Financial Aid for Current UMD iSchool Graduate Students

The College of Information Studies awards fellowships and assistantships to well-qualified applicants and students in its graduate programs. Budgetary constraints limit the number of awards, so while you are encouraged to apply for these programs, you should also explore other sources of aid. The Graduate School offers additional aid opportunities. When seeking financial aid, apply early. The announcement of awards of financial assistance will be made at the earliest possible date. We regret that, due to a large number of applicants for financial aid, we are able to notify recipients only.

Graduate Assistantships

Only degree-seeking students in the iSchool are eligible for assistantships available through the University. Graduate assistantships (GA) are available in the iSchool and across University departments. Students can find GA positions listed on the University employment site, the University Libraries employment page, through college email notifications, and program-specific email listservs.

Fulbright Program

The Fulbright US Student Program provides grants to graduate students to study or teach abroad. It is the nation’s largest study abroad fellowship program and is designed to give graduate students opportunities for international experience, personal enrichment, and open exchange of ideas with citizens of other nations. Awards typically last for one academic year, but length and timing of awards varies by individual country and/or region.

Effective Fall 2011, the Graduate School will provide one year (up to 20 credits) of tuition remission for Fulbright Students enrolling in a Ph.D. Program, and two years of tuition remission (up to 20 credits per year) for Fulbright students enrolling in a Masters Program. No Fulbright student may receive more than two years of tuition remission from the Graduate School. As always, tuition remission applies to fall and spring semesters only and does not cover winter or summer terms. (Masters students are eligible for two years of tuition remission because so few are provided graduate assistantships following their first year.)

The Fulbright application process begins 18 months in advance of the first grants in an award cycle. Application information is generally available in early February of each year for awards beginning in September of the following year. With the exception of the seminar offerings, the deadline for all applications August 1. Applications must be submitted online through the Fulbright website. For questions or assistance, please contact fulbright@umd.edu.

UMD iSchool Scholarships

A. For MLIS/PhD students only:

1. Helen A. Tegnell Scholarship

B. For MLIS students only:

2. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS) Scholarship

3. H. W. Wilson Foundation Scholarship

4. Mary Lee Bundy Scholarship

5. Noyes Library Association Scholarship

6. Frank G. Burke Scholarship (for HiLS students)

7. Barbara Van Dongen School Library Media Fellowship

8. B. Parker Hamilton Libraries of the Future Scholarship

9. Myra Wilson Scholarship

10. Christine Glaab Law Librarian Fellowship

11. Nancy & Daniel Balz MLIS Scholarship for Returning Students

12. Bruce Ambacher Digital Archives and Curation Fellowship

13. Gloria Davidson Endowed Fellowship (for students in our School Library specialization)

C. For MIM Students only:

14. MIM Alumni Scholarship

D. For Students in any iSchool Graduate Program (MLIS, MIM, HCIM, PhD):

15. Library Systems & Services (LSSI) Scholarship (for part-time students)

16. Dr. Joan Giesecke Health Informatics Fellowship

17. College of Information Studies Alumni Chapter Scholarship

* Please note: (1) Applicants who have already won a particular scholarship in a previous year are not eligible to be considered for the same scholarship again; (2) All awards are contingent upon availability of funds.

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Complete descriptions for each of the awards:

A. For MLIS/PhD students only:

A1. The College of Information Studies invites applications for the annual award of the Helen A. Tegnell Scholarship for one or more MLIS or PhD students. Established in December 1982 by a donation from Col. and Mrs. Russell M. Tegnell in memory of their daughter, Helen A. Tegnell, to provide financial assistance to worthy students enrolled in the MLIS or PhD programs in the College of Information Studies. The amount of the award(s) will be up to $5,000. Eligibility of Applicants: MLIS or PhD degree students currently enrolled at the College of Information Studies

