Funding Opportunities

All of the following funding opportunities were made available through the very generous contributions of individual donors and their families. The funds remain available through ongoing contributions by individuals who are invested in our mission of providing excellent educational opportunities for outstanding students.

 

The SLHS Inclusive Cohort Program

The Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences (SLHS) seeks to recruit academically excellent doctoral students with diverse ethnic, racial, economic, and educational backgrounds and experiences. Up to three fellowships are available for students beginning their program of study in fall of 2023.

Program Expectations and Requirements

  • SLHS will support the cohort through dedicated programming and mentorship.
  • In addition to the standard five-year funding package, fellows will receive the following (subject to satisfactory progress and performance):
    • $10,000 annual stipend top-off for five years of standard package
    • $1,500 for professional development and research for five years of standard package
    • Coverage of student services fees for five years of standard package

Program Eligibility
Eligible students must be U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, students lawfully in the United States on a non-temporary basis, or MN Dream Act students entering the SLHS research-based doctoral program at the University of Minnesota for the first time in the 2023-2024 academic year. Students must have applied for admission, and must be admissible under the graduate program’s standards. Preference will be given to students who contribute to student-body diversity, including students from groups who historically have been underrepresented in the discipline.

Funding Opportunities for PhD Students
 

Fellowships 

The Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities awards fellowships to one or more outstanding students who enroll full-time in our PhD program in speech-language-hearing sciences.

Our fellowship awards honor the contributions of three outstanding members of the University of Minnesota community.

The Charles E. Speaks Fellowship Fund

Dr. Charles E. Speaks left the department in 2005 after 38 years of leadership. Professor Speaks was Department Chair for 22 years, received the Honors of the American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association in 2003, and holds the University of Minnesota Horace T. Morse Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professorship.

The Leslie E. Glaze Fellowship

This fellowship supports full-time students in our PhD program and honors the many contributions of Dr. Leslie E. Glaze. who left her role as Director of Clinical Programs in the department in 2004. Dr. Glaze is a leader in the profession, having served as the president of the Minnesota Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She became an ASHA Fellow in 2005.

The Mildred Templin Fellowship

This award honors the outstanding career of Dr. Mildred Templin, who retired from the University of Minnesota's Institute of Child Development in 1976. She was a Fellow in the American Psychological Association, the American Speech and Hearing Association, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The SLHS Inclusive Cohort Program

The Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences (SLHS) seeks to recruit academically excellent doctoral students with diverse ethnic, racial, economic, and educational backgrounds and experiences. Up to three fellowships are available for students beginning their program of study in fall of 2023.

Program Expectations and Requirements
● SLHS will support the cohort through dedicated programming and mentorship.
● In addition to the standard five-year funding package, fellows will receive the following (subject to satisfactory progress and performance):
○ $10,000 annual stipend top-off for five years of standard package
○ $1,500 for professional development and research for five years of standard
package
○ Coverage of student services fees for five years of standard package

Program Eligibility
Eligible students must be U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, students lawfully in the United States on a non-temporary basis, or MN Dream Act students entering the SLHS research-based doctoral program at the University of Minnesota for the first time in the 2023-2024 academic year. Students must have applied for admission, and must be admissible under the graduate program’s standards. Preference will be given to students who contribute to student-body diversity, including students from groups who historically have been underrepresented in the discipline.

Research Funding

Bryng Bryngelson Research Fund 

This fund is our earliest established fund, named in honor of Dr. Bryng Bryngelson who was a pioneer in communication sciences and disorders, especially in stuttering. Dr. Bryngelson founded the speech clinic at the University of Minnesota in 1927. He also founded the Minnesota Speech-Language-Hearing Association and received the Honors of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association in 1963. The fund supports the research projects, including professional travel to present research, of PhD and plan A MA-SLP students.

