Gund Institute for Environment

Gund PhD Research Assistantships

Funded PhD opportunities with real-world impact.

The Gund Institute for Environment seeks outstanding PhD applicants interested in conducting interdisciplinary research on major global environmental challenges.

These funded PhD positions and known as Gund PhD Research Assistantships. They provide attractive funding packages, world-class faculty mentors, real-world experience collaborating with leaders in government and business – and a deep understanding of complex global environmental issues.

Our Approach

Students have flexibility and assistance in developing the direction of their work. To ensure global significance, projects should be guided by UN Sustainable Development Goals and Gund Institute research strengths. These include climate change, sustainable food systems, water security, health and environment, clean energy, global landscape change, ecological economics, nature’s benefits – and the complex relationships among these topics.

Find an Advisor

Funding

Gund PhD Research Assistantships include three years of funding to be spent over four years.
Funding covers an annual stipend of $27,000, tuition, and UVM’s student health insurance.
Students work with home departments to augment this support with Teaching Assistantships or additional grants.
Students can also apply for Student Enrichment Funds for conference participation and research costs.

Application Process

Prospective PhD students from any UVM College or School can apply for Gund PhD Research Assistantships. Interested candidates should:

1. Contact potential faculty advisors directly to discuss your interests. Identify a Gund Fellow who can serve as your advisor. Note: Co-advisors may be from other UVM graduate programs. Learn more about environmental and sustainability graduate studies at UVM.

2. Submit two required applications:

Apply to the appropriate UVM college or school by the deadline (which vary). Indicate in your statement of purpose that you are applying for a Gund PhD Institute Research Assistantship.
Submit the separate Gund PhD Assistantship Application by deadline.

Qualifications

Student must be starting year 1 of a PhD program
Competitive GPA and GRE scores
If applicable, minimum TOEFL scores of 100 or IELTS score of 7.0
Preference given to applicants who have not previously studied at UVM, and who already have a Master’s degree, but all qualified candidates will be considered
Applications from women and people from diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds are encouraged.

Deadlines

Application Period Start:	November 1, 2017
Contact Potential Advisors:	September to January (recommended)
Deadline for Gund Application (1 of 2 required applications):	Application deadline has passed
Deadline for UVM college or school (2 of 2 required applications):	Deadlines have passed
Offers:	Spring 2018
Offer Acceptance:	April 2018
Start Date:	August 2018

About the Gund Institute

The Gund Institute for Environment brings scholars and leaders together to accelerate research, uncover solutions and tackle the world's most pressing environmental issues. Based at the University of Vermont, the Gund Institute is a newly expanded campus-wide center for interdisciplinary research, where more than 100 faculty fellows, global affiliates, postdocs, and graduate students collaborate to understand the interactions among ecological, social and economic systems. Consistent with our mission, we seek students interested in advancing research frontiers and addressing concrete environmental issues.