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Choose Ohio First Graduate Scholarship Program

Choose Ohio First is a need- and merit-based scholarship program aimed at recruiting Ohio residents into STEMM graduate programs, keeping the STEMM talent in Ohio and connecting that talent with Ohio employers.

This program is for students pursuing the following STEMM graduate degrees:

Master’s (STEM):
Applied Mathematics (MS)
Biology (MS)
Biomedical Engineering (MS)
Chemical Engineering (MS)
Chemistry (MS)
Civil Engineering (MS)
Computer Science (MS)
Electrical and Computer Engineering (MS)
Geosciences (MS)
Mechanical Engineering (MS)
Polymer Engineering (MS)
Polymer Science (MS)
Statistics (MS)

Master’s (Medical):
Marriage and Family Therapy/ Counseling (MA)
Mental Health Counseling/ Counselor (MA)
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse

  • Child and Adolescent HNP – Primary (MSN)
  • Child/Adolescent Primary/Acute (MSN)
  • Family Psych/Mental HNP (MSN)
  • Child/Adolescent Acute Care NP (MSN)
  • Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN)
  • Adult/Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (MSN)

Doctoral (STEM):
Chemistry (PhD)
Engineering (PhD)

  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Civil Engineering
  • Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering

Integrated Bioscience (PhD)
Psychology

  • Adult Development & Aging (PhD)
  • Counseling Psychology (PhD)
  • Industrial/Organizational Psychology (PhD)

Polymer Engineering (PhD)
Polymer Science (PhD)

Doctoral (Medical):
Post MSN DNP (DNP)
Nurse Anesthesia (DNP)

Eligibility 

  • Students must be new to a STEMM-approved graduate program (incoming transfers are eligible to apply)
  • Students must be Ohio residents and fully admitted to the graduate program
  • Students must meet department/school eligibility for a full-time teaching and/or research assistantship

Application

  • Students can complete the Choose Ohio First application before or after applying to the Graduate School
    • Students should speak with with the program faculty to discuss their interest in the graduate degree and their desire for assistantship/Choose Ohio First financial support
  • A faculty committee will be assembled to consider all applications; any student selected must have their department/school support for an assistantship prior to award

All COF graduate scholars must satisfy all of the following criteria:

  • Student must satisfy standard Graduate School full admission requirements;
  • Student must be selected by their academic program for a full-time teaching or research assistantship;
  • Student must be an Ohio resident; and,
  • Student must be new to a graduate Choose Ohio First approved STEMM program, or meet transfer eligibility requirements

The Choose Ohio First scholarship award will provide tuition support of $2,000/semester (or $4,000/year). All COF graduate scholars will receive either a teaching or research assistantship or a combination of the two. The assistantship will provide a stipend and the remaining tuition support for up to four semesters of master’s work or up to eight semesters of doctoral work. Tuition will be provided for courses required for degree completion. Students will pay all fees each semester.

All Choose Ohio First graduate scholars in accordance with the terms of their assistantship contract will work 20 hours/week during the 15 weeks of each Fall and Spring semester. To continue in the program, students must meet the contractual obligations of their assistantship assignment, satisfactorily perform their assistantship duties, remain in good academic standing and participate in Choose Ohio First professional development workshops and activities.

All Choose Ohio First graduate scholars must serve as either a teaching or research assistant for each year they are in the program. The assignments are program-specific with programs making all assignment decisions. Teaching assistants support undergraduate education with duties that can include teaching, running laboratories and problem sessions, grading, holding office hours, tutoring, etc. Research assistant duties include conducting research, analyzing data, writing manuscripts and proposals, training students in lab techniques, etc.

  • Apply to the Graduate School
  • Complete the Choose Ohio First Graduate Scholars Application.  Note: The application cycle for this year has closed.