Student funding

The Political Science Department is proud of our major scholarship and award winners. The department has the most winners of any department on campus.

Below is a listing of scholarships for which undergraduate and graduate students may be eligible.

Undergraduate

McKelvie Scholarships

Open to Midwest undergraduate and graduate students pursuing careers in government, the purpose of the McKelvie Scholarships is to promote and strengthen public service leadership in the public sector. Applicants will be judged on their scholarship and academic standing; evidence of commitment to a public service career, reflected in past, current and/or anticipated future government employments and/or an internship with a public/government agency. In addition to the application form, applicants must submit transcripts of all academic work, a resume, and two letters of support. Ten to fifteen scholarships ranging up to $2,000 are awarded each year. All application materials are to be sent online only, by June 1, 2023, to David Csontos at dcsontos2@unl.edu. Download the form here.

John Jay Douglass Scholarships

These scholarships are open to UNL undergraduate political science majors, sophomores and above, with demonstrated academic merit. In addition to the application form, applicants must submit transcripts of all academic work, a letter of recommendation from a faculty member in political science, and an essay of no more than two pages on "Why I Deserve a Scholarship in Political Science". Two scholarships of $500 are awarded each year. All application materials are to be sent online only, by June 1, 2023, to David Csontos at dcsontos2@unl.edu. Download the form here. 

Libby Swanson Jacobs Scholarship

This scholarship is open to UNL undergraduate political science majors, juniors and above, who have an outstanding academic record and extraordinary involvement in campus and/or community organizations and activities. Preference will be given to students demonstrating financial need. In addition to the application form, applicants must submit transcripts of all academic work, a resume and two letters of recommendation. All application materials are to be sent online only, by June 1, 2023, to David Csontos at dcsontos2@unl.edu. Download the form here. 

Edna Jo VanNeste McGinley Memorial Scholarship Fund

This scholarship is intended for Freshman and Sophomores pursuing a major in the Department of Political Science at UNL. Preference is given to students who can demonstrate financial need. In addition to the application form, applicants must submit transcripts of all academic work, a letter of recommendation from an academic adviser or instructor, and an essay of no more than two pages on "Why I Deserve a Scholarship in Political Science". All application materials are to be sent online only, by June 1, 2023, to David Csontos at dcsontos2@unl.edu. Download the form here.

Graduate

Graduate Assistantships

All assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis. Once funded, Ph.D. students who remain in good standing can anticipate continued support for 5 years. Graduate assistantships include tuition waivers and subsidized student health insurance.

Funded students serve as Graduate Teaching Assistants or Graduate Research Assistants, which involves working with and assisting faculty in teaching or research. Students serve as teaching assistants and either direct recitation sessions associated with large lecture sections taught by faculty (POLS 100, 160, 250, 286) or teach their own course. The latter includes the basic courses in American politics, international relations, political psychology, comparative politics, and political theory. Senior graduate students may teach some upper-level undergraduate courses.

Graduate Fellowships

A number of university and departmental fellowships are available on a competitive basis. Students may be nominated for fellowships from Graduate Studies and the College of Arts and Sciences by the Graduate Program Chair and Graduate Committee, receive departmental fellowships at the time of admission, and/or be provided with the opportunity to apply for competitive fellowships at the departmental level. Some fellowships provide full funding plus tuition, whereas others are meant to supplement departmental stipends. Information on fellowships from the Office of Graduate Studies is available here: https://graduate.unl.edu/funding/fellowships

John P. Senning Scholarship Fund

This fund supplements graduate assistantships. No application necessary. 

The Elizabeth Stone Senning Memorial Scholarship Fund

This fund is available on a highly selective basis to Ph.D. students at the dissertation stage for dissertation research in the fields of public administration, public policy or state government. Recipients will devote the year in which the scholarship is awarded exclusively to dissertation research and are ineligible for an assistantship and other funding.

Walter Kiechel Memorial Social Science Fund

This fund supports graduate student travel to present research findings at professional meetings, travel associated with research activities or professional development, and tuition in special programs related to one's program of study offered at other colleges and universities.

Clare and Marguerite MacPhee Fellowship Fund

This fund is available in special circumstances to supplement graduate assistant stipends.