M.S. & Ph.D.
in Entomology

Graduate teaching/research assistantships are available from the Department of Entomology. Research assistantships are also available from extramural grant or contract sources, i. e. USDA, NSF, NIH and industry. The number of assistantships available depends in great part on the success of departmental faculty in obtaining competitive grants.  

Certain programs may supplement GRA salaries from other funding sources.  You should talk to your potential graduate student advisor about stipend amount. Graduate student fees/tuition charges are the sole responsibility of the student, however some student fees may be covered by fellowships. These charges are assessed at in-state rates and range between $1000-2500 per semester. Living expense or living wage calculators for Lee County Alabama are available online. Assistantships are not the same as fellowships or scholarships awarded by internal or external sources. For example, F.S. Arant scholarships are available at a rate equal to the cost of resident tuition and fees at Auburn University for highly qualified applicants. Similarly, transportation or other financial assistance from the Graduate School or the Department is available on a case-by-case basis for students to present research papers at professional meetings.

Assistantships funded through the department are normally awarded for two years for M.S. students and three years for Ph.D. students. These may be extended by the Chair of the Department for one year, upon request by the Major Advisor, depending upon the availability of funds and the demonstration of satisfactory progress toward the degree. It should be understood that all GRA awards are temporary, and their continuance depends upon student performance and availability of funds. Students holding assistantships are currently charged in-state resident tuition, however most students are eligible for tuition waivers for most courses when enrolled as full-time students in the department. Online courses, for example, are not currently eligible for tuition waivers.

Assistantship stipends support student research under the direction of their primary advisor, which often includes general lab assistance in addition to thesis or dissertation research. Students on assistantships are assigned duties by their Major Professor, or the Department Chair, and generally have obligations to the program, or grant, for which the assistantship is assigned. Workloads are defined on the basis of a normal teaching load or the equivalent time in other duties. Students on assistantships receive the same benefits as other University students. Students should understand that there are various categories of assistantships with differing requirements, duties, and obligations. Hence comparisons among graduate students in regard to duties and time commitment for an assistantship are not advised.

The Department encourages graduate students to present their research during professional meetings at the regional and national level. When possible, transportation and financial assistance may be provided for such attendance, but such funds are not guaranteed. Financial support from the Graduate School to attend professional meetings is also available on a competitive basis.

• Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from an accredited college or university, with a strong background in biological or bio-related sciences. Have adequate preparation for graduate study in entomology.
• Official transcripts of all undergraduate and any graduate credits from each school previously attended. An undergraduate grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) is preferred.
• Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General Test. Auburn University’s ETS institution code is 1005. Scores must be within 5 years of the planned entry date.
• A letter of Intent.
• Three letters of recommendation.
• Applicant’s Resume (C.V.).
• International applicants must submit a score of the Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL). The minimum score is 550 on the paper TOEFL (pBT), 213 on the computer TOEFL (cBT), or 79 on the internet TOEFL (iBT). Successful applicants must score a minimum of 16 on the four component parts (reading, listening, speaking, writing) of the iBT. We also accept a 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam. TOEFL or IELTS must be taken within 2 years of planned entry data. TOEFL exemption can be considered if the applicants have a degree accredited by a U.S. college or university or have completed at least two full-time semesters of graded coursework at a U.S. college or university prior to the anticipated semester of enrollment.

1. Submission of an online application to the Graduate School using the Electronic application available at the Auburn University Graduate School web page. While the Graduate School application allows you to create a username and password, IT MUST BE COMPLETED AND SUBMITTED IN A SINGLE VISIT. If you experience any problems with the Graduate School online application, please contact the Graduate School by phone (334-844-2132) or email (grad@auburn.edu) with your reference number. To complete the electronic application, you need to send all the following items directly to Graduate School:

• A $70.00 (U.S.) non-refundable Application Fee, in the form of a traveler’s check or money order payable in the United States, or paid by credit card.
• Official transcripts and scores from all previous undergraduate and graduate schools. The transcripts must be in English (accompanied by their original language) and issued by the school with the official seal/stamp and an official signature.
• GRE (and TOEFL or IELTS for international applicants) sent directly from the test institutes to Auburn University Graduate School.
• C.V. (resume)
• Letter of Intent, which serves as an important element used in deciding to invite or to decline an applicant into our research program. It must clearly state the following aspects:

The letter is a personal statement of interest and should appropriately contain any information that you feel is important about your academic or research experience.

• Indicate the research program and questions of interest
• Provide information regarding both the short-term and long-term career goals and how the acquisition of the specific degree you are applying for will serve to advance you toward your professional goals.
• If you have contacted a potential supervisor, indicate this in your letter.

2. Three letters of recommendation. The letters are addressed to either the GPO or the intended professors and must be sent directly from the referees via email or mail. The referees should be former professors, employers, advisors, or others capable of evaluating the applicant’s academic, research and professional qualifications. The letters should be sent directly to the potential supervisor the student is applying for or to the GPOs listed at the bottom of this page.

3. Deadlines of application. To ensure ample time for processing and notification of applicant of admission status, completed applications must be received 2 months (domestic applicants) or 4 months (international applicants) weeks prior to the beginning of the entry semester.