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Scholarship information

The Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences and the College of Natural Sciences (CNS) offer a variety of scholarships to recognize the hard work and academic success of our students, assist students with the expense of their education, and support student research and internships. The majority of these scholarships are funded through the generosity of alumni and other members of the VASCI community. We encourage all students to apply.

How to apply

The university has implemented AcademicWorks, an online application system for scholarships offered at UMass Amherst. Simply enroll in AcademicWorks, and fill out both the UMass general application and the CNS application. The system will automatically submit your application to the scholarships and awards for which you are fully eligible and will inform you of other scholarships for which you would need to supply additional materials to apply. Application deadline is April 15.

Enroll in AcademicWorks

Go to the AcademicWorks webpage and sign in with your UMass Net ID and password.

  • Complete both the general application and the CNS application. The system will show if you are eligible for scholarships that require additional application materials.
  • Click on each scholarship link and upload any required supplementary materials (such as resumes or faculty recommendations).
  • Submit your application and check your dashboard to see the status of any pending and submitted applications.

Email Academic Works if you have any questions.

Veterinary and Animal Sciences Department Scholarships

Alvord Dairy Scholarship
Scholarship established to support the education of animal science and pre-veterinary science students who have an interest in dairy farming/animal husbandry. Applicant must not drink or smoke.

Anthony Borton Equine Studies Scholarship
The Anthony Borton Equine Studies Scholarship, established in honor of the former professor and program director, provides stipends for undergraduate students in the Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences who have an interest in equine studies. The award is based on need and merit.

William P. Brooks, William B. Drew, and Shirley Upton-Drew Memorial Fund
The William P. Brooks, William B. Drew, and Shirley Upton-Drew Memorial Fund was established in memory of alumni Brooks (class of 1875), Drew (class of 1930), and Upton-Drew (class of 1931). The fund supports an annual scholarship for one or more undergraduate students in the Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences who have an interest in equine studies.

Byron E. Colby Scholarship
The Byron E. Colby Scholarship, established in honor of the late professor, provides awards for animal science majors. The recipients will be chosen based on scholarship and need.

Equine Studies Program Endowment
The Equine Studies Program Endowment was established to support equine studies, primarily through graduate training, research, and outreach. The endowment provides graduate student stipends and funding for graduate and undergraduate research in equine-related studies. Students must be in the Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences.

R.C. Foley Scholarship
The R. C. Foley Scholarship, established by the bequest of the late Professor Foley, is awarded to a senior majoring in veterinary and animal sciences who ranks academically in the top 20 percent of departmental seniors on the basis of three years of work all taken at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and who has shown exceptional qualities of leadership and high character. The award is merit-based.

Herbert Forest Scholarship
The Herbert L. Forest Scholarship supports juniors and seniors majoring in resource economics, managerial economics, veterinary and animal sciences, or food science. Applicants should have a demonstrated career interest related to dairy marketing and must be in good academic standing. The scholarship was established to honor the late Herbert L. Forest, a distinguished alumnus of the Department of Resource Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. 

Richard and Sandra Johnson Scholarship for Veterinary and Animal Sciences Students
The Richard and Sandra Johnson Scholarship for Veterinary and Animal Sciences provides scholarship support to students in the Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences. Recipients must be in good academic standing with financial need as determined by the UMass Amherst Office of Financial Aid.

Richard E. and Isabelle M. Nilsson Scholarship
The Richard E. and Isabelle M. Nilsson Scholarship is awarded to one or more undergraduate students in the veterinary and animal sciences department or the food sciences department. Selection of recipients will be based on financial need as determined by the Office of Financial Aid. Mr. Nilsson ’48AS, ’51, established the scholarship, and family and friends brought it to the endowment level after his death.

Kenneth W. Pillsbury Scholarships
Pillsbury Scholarship for juniors: To support students in the Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences in their junior year.
Pillsbury Scholarship for seniors: To support students in the Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences in their senior year.

Jay A. Pirog Scholarship
The Jay A. Pirog Scholarship Fund was established in memory of Joseph Pirog by his mother and the proceeds of a fundraiser sponsored by WITT/WRNX radio after Jay was killed in an apartment fire. The scholarship supports one undergraduate major in the Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences with financial need and a GPA of 3.2 or higher.

V.A. Rice Scholarship
The V.A. Rice Scholarship was established to award animal science or pre-veterinary students who have an interest in pursuing a career in the equine field. Additionally, applicants must be actively involved with any of the following equine-related activities: UMass teams/clubs, research projects, internships, and/or independent study activities. Merit based.

UMass Veterinary Technology Scholarship
The Veterinary Technology Scholarship Fund supports students majoring in veterinary technology in the Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences. Eligible students will have financial need as determined by the UMass Amherst Office of Financial Aid and a cumulative GPA of 2.5 and above and be a rising sophomore, junior, or senior majoring in veterinary technology.