Funding Opportunities for MA-SLP Students
 

Clark D. Starr Family Fellowship Fund 

This endowed fund was established by the late Professor Clark Starr and his wife Mrs. Jane Starr. Dr. Starr was an extremely well known and highly regarded scholar with particular expertise in cleft palate and voice disorders. He became the first Department Chair in 1971 when the department became a separate entity at the University of Minnesota. This fund provides support to full-time MA students in the speech-language pathology program who are in good academic standing. The award may be used for the payment, partially or totally, of tuition and/or stipend. 

Bryng Bryngelson Research Fund 

This fund is our earliest established fund, named in honor of Dr. Bryng Bryngelson who was a pioneer in communication sciences and disorders, especially in stuttering. Dr. Bryngelson founded the speech clinic at the University of Minnesota in 1927. He also founded the Minnesota Speech-Language-Hearing Association and received the Honors of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association in 1963. The fund supports the research projects, including professional travel to present research, of PhD and plan A MA-SLP students.

Funding Opportunities for AuD Students

Robert G. Robinson Scholarships 

This fund was established by a friend of the department, the late Robert G. Robinson. Dr. Robinson was a professor of agronomy and plant genetics. He played a leading role in Minnesota’s agricultural economy and was a member of several professional and honor societies. The fund provides scholarships to outstanding, non-smoking students in the doctorate of audiology program. 

Funding Opportunities for all Students

Assistantships 

Assistantships are hourly, half-time, or full-time. The time commitment and benefits of hourly assistantships can vary. Half-time and full-time appointments come with a respective stipend, tuition waiver, and health insurance packages. For more information, visit Graduate Assistants Employment Services.

Teaching Assistantships

The Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences has a limited number of teaching assistantships each semester. These opportunities are offered to admitted graduate students based on department needs and student qualifications. Note that we evaluate our need for teaching assistants on a rolling basis.

Research Assistantships

Students are directly chosen by a principal investigator (faculty member) for a research project that will be conducted at the University of Minnesota. Research assistantships may be offered to incoming students with prior research experiences, but assistantships are generally filled by more advanced graduate students. If you are interested in learning more about opportunities, check out our faculty and research topics to determine which faculty member might have interests that are similar to your own. Reach out to faculty indicating your interests by sending a cover letter and resume.

Gerald M. Siegel Student Initiative Fund

The Siegel fund supports projects proposed by a committee of undergraduate and graduate students, with the guidance of the department chair, to further the educational experience of the department's masters and undergraduate students.

Professional Development Funds 

Professional development funds can help to cover the expenses of presenting papers at conferences and other discipline-related meetings. Generally, this has been a non-service award to help with transportation, lodging, registration fees, and presentation fees.

MN Lend

The Minnesota Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (MNLEND) Program develops the next generation of knowledgeable, interdisciplinary leaders in the neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDD) field. Find more information about MNLEND fellowships.

University Funding Resources

There is a range of other fellowship and scholarship opportunities available for graduate students.

The Graduate School is a great resource for funding opportunities. Explore graduate funding & tuition to learn about the fellowships, grants, awards, and scholarships; research and teaching assistantships; and external funding opportunities they offer. A couple of opportunities of note are:

Diversity of Views and Experiences (DOVE) Fellowship and the Provost's Professional Diversity Fellowship promote diversity through the recruitment and support of academically excellent students with diverse ethnic, racial, economic, and educational backgrounds and experiences.

You must submit the optional diversity statement in the Graduate School's application to self-identify your ability to meet the criteria for this fellowship.

The Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship (DDF) and Interdisciplinary Doctoral Fellowship (IDF) offer advanced students one year of support for dissertation research and writing.

Speech-language-hearing sciences PhD students are eligible to apply.

Discipline Funding Resources

There are a number of professional organizations within the discipline that offer funding opportunities to graduate students. Many SLHS students have successfully applied for these scholarships.

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)

The ASHA Foundation offers a plethora of grants and scholarships to graduate students.

For a full list of opportunities, visit the ASHA Foundation website.

American Academy of Audiology (AAA)

The AAA Foundation offers numerous educational opportunities for audiology graduate students and SAA chapters.

For scholarship and grant eligibility, deadlines, and application information, visit the AAA Foundation website.