Gund Institute Research Assistantship candidates should:

1. Contact potential faculty advisors directly to discuss your interests. This should include a Gund Faculty Fellow who can serve as your primary advisor. It is important that you confirm their interest and eligibility to serve as your advisor. They must have an appointment in the college you are applying to.

2. Submit all required applications:

• Apply via the Graduate College to your advisor's UVM college or school by the deadline (deadlines vary) and no later than the Gund application deadline (even if the program deadline is after the Gund deadline). Indicate in your statement of purpose that you are also applying for a Gund Institute PhD Research Assistantship. 
• Submit the separate Gund Ph.D. Research Assistantship application by January 6.
• Additional funding opportunities, if applicable:
  • See UVM’s Funding Your Graduate Degree webpage.

Applications must include a statement of interest which:

• includes the specific Ph.D. degree you want to pursue
• clearly articulates what your research interests are and how any prior experience has set you up for success
• addresses how your interests and experience align with the Gund Institute themes, especially interactions among them
• describes any initial discussions with potential advisors
• addresses how your background, research, and/or experience would contribute to a diverse and inclusive environment.

• Primary advisor must be a Gund Faculty Fellow who agrees to advise you. Gund Affiliates are not eligible to be the primary advisor for these fellowships. 
• Co-advisors can be any full-time faculty member of UVM's Graduate College.

We seek doctoral students working on Gund research themes, and especially the connections among them.

All applications will be reviewed against five main criteria:

• Academic qualifications.
• Research experience.
• Clearly articulated research interests.
• Relevance to the Gund’s research themes.
• Commitment and contributions to diversity and inclusiveness

Gund Institute Research Assistantship applicant eligibility:

• These assistantships are for individuals who have not yet started their Ph.Ds who will start their degree program in the fall 2027 semester.
• Preference will be 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.

• The next cycle of applications will open in fall 2026 for fall 2027 admission. If you'd like to be notified when the next cycle opens, please fill out the Gund Institute PhD Fellowship Interest Form. We do not fund students starting in the spring semester or who have already started their PhD degree.
• Submit the Gund-specific application in InfoReady by the deadline (to be announced). 
• Submit your application to a Ph.D. program through UVM colleges/schools before the Gund deadline.

The Gund Institute for Environment at the University of Vermont is a research center dedicated to understanding and tackling the world’s most critical environmental challenges. Driven by the belief that research should inspire action, the Institute takes a cross-sector approach to solving environmental issues with stakeholders from government, business, and broader society. The Institute focuses on five interconnected research themes: climate solutions, sustainable agriculture, health and well-being, equity and justice, and resilient communities. With over 300 scholars in Vermont and across the world, the Institute brings together a network of internationally recognized researchers from diverse disciplines, including the natural and social sciences, business, health, technology, engineering, and the humanities.

The Gund Institute for Environment strives to build a diverse and inclusive community of scholars and leaders, because it is essential to our mission and central to our vision for a sustainable world.

We define “diversity” as the full spectrum of cultural and socioeconomic affiliations that characterize individuals within society, and “inclusion” as valuing the contributions of that diversity to our work and community.

A diverse and inclusive institute will enhance the relevance and impact of our work, ensure our solutions represent those most affected by environmental challenges, address environmental injustice, diversify the environmental leadership of the future, and train those leaders to operate in diverse teams and environments. Learn more about diversity and inclusion at the Gund.