Award Amount: $4,000
The AY 2024-25 Coale Graduate Scholar Award Program is now closed. The 2025-26 Coale Graduate Scholar Award program announcement will be released in September 2025.
In honor of Dr. Kenneth H. Coale, a pioneer and leader in ocean science whose legacy will live on for decades.
Section Links
Program Description | Eligibility | Application Materials and Instructions | Letter of Recommendation | Award Conditions and Details | Important Financial Aid and Tax Liability Information | Examples of Highly Ranked Applications
Please read this entire Award Announcement in detail BEFORE you apply for this opportunity to ensure you are applying correctly and following all instructions. Incorrectly submitted applications will not be reviewed.
Date
| Activity
| Relevant Details
|
October 17, 2024
| Announcement released
|
|
January 7, 2025
| Office Hours #1: 1:00 - 2:00 pm
| Zoom Link
|
January 15, 2025
| Office Hours #2: 10:00 - 11:00 am
| Zoom Link
|
February 17, 2025
| Office Hours #3: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
| Zoom Link
|
January 29, 2025, 5:00 p.m. PST Wednesday, February 26, 2025, 5:00 p.m. PST [EXTENDED]
| Applications due by 5:00 P.M. PST
| Jump to Application Materials and Instructions
|
Late April 2025
| Applicants notified
|
|
May 15, 2025
| Award start date
| There is no award end date; award funds do not expire.
|
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions or additional information: Contact Kimberly Jassowski ([email protected]), COAST Senior Program Analyst.
Program Description
The Coale Graduate Scholar Awards are $4,000 scholarships intended to support CSU graduate students working on marine, estuarine, coastal and coastal watershed research projects. These awards provide students with valuable resources to procure critical research materials and supplies or to help defray living expenses while engaged in research. This allows students to obtain the skills necessary to join a highly skilled, technologically advanced workforce while promoting and supporting CSU research.
Students who are members of groups that have been historically excluded from marine and coastal science, including students who are Hispanic, Latina/o, Black or African American, Asian, Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, American Indian, Alaska Native or a combination of ethnicities; noncitizens; female; LGBTQIA+; first-in-family; economically disadvantaged; veterans; have disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants of any race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, immigration status, national origin, age, dis/ability or veteran status are welcome.
COAST promotes research and education to advance our knowledge of ocean and coastal systems and disseminates scientific information to stakeholders for the development of responsible policy. The scope of COAST includes
- The open and coastal ocean;
- Coastal zones (bays, estuaries, beaches);
- Coastal watersheds: the organism, material or process being studied in the watershed must have a clear and direct impact on the downstream marine environment (e.g., anadromous fish, surface and groundwater flow, water quality).
Work supported by COAST is NOT limited to California. Please see www.calstate.edu/impact-of-the-csu/research/coast/about/Pages/about.aspx for additional information.
Eligibility
Applicants are required to:
- Conduct their thesis or Professional Science Master’s work under the direction of a CSU faculty member (“Advisor”).
- Define a project that supports one or more of COAST’s goals.
- COAST encourages all types of research. Clear connections to COAST goals must be identified.
- Work supported by COAST is NOT limited to California, but priority will be given to projects that are applicable to the needs of California.
The proposal must be a product of your own work. You are required to have your Advisor review your application prior to submission to provide guidance and input.
Applicants may be part-time students but must be enrolled in a graduate degree program. Post-baccalaureate students not enrolled in a graduate degree program are not eligible to apply. Advisors must verify these conditions in the letter of recommendation.
Prior Coale Graduate Scholar/Graduate Student Research Award recipients are eligible to apply provided they have met the obligations of their previous award; however, preference will be given to new applicants who have not previously received a graduate award. Preference will not be influenced by prior receipt of other COAST funding (e.g., Undergraduate Student Research Support, Student Travel Award).
Individual students may submit only one application in response to this announcement. Advisors may recommend more than one student.
Previous awards are listed at https://www.calstate.edu/impact-of-the-csu/research/coast/funding/Pages/past-student-awards.aspx (select “Coale Graduate Scholar Award Program” in the “COAST Award Program” drop down menu at the top of the page).. Jump to Examples of Highly Ranked Applications.
Application Materials and Instructions
Supporting Documents:
- PROPOSAL FORM
- DEPARTMENT COMMITMENT FORM Required IF you are requesting that all or a portion of your award be paid to your Department
- INFOREADY APPLICATION SUBMISSION FORM
All materials, including letters of recommendation, must be submitted by
Wednesday, January 29, 2025, 5:00 p.m. PST Wednesday, February 26, 2025, 5:00 p.m. PST.
Applications will be submitted using a new online InfoReady platform (linked above under Supporting Documents) this year. Please review the updated application submission instructions below in detail.
A complete application includes:
- A completed InfoReady Application Submission Form
- In addition to providing your information on the online InfoReady Application Form (linked above under Supporting Documents), you will be prompted to upload:
- A Proposal Form (linked above under Supporting Documents) as both a Word and PDF file named as follows: LastName_FirstName_Proposal.docx and LastName_FirstName_Proposal.pdf.
- A signed Department Commitment Form (linked above under Supporting Documents) if any funding is requested to go to the student’s department.
- A signed letter of recommendation submitted by your CSU Advisor via our InfoReady platform.
