Tuition and Funding
The cost of full-time study for the school year 2009-2010 (9 or more credit hours) is $5,257 for Virginia residents, and $12,102 for non-Virginia residents for each semester. Most students are funded throughout their research programs by fellowships and research assistantships. In most cases tuition is paid by the student’s advisor.
Tuition Payment Methods
- Cash or Check
- Fellowship Recipient
- Payroll Deduction
- P.I. Support
Tuition Reduction Privileges
- In-State Tuition Privilege for Out-of-State Students
- As an Assistantship Holder
- With Permanent Domicilary status
- (final semester of enrollment)
Financial Aid
Funding and Awards Opportunities for Students
- NSF GK-12 Fellowship
- VIMS-GSA Conference Fund
- General-Funded Fellowships
- General-Funded Assistantships
- Hall-Bonner Program for Minority Doctoral Scholars in Ocean Sciences
- Teaching Assistantships
- Teaching Scholarship Award
- John M. and Marilyn Zeigler Student Acheivement Award
- Dean's Prize for Advancement of Women in Science
- Craig L. Smith Memorial Educational Scholarship Endowment
- William J. Hargis, Jr. Fellowship Award
- Kelley Watson Fellowship
- Matthew Fontaine Maury Student Fellowship Award
- VIMS-GSA Mini-Grants
- Student Research Grants
- Best Student Publication Award
- Willard Van Engel Fellowship in Crustacean Research
- College of William & Mary Funding Sources
NSF GK-12 Fellowship
PERFECT: Partnership between Educators and Researchers for Enhancing Classroom Teaching. VIMS graduate fellows can improve their communication and teaching skills while enriching marine science content and instruction for their K-12 partners.
VIMS-GSA Conference Fund
The VIMS GSA conference fund was established to allow enrolled VIMS graduate students to attend scientific conferences in support of their research. The award for the GSA Conference Fund for any VIMS graduate student presenting (poster or talk) at a conference is $100. This award is also available to students who are not presenting but can demonstrate that the meeting is important to their research interests. Awards are to be used toward travel expenses or registration only, and are meant to supplement travel funds from other sources. This award is available only once per degree at VIMS. For more information, please read the guidelines for this fund.
General-Funded Fellowships
During the admissions process, approximately five incoming students are awarded fellowships paying tuition costs and providing a stipend. A supplement to help pay health insurance costs are also provided. The fellowships are renewable based on student progress for a maximum of 33.5 months.
General-Funded Assistantships
During the admissions process, approximately fourteen incoming students are awarded assistantships providing a stipend for the first year (9.5 months). A supplement to help pay health insurance costs is also provided.
Teaching Assistantships
A limited number of teaching assistantships are available each year through the Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies. These are usually available to students after completing their first year of graduate studies. Students wishing to be considered for a teaching assistantship should apply through the Graduate Dean's office. Teaching assistantships provide a stipend prorated to the duration of the assistantship and a supplement to help pay health insurance costs during the tenure of the teaching assistantship.
Teaching Scholarship Award
Private funds designated for rewarding scholarship are available for a series of Teaching Scholarship Awards. The awards will be given annually to students demonstrating an ability to create and present excellent short courses needed by VIMS graduate students but which are not available within the regular curriculum. This award is intended to (1) foster teaching excellence in topics areas needed by the VIMS graduate community, (2) visibly emphasize that VIMS recognizes and supports teaching excellence, and (3) enhance the students' teaching credentials. For more information, please read the guidelines for this award.
John M. and Marilyn Zeigler Acheivement Award
This award honors the past contributions of Dr. John Zeigler, the first SMS Associate Dean of Graduate Studies, and the continuing contributions of Mrs. Zeigler to student needs. The award represents an opportunity to formally recognize our students and the genuine contribution they make to the Institute through their participation in our academic and research program. Eligible students are those who are presently enrolled in VIMS graduate program. The award will be based on scholarship, leadership. research initiative, outstanding publications, and/or exceptional thesis or dissertation work. Outside recognition by such organizations as the National Science Foundation, National Research Council and professional societies will also be considered.
Dean's Prize for the Advancement of Women in Science
The Dean's Prize is awarded to a student, staff or faculty (male or female) who has made successful and significant contributions in "advancement of women in marine science", within the context of VIMS. The Dean's Prize in the School of Marine Science is to honor the recognition and involvement of women in the field of marine science and to foster the successful advancement of women into careers in the field.
Craig L. Smith Memorial Educational Scholarship Endowment
The income from this endowment is used to support an academically distinguished graduate student with demonstrated financial need at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science or applied for the best use of the graduate studies program at the discretion of the Dean and Director. In recent years, it has been awarded to a graduate student applying for funding through the GSA mini-grant program.
Named in memory of Professor Craig L. Smith, Associate Professor of Marine Science in the Department of Environmental Sciences, this fund was established by friends of the late Professor Smith to provide scholarship assistance for an academically distinguished graduate student with demonstrated financial need at VIMS. Professor Smith came to the Institute to study environmental chemistry and motion of oil spills in coastal waters. He later worked on the organic geochemistry of contaminated Coastal Atlantic sediments. Professor Smith also is responsible for the creation of the Toxics database for the Department of Environmental Quality. This system allows one to access analytical data regarding toxic chemicals found in samples from the Chesapeake Bay along with ancillary data regarding location, date, etc.
William J. Hargis, Jr. Fellowship Award
This award is supported by the William J. Hargis, Jr. Endowment to honor the former long time Director and Dean of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, School of Marine Science, College of William & Mary. It is also supported by matching funds from the Virginia Graduate and Undergraduate Assistance program. The award is made each year to the first year Master's or doctoral graduate student who, in the judgement of the core course instructors, faculty members and the Dean of Graduate Studies demonstrate superior academic performance and exceptional promise for a successful career in marine science.
Kelley Watson Fellowship
The Kelley Watson Fellowship, formerly known as the Dean's Fellowship, recognizes a student who - although not supported by an SMS fellowship - exhibits academic excellence and leadership in the core courses during the first year of graduate study. The fellowship is named in the memory of Kelley Watson, a member of the incoming class of September 2000, who impressed her teachers and fellow students with her enthusiasm, commitment to academic excellence and strong promise for a successful marine science career.
Matthew Fontaine Maury Student Fellowship Award
This fellowship endowment is made possible by a gift and pledge of Captain J. Maury Werth (Ret.) to honor his great-grandfather Matthew Fontaine Maury, a son of Virginia, often referred to as the "Father of Oceanography" for his pioneering work and studies in physical oceanography and meteorology. The award is open to the entire student body and recognizes strong interdisciplinary marine/environmental sciences research acheivements. The recipient will be accomplished in more than one area of specialization and will have integrated these areas into their thesis/dissertation work. The award will be based on interdisciplinary scholarship, research and/or policy/management efforts, outstanding publications, thesis or dissertation work. Outside recognition by such professional organizations and societies will also be considered. The Dean of Graduate Studies, faculty members and core course instructors decide the recipient of the award.
