ASSISTANTSHIPS. SCHOLARSHIPS, AND RESEARCH FUNDING
Tuition and research funding awards are available each year for graduate students in Communication Sciences and Disorders. The assistantships, clinical traineeships, scholarships and funding sources listed below are offered through the department, college, graduate school, and other organizations. Some of them require a formal application, while others are by nomination only.
Please note: Students who work during their graduate program are advised to work 10 hours per week or less. Students who work greater than 10 hours per week (e.g., assistantship, outside employment) might need to extend their program by up to one year to ensure they gain their clinical hours.
Office of Special Education Program CONTAACT-ME Grant Opportunity
The Cross-disciplinary Online Training to promote Augmentative and Alternative Communication and Tele-Intervention for Maine (CONTAACT-ME) project is a grant awarded to the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders in partnership with the College of Education and Human Development. CONTAACT-ME targets students who are interested in serving early intervention populations with complex communication needs here in the state of Maine. Graduate students in the UMaine Speech-Language Pathology and Early Intervention programs who receive this grant funding support can expect partial tuition support for two years, along with additional perks to enhance learning experiences.
A service agreement of 2 years per funded academic year is required, as is participation in a graduate seminar; additionally, students participating in this program can expect to take courses during the summer and complete 4 credits in addition to the required courses for the graduate CSD program.
You must be accepted in the Graduate CSD program to be considered for CONTAACT-ME cohorts. Applications for the Fall 2021 cohort now being accepted. Detailed information about the project and project commitments, as well as a link for the competitive application process can be accessed here. If you have specific questions about this opportunity, please contact Dr. Jennifer Seale at Jennifer.seale@maine.edu
Departmental Graduate Assistantships
Up to five graduate assistantships are awarded competitively each year to outstanding Communication Science and Disorders applicants to work in CSD research laboratories. Assistantships include partial tuition coverage and a generous monthly stipend. Applicants wishing to be considered for an assistantship should contact the graduate coordinator.
SCHOLARSHIPS
The Regional Graduate Scholarship program is designed to reduce out of state tuition costs for new Communication Science and Disorders graduate students from VT, RI, NJ, MA, CT, NH, and PA.
Atlantic Provinces Graduate Scholarship
Three scholarships paying a year’s tuition are available on a competitive basis to graduates of the colleges and universities of the Atlantic Provinces and Quebec. The Graduate School requests nominations from departments in early February.
Graduate Trustee Tuition Scholarship
Up to twenty University of Maine graduate scholarships, which pay a year’s tuition, are available on a competitive basis to students enrolled in graduate programs. Scholarship recipients are required to register for nine hours of credit each semester. The Graduate School requests nominations from departments in early February.
The University of Maine Graduate School awards two scholarships which pay a year’s tuition are available to graduate students whose socioeconomic background, prior academic or work experience, and/or graduate educational interests would bring a unique perspective to the University of Maine community. Preference for these scholarships is given to individuals from groups that have been traditionally underrepresented at the University of Maine. Scholarship recipients are required to register for nine hours of credit each semester. The Graduate School requests nominations from departments in early February.
Available through the Autism Society of Maine, each year one $2,500 scholarship is awarded in memory of Lynda Mazzola, MA, CCC-SLP, founding member of the Autism Society of Maine. This scholarship is awarded to a Maine student who has completed a bachelor’s degree, or is soon to graduate, and has been accepted to a master’s or doctoral degree program in speech-language pathology or occupational therapy.
Student can apply for a variety of scholarships through the Maine Community Foundation. Two of these scholarships are listed below.
The Herbert Wardle Jr Fund was established to support, in priority order, graduates of Mt. Desert Island High School, residents of Mt. Desert Island, residents of Hancock County, and residents of the State of Maine pursuing post secondary education at the University of Maine. This fund is intended to benefit students in the College of Natural Sciences, Forestry, and Agriculture.
Kingsley Brown Educational Fund
The Kingsley Brown Educational Fund was established by the friends and family of Kingsley Brown to provide scholarship support for higher education at the graduate level for graduates of high schools in Washington County. Applicants must be accepted into an accredited graduate degree program to be eligible.
Awarded through the Autism Society of Maine, each year one $2,500 scholarship is awarded in memory of Lynda Mazzola, MA, CCC-SLP, founding member of the Autism Society of Maine. This scholarship is awarded to a Maine student who has completed a bachelor’s degree, or is soon to graduate, and has been accepted to a master’s or doctoral degree program in speech-language pathology or occupational therapy.
Mary K. Brandt / Jon Petit Scholarship
This scholarship by the Maine Speech-Language-Hearing Association (MSLHA)is for a Maine resident who is studying communication disorders at the graduate level. More information or to apply to the scholarship, visit the MSLHA website.
RESEARCH FUNDING
Graduate Student Government Grants
The University of Maine Graduate Student Government awards individual grants for conference presentations, professional development, research supplies, and conference travel.
ASHA offers this award to help students attend ASHA’s annual Convention to highlight the research activities of emerging scientists and encourage careers in science and research. Awardees are selected solely on the basis of their abstract submission to the ASHA Convention. No additional application is required.
Other Funding
The University’s Graduate School maintains a funding guide with a helpful overview of the different types of financial assistance that graduate students at UMaine receive. Students can also search a listing of assistantships available on campus using CareerLink, which can be accessed here, with another up-to-date list available here. If the applicant is eligible for Federal work-study, contact the Office of Student Employment to determine what work-study positions are currently available.
Plural Publishing Research Scholarships
Plural Publishing currently funds two scholarships to support graduate student research. There are two award categories: one Master’s/AuD award intended for clinical students pursuing research in speech-language pathology or audiology and one doctoral-level award intended for PhD students pursuing research in audiology, speech-language pathology, or speech-language-hearing sciences. Award amount: One $3,000 scholarship per award category. This scholarship program is open to students of CAPCSD member programs in good standing. Applications are submitted online.
New England Board of Higher Education Regional Program
The NEBHE Regional Student Program allows students from New England states to attend the University of Maine at a reduced tuition rate for selected academic programs. NEBHE eligible students receive a tuition break, reducing the out-of-state tuition rate by nearly 50%.