Mississippi State University Scholarship in USA 2027 | Fully Funded

The Mississippi State University Scholarship offers a fully funded graduate research opportunity for students seeking to pursue a Master’s or PhD in wildlife ecology and related fields in the United States.

The opportunity is based in the MSU Deer Ecology and Management Lab and is conducted in collaboration with the Jones Center at Ichauway in southwestern Georgia.

In this guide, you will find the eligibility requirements, funding details, required documents, application process, and deadline for the 2027 Mississippi State University graduate assistantship.

Mississippi State University Scholarship Summary

• Host Country: United States of America
• University: Mississippi State University
• Degree Level: Master’s and PhD
• Eligible Applicants: International and domestic students
• Funding: Tuition waiver, benefits, and annual stipend
• Application Deadline: September 25, 2026

Mississippi State University Scholarship Details

The opportunity is a PhD or MSc graduate research assistantship titled “Comparing vigilance rates of white-tailed deer and co-occurrence with other species at recently burned sites.”

The research will examine white-tailed deer ecology at the Jones Center at Ichauway in South Georgia. The student will work with the Mississippi State University Deer Ecology and Management Lab and will be co-advised by Dr. Eric Michel and Dr. Mike Conner.

The research has three main objectives:

1. Use game cameras to measure deer vigilance inside and outside predator exclosures.
2. Monitor deer use of burned areas before burning and as vegetation regrows.
3. Examine deer vigilance in relation to predator presence in recently burned areas.

The selected student will also deploy and retrieve game cameras, process photographs, conduct vegetation sampling, analyse data, and develop research questions related to the project.

The position requires substantial fieldwork in southwestern Georgia. Applicants should therefore be comfortable working in remote environments and under challenging weather and field conditions.

Eligibility Requirements for Mississippi State University Scholarship

To be considered for the Mississippi State University MSc or PhD assistantship, applicants should:

• Hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree in wildlife ecology or a related field.
• Have extensive field experience in challenging environmental conditions.
• Have experience with data entry and database management.
• Have experience with statistical analysis using R.
• Have experience with ESRI GIS.
• Have strong scientific writing skills. Experience as a lead or co-author of a peer-reviewed manuscript is preferred.
• Be able to work effectively as part of a research team.
• Demonstrate strong critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Be detail-oriented and able to work independently.
• Have strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Be professional when working with landowners, researchers, and members of the public.
• Be willing to work long and irregular hours, including weekends, holidays, early mornings, and late evenings.
• Be capable of collecting rigorous scientific data in remote and challenging field conditions.

The official listing also identifies at least two years of experience and a master’s-level educational requirement in its job-board summary, although the detailed qualifications state that ideal candidates may hold either a bachelor’s or master’s degree.

Benefits of Mississippi State University Scholarship 2027

The successful candidate will receive:

• $20,000 annual stipend for MSc students
• $25,000 annual stipend for PhD students
• Tuition waiver
• Additional benefits
• Graduate research experience at Mississippi State University
• Field research experience at the Jones Center at Ichauway

The official listing describes the funding as $20,000 for MSc or $25,000 for PhD, plus benefits and a tuition waiver.

How to Apply for Mississippi State University Scholarship 2027

Interested applicants should follow these steps:

1. Review the research project and eligibility requirements.
2. Prepare a tailored cover letter explaining your academic background, research interests, field experience, and suitability for the project.
3. Prepare your CV, including three references.
4. Obtain your unofficial academic transcripts.
5. Prepare a suitable academic or scientific writing sample.
6. Combine all documents into a single PDF.
7. Email the completed application package to Eric Michel at esm120@msstate.edu and Mike Conner at mike.conner@jonesctr.org.

For questions about the position, applicants can contact Dr. Eric Michel or Mike Conner. Dr. Michel is an Assistant Professor at Mississippi State University whose research interests include ungulate ecology and management, population dynamics, movement ecology, and habitat management.