Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards
Our scholarship, fellowship and award opportunities can provide financial support.
On this page:
MPH Scholarships and Awards
Francis V. Hanavan Memorial Fund Award
This annual award honors the late Francis V. Hanavan, former chair of the Department of Health Behavioral Sciences. The award is presented to an MPH student in the community health and health behavior concentration, or Individualized MPH (formerly Generalist) program who shows great potential for future contributions in public health.
Paul T. Wietig Community Service Award
Sponsored by the Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, this award is presented to MPH or PhD students who exemplify accomplishment, commitment to vocation/the profession of public health and service to the community.
Drs. Sanjit and Jharna Basak Student Assistance Fund
Drs. Sanjit and Jharna Basak Student Assistance fund will be used to provide support for ancillary expenses to a graduate student(s) pursuing their Master’s degree in Public Health (MPH) in community health and health behavior concentration, or the generalist program.
Visionary Award
This student assistance fund will support MPH students with a visionary thought regarding important topics, such as health care delivery, population health, health economics, health behavior, health administration and health-promoting environments. The fund will be used to support the student in a meaningful way while s/he works to cultivate and present their ideas.
Nationally Competitive Awards
Dr. Michael F. Noe Diversity Scholarship
The Dr. Michael F. Noe Diversity Scholarship provides scholarships to students from historically underrepresented populations, including Native Americans, who demonstrate academic excellence and financial need. It is intended to promote educational diversity, equity, and inclusion consistent with the values of the School of Public Health and Health Professions.
The vision for the Dr. Michael F. Noe Diversity Scholarship not only is to financially support students who are pursuing a degree in the SPHHP, but also to attract and retain the best candidates, foster student growth outside of the classroom, and ultimately benefit diverse populations that the school serves. A service requirement is highly recommended and will be determined by the Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
SPHHP Awards to Promote Student Diversity
The School of Public Health and Health Professions (SPHHP) offers stipends and tuition scholarships to students who have been admitted to a master's-level graduate program or the Doctor of Physical Therapy program, who will be enrolled on a full-time basis, and students who will contribute to the diversity of the student body in the graduate or professional program in which they will be enrolled. Applicants to the BS/MS in occupational therapy may also apply for a tuition scholarship which is awarded for the MS portion of the degree (final 2 years).
Students who will contribute to the diversity of their program and their field based on sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, religion, socio-economic status, veteran status, first-generation status, or experience of exclusion are encouraged to apply for these awards. Students who can demonstrate that they have overcome a disadvantage or other impediment to success in higher education are especially encouraged to nominate themselves.
Students apply for a diversity award when applying for admission to the program of their choice. However, information shared in the diversity award application is not used for admission decisions.
Max Villatoro | 2021 Recipient
"As a first generation Hispanic student, I was extremely honored to receive the SPHHP diversity award. This award helped reduce barriers of coming from a low income family and helped me accomplish my dream of becoming a physical therapist at an excellent DPT program."
SPHHP Student Diversity Fund
The goal of this fund is to reduce barriers to attending SPHHP professional programs among students from diverse backgrounds and support pathway programs.
SPHHP's learning community is enriched by differences in perspectives and background. A diverse student body, faculty and staff is instrumental in promoting cultural competence in public health and clinical practice. The school therefore is taking action to increase diversity among students, faculty and staff, with first in family to attend college, sex, nationality, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, religion, socio-economic status, veteran status, students who have experienced social exclusion, and to support the specific needs of international, first-generation, transfer and returning students.
The fund will provides tuition support to professional and other graduate students from diverse backgrounds.
Hamilton Wilson Student Support Fund
History of the Fund
In Spring 2018, Greer Hamilton, MSW ’16, and Danise C. Wilson, MPH ’14, launched the Hamilton Wilson Student Support Fund to promote diversity and representation within their professions and health and human service workforce. As graduates of the University at Buffalo MSW and MPH programs, they recognized the need to support students to ensure their success during school and within their career.
Fund Overview
The Hamilton Wilson Fund provides $1,000 in support for a student who is a member of a traditionally underrepresented population enrolled in the Master of Public Health (MPH) and Master of Social Work (MSW) programs at the University at Buffalo. The award is meant to be used towards school-related expenses such as books, field placement, transportation and other needs awardees may have. Students may apply in any year of their program as long as they are enrolled in MPH courses in the semester during which they apply. A call for applications is typically circulated in September.
