Wildlife and Fisheries Science Scholarships

Want to be a Park Ranger?

There are boundless opportunities in the growing arena of environmental conservation, specifically in wildlife and fisheries studies. A park ranger is just one of many jobs ideal for the student who is an outdoor enthusiast and holds a degree in the field of wildlife and conservation science. Others areas of employment in the natural sciences include: Conservation Officers, Fisheries Management, Wildlife Management, Natural Resources Management, and Environmental Science Officers. With the growth of the environmental conservation movement in the last decade, these university departments, and consequently jobs, are expanding significantly along with their funding.

Undergraduate and Graduate Student Scholarships at Texas A&M University

Texas A&M University (TAMU) offers a wide variety of scholarships in its Wildlife & Fisheries Department for undergraduates as well as graduate students.

TAMU Undergraduate Student Scholarships

Various scholarships are available for freshman students in amounts ranging from $400 to $2500 per year. Apply for these through the Texas Common Application as a first year student. The applications become available on September 1 of each year and are due February 1 of the following year.

Six different scholarships are available for upperclassmen. These may be applied for through the Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences department of TAMU. The applications open every November/December and are due February 1 of the following year through the scholarship department. These scholarships and their qualification criteria are as follows:

Junior and Seniors

The Daniel Wayne Lay Scholarship of $1000 is for juniors and seniors with a 3.0 GPA who can demonstrate financial need and are enrolled in the Wildlife option of the Department of Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences at TAMU. These applicants must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States of America.

Financial Need-Based

The W. B. Davis Scholarship of $1000 is for any undergraduate student who can demonstrate financial need and are enrolled in the Wildlife option of the Department of Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences at TAMU. These students must also be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States of America.

Protector of Natural Resources

The Donnie Harmel Scholarship of $1000 is for any undergraduate student enrolled in the Wildlife option of the Department of Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences at TAMU who is in good academic standing. Applicants must also show a record of involvement in extracurricular activities related to the major; be honest, be a hard worker, and exemplify a wiliness to fully utilize their education in protecting our natural resources. These students must also be residents of Texas.

GPA in the Way?

The Rick & James Beck Scholarship of $1000 is for any Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences major who is a junior or senior in the Fisheries/Aquaculture option at TAMU. These students must also be a Texas resident who can demonstrate financial need; show determination to succeed; and may not be eligible for other scholarships due to their GPA.

Scholarship for Hunters

The Dallas Ecological Foundation Scholarship of $1000 is for any undergraduate student in the Wildlife option of the Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences major at TAMU, in good standing and who possesses a current Texas hunting license.

William C. Spalsbury Scholarship

The William C. Spalsbury Scholarship of $500 is available to those undergraduate students with a 3.0 GPA and are enrolled in the Wildlife option of the TAMU Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences major. These students must also be in good standing with the university, and be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States of America.

TAMU Graduate Student Scholarships

Four scholarships are available for graduate students at TAMU in amounts between $1000 and $5000. They can be applied for through the Graduate department of the Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences. These scholarships and their qualification criteria are as follows:

W. B. Davis Scholarship

The W. B. Davis Scholarship of $1000 is for any graduate student in the Wildlife Ecology and Management program of the Wildlife & Fisheries Science major who has a 3.0 GPA and is a citizen or permanent resident of the United States of America attending TAMU. Applications are due February 1.

Spring Semesters Only

The Baldouf Scholarship of $1000 is for any graduate student in the Wildlife & Fisheries Science major with a research emphasis in environmental conservation or wildlife and fisheries ecology. These TAMU students must also have a 3.0 GPA and be in good standing with the university. This scholarship is only available for spring semesters. Applications are due November 1.

Coastal Conservation Association Scholarship

The Coastal Conservation Association Scholarship for $5000 is available to those graduate students attending TAMU with a 3.0 GPA and in good standing with the university. These students must also be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States of America, and be involved with research which increases understanding of recreational marine fisheries. Financial need, academic record, and personal background will all be considered. This scholarship is renewable yearly by eligibility. Applications are due June 1.

J.H. Benedict, Sr. Memorial Graduate Student Scholarship

This scholarship is for a full-time graduate student in good standing pursuing a degree in Entomology or Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences. Recipients are chosen based on personal achievement, extracurricular accomplishment, academic standing, and financial need. The scholarship is for $2500 to go towards tuition and fees.

North Carolina State University Scholarships

North Carolina State University (NCSU) offers a number of available scholarships for undergraduate students interested in its Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences department.

Bull Neck Swamp Scholarship

The Bull Neck Swamp scholarship for $4000 annually is offered to students studying in the Fishery and Wildlife Sciences department who have shown strong academic achievement. A 3.5 GPA is required of incoming freshman, and a 3.3 GPA is required of transfer or current students. The scholarship is sponsored by the Bull Neck Swamp Research Forest.

The Thomas L. Quay Award

The Thomas L. Quay Wildlife and Natural Resources Undergraduate Experiential Learning Award is awarded annually in the form of a check presented at an awards ceremony to qualified students with Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, Environmental Science, or Natural Resources Ecosystem Assessment majors.

The Felton P. Coley Scholarship

One Felton P. Coley scholarship is awarded annually to a student interested in wildlife conservation and management who is studying within the Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology department. The award is based on merit and financial need.

Wildlife Summer Camp Scholarships

The Carteret County Wildlife Club and the student chapter at NCSU of the American Fisheries Society provide several students the opportunity to attend wildlife summer camp. The award is based on demonstrated achievement, motivation and financial need.

Camp Younts Foundation

Students preferably from Virginia or North Carolina are eligible to receive several educational opportunities from the Camp Younts foundation for study based on professional promise, leadership potential, financial need and achievement.

University of Missouri’s School of Natural Resources

The University of Missouri’s School of Natural Resources offers about 15 scholarships every year through its Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Science. The scholarships range in award from $200 to $8000 and are based on everything from academic merit to personal achievement and leadership potential, along with demonstrated need.

To apply, visit the Undergraduate Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Science scholarship application. The applications are due in February.

There are also opportunities available in University of Missouri’s Graduate Department for Fisheries and Wildlife Science. They offer a research and teaching assistant program to help offset the costs of tuition.

Other Scholarships

Other scholarships or funding opportunities may be available in this field through the American Fisheries Society or the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Please check with the financial aid office or with the Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences department of the college or university you are interested in for further resources.

J. Frances Allen Scholarship Award

Female doctoral fisheries students may apply for the J. Frances Allen Scholarship award. The applicant must be a female PhD student who is an active American Fisheries Society (AFS) member.  The applicant must be conducting aquatic research in line with AFS objectives, which include “all branches of fisheries science, including but not limited to aquatic biology, engineering, fish culture, limnology, oceanography, and sociology”.  For more information, visit the American Fisheries Society call for awards.

Great Lakes Fish Research Graduate Students

The Norman S. Baldwin Fisheries Scholarship is a $3,000 scholarship available to M.Sc and Ph.D. students who are not in their final year of school and have not previously received this award. Students must also propose a research topic related to Great Lakes fish research. Students attending schools in the Great Lakes states as well as Canada have been prior recipients of this award.