MES Student Resources

About the Thesis Fund
Overview

The Thesis Research Fund provides students with financial support for materials required for the successful completion of thesis research. Research funds are available through a joint fund between the program and The Evergreen State College Foundation. 

The Fund is not intended to support expenses related to professional development, such as conference registration or travel, even if you are presenting your thesis research. 

Requests of up to $1,000 will be considered with most awards being smaller in order to serve more students. Reimbursable expenses include things like laboratory supplies, sample testing at off-campus labs, postage, tools and equipment, mileage expenses or other travel needs directly in service of collecting data. Applicants must be active students who have successfully completed the final core class, case studies and thesis design by the deadline and funds must be spent within the academic year they are awarded.

Complete applications should be submitted electronically to mes@evergreen.edu. Late submissions will not be considered. The review committee will assess all submissions and provide applicants with funding decisions and award details.

How to Apply

A request is made by submitting the following materials. Incomplete submissions will not be reviewed.  

• One-page cover letter that includes your expected quarter of graduation, a summary of your thesis research and your funding request (total amount and what it will be used for). Example Cover Letter.
• A copy of your complete and approved Thesis Prospectus. Your answer about budget should include all estimated costs of your thesis, not just the costs you are requesting funding for here. In your Prospectus please indicate any existing sources of funding for the estimated costs that you list in Q11.
• An itemized budget that sufficiently details the specific expenses for which reimbursement will be sought, for reviewers to determine if those expenses are reasonable and consistent with the intent of the fund and College policies. The budget should be submitted as an Excel spreadsheet, with the total dollar amount indicated.  Please use the following categories:
  • Travel - This may include mileage in a personal vehicle for driving to/from study sites to collect data, or to conduct in-person interviews. If you are collecting data in a more distant location one round-trip airfare will be considered.  Mileage to/from the Evergreen campus, even if to process or analyze lab samples, cannot be included.
  • Materials/Supplies - These are typically items that you buy multiples of, e.g. lab supplies, flagging or notebooks, other field supplies, sample testing, postage for mailed surveys (or to send samples off), printing costs (of surveys or other materials needed for research, not the thesis itself).
  • Equipment - These are typically one-time purchases, e.g. of an instrument or tool necessary for data collection, or of specialized computer software.  Computer hardware (e.g. a new laptop) should not be requested.
  • Other - If you have specific expenses that aren’t covered in the above categories. Tuition cannot be covered by this fund.
• A budget justification that, for each category, briefly explains why you are requesting funding for the specific expenses you list, and how the funding will contribute to the success of your thesis research. Please indicate (at the end) if you have any pending funding requests that would potentially apply to the costs you are requesting funding for here.
• A completed MES Thesis Fund application 

The Evergreen Clean Energy Grant provides funding for campus sustainability projects. The grant is open to any member of the Evergreen community and is offered throughout the year.

Learn more

Student Travel Fund for Conference Presentations

Are you a student traveling to present your academic work at a conference or professional meeting?
The Academic Deans office has a limited fund to help reimburse your expenses. Awards are up to $250 and students can be granted one award per academic year. The fund for these awards is limited and requests for funds will be denied once it is exhausted. 

Eligible Applicants 

• Currently enrolled at Evergreen (undergraduate or graduate)
• Presenting work tied to an academic program/course or ILC

Applications Must Include

• Name, contact information, and A#
• A brief description of the conference or meeting and title of presentation
• Place(s) and date(s) of travel
• Benefit expected from participation in the conference or meeting
• Brief letter of support from the faculty that sponsored the academic work
• Cost of transportation, registration, and other expenses the award would be used for
• Any other sources of funding being used to cover expenses

Funds can be used for:

• Conference registration fees
• Lodging
• Evergreen van rental (if authorized)
• Plane or train tickets

Funds can be not used for:

• Food
• Reimbursement for miles used traveling in a personal vehicle

Applications should be sent as a word or pdf document to academicgrants@evergreen.edu. Requests must be received at least two weeks before the travel date.