Graduate Student Awards

KSU graduate students are recognized for their accomplishments and contributions with the university-wide awards listed below. Additionally, discipline-specific awards may be presented by departments, graduate programs, and other groups.

UDP Excellence in Doctoral Studies Award

Sponsored by K-State's University Distinguished Professors, this award recognizes exceptional achievement in doctoral studies. Applicants must demonstrate excellence in scholarship through publications and other accomplishments appropriate for his or her academic field. Doctoral candidates from any discipline who meet eligibility requirements may apply. The application process begins at the middle of each spring semester.

Learn about the UDP Excellence in Doctoral Studies Award

CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award

The Distinguished Dissertation Award is made annually to individuals who, in the opinion of the award committee, have completed dissertations representing original work that makes an unusually significant contribution to the discipline. Award winners receive an honorarium of $2,000 and a certificate of recognition. In alternating years, awards are presented in 1) Humanities and Biological/Life Sciences, and 2) Engineering/Math/Physical Sciences and Social Sciences. K-State may submit one nomination for each category each award year. The Graduate School conducts a nomination process each spring semester.

Read more about the Distinguished Dissertation Award


MAGS/ProQuest Distinguished Thesis Award

The Distinguished Thesis Award serves to recognize and reward distinguished scholarship and research at the master’s level. Each recipient of a MAGS Distinguished Master’s Thesis Award will receive a $750 honorarium. In alternating years, awards are presented in 1) Humanities & Fine Arts and Biological/Life Sciences, and 2) Engineering/Math/Physical Sciences and Social Sciences. K-State may submit one nomination for each category each award year. The Graduate School conducts a nomination process each spring semester.

Read more about the Distinguished Thesis Award


GSC and MAGS Awards for Graduate Student Teaching Excellence

The GSC Award for Graduate Student Teaching Excellence recognizes graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) who have excelled in classroom teaching. One master's student and one doctoral student is selected for this award each fall. Each award recipient receives a $500 scholarship and serve as Kansas State University's nominees for the annual Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools (MAGS) Excellence in Teaching Award. These nominees compete for a $750 honorarium that is presented at the annual MAGS meeting in the spring. One master’s student and one doctoral student are selected for the MAGS award.

Learn more about the Awards for Graduate Student Teaching Excellence


Alumni Association Awards

Graduate students are eligible for the following awards presented by the K-State Alumni Association. The nomination deadline for these awards is in February.

Presidential Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Student Teaching

This award recognizes and rewards excellence in teaching performance in the undergraduate program. Annually, two $5,000 awards are made each year, one of which is presented to a graduate teaching assistant. Nominations are submitted by department heads to the dean of the college in which the teacher is appointed. Each dean may submit one GTA nomination. A call for nominations occurs each spring semester.

Learn more about the Presidential Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching