Jump to content

EPA Star Fellowship 2013


Alaudid

Recommended Posts

Hey everyone,

Just setting up this thread for the incoming EPA Star 2013 Fellowship applicants and am also wondering if anyone knows when the application on grants.gov will be open or when the FONs for the upcoming cycle will be posted? :rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

If you go to http://epa.gov/ncer/rfa/, it says this below...

2012 EPA Environmental Research Fellowships

  • 2013 EPA Science To Achieve Results (STAR) Fellowships For Graduate Environmental Study - Opens September 2012

well, there's still one more day... I think I have my hopes up..

Does anyone know how the selection criteria for this differ from those of NSF GSRFs?

===

Also, it says...

If I receive a fellowship, how will my funds be distributed?

Your tuition and academic fees, up to $12,000 per year, will be paid directly to the university. You will receive a monthly stipend check for $1,667 paid directly to you. You will receive an additional $5,000 for your educational expenses as a lump sum at the beginning of the academic year. This educational expense account will be managed by your institution.

Does this mean that if I go to a super-expensive private university, then most of the expenses won't be covered?

Edited by InquilineKea
Link to comment
Share on other sites

In every case I've seen when tuition outstrips the fellowship's coverage, the host school provides a waiver to cover the rest of your bill. It's still cheaper for them in the long run - the fellowship is paying 12k, your salary, plus they're getting their name plastered for free next to a prestigious award.

The major difference between the NSF and EPA fellowship is that the EPA requires the research plan have a strong environmental focus, rather than the more open-ended research topics afforded by the NSF

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anyone having problems downloading the application package from grants.gov? I keep getting a nearly blank PDF file that says

To view the full contents of this document, you need a later version of the PDF viewer. You can upgrade

to the latest version of Adobe Reader from www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

For further support, go to www.adobe.com/support/products/acrreader.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anyone having problems downloading the application package from grants.gov? I keep getting a nearly blank PDF file that says

So I guess I have that sorted out. Apparently Adobe Reader doesn't play nice in any way, shape, or form with Chrome, so I had to switch to Safari.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

How many fellowships are typically given out for each "Topic Title"? Trying to figure out just how competitive this Star Fellowship is and whether it's worth pursuing...

Let's say, for example, for Topic Title "Chemical Safety for Sustainability: Pesticides and Toxic Substances," how many fellowships do you think would typically be awarded? And how many typical applicants for a given topic title?

Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If it's awarded in the same manner the GRF is, the awards per subheading is roughly the equivalent to the percentage of applications per subheading.

Edited because I didn't English very good.

Edited by guttata
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anyone who's applied previously have a sense of how tightly the bit in the announcement about application to "pollution mitigation and prevention" is followed? Specifically for terrestrial ecology projects, do we think application to an environmental agency and problem is good enough to have a shot?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking at the award deadlines for this fellowship, it looks like a grad program accepts you without knowing how you came out with this fellowship? i.e. you'll accept an offer (including TA or RA) before you find out whether you receive the EPA fellowship?

Some applications have asked which external funding sources I'm applying for, but why would it really matter on this EPA fellowship if the grad school has to make a decision earlier than the award funding is announced?

Edited by iowaguy
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

When exactly does one generally find out if you've received the Star Fellowship? If you include it in your application under "funding applied for" but you (and the school) don't find out if you got awarded until after the school (and you) have made your admissions decision, then what good is it really? Seems like it's best to apply for it 2 years before you actually plan to attend school, i.e. you would have applied in fall 2011 (and found out in spring 2012) for fall 2013 admission - that way the school would know whether you received funding when the admit you.

Otherwise, why not just wait and apply as a 1st year PhD student. You could then get a LOR from your advisor, and he/she could help you with the technical aspects of your project description so that you would have a better overall application...

Thoughts?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use