B. For MLIS students only:

B2. The College of Information Studies invites applications for the award of the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS) Scholarship for one MLIS student planning on a career in collections and technical services, including acquisitions, cataloging, metadata, and collection management and preservation. The ALCTS Scholarship was established in 2018 by Bruce Johnson, who has worked as a Senior Library Information Systems Specialist for the Library of Congress for more than 30 years. Bruce was awarded the Margaret Mann Citation, recognizing his professional achievements in cataloging and classification. This scholarship is available to MLIS students who are planning on a career in collections and technical services, including acquisitions, cataloging, metadata, and collection management and preservation. The amount of the award will be up to $2,000. Eligibility of Applicants: MLIS students who are planning on a career in collections and technical services, including acquisitions, cataloging, metadata, and collection management and preservation, and who are currently enrolled at the College of Information Studies. Your Statement of Achievements, Career Interests, and Goals must demonstrate your interest in a career in acquisitions, cataloging, metadata, and collection management and preservation.

B3. The College of Information Studies invites applications for the H. W. Wilson Foundation Scholarship for an MLIS student with demonstrated academic excellence. The H. W. Wilson Foundation provides funding to ALA-accredited programs throughout the U.S. and Canada with the a
im of supporting students to attend the professional program of their choice. This scholarship is available to MLIS students who are currently enrolled in the College of Information Studies and who have demonstrated academic excellence. The amount of the award will be up to $5,000. Eligibility of Applicants: MLIS students who are currently enrolled at the College of Information Studies and who have demonstrated academic excellence.

B4. The College of Information Studies invites applications for the annual award of the Mary Lee Bundy Scholarship for one MLIS student planning on a career in public libraries. The Mary Lee Bundy scholarship was established in March 2007 by William G. Wilson to honor Dr. Bundy’s memory and her outstanding participation and influence in the Library and Information Services profession. This scholarship is available to MLIS students who are focusing on a career in public libraries and who are currently enrolled in the College of Information Studies. The amount of the award will be up to $1,000. Eligibility of Applicants: MLIS students who are planning on a career in public libraries and who are currently enrolled at the College of Information Studies. Your Statement of Achievements, Career Interests, and Goals must demonstrate your interest in a career in public libraries.

B5. The College of Information Studies invites applications for the annual award of the Noyes Library Association Scholarship for one or more students with an interest in children’s librarianship. Established in April 1988 by the Noyes Library Association of Kensington, Maryland, this scholarship is available to all MLIS students with an interest in children’s librarianship who are currently enrolled in the College of Information Studies. Preference will be given to students with demonstrated financial need. The amount of the award will be up to $2,500. Eligibility of Applicants: MLIS students with an interest in children’s librarianship who are currently enrolled at the College of Information Studies. Your Statement of Achievements, Career interests, and Goals must demonstrate your interest in children’s librarianship. Preference will be given to students with demonstrated financial need.

B6. The College of Information Studies invites applications for the annual award of the Frank G. Burke Scholarship for one or more students who have completed their first year in the History and Library Science (HiLS) specialization in the MLIS program and who have a demonstrated interest in archives and record management. The amount of the award will be up to $2,000. Eligibility of Applicants: Applicants must have completed their first year in the History and Library Science (HiLS) specialization in the MLIS program at the College of Information Studies. Your Statement of Achievements, Career Interests, and Goals must demonstrate your interest in archives and record management.

B7. The College of Information Studies invites applications for the annual award of the Barbara Van Dongen School Library Media Fellowship for one student who is enrolled in the School Library specialization at the College of Information Studies. Established by Barbara Van Dongen, an alumna of the College’s School Library Media program, this fellowship is available to any student who is currently enrolled in the School Library specialization in the College of Information Studies. The amount of the award will be up to $5,000. Eligibility of Applicants: Any student who is currently enrolled in the School Library specialization at the College of Information Studies.

