Financial Assistance
Scholarship and employment opportunities for students in the Department of Chemistry.
Scholarships
Information on departmental scholarships is distributed by the Department of Chemistry staff to declared majors just prior to pre-registration for the next semester, along with their faculty mentor's name, email, and office location. In addition, the department advertises available scholarships by posting informational flyers and delivering information via mentors.
For information about scholarships for incoming students, contact the Department of Chemistry.
The University also maintains a database of scholarship opportunities.
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Shulman Scholarship
The Shulman Scholarship is awarded to select incoming and continuing Chemistry majors. Contact the Department for the latest application information.
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Sedgwick Memorial Scholarship
The James "Ben" Sedgwick Scholarship is awarded annually to an advanced undergraduate student or a graduate student with an interest in physical or computational chemistry.
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Scholarships from the College of Arts & Sciences
There are numerous college-wide scholarship opportunities that are available as well.
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Chemistry Club Travel Awards and Research Grants
Financial support is available through the Chemistry Club for travel to professional meetings and for undergraduate research projects. Such support is reserved for students doing undergraduate research. The amount and number of awards depend on the availability of funds.
Employment Opportunities
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Tutoring
Many Chemistry majors earn extra money working as private tutors. Students (both majors and non-majors) in chemistry courses at Illinois State Unversity, Heartland Community College, and local high schools often seek help with their studies.
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Undergraduate Teaching Assistantships
Each semester the Department hires several undergraduate students to serve as teaching assistants for a laboratory class. These positions are awarded on a competitive basis, and are excellent opportunities to teach side‐by‐side with a faculty member.
Undergraduate students who are interested in serving as teaching assistants are invited to apply at the Chemistry Office located in 214 Julian Hall. Students must have a strong GPA in the chemical sciences and at least two references from Chemistry faculty.
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Undergraduate Research Assistantships
A limited amount of undergraduate research assistantships are available to students in their third or fourth year. Only certain professors with externally‐funded research grants can provide this support.
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Work-Study Support
A limited number of work‐study students are employed in the Department, usually to help in the Chemisty Storeroom. Generally, students must have completed first‐year of chemistry to be eligible.
Graduate Financial Assistance
Students in the M.S. program who are in good academic standing are eligible to receive a stipend (and tuition waiver) as either a Teaching Assistant or a Research Assistant. Contact Dr. Andy Mitchell, Graduate Coordinator for current information regarding stipends, including amounts and qualifications.
Students in good academic standing will be supported for four semesters; a fifth semester of support is typically available upon request. A sixth semester of support would be considered only in unusual circumstances.
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Research Assistantships
Several Chemistry Department faculty members have supported graduate students working in their labs as research assistants using the more than $2 million in active research grants from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute of Justice, the Research Corporation, and the American Chemical Society's Petroleum Research Fund.