The Tropical Conservation and Development (TCD) Program in the Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Florida (UF) announces a competition for Graduate Assistantship to support Master’s and Doctoral level study in various disciplines. Awards cover tuition and typically provide a $22,000 stipend for 9 months (fall and spring semester), usually matched by support from the student’s degree granting department.
The TCD Program offers an extensive range of classroom and field opportunities for students committed to an interdisciplinary understanding of biodiversity conservation, sustainable resource use, and human well-being issues in the tropics, including sub-tropical and temperate areas in developing countries (e.g., southern Africa, southern cone of South America, Greater Himalayan region). The TCD Graduate Assistantships are made possible by an endowment from the Ford Foundation and the State of Florida*.
* Please note: On rare occasions, TCD will consider providing some emergency support to graduate students finishing up their degree. Usually this is on the order of from $1000-$3000, and most often leveraged with students’ home department. Typically, these funds are reserved for TCD Graduate Certificate Students. Please contact TCD Director or Program Coordinator for inquiries.
Eligibility
- Recipients must be admitted to a graduate degree program at UF or be a current student in the TCD graduate certificate program.
- For new students, if admission results are not available by the deadline, the award will be contingent upon acceptance by UF.
- Recipients are required to participate in TCD sponsored activities and to complete the 12–15 credit TCD interdisciplinary graduate certificate.
- TCD Graduate Assistantships do not support off-campus field research.
Criteria for Selection
Applicants will be evaluated according to:
- Research/academic interests and approach:
Strong applicants will be those that demonstrate: A) a commitment to multi- or interdisciplinary approaches that integrate biological conservation, local peoples, and/or natural resource management; and B) a good match with TCD goals and community
- Plans and potential for career and leadership, especially in tropical or developing world contexts:
Strong applicants will be perceived to: A) have potential to multiply impact of the TCD mission by applying and sharing knowledge and approach in new realms; B) potential contribution to conservation and/or development in tropical countries or regions of interest to TCD including but not limited to sub-tropic or temperate areas in developing countries (e.g., southern cone in South America, southern Africa, Greater Himalayan region).
- Experience relevant to conservation and development
Experience that strengthens a student’s application might include: A) volunteer, life or work experiences (private, government, NGO, Peace Corps, etc.); and/or B) partnerships and collaborations, such as with TCD alumni or partners, local organizations, NGOs.
- Academic record and qualifications (i.e. transcript, grades, coursework, etc.)
Demonstrates interest and experience in TCD program related areas.
- For current UF/TCD students:
Emphasis will be placed on the degree and quality of participation in TCD related activities, current enrollment in TCD certificate, intellectual growth and progress in program, and demonstration of student leadership in TCD.
- For students applying from UF/MDP program (who are not completing thesis/dissertation research)
Special emphasis will be placed on career and leadership potential in conservation and development arena.
Application Deadline: February 3, 2025
Application Instructions
We are using a new online application system this year. Please read the instructions below carefully BEFORE you start to fill out any forms:
- Please note that TCD no longer requires the GRE in applications for TCD Graduate Assistantships. However, GRE scores may still be required by some Departments within UF.
- You will fill out an online application form that will ask you to upload the remaining required documents (items 2 – 6 of the list below) at the end. These documents should be combined into a single PDF document in the same order as they are listed below.
- This PDF file should be named ‘last name_first name_TCD Assist _YEAR.pdf’
- We suggest that you get the PDF of the application documents ready (as per the instructions in previous paragraph) BEFORE filling out the application form, so you can upload the package at the end.
- Please note that there is no ‘save’ button on the application form. However, if COOKIES are enabled on your browser, you will be able to exit it and come back to the same place in the survey where you stopped. We suggest you give it a try and fill out a couple of fields to make sure your computer is set up to save the form before you exit it and lose whatever information you’ve already entered.
- We are also using a NEW REFERENCE LETTER and SUPPORT LETTER TEMPLATES that is preferred to the traditional format. Please ask your referees/advisors to download this form directly from the page OR download it yourself to send them. They should then, email it directly to TCD (instructions are repeated in the form). The reference letters can be in French, Spanish or Portuguese but preferably in English.
- If you experience any problems with the online form, please send an email to TCD.
Application Materials
1. TCD Graduate Assistantship Application Form (rev. for 2025)
2. A two page statement of purpose explaining what you plan to do during your graduate training at UF and why you should be considered for a TCD Graduate Assistantship. Include details about your research interests, career goals, leadership potential, and related work experience (see ‘criteria for selection’ section above). Current students should also highlight past involvement in TCD activities.
3. A copy of your curriculum vitae.
4. Originals or photocopies of academic transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
5. Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores, if applicable (scanned copies OK). Applications with missing TOEFL scores will be reviewed, but any awards from TCD are contingent on acceptance to UF graduate program.
6. One letter of support from your prospective advisor or Graduate Coordinator at UF. Please ask your letter writer to download this form directly from the page OR download it yourself and send them. They should then, email it directly to TCD (instructions are repeated in the form).
7. One letter of recommendation. Please ask your letter writer to download this form directly from the page OR download it yourself to send them. They should then, email it directly to TCD (instructions are repeated in the form).
Questions
Patricia Sampaio
Program Coordinator
343 Grinter Hall
psampaio@latam.ufl.edu