Student Scholarships and Awards

Four scholarships are available to students whose research and accomplishments support the mission of CaGIS. CaGIS will award two Master’s Scholarship Awards ($1,000 each) and two Doctoral Scholarship Awards ($1,500 each) to outstanding applicants. Award priority will be given to those candidates that are currently enrolled in a four-year undergraduate or graduate degree program studying cartography, geographic information science, or a closely related field. Outstanding undergraduates or individuals returning to school that have been accepted to a master’s program in GIScience are also eligible to apply for the Master’s Scholarship Award. Outstanding candidates that are not currently enrolled as a student, but have been accepted to a PhD program are also eligible to apply to the Doctoral Scholarship Award. Awardees will have the opportunity to be interviewed and featured on the CaGIS website and social media.

To apply for a 2023 CaGIS scholarship award, please submit the following information in the online application form by 11:59 PM ET on Sunday, March 31, 2024:

• A 500-word statement that includes discussion of your educational objectives and research activities, your future study and research plans, how your current or future research supports the mission of CaGIS, and your service activities in the profession of cartography or geographic information science. This statement should not be a research proposal. Instead, your statement should clearly and concisely describe who you are as a cartography or geographic information science student and your potential to excel in the profession.
• A curriculum vitae (CV).
• A digital copy of your transcript showing records from at least the last two years. Highlight, underline, or circle courses that contribute to your “core GPA” listed on your application form. Coursework considered to fall within your “core GPA” are those strongly related to the disciplines of cartography and geographic information science such as geography, geographic information systems, cartography, computer science, mathematics, statistics, geodetic science, data visualization, and remote sensing.
• A letter of nomination from a faculty member or supervisor who is familiar with your academic and research activities. The applicant or the author of the letter of nomination must be a current CaGIS member.

CaGIS will evaluate applicants based on the following criteria. All evaluations will be based on the materials submitted by the applicant:

• Submission of all items listed above to the online application form by 11:59 PM ET on Sunday, March 31, 2024.
• Academic achievement, particularly with respect to coursework in cartography, geographic information science, and related fields.
• Research activities and the potential of the applicant to contribute to cartography and geographic information science research.

Please direct any question to awards@cartogis.org.