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Scholarship Information for Graduate Students

As a graduate student at Idaho State University, you can find scholarship opportunities through your major department or college (i.e. Graduate Assistantships). You can also check the Bengal Online Scholarship System (BOSS). 

  1. Contact your major department on Graduate Assistantships, Lab Assistantships, etc.
  2. Log into the Bengal Online Scholarship System (BOSS) once admitted to ISU for additional opportunities. You will use BOSS to apply for various scholarship opportunities throughout your time at ISU. The bulk of our scholarships in BOSS come available in the Spring months for awarding in the next academic year, however you will see some open up at other times during the year.
  3. If a Non-Resident or International Student your application for admission to ISU Graduate school serves as your Non-Resident Tuition Waiver application.
  4. Check outside scholarships. Look at the “external” section in BOSS for several outside scholarships, search databases for scholarship opportunities that pertain to your situation or background, check into local agencies, parents/your place of work, etc. Watch for scams!

Need-based awards

Some scholarship awarding is based on demonstrated financial need. To be considered for any need-based awards, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the appropriate year.

We encourage students to submit the FAFSA as soon as possible.

If you need assistance with the FAFSA.gov, please contact the ISU Financial Aid Office at (208) 282-2756.

Non-Resident Graduate Students

If you are being charged non-resident fees as a Graduate student, there are four ways in which you may be eligible to receive a Graduate Non-Resident Tuition Waiver (NRTW).

1) Academic Based Graduate NRTW

Fall Entry Deadlines:  July 1st (Early awarding starts February for new students)

Spring Entry Deadlines: November 1st (Early awarding starts October for new students)

Your application for admission to the ISU Graduate School serves as your scholarship application for the NRTW. You are considered for the Graduate Non-Resident Tuition Waiver as long as you are admitted by the above deadlines and meet the following eligibility criteria. Students who do not meet this deadline can contact the Scholarship Office to be considered on an individual basis. All NRTWs are based on availability and awarded on a competitive first-come first-served basis.

Eligibility Criteria

  • Minimum of a 3.0 GPA required for newly admitted or current/former ISU Graduate Students.  GPA required may be higher based on availability.
  • Students can not be in an Oversubscribed Program at ISU (per State Board of Education regulations)  Oversubscribed Graduate Programs currently include:  Speech Pathology, Nursing, Physician Assistant, Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy. Students in programs that do not charge a non-resident fee are excluded.
  • Must be a full-time Non-Resident Graduate Student. Full-time status is met with 9 graduate credits or greater.
  • Students who are receiving a Graduate Assistantship (or other non-resident waiver) are not eligible for the Academic NRTW as their non-resident tuition is already being covered.
  • PharmD students are eligible for a NRTW for their first-year only which is awarded separately from the academic based Graduate NRTW. Please contact the College of Pharmacy for more information.

Renewals

Graduate student NRTWs are nonrenewable awards. Students that meet the above requirements will automatically be considered each year/semester based on availability.

2) Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP)

Graduate students who are from the following states and programs are eligible for the WRGP.  Please contact your department for more information. 

Eligible states/territories include: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, the Republic of Palau or the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Eligible programs can be found by visiting the WICHE website here.

3) Need Based Graduate Non-Resident Tuition Waiver

To be considered for a need-based NRTW you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the appropriate year. Please submit this as early as possible as need based waivers are given to students on a first come basis to high need students with limited availability. Contact the ISU Financial Aid Office at 208-282-2756 for more information.

4) Graduate Assistantships

Non-resident students receiving Graduate Assistantships will automatically receive a Graduate NRTW as part of their award. Please contact your major department for more information.