Donor Stories in AtBuffalo
UB Diversity Scholarships for Graduate Students
Nationally Competitive Diversity Scholarships and Awards
Global Health
University-wide Awards and Fellowships
Check with your department for details regarding these university-wide awards and fellowships.
Alumni Celebration of Excellence Dinner Award for Graduate Students
This award recognizes the PhD student with the highest GPA. Nomination is completed through a verbal recommendation to the Assistant to the Dean.
American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Robert G. Porter Scholars Program
The Robert G. Porter Scholars Program is funded through The American Federation of Teachers (AFT). Programs are available for both UUP bargaining unit members and their dependents.
Arthur A. Schomburg Fellowship
Sponsored by New York State, this fellowship offers support for historically underrepresented students in PhD programs across the university. Schomburg Fellows participate in conferences and seminars and present papers in their respective disciplines. Learn more about the Schomburg Fellowship eligibility and nomination requirements.
Community for Global Health Equity Fieldwork Award
This award supports students from all decanal units and departments at UB by organizing and supporting international fieldwork opportunities in collaboration with partner organizations around the world.
Excellence in Teaching Awards for Graduate Teaching Assistants
This award recognizes a full-time graduate student involved in teaching who demonstrates superb and creative performance in the classroom, evidence of mentorship and sets high academic standards.
Graduate Opportunity Program
The Graduate Opportunity Program (GOP; formerly GEOP) provides tuition scholarships to graduates of certified Educational Opportunity Program (EOP); Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP); and CUNY Search for Education, Elevation, and Knowledge (SEEK) programs within New York State who wish to pursue further education at the graduate level on a full-time basis (12 credits each semester). All disciplines are eligible. The GEOP receives a limited amount of funding each year. Therefore, tuition scholarships are not guaranteed to all students who apply.
Visit the UB Graduate School for more information.
Harold Burton Study Abroad Assistance Award for Global Health
This award supports undergraduate students enrolled in a health related major who have been accepted into a study abroad program related to Global Health. Preference is given to students participating in course PUB 211LD Behavior Driven Disease: A Global Epidemic in Jamaica.
Graduate School Fellowship
Twenty new PhD students a year will be awarded an additional $10,000 for five years under a new fellowship program created to recruit top PhD students to UB.
The Graduate School Fellowship will begin in fall 2023.
Graduate Student Association’s Mark Diamond Research Fund Grant
UB’s Graduate Student Association (GSA) provides grants to graduate students for research expenses related to their thesis or dissertation. PhD students may apply for up to $2,500, and master's students for up to $1,500. Applicants should be in the latter stages of research. Learn more and apply for the Mark Diamond Research Fund Grant. UB’s GSA also provides funding to assist graduate students in presenting and attending conferences.
Provost Scholarship
High-achieving freshmen are considered for Provost Scholarships. Award amounts are based on academic merit and cost of attendance. No additional application is needed. These scholarships are renewable for either two or four years for students who maintain continuing eligibility requirements.
University at Buffalo Presidential Fellowship
This fellowship is aimed at recruiting outstanding graduate students. Students are considered for this award at the time of admission; there is no additional application required. To be eligible, a nominee must be a new applicant to a PhD program with at least one of the following:
- Cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.4 or higher; or
- A combined score of 1,270 or higher on the Verbal and Quantitative sections of the “old” GRE General Test (the version offered prior to Aug. 1, 2011), and a score of 4.5 or higher on the Analytical Writing component of that test; or
- A combined score of 313 or higher on the Verbal and Quantitative sections of the revised/new version of the GRE General Test (that was introduced worldwide on Aug. 1, 2011), and a score of 4.5 or higher on the Analytical Writing component of that test; or
- A score on the relevant GRE Subject Test in the 75th percentile or higher.
Consistent with ETS/GRE policies on score reporting, GRE scores used to satisfy eligibility criterions above must have been obtained within the most recent 5 year period.
United University Professions (UUP) Steve Street Award
The UUP Steve Street Award is given to an undergraduate student or group of undergraduate students currently enrolled at a SUNY campus who have created any paper or documented any project related to social justice issues or topics.