B8. The College of Information Studies invites applications for the B. Parker Hamilton Libraries of the Future Scholarship for an MLIS student who champions diversity and inclusion in their academic focus, who is involved in their community, and who is planning to work in a library. Established by Art Brodsky and Jill Lewis to honor Parker Hamilton, who retired as Director of the Montgomery County Public Libraries after an extraordinary career that established MCPL as one of the nation’s leading public libraries. During her 36 years with MCPL (12 as the Director), Parker Hamilton worked tirelessly to make library services accessible to the increasingly diverse population of Montgomery County. Her dedication, leadership, and passion for libraries made a difference in the lives of everyone in Montgomery County. This merit-based scholarship is for MLIS students currently enrolled at the College of Information Studies. The amount of the award will be up to $2,000. Eligibility of Applicants: MLIS students currently enrolled in the College of Information Studies. Your Statement of Achievements, Career Interests, and Goals must demonstrate how you champion diversity and inclusion in your academic focus, your involvement in your community, and your plans to work in a library.

B9. The College of Information Studies invites applications for the annual award of the Myra Wilson Scholarship for one part- or full-time MLIS student with an interest in pursuing a career in law librarianship, public library reference service, or international librarianship. This scholarship was established in 1999 in memory of Myra Wilson, a graduate from the College of Information Studies, to honor “her respect for education, and her delight in finding answers to myriad, often obscure, questions…” The qualifications of the scholarship winner will reflect those of Myra Wilson: excellent interpersonal skills and a terrific sense of humor. This scholarship is for currently enrolled MLIS students with an interest in law librarianship, public library reference service, or international librarianship. The amount of the award will be up to $5,000. Eligibility of Applicants: MLIS students currently enrolled part- or full-time in the College of Information Studies. Your Statement of Achievements, Career Interests, and Goals must demonstrate your interest in law librarianship, public library reference service, or international librarianship. Your Statement must also clearly describe how you meet the qualifications, as detailed above.

B10. The College of Information Studies invites applications for the Christine Glaab Law Librarian Fellowship for an MLIS student who has a demonstrated interest in pursuing a career in law librarianship. This fellowship was established in 2018 by John Glaab in memory of Christine Glaab’s passion for libraries, reading, and education, as well as her dedicated service to the field of law librarianship. Christine Glaab received her bachelor of science degree in sociology and her MLS from the University of Maryland in 1975. She spent the majority of her career as a law librarian working for three large Washington, D.C. firms before completing her professional career as head librarian for the U.S. Government Surface Transportation Board. The Christine Glaab Law Librarian Fellowship has been established to encourage future professionals to enter this field and assist them in pursuit of their MLIS degree at the University of Maryland iSchool. The amount of the award will be $25,000. Eligibility of Applicants: Applicants for the Christine Glaab Law Librarian Fellowship must be currently enrolled in the MLIS program at the College of Information Studies and must be pursuing a career in law librarianship or have expressed an interest in serving as an information professional for a law firm, law school or court, or serving in the legal or judicial operations of a state or U.S. Government agency. Primary preference will go to students from West Virginia. If no student from West Virginia is eligible for the fellowship, the
award will be open to any MLIS student who fulfills the career-oriented intentions described above. Your Statement of Achievements, Career Interests, and Goals must demonstrate your interest in a career in law librarianship.

B11. The College of Information Studies invites applications for the annual award of the Nancy & Daniel Balz MLIS Scholarship for Returning Students for two currently enrolled MLIS students who are returning students. To qualify as a returning student, you must be at least 25 years old and have experienced a br3eak in your formal education before coming back to school. The Nancy and Daniel Balz MLIS Scholarship for Returning Students, established in 2018, will support scholarships for two returning students in the MLIS Program in the College of Information Studies. Nancy and Daniel Balz have chosen to establish this scholarship because of the positive experiences Nancy had taking classes in the MLS program in the early 1990’s. While working as a researcher for the Oxford University Press’ Oxford English Dictionary, she updated her 1972 Master’s in Library Science education with the computer skills and technical knowledge being taught to MLS students at the time. The support of the UMD faculty gave her the confidence to pursue her further goal of working in a public library. She spent the rest of her career working in the Montgomery County Library System as a Children’s Librarian at four successive libraries. The amount of the award will be $2,000. Eligibility of Applicants: Applicants for the Nancy and Daniel Balz MLIS Scholarship for Returning Students must be returning students who are currently enrolled in the MLIS program here at the University of Maryland College of Information Studies. Your Statement of Achievements, Career Interests, and Goals needs to describe your status as a returning student, your reasons for returning to school, your related achievements, and your career goals.

