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Financial Aid & Scholarships

Financial Aid

LARP is able to offer a limited number of research or teaching assistant positions to Masters or Doctoral students, generally students in their second (or for 3-year MLAs, 3rd) year of study. These are usually 10-hour per week positions that offer stipend and full tuition and some fee waiver.  In a typical year, about half our 2nd or 3rd year Masters students are on an RA/TA position, but this varies year to year based on budget and research funding, and positions are competitive based on performance in your first year and your skill set.  Please contact your Graduate Program Director for more information.

For general University financial aid, please see: https://www.umass.edu/umfa/


All your scholarships. All in one place.

The College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS) has implemented a new system, Academic Works, which automatically matches you with the scholarships you’re eligible for. These include scholarships offered through SBS, Commonwealth Honors College, CICS, the Alumni Association, financial aid, and your major department. By spring 2019, all scholarships offered at UMass will be in the Academic Works Platform.

Simply enroll in Academic Works, fill out the general scholarship application and the application for your college, and watch as all the scholarships you’re qualified for are populated on your screen.

How to enroll and apply

  1. Go to the Academic Works webpage and sign in with your UMass Net ID and password.
  2. Complete the General Application. Once you do this, you’ll see all the scholarships you qualify for. Once you do this, you’ll see any supplemental applications for your major(s).  Completing the supplemental applications will qualify you for additional scholarships.
  3. Click on a scholarship link and upload supplementary documents (resumes, letters from faculty, etc., depending on the award)
  4. Submit your application and see your dashboard, which shows you the status of any pending and submitted applications.

If you have questions, please email acadworks@umass.edu.

Enroll in Academic Works

Scholarships offered through LARP

  • LARP Technology Grant  Scholarships for LARP Students who intend on/have purchased hardware/software technology for their classes. Grants up to of $100.
     
  • LARP Alumni Professional Conference Scholarships  Professional conference scholarships of $250 each, to be used for BSLA/ASLA or APA or other conferences. Priority to those who will graduate that year, students who are presenting a poster or paper, and based on GPA. Undergraduate and Graduate students are all eligible. Application deadline of Nov 30 for Spring, April 11 for Summer or fall of the next academic year.
     
  • LARP/SBS Academic Conference Scholarships  Awards of $400 - $500 per students to attend ACSP or CELA. Preference for doctoral students nearing completion and presenting a paper. Application deadline of Nov 30 for Spring, April 11 for Summer or fall of the next academic year.
     
  • LARP Alumni $1,000 PhD Research Scholarship This award is used to help pay for dissertation out-of-pocket expenses. Preference will be given to students who also apply for college dissertation support grant or other outside funding, and who have just finished or are finishing their comprehensive exams. The student must be ABD to get the funds, although application can be before the defense is completed. Along with the standard application an additional cover letter requesting the funds must be submitted for review to the Chair of the LARP Department and the PhD Graduate Program Director. Application deadline 3/23/2019.

LARP Faculty Nominated Scholarships

Recipients to be selected by the Department Chair / Awards Committee

  • LARP Alumni Award for Diversity and Inclusion  Diversity award to be given to an entering MLA or MRP to fund summer research between their first and second years on their thesis or project.  Must meet domestic diversity goals and demonstrate academic excellence.  

  • Paul Whitney Rhoades and Carolina Pree Rhoades Award  Given to Landscape Architecture Major (Outstanding Senior, Runner-up Senior; Outstanding 1st year Graduate, Runner-up 1st year graduate)  Award Basis: Due weight being given to character, personality, financial need and dedication to continued professional work in the designated area of interest.

  • Paul W. Ryan Scholarship Fund  Given to Junior or Senior in LARP (either LA or SCD). Financial need, who is in good academic standing.

  • Robert Livingston Craig Scholarship Fund  Given to Junior or Senior LA. Scholarship for a student who has demonstrated outstanding ability in designing, drafting and site planning. Preference given to a student who is the child of a first generation American or member of an economically disadvantaged group from Western Massachusetts who has demonstrated distinction in design.

  • Thomas B. and Loraine K. LeNoir Scholarship Fund  Given to Undergraduate LA, Undergraduate SCD, Graduate LA, and Graduate RP. For the graduate students, to be given to a deserving grad student doing their dissertation, thesis or project in the area of natural lands preservation or site restoration.  The awardee will be chosen based on their thesis/project/dissertation proposal. For undergraduates, preference is given to a student who is doing an honors thesis related to the topic. 

  • Robert P. McGorum Scholarship  Given to Undergraduate LA and Graduate LA. Given in alternating years to Landscape Architecture students and Horticulture students. Criteria: Academic Achievement. 

  • Charles Tooker ’53 Student Support Fund  Given to students in the LARP Department whose career aspirations are focused on Landscape Architecture.

  • LARP Grad Research Travel Grant LARP receives a limited amount of funds from the UMass Graduate School to support graduate students travel to conferences where they will be presenting research. As these funds are limited, we prioritize funding to academic conferences and the student must be a listed as a presenting author in the conference program. We generally do not fund travel outside of the U.S. or Canada. We also may consider where you are in the program (students on the job market have priority) and whether you have been provided with travel funds in the past. The program operates as a reimbursement and requires that you submit receipts of your travel expenses before we will submit your claim for reimbursement. Covered expenses typically include conference registration fees, airfare, hotel, and other direct expenses. The maximum reimbursement is typically between $400 to $500 per student, per year. If you are interested, please send the Application Form to Henry Renski (hrenski@larp.umass.edu) with the subject “LARP grad travel application.”


Other Scholarships