one scholarship per academic year.
  • You can apply for and receive funding multiple times, but preference will be given first-time applicants.
  • You must submit documentation of your expenses at the time of application (actual or estimated). Submissions without documentation will not be funded.
  • The GSA scholarships are for research or conferences only.
  • If applying for a research scholarship and your research includes either human or animal subjects, you must have prior approval or be in the process, like having a protocol number) from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) or the Institutional Animal Care and Use Council (IACUC) . Additionally, a faculty member/advisor must serve as the Principal Investigator. Any applications that do not have necessary paperwork from either IRB or IACUC cannot be considered.
  • You must be logged into the Central system using your student email in order to complete your application.
  • Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

Funding maximums:

Research $500

Conference: $1000

Applying for a Conference/Research Scholarship

Please complete the application in its entirety and attach required documents. Applications that are not fully completed or do not conform to the instructions below will not be reviewed.

Where an essay is required, please be thorough, concise, and detailed. Please explain how funding will benefit your thesis, your program, your academic development, and the graduate community at Central. You must have your name and student ID number on your document(s).

All documents must be uploaded in .pdf format.

Getting Funded and Payment Disbursement

All awards go directly into your Central student account. If you are a student who utilizes direct deposit for your return of excess funds via the Bursar’s Office, your funds will be posted directly to your bank account, otherwise a check will be made out to you and sent to your address on file. Please note: If you owe a balance to the university, the scholarship will apply directly to your outstanding balance. The GSA does not facilitate reimbursement.

PLEASE GIVE UP TO 30 WORKING DAYS TO RECEIVE FUNDING

Please note: the graduate studies office CANNOT facilitate payment on any of the awarded funding.

Apply here:

RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIP SPRING 2026

CONFERENCE SCHOLARSHIP SPRING 2026

DEADLINE FOR APPLYING IS 02/09/2026

Decisions made 02/20/2026; students notified by 02/24/2026

Questions? Email gradstudies@ccsu.edu 

The Graduate Student Assembly provides funding for graduate student societies to expand their community and develop enriching co-curricular involvement opportunities within their degree programs. Funds for Graduate Societies can be used for operations, programs, promotions, food, and other things throughout each semester.

Eligibility & Requirements

  • Each society must be actively meeting and have a current president, secretary and faculty advisor.
  • Society president and treasurer must be matriculated students in good standing.
  • Faculty and/or students can apply for funding.
  • Societies can only submit one budget per academic year.
  • Society budgets cannot exceed $1500
  • Please fill out the application completely and be specific as possibly when describing the funding you are seeking.
  • You must be logged into the Central system using your student email in order to complete your application.

Getting Funded and Payment Disbursement

If funded, the award will be transferred to your society banner account. Societies can work with Central’s Accounts Payable department to create purchase orders for goods and services. Graduate Studies also has a GSA p-card that can be used for certain purchases but we cannot order goods, make reservations, pay vendors directly, or reimburse purchases made by individuals.

Apply here: GSA Society Budget

Spring 2026 application deadline is 02/09/2026.

No late applications will be considered. 

Decisions made 02/20/2026; students notified by 02/24/2026

Incoming Students

Central awards merit-based scholarships to select newly admitted graduate students as part of the admission process in accordance with the criteria for each of the scholarship programs. No scholarship application is necessary to be considered for an admission-based merit scholarship, but a FAFSA may be required in some cases.

To be eligible for financial aid, a student must be matriculated at Central.

Academic Award

The Graduate Student Academic Award is available to any student nominated by faculty who meets the requirements. The award is strictly ceremonial; there is no scholarship attached. 

Nomination Process:

  • Department chairs will receive a list of eligible students (compiled by the Graduate Studies Awards & Scholarships Subcommittee) to share with program coordinators and faculty
  • Programs can nominate as many students as they like, provided they meet the criteria

Award criteria:

  • 3.5 GPA or higher,
  • No Cs, and only one B on their transcript
  • No incompletes (with the exception of an incomplete for their thesis/capstone/scholarly project)
  • Students do not need to have any remaining credits beyond the semester in which the award is given

Achievement Award

The Graduate Student Achievement Award is given to one student from each school and one student from an AOCP/ 6th year program. Recipients are awarded a $1,000 scholarship and therefore need to have at least 3 remaining credits beyond the semester the award is received. 

Nomination Process:

  • Each program nominates one student (process is program dependent) and provides a letter of recommendation.
  • Nominated students provide their transcripts and a resume/CV along with a cover letter expressing their qualifications for the award. 

Award criteria:

  • Scholarly Inquiry – Students will have demonstrated exceptional intellectual curiosity, reflective thinking, and the application of rigor in the evolving formulation of knowledge.
  • Leadership – Students will have demonstrated initiative for shaping the direction of their disciplines by modeling high standards of professional behavior and motivating others to do the same.
  • Community Engagement – Students will have endeavored to address the educational, socio-cultural, and economic needs of their communities, whether on campus or within the broader region.

The Graduate Studies Committee Awards & Scholarship Subcommittee will review the nominations and choose winners based on the above criteria. The winners, the nominating faculty, and the student’s family are invited to a luncheon during the University’s URCAD (University Research and Creative Achievement Day) celebration, where they will be acknowledged. Those nominated for the Achievement Award but do not win will automatically receive an Academic Award. 

Timeline:

  • Nomination forms open on March 23rd
  • Nominations due by April 6th
  • Student materials for Achievement Award due by April 13th
  • Winners announced on April 20th
  • URCAD Awards on May 8th

Graduate Studies Committee Awards & Scholarships Subcommittee

Jillian Maynard (Chair) - j.maynard@ccsu.edu

Leah Scharfenberger – leah.scharfenberger@ccsu.edu 

Stephanie Stewart – stephaniestewart@ccsu.edu 

Amy Gagnon (Graduate Studies Office) - amygagnon@ccsu.edu 

American Association of University Women (AAUW) International Fellowship

Women graduate students and scholars are encouraged to apply for an American Association of University Women (AAUW) International Fellowship! The deadline for 2017-18 awards is December 1st and quickly approaching.
Who may apply: Women pursuing full-time graduate or postdoctoral study in the United States who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
Funding: $18,000 - $30,000
Deadline: December 1st

Forté Foundation is a non-profit consortium of leading companies and top business schools working together to launch women into fulfilling, significant careers through access to business education, opportunities, and a community of successful women.

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