B12. The College of Information Studies invites applications for the annual award of the Bruce Ambacher Digital Archives and Curation Fellowship for an MLIS student who is enrolled in or entering the Archives and Digital Curation specialization at the College of Information Studies. This award honors the legacy of Dr. Ambacher at the iSchool in initialing the Archives and Digital Curation specialization and his extraordinary work in the archives profession. As a leader on the forefront of digital curation and electronic records management, Dr. Ambacher played a vital role in developing national and international standards and practices for digital curation and preservation. This scholarship is available to any MLIS student enrolled in or entering the Archives and Digital Curation specialization. The amount of the award will be up to $2,000. Eligibility of Applicants: MLIS students currently enrolled in or entering the Archives and Digital Curation specialization at the College of Information Studies.

B13. The College of Information Studies invites applications for the annual award of the Gloria Davidson Endowed Fellowship for an outstanding MLIS student who is enrolled in the School Library specialization at the College of Information Studies. This award was established by Gloria Davidson to recognize and reward future school library leaders. Gloria is a library and education leader whose career transformed the role of school librarians and the services of school libraries. As Head Librarian and Director of Media Services at T. C. Williams High School in Alexandria, VA, Gloria engaged principals, teachers, parents, and the school board in building valuable partnerships that elevated the understanding of the important role the library plays in a student’s education. Gloria received the Virginia Educational Media Association’s Educator of the Year Award for her leadership role in building one of the strongest library media collections in a Virginia public school. She was also recognized by the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce with their award for Excellence in Education. This merit-based scholarship is available to an outstanding MLIS student enrolled in the School Library specialization at the College of Information Studies. The amount of the award will be up to $3,000. Eligibility of Applicants: MLIS students currently enrolled in the School Library specialization at the College of Information Studies.

C. For MIM Students only:

C14. The College of Information Studies invites applications for the annual award of the MIM Alumni Scholarship for one or more students with demonstrated academic excellence. Established in 2012 by the alumni and friends of the MIM program, this scholarship is available to students currently enrolled in the MIM program at the College of Information Studies and who have demonstrated academic excellence. The amount of the award will be up to $2,000. Eligibility of Applicants: MIM degree students currently enrolled at the College of Information Studies who have demonstrated academic excellence.

D. For Students in any iSchool Graduate Program (MLIS, MIM, HCIM, PhD):

D15. The College of Information Studies invites applications for the annual award of the Library Systems & Services (LSSI) Scholarship for one or more part-time students pursuing any degree program at the college. The LSSI Scholarship Endowment was established by Library Systems & Services, LLC, in June 2000. This scholarship is available to part-time students pursuing any graduate degree program at the College of Information Studies. Applicants must be currently enrolled in six credits or fewer in the College and must intend to enroll in six credits or fewer in Spring 2020. The amount of the award will be up to $1,500. Eligibility of Applicants: Part-time students pursuing any graduate degree program at the College of Information Studies. Applicants must be currently enrolled in 6 credits or less at the College and must intend to enroll in 6 credits or less in Spring 2020.

