Financial aid—whether in the form of loans, grants, work-study, grants, or scholarships—can be an important part of putting a Penn State degree within reach. Penn State, the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, and the Department of Geosciences have numerous resources and ways to help eligible students and their families help pay for a Penn State education. Through the generosity of our alumni and friends, the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences provides financial aid to our students in good academic standing and awards nearly 500 scholarships annually. The Department of Geosciences also offers scholarships.
Here are some resources that will let you know more about the costs of college and ways that Penn State students commonly receive student aid.
- Undergraduate Admissions Costs and Aid
Information on scholarships, tuition and other costs, financial aid, and eligibility for being considered a Pennsylvania resident. - Penn State Office of the Bursar
This office maintains student accounts pertaining to tuition billing, acceptance fees, charges, payments, financial aid disbursements, and refunds of excess funds, when available. - Penn State Office of Student Aid
This office handles requests for federal financial aid. On this site, you can learn about important aid-related policies, different types of assistance such as scholarships, grants, and loans that you may be eligible for, and how to apply for financial aid.
Our departments offers many scholarships. Please use this form to apply.
Deadline: April 15 annually (Application opens Janauary 1 each year)
Below is the current listing of available scholarships:
Joseph Berg Award for Undergraduate Research in Geosciences
Purpose: To honor and recognize outstanding achievement by an undergraduate student who is enrolled in the Department of Geosciences in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. This award is meant to encourage students to continue doing research in the laboratories of the Department of Geosciences.
Barton P. Cahir Award Endowment in Earth and Mineral Sciences
Purpose: To honor and recognize the highest grade point average by an undergraduate transfer student enrolled in the Geosciences Department or in the engineering-based disciplines in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.
Frank Dachille Memorial Award in Geochemistry
Purpose: To honor and recognize outstanding achievement by a full-time graduate or undergraduate student enrolled in the Geosciences Department of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.
David P. “Duff” Gold Undergraduate Scholarship Fund in Geosciences
Purpose: To provide recognition and financial assistance to outstanding undergraduate students enrolled in or planning to enroll in the Department of Geosciences in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.
General Scholarship Endowment
Purpose: To provide recognition and financial assistance to outstanding undergraduate students enrolled in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences at the Pennsylvania State University who are majoring in Geosciences and who have demonstrated financial need to meet their necessary college expenses.
John C. and Nancy Griffiths Scholarship in Geosciences
Purpose: to provide recognition and financial assistance to outstanding students enrolled in the Department of Geosciences who have a proven need for funds to meet their necessary college expense.
James and Nancy Hedberg Scholarship in Geosciences
Purpose: To provide recognition and financial assistance to outstanding students enrolled or planning to enroll in the Geosciences Department of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.
Arthur P. Honess Memorial Fund
Purpose: To honor and recognize outstanding achievement by an undergraduate student who is enrolled in the Department of Geosciences in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and who demonstrates financial need.
Benjamin F. Howell, Jr. Award in Geosciences
Purpose: To honor and recognize outstanding achievement by an undergraduate or graduate student who is enrolled in the Department of Geosciences in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.
Ronald A. Landon Endowment in Hydrogeology
Purpose: To provide monies for scholarships and merit awards for students in the Department of Geosciences.
Maureen and Dennis Maiorino Undergraduate Scholarship in the Department of Geosciences
Purpose: To provide monies to a full-time undergraduate student enrolled or planning to enroll in the Department of Geosciences who has demonstrated financial need. First preference shall be given to students who show an interest in petroleum geology through either coursework or lab work.
Timothy B. and Cindie Lynch Mullen Scholarship
Purpose: To provide monies for scholarships to students enrolled in the Department of Geosciences.
Robert F. Schmalz Award in the Department of Geosciences
Purpose: To honor and recognize outstanding achievement by an undergraduate student who is enrolled in the Department of Geosciences in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and who demonstrates excellence in the classroom or in his or her research.
Julie and Trem Smith Family Undergraduate Scholarship
Purpose: To honor and recognize outstanding achievement by an undergraduate student who is enrolled in the Department of Geosciences in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and who demonstrates excellence in the classroom or in his or her research.
Daniel and Deborah Stephens First-Time Endowed Scholarship
Purpose: To honor and recognize outstanding achievement by an undergraduate student who is enrolled in the Department of Geosciences in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and who demonstrates financial need.
Timothy and Courtney Watson Undergraduate Scolarship
Purpose: To honor and recognize outstanding achievement by an undergraduate student who is enrolled in the Department of Geosciences in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and who demonstrates financial need.
SUMMER AWARDS OFFERED FOR FIELD CAMP/ITALY TRIP:
Thomas F. Bates Undergraduate Research Enhancement Fund for Geosciences in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
Purpose: The purpose of this endowment shall be to improve the quality of undergraduate education in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences by providing monies to support undergraduate research activities in the geosciences with emphasis, as appropriate, in the areas of mineralogy and geochemistry.
David M. Demshur Undergraduate Research Endowment in Geosciences
Purpose: To enhance the undergraduate programs in the Department of Geosciences in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.
Edwin L. Drake Memorial Scholarships
Purpose: To provide recognition and financial assistance to outstanding students enrolled or planning to enroll in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.
Kappmeyer-Isaacs Field Camp Award
Purpose: To provide funds for outstanding undergraduate students' summer field camp registration fees.
Scholarship from the Earle S. Lenker Fund for Field Studies in Geology
Purpose: To enrich the geologic knowledge and experiences of undergraduate and graduate students in Geosciences or Earth Science in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. Monies will be provided for expenses associated with geology field studies, attending specialized field courses or field trip opportunities.
Thomas Kenneth (T.K.) Reeves, Jr. Family Scholarship
Purpose: To provide monies to students who are enrolled in the Department of Geosciences who are participating in an expirential learning opportunity to observe and record data in the field relevant to the internal and surface processes that shape the earth, and who have demonstrated financial need.
Reif Undergraduate Summer Field Camp Endowment
Purpose: To enrich the geologic knowledge and experiences of undergraduate students in the Department of Geosciences in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences by providing financial support for expenses associated with geologic field studies during the annual Geosciences summer field camp.
Mr. David E. W. Vaughan and Mrs. Julianne S. Vaughan Field Camp Fund
Purpose: To provide funding to the Department of Geosciences to support opportunities for undergraduate students to participate in hands-on experiences solving geologic problems.
Scholarships for the sophomore through senior years are awarded on the basis of academic excellence. The completion of an online application between January 1 and April 15 is required in order to receive consideration. Because some of these awards are “need-based,” it is important that you submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in a timely manner each year in order to be eligible for support.
Deadline: April 15 annually (Application opens Janauary 1 each year)