Plant pathology graduate students have a variety of different funding opportunities ranging from research assistantships and fellowships to travel grants.
Research Assistantships
Research assistantships are available from individual faculty and highly qualified students are considered for research assistantship positions throughout the application review process. Most graduate students are offered research assistantships upon admissions to the Department of Plant Pathology.
The 2025-2026 Research Assistantship pay rates in Plant Pathology are:
- $31.18/hour (non-advanced status MS and PhD students)
- $32.75/hour (advanced status MS and PhD students)
Applications from students whose academic records are suitable for admission but for whom research assistantship funding is not currently available will remain open for 1 year.
University of Minnesota Graduate School
The Graduate School administers funding opportunities, including fellowships, out-of-state tuition remission program for underrepresented and educationally disadvantaged students, and Doctoral Dissertation fellowships.
Dove Fellowship
The Office for Diversity in Graduate Education (ODGE) administers the DOVE (Diversity of Views and Experiences) Fellowship. Follow the link to their page to see if you may qualify.
Plant Pathology Fellowships, Scholarships and Travel Grants
- The Norman E. Borlaug Fellowship for International Agriculture and the Vaala-Henry Endowment (in support of the Norman E. Borlaug Fellowship in International Agriculture and the Stakman-Borlaug Center for Sustainable Plant Health) support a graduate student who is focusing on international agriculture.
- Graduate students in plant pathology are eligible to apply for departmental scholarships and travel grants. The application process for scholarships and travel grants begins in March of each year and awards are generally announced in April.