D16. The College of Information Studies invites applications for the annual award of the Dr. Joan Giesecke Health Informatics Fellowship for two graduate students with an interest in health informatics, health librarianship, or health information technology pursuing any degree program at the College. Dr. Joan Giesecke received her MLIS from the University of Maryland in 1973. She spent 25 years in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s (UNL) Libraries, where she tripled the library’s endowment, oversaw renovations to improve the libraries in size and service, enhanced the diversity of the libraries’ faculty, and developed relationships to help the colleges advance their teaching and research. She joined UNL in 1987 and was promoted to Associate Dean, and then served as Dean of Libraries from 1996 to 2012. From 2012 until her retirement in 2014, Dr. Joan Giesecke served as special assistant to the Chancellor and coordinated campus-wide accreditation efforts. Upon her retirement, she was recognized as Dean and Professor Emerita. This fellowship is for one graduate student with an interest in health informatics, health librarianship, or health information technology pursuing any degree program at the College. The amount of the award will be up to $5,000. Eligibility of Applicants: Graduate students with an interest in health informatics, health librarianship, or health information technology who are pursuing any degree program at the College of Information Studies.

D17. The College of Information Studies invites applications for the annual award of the College of Information Studies Alumni Chapter Scholarship for one or more graduate students pursuin
g any degree program at the college. Established by the College of Information Studies Alumni Chapter, this award is given to any full- or part-time degree-seeking graduate student currently enrolled in the College of Information Studies. The amount of the award will be up to $5,000. Eligibility of Applicants: Any full- or part-time degree-seeking graduate students currently enrolled at the College of Information Studies. To be eligible for this scholarship, you need to ask an iSchool faculty member to submit a letter of recommendation on your behalf to ischoolawards@umd.edu. The letter must be submitted by the deadline specified in this call.

Selection of Recipients

Selection of recipients will be based on the applicant’s professional goals, career interests, academic achievement, and qualifications as defined by each scholarship award requirements. Based upon a review of students’ entire application packets, the iSchool Awards Committee will make the scholarship decisions.

Application Procedure

Please read these instructions carefully. A complete application packet must include:

1. Scholarship awards online application form:
https://ischool.umd.edu/forms/scholarship-application-form

Even if you are applying for multiple scholarships, submit only one (1) completed application form.

2. Current résumé or CV

Please name your file using the following naming convention: ‘YourLastName_YourFirstInitial_ Resume’ (e.g., ‘Smith_J_Resume’).

3. Current unofficial transcript

If this is your first semester, submit an unofficial transcript from the College or University that you most recently attended.
If you have completed at least one semester at the iSchool, you can request your unofficial transcript.
Before uploading your transcript, please rename your file using the following naming convention: ‘YourLastName_YourFirstInitial_Transcript’ (e.g., ‘Smith_J_Transcript’).

4. Statement of Achievements, Career Interests, and Goals

This statement must be no more than 500 words.
Separate statements must be submitted for each scholarship you wish to apply for.
Each statement should be targeted to the specific description and eligibility requirements of the particular scholarship. For example, a statement for the Noyes Library Association Scholarship will need to demonstrate an interest in children’s librarianship.
Please use the following file naming convention for each statement that you upload: ‘YourLastName_YourFirstInitial_ScholarshipName’ (e.g., ‘Smith_J_Noyes’).

5. List of three (3) references

For each reference, please include the person’s name, title, institution, contact information (including telephone number and e-mail address), the capacity in which you know (or have known) this person (e.g., instructor, advisor, employer), and how long you have known this person.
Please note that by submitting this application, you are giving us permission to contact any or all of these references.
Please name your file using the following naming convention: ‘YourLastName_YourFirstInitial_References’ (e.g., ‘Smith_J_References’).

6. If you are applying for the iSchool Alumni Chapter Scholarship, please ask an iSchool faculty member to submit a letter of recommendation on your behalf to ischoolawards@umd.edu. The letter must be submitted by the deadline specified below.

Applicant must upload numbers 2) through 5) via the online scholarship application form. Each of these must be submitted as a separate file. Please note that we can only accept the following file types: .doc, .docx, .pdf, or .rtf. If you have any questions, please contact ischoolawards@umd.edu.

