Scholarships & Undergraduate Research
Scholarship Opportunities
To see how to apply for a scholarship in Plant and Soil Sciences, select the appropriate category below:
- Prospective Freshmen or Transfer Students
Prospective freshmen and transfer students interested in majors within the Ferguson College of Agriculture are eligible to compete for three levels of scholarships:
- University-wide Scholarships
- Ferguson College of Agriculture Scholarships
- Departmental Scholarships
How to Apply
To compete for these scholarships prospective freshmen and transfer students need to complete an Admissions Application.
When should you apply?
For the summer or fall entry term, apply by November 1 to receive early scholarship and financial aid notification and to compete for the highest level academic awards. You must submit all application materials by February 1 for full scholarship consideration.
For the spring entry term, all application materials must be submitted by October 15 for priority consideration. Materials will be accepted through the Friday before the first day of spring semester classes for final consideration.
How will I be notified about an award?
Each unit is responsible for contacting students about their scholarship. Most often, students are only contacted if they are awarded a scholarship. Students may use their O-key account to login to their Student Information System (SIS) to view awards.
Tips for assuring your application gets sent to the college and major in which you are interested:
All students, despite their major interest, who complete the OSU Admission Application will be eligible to compete for University-wide scholarships including tuition wavier scholarships, President's Leadership Council Scholarships and numerous other scholarships.To ensure a student is considered for scholarships from the
Ferguson College of Agriculture and it's departments, he or she needs to choose a program of study (major) that is offered through the Ferguson College of Agriculture.
Additional Scholarship Opportunities for Incoming Freshmen
McKnight Leader Scholars
The McKnight Leaders Scholars program recruits students from rural communities, outside Oklahoma, to attend OSU. The program includes a renewable waiver of out-of-state tuition fees, $10,000 in scholarships over two years, and opportunities to develop leadership skills through exclusive courses and seminars. For additional information about the program, visit the McKnight Scholars website.Financial Aid
Explore the Scholarships and Financial Aid homepage to learn more about University-wide scholarship opportunities and the financial aid process at OSU. This office is located in the Student Union, Room 119, and may be reached by phone at (405) 744-6604.
- Current/Continuing Students
Current/continuing students enrolled in the Ferguson College of Agriculture are eligible to compete for three levels of scholarships:
- University-wide Scholarships
- Ferguson College of Agriculture Scholarships
- Departmental Scholarships
How to Apply
University-wide scholarships information regarding university-wide scholarships can be found on the Office of Scholarship and Financial Aid website.
Ferguson College of Agriculture and Departmental Scholarships
College-level and departmental scholarships in the Ferguson College of Agriculture use a common online scholarship application.
Continuing students should fill out the Ferguson College of Agriculture Continuing Student Scholarship Application.
When should you apply?
Applications are due by January 15 for the following academic year. Most scholarship selections are made by mid-March.
How will I be notified about an award?
Each unit is responsible for contacting students about their awards. Most often, students are only contacted if they are awarded a scholarship.
Additional Scholarship Opportunities for Current/Continuing Students
Additional scholarship opportunities for current/continuing students are posted on the Ferguson College of Agriculture Applications website.
Financial Aid
Explore the Scholarships and Financial Aid homepage to learn more about University-wide scholarship opportunities and the financial aid process at OSU. This office is located in the Student Union, Room 119, and may be reached by phone at 405-744-6604.
Undergraduate Research Programs
The Plant and Soil Sciences Undergraduate Research Scholars Program is designed to involve undergraduate students in research. Knowledgeable faculty members serve as mentors for undergraduate students while they gain valuable hands-on experience working on cutting-edge research projects side-by-side with faculty, graduate students, and research technicians.
The program helps promising undergraduates build a solid foundation in research methods to better prepare them for industry and academic careers in the fields of Plant or Soil Sciences
Once in the program, research scholars are mentored and helped to apply for undergraduate research grants, such as Niblack or Wentz Research Scholarships. Research Scholars are required to submit a research proposal to an on-campus agency by their second year in the program. Whether or not the student is successful with the proposal, the student may remain a PASS Research Scholar and continue working with his/her mentor.
Getting hands-on research experience as an undergraduate can help students refine their educational and career goals, as well as build key lab techniques and skills. This will better prepare them for future research opportunities in graduate school and industry.
- Freshman Research Scholars
The Freshman Research Scholars program provides an opportunity for approximately sixty bright, ambitious students to extend their education beyond the classroom by engaging in cutting-edge research under the guidance of innovative faculty researchers.
OSU understands that students who graduate without research experience have not taken full advantage of all that a comprehensive research university has to offer, so OSU leads the way in supporting undergraduate research in all fields of study.
By elevating their education with real hands-on research experience students in FRS can distinguish themselves as leaders capable of contributing to the scholarly community in ways that coursework alone cannot.
Such discovery learning complements a well-rounded course load by providing the critical opportunity to apply fundamental skills. Connections made through the Freshman Research Scholars program often lead to rewarding long-term relationships with like-minded students and faculty.
- Wentz Research Program
The Lew Wentz Foundation and OSU provide support for the nationally recognized Wentz Research Project awards. Each year, one-year research projects awards are given to approximately 40 undergraduate student scholars to conduct independent research with the guidance of a faculty mentor. The Wentz Research projects are conducted during the fall and spring semesters of an academic year and are an opportunity for undergraduates to design and conduct research under the supervision of a faculty mentor. Students must arrange with their professors to receive two hours.
The research project description is conceived and written by the student and must:
- Include a concise statement of the purpose using vocabulary and style readily understandable to a wide range of scholars and disciplines.
- Develop the reasonable objective on one page.
- Convince the award committee that this is student research rather than a task assigned by a faculty mentor.
- Niblack Research Scholars Program
Primary Objective: to develop and foster undergraduate student interest in scholarly research within the various disciplines at Oklahoma State University.
The Niblack Research Scholars is an undergraduate research program funded by a gift from OSU alumnus and former Pfizer Vice Chairman Dr. John Niblack. Each year, the program awards a scholarship to 12 OSU undergraduate students who have the unique opportunity to conduct research in a university lab. The students are assisted by a faculty sponsor and graduate student mentor.