Other Scholarships

This page provides information on scholarships, dissertation, and paper awards our undergraduate and graduate students have applied for (and often won!).  Click on the +/- buttons for a list of our recent winners associated with each scholarship.  The logos to the left indicate whether the scholarship eligibility applies to Georgia Tech students, UTC students, students in Georgia, or students in the Southeastern U.S.  National and international competitions are also indicated.  When more than one logo is present, it means that multiple scholarships are offered at different levels of competition.

Thesis and Dissertation Competitions
Scholarships and Fellowships
Paper Competitions

THESIS AND DISSERTATION COMPETITIONS

Numerous dissertation competitions exist to recognize outstanding thesis and dissertations of graduate students.  Below are only a few of the dissertation award competitions our transportation students are eligible to apply for.

  The School of Civil and Environmental Engineering annually offers awards for the Best MS Thesis and Best Ph.D. Thesis.  Nominations are coordinated by the CEE Awards Committee.  Contact Laurie Garrow for additional information.

The Council of University Transportation Centers – each year, the Milton Pikarsky Memorial Award is given annual for the best Ph.D. dissertation and the best M.S. thesis in the field of science and technology in transportation studies.  The Charles V. Wootan Memorial Awards are given annually for the best Ph.D. dissertation and the best M.S. thesis in the field of policy and planning in transportation studies.  The Neville A. Parker Awards are presented each year to two transportation studies graduate students for outstanding non-thesis papers in the fields of science and technology, and policy and planning.  Deadline: Typically September 30.

Sigma Xi Best MS Thesis and Doctoral Awards – each year, nominations are invited for student research awards sponsored by the Georgia Tech Chapter of Sigma Xi.  The awards are made possible by the support of the Georgia Tech Research Corporation and the Ferst Foundation.  A total of five $500 Best Ph.D. Thesis Awards, Two $250 Best M.S. Thesis Awards, and two $100 Best Undergraduate Research Awards.  Nominations for Georgia Tech Civil and Environmental Engineering Students are coordinated by the CEE Awards Committee.  Contact Laurie Garrow for additional information.

The Aviation Applications Section of INFORMS annually awards a prize for the best dissertation in any area related to aviation, air traffic management, or airlines. The winner will receive a plaque and an honorarium of five hundred dollars. Finalists will receive an honorable mention and a certificate.

SCHOLARSHIPS AND FELLOWSHIPS

American Public Transportation Foundation (APTF) Transit Hall of Fame Scholarship Program – Annually provides up to nine scholarships in the amount of $2,500 to undergraduate (sophomores, juniors, or seniors) or graduate students pursuing careers in public transportation.  Requires an internship and/or employment with public transit agency.  Sample application from 2009. DEADLINE: 6/5/2009.

ASCE Undergraduate and Graduate Scholarships and Fellowships – Several scholarships and fellowships (15 undergraduate and 3 graduate offered in 2009) ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 available for full-time students who are enrolled in or admitted to a civil engineering program.  DEADLINE: 2/9/2009.

Chi-Epsilon Scholarships - Annually provides ten $1,500 district-level, and up to seven $3,000 and three $1,000 national-level scholarships to an undergraduate or graduate student who is a member of Chi-Epsilon. Download application. DEADLINE: Typically November 15.

Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship Program - 10-week science policy fellowship program with the National Academies. Students receive a small stipend to cover their cost of living, get exposed to science policy making in Washington, and have the opportunity to make a substantive contribution to projects under way.  It is also an invaluable networking opportunity for policy oriented students interested in possibly working in Washington. Download application. DEADLINES: November 1 for winter program, March 1 for summer program, June 1 for fall program.

Georgia Tech Civil and Environmental Engineering Mundy Travel Fund – This is a unique program in which undergraduate civil engineering students (or those in the joint BS/MS program) at the Georgia Institute of Technology can apply for travel funds to support an international experience.

Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program – The U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration offer graduate research fellowships for students pursuing advanced degrees. The graduate fellowship ranges in duration. Different fellowship amounts are awarded and range from $1,500 for the recipient to attend the annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board in Washington, D.C. to fully-funded fellowships valued at $69,000 that include tuition and stipend reimbursements to support multiple years of graduate study. pays a monthly stipend of up to $1,700 for MS students and $2,000 for PhD students.  DEADLINE: Annual program with deadlines in mid-February.

ENO Transportation Foundation’s Leadership Development Conference – One week leadership development conference on transportation public policy held in Washington, D.C.  Twenty graduate students from across the U.S. are selected to participate in the conference.  Requires nomination by the CEE transportation faculty.  DEADLINE: Annual program with deadlines in mid-February.

FACES - Facilitating Academic Careers in Engineering and Science (FACES) is a National Science Foundation-sponsored effort between Georgia Tech, Morehouse, Emory University and Spelman designed to increase the number of African-Americans attaining doctorates in engineering and science. Incoming and continuing graduate students who are committed to pursuing a Ph.D. degree are eligible to be considered for a FACES Fellowship. The FACES Fellowship provides an annual stipend of $3,000 or $5,000, depending on the status of the student's Ph.D. candidacy.  DEADLINE: Open.

Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers fellowships for U.S. graduate students to study abroad for one academic year. In academic year 2006-2007, more than 1,200 Americans are studying abroad in over 140 countries with either full or partial support from the Fulbright Program. DEADLINE: Typically mid-September.

Georgia ASHE McGee Scholarship - The Georgia Section of the American Society of Highway Engineers annually offers one or more scholarships in the amount of $1000 - $2000 to a junior or senior undergradute student pursuing a transportation-related degree at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Southern Polytechnic State University, or Georgia Southern University. You can download a sample application from 2008. DEADLINE: Typically in mid-December.

Georgia Department of Transportation Scholarship - The Georgia Department of Transportation will award ten students with scholarships in the amount of $1,000 to be used for academic financial assistance. The scholarship award is open to current Georgia DOT employees and students majoring in a field related to transportation and enrolled in an accredited college or university in the Southeastern region of the United States. Download a sample application and award criteria from 2009. DEADLINE: June 30, 2009.

Georgia ITE Scholarships  – The Georgia Section of ITE annually offers a $2,000 scholarship to an undergraduate or graduate student member of the Georgia Tech ITE chapter.  You can download a sample application from 2004.  DEADLINE: Typically in November. 

Georgia ITS Scholarships - The Georgia Section of ITS offers a $1,500 scholarship to an undergraduate or graduate student in transportation, computer engineering, or electical engineering. Applicnats must submit a 300 word abstract and attend the ITS Annual meeting to present their abstract. The top abstract winner will win a $1,500 scholarship that must be used to attend the ITS Georgia Annual Meeting and the 2010 ITS America Conference. Download the 2009 application.

Gordon W. Schultz Graduate Fellowship – GA Tech is pleased to announce the establishment of this new fellowship, in honor of Gordon W. Schultz, to be awarded on an annual basis to a graduate student in travel demand modeling and analysis who exhibits the essential qualities that Gordon brought to our profession: intellectual discipline combined with a passion for innovation, problem-solving, and practical application.  First award was made in Fall of 2007. Requires nomination by the faculty.

Goizueta Foundation Fellowships – Annual $4,000 scholarships award given to graduate students of Hispanic/Latino origin pursuing their Ph.D. at Georgia Tech.  The fellowship is intended to be a supplemental award and may be held in addition to any other fellowship, such as a National Science Foundation Fellowship or the President’s Fellowship.  The scholarship may be renewed for up to four years.  Nominations are typically made by the CEE Graduate Coordinator in March.

Graduate Research Award Program on Public-Sector Aviation Issues will award up to 10 highly qualified applicants, selected by the Airport Corporative Research Program (ACRP) panel of experts, a stipend of $10,000 each for successful completion of a research paper on a subject chosen by the candidate within the framework of the program’s purpose. DEADLINE: May 15, 2009.

