In addition to awards and honors, there are opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to apply for additional funding to engage in research and projects of their own design.

FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

Dean’s Scholar Program

The Dean’s Scholar Program exists to serve the needs of these extraordinary students by allowing them to design, in consultation with faculty advisors, imaginative and rigorous individual plans of study to meet the total credit hours required for graduation. It is expected that the course of study outlined by the Dean’s Scholar candidate will represent a program that cannot be effectively achieved using other options already available within the University. For more information visit the Dean’s Scholar website.

CEHD Summer Scholars

The Summer Scholars Program enables selected undergraduates, generally sophomores and juniors, to conduct in-depth research or creative work with University faculty. Students in the Summer Scholars Program work on their projects full-time for ten weeks in the summer and continue to complete three credits’ worth of research in the following academic year. Research and creative work is generally completed under the close supervision of a faculty member. The research done during the academic year may be part of the senior thesis for the Degree with Distinction or Honors Degree with Distinction. Each Scholar will receive a stipend of $3,000 and a summer housing allowance of $500. For more information visit the Summer Scholars website.

The David A. Plastino Scholars Program

The Plastino Scholars Program was established in 2007 by a gift from UD alumnus David A. Plastino. The Program awards study grants to selected undergraduate students at the University of Delaware who exhibit extraordinary talent, promise and imagination. The grants support self-designed, off-campus learning experiences that make a transformational difference in the lives of Plastino Scholars and enable them to pursue a passionate interest to a degree not otherwise possible. Normally, four Plastino Scholars will be awarded each year. The amount of each award will depend on the nature of the experience proposed. Except in unusual circumstances, the maximum individual award will be $6,000. For more information visit the Plastino Scholars website.

Service-Learning Scholars

Service-Learning Scholarships provide highly motivated students the opportunity to immerse themselves in a service-learning or community-based research project for ten weeks in the summer in a setting outside of the classroom. Scholars work in a Delaware community agency (non-profit, governmental, community-based action research, or service-based corporate activity) and simultaneously pursue academic reflection under the guidance of a UD faculty mentor. In this immersion-learning experience, students spend the bulk of their week working in the community and one-quarter of their time in academic reading, discussion, and reflection. Service-Learning Scholars receive a $3,000 stipend and an additional $500 housing allowance to enable students to participate in individual faculty-guided service-learning projects during 10 weeks in the summer.
For more information visit the Service-Learning Scholars  website.

FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS

Professional Development Award for Graduate Students

The Professional Development Award for Graduate Students is supported by the Office of the Provost to help University of Delaware graduate students participate in significant professional conferences pertaining to their field of study. Conference travel is essential to the academic growth and development of graduate students. It affords opportunities for presentation of student work in a professional setting, as well as opportunities for networking and exposure to the latest academic research. A maximum of $500 may be awarded.

The deadline for application for a travel award is one month prior to the beginning of travel. Awards are limited to one per academic year and to a maximum of two awards during the course of graduate study. The Policies, Procedures and Application can be found here. For more information visit the Professional Development Award  website.