University of Vermont Extension

UVM Extension Master Gardener Course Scholarships

The deadline has passed to apply for Chapter scholarships and VSAC and Americorps grants for the 2026 UVM Extension Master Gardener course. We are unable to accept scholarship requests after the December 16, 2025 deadline.

Extension Master Gardener Course Scholarships

Our volunteers offer a limited number of partial scholarships, thanks to their fundraising efforts of  volunteer-led local EMG Chapters. Chapter scholarships are available to those Vermont residents who would like to successfully pursue the course's Track 1 (volunteer certification) and commit to volunteering in their community following the course. We are not able to provide Chapter scholarships to Track 2 students at this time. 

The number of scholarships and application materials vary by Chapter. Scholarships offered in your area are included below when the course registration is open. If you don't see your county listed, no scholarships are available in your area at this time; please check back or refer to other course funding options.

Other Course Funding Options

We also accept grants from the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) and Americorps. VSAC provides Short-term Training Advancement Grants (previously known as the Vermont Non-Degree Grant program) that provides funding for non-degree courses and training for income-eligible Vermonters. Read more about VSAC below.

Extension Master Gardener Manual Accessibility

The course requires students to access the PennState Extension Master Gardener Manual. The manual is accessible through several local libraries, see below.

Other Course Funding Options

Middlebury Garden Club Scholarship (Addison County Residents Only)
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The Middlebury Garden Club is offering two scholarships for the 2026 UVM Extension Master Gardener course.

To be eligible for the scholarship you must be a resident of Addison County.

This is how the scholarship works:  If you are awarded the scholarship, you will be responsible for paying for tuition and materials up front.  You must complete Track 1 of the course (volunteer certification track), and then complete the requisite 40 volunteer hours (over a two-year period) in order to become certified.  The Club will then reimburse the cost of tuition and materials.

To apply for the scholarship, please fill out the application form available on the Club’s website at middleburygardenclub.org and submit it as directed in the form.

The two scholarships will be awarded on a rolling basis.

Extension Master Gardener Course Manual

Our program uses the Penn State Extension Master Gardener Manual -- this 880-page book is comprehensive and covers topics beyond the scope of the course. It is available for $75 plus shipping. 

If you are unable to purchase the manual, we have placed copies in multiple libraries around the state, see list below.

You may lend the book from one of these libraries directly or through an interlibrary loan. Talk to your local librarian for details about how to make an interlibrary loan request. Please keep in mind that the library loan period will likely be shorter then the duration of the course, so you may need to renew the book several times. This period varies by library, so be sure to ask your librarian about their loan period policies. Some libraries will offer an extended loan period, so be sure to ask your local library if this is possible.

One copy of the Penn State Master Gardener Manual, are available at the following locations: