There are several scholarships, fellowships, mentorship programs, paper competitions, and conferences for students pursuing graduate degrees in aviation. Click on the blocks to learn more about these opportunities, which are organized by the approximate month they are typically due or check out the chart below that provides summary information.
Conference Funding. $250-$500. DEADLINE: Rolling.
Georgia Tech students who are presenting at conferences can apply for $250 in conference funding through the Student Government Association (SGA) (apply here).*
If an SGA award is made, PhD students can also apply for additional funds. The College of Engineering will match up to an additional $250 (apply here). *
Funds can be use for either domestic or international conferences.
*Students can receive maximum of $250 per fiscal year (July 1st to June 30th).
Mundy International Travel Funds. $4,000. DEADLINE: Rolling.
Eligible Georgia Tech students can be awarded a one-time award of up to $4,000 during their academic career.
Eligibility
- Graduate or Undergraduate student enrolled in CEE
- U.S. citizen in CEE or part of an ongoing CEE research project
- Must submit detailed budget of travel expenses and short essay regarding travel plans.
Application for Mundy Fund can be found here.
Funds are approved by an Award Committee and the Associate Chair of Global Leadership & Research Development (Dr. Amekudzi-Kennedy).
Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSP). $500 – $5,000. DEADLINES: Phase 1 in January and Phase 2 in March.
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) provides 10,000 merit-based scholarships annually that range in value from from $500 to $5,000 for undergraduate and graduate students who are of Hispanic origin and are U.S. citizens, permanent legal residents, or DACAs. More information is available here.
Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program (DDETFP) – $5,000 – $35,500. DEADLINE: Varies but typically March.
The Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program provides funding for graduate students in transportation. While a few annual fellowships of $35,500 are available through this program, the majority of students applying to this program receive $5,000 awards to support travel to attend the Transportation Research Board conference in Washington, DC. Students can receive this award multiple times. More information about this program is available here.
Eno Leadership Development Conference. DEADLINE: March.
The Eno Leadership Development Conference brings together about 20 transportation graduate students for a one-week conference in Washington, DC, where “During this week-long intensive program, the Fellows meet with federal, state, and local officials, as well as public, private, and non-profit leaders across the industry. They get a first-hand look at how transportation policy is made, while engaging with leaders to discuss the latest developments and trends in the industry.” The costs that are covered by this program have fluctuated from year-to-year but typically include all program costs except for air transportation and a minor program fee. Georgia Tech CEE students must be nominated and by their advisors and selected by a committee before applying to this program. More information is available here.
ExxonMobile Latinos on Fast Track (LOFT) Program. $1,000. DEADLINE: April.
ExxonMobile has partnered with the Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) to provide a $1,000 scholarship and mentorship program introducing students to career opportunities at ExxonMobile. More information is available here.
Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Graduate Research Award. $12,000. DEADLINE: May 15.
The Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Graduate Research Award (GRA) annually offers about 10 scholarships to graduate students in aviation who have an interest in airport-related topics. As part of this program, students receive a stipend of $12,000 and have the opportunity to be mentored by experts in aviation over a 12-month period as they write a paper and conduct research on an aviation topic. Students also have the opportunity to present at the Transportation Research Board’s Annual Meeting following completion of their paper, and the potential to publish that paper in the Transportation Research Record.
At least ten Georgia Tech students have received this award since its inception in 2008 and Dr. Garrow has served as faculty advisor for six of these students. More information about the program is available here.
AGIFORS Anna Valicek paper competition – $2,500 prize + travel to symposium. DEADLINE: June 1.
AGIFORS is a professional society dedicated to the advancement and application of operational research within the airline industry. The Anna Valicek award is a student paper competition that recognizes original and innovative research in the application of operations research to airline and/or airline related business problems. Up to two finalists will be selected and will receive air transportation, accommodations, and registration fees to attend the AGIFORS Annual Symposium, to present their work. The winner will be awarded a silver medal and a U.S. $2,500 prize. The other finalist will be awarded a bronze medal and a U.S. $1,000 prize. Students who are close to the end of their doctoral degree are most competitive for this award. More information about this award is available here.
AGIFORS Ken Wang mentorship program. Registration fee to symposium. DEADLINE: July 1.
AGIFORS recently initiated the Ken Wang Scholars program to mentor doctoral students who are in the early stages of their graduate program and engaged in airline operations research. Ken Wang Scholars have the opportunity to interact with aviation experts and receive feedback on their proposed research topics by attending the Annual Symposium and interacting with AGIFORS members, former Anna Valicek winners, and Ken Wang Scholars. Applicants from universities that have historically not participated in AGIFORS are strongly encouraged to apply. More information about the Ken Wang Scholars program is available here.
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP). 3 year, $111,000 fellowship. DEADLINE: October.
The National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP) is one of the most prestigious fellowships for US citizens, nationals, and permanent residents pursuing advanced degrees in STEM fields. This five-year fellowship offers three years of financial assistance, including an annual stipend of $37,000. In general, undergraduate seniors and and graduate students in first year of studies are eligible to apply (see full program guide for eligibility criteria). More information is available here.
Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS). Amount varies. DEADLINE: October.
The Atlanta WTS Chapter offers several scholarships to support women undergraduate and graduate students in transportation. Scholarship recipients at the local level are eligible for WTS national level scholarships. These scholarships typically include the Sharon D. Banks Memorial Undergraduate Scholarship, Helene M. Overly Memorial Graduate Scholarship, the Molitoris Leadership Scholarship for undergraduates, and the Jannet Walker-Ford Leadership Legacy Scholarship for graduates. Amounts given by the local Atlanta WTS Chapter may vary by year and announcements are usually disseminated by email to GT students in September and due in October. Descriptions of the scholarships are available on the national WTS website (and national scholarship amounts are more the local Atlanta WTS amounts).
Georgia Institute of Transportation Engineering (GAITE) Scholarships. Typically $2,000 – $7,500. DEADLINE: November.
The Georgia Chapter of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (GAITE) has been very supportive of undergraduate and graduate students in Georgia and has been providing about six scholarships annually ranging in value from $2,000 to $7,500. More information is available here.
Society of Women Engineers (SWE). Amount varies. DEADLINE: December.
The national chapter of the Society of Women Engineers provides a variety of scholarship opportunities for undergraduate and graduate women pursuing degrees in engineering. In 2023, more than 300 scholarships totaling $1.5M were awarded. More information is available here.