Award Notification and Presentation

Decisions will be announced in mid-November. Awards will be presented at an awards ceremony in late May. Scholarship award recipients are expected to attend.

Travel Awards

“Beyond These Walls” Student Travel Awards

The College of Information Studies offers “Beyond These Walls” Student Travel Awards in both the Fall and Spring semesters. Established in 2012, this fund provides financial support to allow Master’s students from any program at the College of Information Studies to attend local and national conferences, present research, and gain experience and exposure to professionals in our field. If applying for a scholarship in the Fall, travel must be completed by March 15, 2020. If you would like to apply in relation to a trip that will take place after this date, please watch for the call for the Spring 2020 “Beyond These Walls” Student Travel Awards, which will come out early in the Spring semester. Two awards of up to $500 each are available for Fall 2019 and for Spring 2020.
Eligibility of Applicants: MLIS, MIM and HCIM students currently enrolled at the College of Information Studies
Deadline for Fall 2019: September 27, 2019

Dr. Dana Rotman Doctoral Student Travel Awards

The College of Information Studies is pleased to offer Dr. Dana Rotman Doctoral Student Travel Awards in both the Fall and Spring semesters. This fund was established by Dr. Yaron Rotman, Dana’s husband, to enable College of Information Studies doctoral students to attend and present at conferences. Dana received her doctorate from our College in 2013. As a student, Dana frequently attended academic and professional conferences and was excited to present her work, learn from fellow academics and researchers, and network with professionals in the field. Fall 2019 recipients of this award must complete their travel by March 15, 2020. If you would like to apply in relation to a trip that will take place after this date, please watch for the call for the Spring 2020 Dr. Dana Rotman Doctoral Student Travel Awards, which will come out early in the Spring semester. Two awards of up to $1,000 each are available for Fall 2019 and Spring 2020.
Eligibility of Applicants: Doctoral students who are currently enrolled in the College of Information Studies and who have been selected to present a paper or lead a committee or workshop, or who are assuming another significant scholarly role or a specific participation role, at a professional or academic conference.
Deadline for Fall 2019: Friday, September 27, 2019

Mary Edsall Choquette Study Abroad Awards

The Mary Edsall Choquette Study Abroad Award was established to provide financial support to enable a student who is currently enrolled in any program at the College of Information Studies to participate in one of the iSchool’s study abroad opportunities. This award was set up to honor th
e memory of our friend and colleague, Mary Edsall Choquette. Mary obtained her MLS degree (with a specialization in Archives and Manuscripts) from our iSchool, as well as a Ph.D. degree in Dance from Temple University. Most recently, she was a professor here at the iSchool, the Director of our Online MLS Program, a faculty advisor to student groups, a member of the iSchool’s alumni chapter board, and a leader of new educational opportunities. Mary designed and led several of our study abroad programs, including the “Follow the Fringe: Documentation and Preservation of Cultural Movements in Media” trip to Scotland to participate in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2013. She enjoyed travelling, particularly with students during their study abroad experiences.
All iSchool students who apply and are accepted into an iSchool Study Abroad Program will be personally invited to apply for a Mary Edsall Choquette Study Abroad Award.

If you have any questions, please contact ischoolawards@umd.edu.

Emergency Assistance - Bridging the Gap - Fund

The College of Information Studies invites faculty, staff, and students to submit a request that a student be considered for “emergency” financial assistance. The Emergency Assistance (“Bridging the Gap”) Fund provides emergency assistance of up to $500 to any iSchool student in need who is put forth by a faculty member, staff member, or fellow student and who is selected to receive these funds. Please note that students cannot apply directly for this emergency assistance funding.

There is no deadline – requests for bridging the gap funding can be made at any time.

If you have any questions, please contact ischoolawards@umd.edu

Additional UMD Resources

Resources Outside of UMD