National ITE Scholarships – The national chapter of the Institute of Transportation Engineers offers several scholarships, including the $4,000 Burton W. Marsh Fellowship for Graduate study in Traffic and Transportation Engineering and the $3,000 Harold F. Hammond Scholarship for students planning to pursue a master’s degree in transportation engineering, with principal course work in traffic engineering, geometric design, and/or transportation planning.  ITE also offers a $1,000 scholarship for a graduate student whose program of study emphasizes public transportation planning, administration, or engineering.  DEADLINE: Typically April 1.

National Science Foundation Fellowship – The National Science Foundation provides graduate fellowships for study in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.  Graduating seniors and students in their first year of graduate study are eligible to apply. The fellowship annually pays $30,000 a stipend and covers up to $10,500 in annual tuition waivers.  DEADLINE: Typically early November.

National Society of Black Engineers – The NSBE offers numerous scholarships for African-American graduate students pursuing degrees in science, mathematics, and engineering. Complete details are provided on the NSBE website. DEADLINE: Typically middle of January.

The President’s Fellowship and the Georgia Tech Institute Fellowship are two awards that are offered to top graduate students pursuing doctoral studies at Georgia Tech.  These are highly competitive awards, typically in the amount of $5,500/year and renewable for up to four years.

Transportation Engineers of the Future Program - The Georgia Department of Transportation and the transportation professional community in Georgia are offering a scholarship to Georgia Tech undergraduates wanting to pursue a masters degree in transportation engineering at Georgia Tech. The scholarship covers tuition and a monthly stipend equivalent to a graduate research assistanceship. Students selected for the award must agree to work at the Georgia Department of Transportation for three years. Contact Mike Meyer for additional information.

UTC Scholarships - Students admitted to one of the GTI/UTC academic programs are eligible for UTC Scholarships.  Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of academic record, relevance and quality of proposed research work, and level of preparation for graduate studies.   Scholarships can vary in amount from full graduate research assistantships to supplemental funding in addition to normal funding assistance.  Students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) Scholarship Applications The national WTS Chapter annually supports the Sharon D. Banks Memorial Undergraduate Scholarship ($3000), the Louise Moritz Molitoris Leadership Scholarship for Undergraduates ($3,000), the Helene M. Overly Memorial Graduate Scholarship ($6,000), and the President's Legacy Scholarship ($3,000). The scholarships are competitive and based on the applicant’s specific transportation goals, academic record and transportation-related activities or job skills. Minority candidates are encouraged to apply. The local Atlanta WTS chapter also offers Sharon D. Banks Scholarships for undergraduates ($2,000) and the Helene M. Overly Scholarship for Graduates ($2,000). Download the 2008 application. DEADLINE: Typically in September through the local chapter.

PAPER COMPETITIONS

Interesting in visiting a new city?  Many conferences sponsor student paper competitions to help students attend conferences and network with transportation professionals.  Just a few are listed below.

American Public Transportation Foundation (APTF) Transit Hall of Fame – Annually provides up to two scholarships in the amount of $500 (essay competition) to undergraduate (sophomores, juniors, or seniors) or graduate students pursuing careers in public transportation.  DEADLINE: Typically early June.

Anna Valecik Award - International paper competition sponsored by AGIFORS, the Airline Group of the International Federation of Operational Research Societies. Winner receives a scholarship of $2,500 and the opportunity to present at the Annual Symposium (location rotates every three years among the Americas, Europe/Africa and Pacific). DEADLINE VARIES, TYPICALLY 5/1 - 5/31.

Georgia ITE Paper Competition - Open to members of the Georgia Section of the Institute of Transportation Engineers. Up to two or three prizes have historically been awarded. Winners receive between $200 - $700 and the opportunity to present at the summer meeting. DEADLINE: Typically June. Download the 2008 competition announcement.

Transportation Research Forum Graduate Student Paper Competition –TRF sponsors an annual graduate student paper competition.  Papers must relate to some aspect of transportation management, planning, economics, or public policy.  The winner receives a plaque and a free trip to the TRF Annual Forum.  Past forums were held in Chicago, New York City, Boston, and Washington D.C.  DEADLINE: Typically early January.