Graduate Fellowships in Biology
Graduate fellowships for the Master of Science in Biology program are highly sought-after opportunities that provide you with hands-on learning, resume-boosting skills, and reduced tuition costs.
Fellowship Information
Merrimack’s Master of Science in Biology program offers Presidential fellowships that cover 100% of tuition costs for 25 hours per week of teaching experience.
- 1-year Fellowship: Students in our Pre-Professional, Bioinformatics, or Applied Life Sciences concentrations will have a year-long experience in their placement.
- 2-year Fellowship: Students in our Research concentration will have a 2-year long experience in their placement.
As part of your fellowship, you will be assigned to work under one or more professors and your responsibilities will include:
- Teaching: Fellows are expected to serve as teaching assistant for two introductory STEM laboratory courses per semester. Responsibilities include supporting large
lecture classes, and leading review sessions outside of regular class hours. - Research/Laboratory Support: In addition to your role as a teaching assistant, fellows will dedicate additional hours to their faculty-mentored research project or work with a laboratory support team developing essential biological and chemical techniques by helping setting up laboratory experiments, preparing materials and reagents for undergraduate teaching labs.
Please note that if you accept a fellowship position, you will not be eligible for any other discounts or scholarships, including the merit-based Dean scholarship or the Double Warrior alumni scholarship.
If you have questions regarding Master of Science in Biology Fellowships, please contact [email protected] or 978-837-3563.
Biology Fellowship Process
How To Apply
- Click the “Apply Now” button below or go to gps.merrimack.edu/apply to begin or resume your graduate application.
- Within your app, select “Yes” for “Are you applying to a fellowship?”
- Submit your application. Be sure to complete the required Fellowship essay.
- Receive your admission decision. If admitted to the master’s program, you’ll receive further instructions about the fellowship process.
Important Information for the 2025-2026 Biology Graduate Fellowships
Biology Teaching Assistants (TAs) work closely with the graduate program director and other Biology faculty mentors. Graduate TAs are responsible for teaching two laboratory courses per semester under the supervision and mentorship of a full-time faculty member, and therefore play a vital role in shaping the experiences of STEM students enrolled in our introductory lab courses.
All graduate TAs receive formal training in evidence-based teaching methods, engage in hands-on practice teaching opportunities, and receive ongoing feedback regarding their teaching as part of their chemical education courses.
We strongly encourage you to apply as soon as possible for your best chance at a fellowship opportunity. We are currently accepting applications on a rolling basis until all positions are filled! The priority application deadline is February 1, 2025.
The process is as follows:
- Submit your online application. Be sure to indicate your fellowship interest within your application.
- Review your admission decision. Admission decisions will be released within 5 to 10 business days. In your admission letter, you will be notified if you have been selected to participate in the fellowship program.
- Schedule a meeting with the Biology program director. As an accepted student, you will meet with the program director to discuss your areas of interest within the field.
- Match with a faculty member. Based on your interests, you will be notified of the faculty member that you matched with. The faculty member will be your mentor throughout your teaching experience.
- First Day of Fellowship Training: August 2025
- Duration of Fellowship Placement: August 2025 to late May 2026
Please note:
- Deposits are due five business days after matches are sent to students.
- If you are granted a fellowship, you will not be eligible for any other discounts or scholarships.
- If you are admitted into the traditional program but not offered a fellowship, you will automatically be considered for a Dean scholarship.
- If you are originally awarded a scholarship and then are given a fellowship placement, you will no longer receive the merit scholarship. The fellowship will replace any other discounts.
Questions? All interested students should email graduate admission.
Dean and Alumni Scholarships
Dean and Alumni Scholarships are available to students who are not receiving a fellowship. No additional application is needed.
