****Funding Opportunities
Assisantships
All applicants admitted to our graduate program are considered for a department assistantship on a competitive basis with other admitted applicants, depending on funds available each semester. No additional/separate application is needed to be considered.
If you must have funding to support your studies, you should have your application complete and processed before the international application deadlines.
The basic assistantship in the department is a one-half time appointment. However, due to budget stringencies, new graduate students are sometimes offered quarter-time assistantships with the understanding that successful effort will qualify them for one-half time appointments as soon as possible. A half-time assistantship carries with it the obligation to devote at least 20 hours per week in research duties over the duration of the student's program. Quarter-time assistantships are obliged to work 10 hours per week. Acceptable completion of assigned research tasks, rather than simply working a specified number of hours per week, constitutes a fulfillment of the assistantship obligation. Research assignments will be made by the student's major professor.
Students receiving a one-half time appointment will remain at that level of assistance for the duration of their program, assuming acceptable performance. As a rule, graduate assistants will be placed on full-time assistantship pay only when doing field work on a faculty member's research project that is not connected with the student's thesis research and when the student can demonstrate to his major professor and the DGS that he or she is making satisfactory progress towards fulfilling the assistantship obligation. Once such projects are completed, the student will revert to half-time status and stipend level.
Assistantships ordinarily are awarded on an annual basis. However, there is no guarantee that stipend payments will continue for the full year; acceptable performance of assistantship duties is always required. Each assistantship will be reviewed annually by the student's major professor and Advisory Committee, the Graduate Program Committee, and the Director of Graduate Studies. Annual renewal will be based upon acceptable performance of work responsibilities and academic progress. Subject to annual review, one-half time assistantships are renewable for a maximum total service of 24 months for M.S. students and 48 months for Ph.D. students when continuously enrolled at the University of Kentucky after initiating graduate study.
Half-time assistantship stipends are determined annually in each fiscal year and are paid on a 12-month basis. Rates are based on comparable salaries and are higher for Ph.D. students than for Masters students. All tuition, fees, and health insurance for the student are also covered through the research assistantship.
Fellowships
Currently, the department has two fellowships for admitted Agricultural Economics graduate students
Extension National Needs Graduate Fellowship
To be completed in conjunction with our master's degree program, 2-3 graduate students will be admitted per year as extension fellows and immersed in the Department's extensive Extension programming. The fellowship features a year-long Extension Applications seminar followed by a year-long practicum that is concurrent with the thesis-writing process. The seminar will be team taught by Agricultural Economics Extension faculty and associates, as well as other Extension professionals from the throughout the university and state, with a strong showing from professionals outside of agricultural economics. The practicum will provide Fellows with opportunities to shadow faculty/specialists, build professional networks, and develop their own programs and materials that dovetail with their thesis research.
H.B. Price Graduate Fellowship in Regional Economics
The selected student will identify, in agreement with his/her advising committee, specific research topics, which may focus on (but are not limited to) issues related to regional economics including rural development, labor economics, firm formation, and targeted attraction, economic geography, rural health, and other policy-relevant topics.
To be eligible for the H.B. Price Fellowship you must be admitted to the Agricultural Economics graduate program and offered an assistantship. The Fellowship will be above and beyond a departmental assistantship.
Requirements
Strong candidates will possess a passion for studying regional economics and the translation of research for lay audiences and decision-making. Formal training in economics (including econometrics and microeconomics) and a demonstrated facility with mathematics and/or quantitative methods is expected, but candidates with survey research and interdisciplinary backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Previous research experience, excellent written and oral communication, organizational skills, ability to work independently, and experience in any segment of regional economics are desirable. While candidates ready to enter the Ph.D. program are preferred, particularly strong/motivated applicants to the MS program will be considered.
The student will be working with Dr. Alison Davis, Professor of Agricultural Economics and director of the Community and Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky (CEDIK). The University of Kentucky is also home to the Kentucky Research Data Center and a nationally-renowned economics department (Gatton College of Business and Economics) and public policy school (Martin School). These two departments provide an excellent opportunity for additional classroom training, collaboration and conducting multidisciplinary research.
Graduate assistantship includes:
- A competitive stipend, commensurate with the student's experience and engagement in research for two years
- Full tuition support
- Full medical insurance
- The student will be responsible for required graduate fees
- Financial support for one annual trip to present research
To apply:
The position is open until filled. All applications for admission are made directly to the Graduate School. In addition to the required materials, please ensure your narrative focuses on your application to the H.B. Price Graduate Fellowship by stating your specific interest in regional economics and intended area of focus.
NSF Graduate Research Traineeship
UK's Center for Applied Energy Research has received grant funding from the National Science Foundation to support Kentucky food, energy and water systems student innovators. Interested graduate students can apply to the program from the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Traineeship (NRT) website.