Instructions to complete the InfoReady Application Form to submit your Proposal:
Log into your InfoReady account.
Click “APPLICATION FORM” at the bottom of the InfoReady Program Announcement to begin your application to the program.
Should you need to navigate away from the site or close your browser before completing the application, please click ‘Save as Draft’ to ensure your work is saved. You will be able to find and resume your application by clicking ‘Applications’ in the top navigation as long as you click Save as Draft.
Enter your initial information:
Enter your name, select your CSU campus and enter in your contact information.
Student ID: Provide your campus student ID number, and ensure it is entered correctly (this will be needed for the fund transfer if awarded).
Degree Program: Enter the official name of the degree program in which you are enrolled.
Degree Sought: Enter either Master’s or PhD.
Matriculation Date: Provide the date (mm/yyyy) on which you began your degree program.
Anticipated Graduation Date: Provide the date (mm/yyyy) on which you anticipate graduating from your degree program.
Grade Point Average (GPA): Enter your GPA in major courses of your graduate degree program. If you are currently enrolled in the first semester of graduate school, please use, “N/A, first semester”.
Enter your CSU Advisor’s information.
Research Project Title: Enter the title of your research project.
Project Keywords: Provide 5-7 keywords related to your project.
Budget Summary: Enter how much money you want to go to your Department and directly to you (through Financial Aid). This must add up to a total of $4,000.
If you are requesting that all or a portion of your award be paid to your Department for you to use for services and supplies (see Budget instructions below), you must complete the Departmental Commitment Form and obtain all necessary signatures. Scan the signed form and save it as LastName_FirstName_DCF.pdf. The Departmental Commitment Form is linked above under "Supporting Documents". If you are requesting that the entire award be paid directly to you to help defray personal living expenses or tuition, you do NOT need to submit this form.
Previous COAST Graduate Student Research Award/Coale Graduate Scholar Award: Please indicate if you received a previous award through this program. This information will not be shared with the reviewers.
Committee Members: List all of the Committee Members associated with your project.
If you have multiple Committee Members to add, click “Add new” in that section to enter in additional Committee Members.
If you do not have any Committee Members yet, please put “N/A”.
This information will not be shared with reviewers.
Suggested Reviewers: Provide the names and contact information for two possible reviewers, as well as an explanation on how this reviewer’s expertise is related to your research.
These reviewers must be CSU faculty members or research associates and may not be
You are encouraged to consult with your advisor to identify potential reviewers. COAST will use the suggested names to assist with assigning reviewers, therefore, it is important to justify why the suggested reviewer expertise is relevant to your research. Your suggestions will not be shared with potential reviewers.
CSU Advisor Approval & Letter of Recommendation: Please enter the email address of your CSU Advisor who helped you with your application and will be providing a letter of recommendation on your behalf.
Once your application is submitted, your CSU Advisor will receive an automatic email from InfoReady with instructions on how to submit a signed letter of recommendation on your behalf through InfoReady (see more details in the letter of recommendation section below).
By uploading a letter of recommendation on your behalf, your Advisor is indicating that they have reviewed your application, provided guidance and input, and approved it for submission.
Your CSU Advisor’s submission of the letter of recommendation must be completed by the deadline of Wednesday, January 29, 2025, 5:00 p.m. PST Wednesday, February 26, 2025, 5:00 p.m. PST in order for your application to be complete.
- When prompted, upload your Proposal Form (linked above under Supporting Documents) as both a Word and PDF file named as follows: LastName_FirstName_Proposal.docx and LastName_FirstName_Proposal.pdf.
To submit your application, first click “Review” to provide one final review before clicking the “Submit” button at the bottom of the page. Once you hit submit, your application cannot be edited.
Once you have completed and submitted your InfoReady Application, including uploading the Proposal Form (as both a Word and PDF document) and the Departmental Commitment Form (if needed), you will receive a confirmation email from InfoReady on behalf of COAST. Please save these emails for future reference. If you do not receive a confirmation email, please contact COAST ([email protected]) immediately to ensure your application was received. This is your responsibility-COAST is not responsible for applications that were not successfully submitted if applicants cannot provide a copy of the email confirming successful submission.
Instructions for completing your Proposal Form, which will be uploaded to the InfoReady Application Submission Form, as outlined above:
Submissions will be evaluated based on the quality of the research described, how the proposed research meets one or more of the goals of COAST, and the need for support. The headings below with specific point values included in parentheses are included in the Proposal Form and add up to 100 possible points.
Project Description (1500-word maximum, 65 points total)
The project description must clearly describe the research project to be conducted, including its significance, novelty and application. Primary literature must be referenced. The project description must include experimental design, including a clear statement of hypotheses and/or objectives, methodology and planned data analysis. The project description should be easily understood by someone outside the immediate field. E.g., a geologist should be able to understand a proposal on fish ecology, and vice versa. Avoid the use of jargon and highly technical terms without explanation.
- Clear description of the project, its goals and significance (30 points)
- Statements sufficiently referenced (5 points)
- Use of original, peer-reviewed literature, both foundational and current (5 points)
- Clearly stated hypotheses or objectives (5 points)
- Experimental design and methodology (15 points)
- Data analysis plan (5 points)
The project description must also make clear how your proposed activities relate to ocean or coastal environments, organisms or issues. The organism, material or process being studied in the coastal watershed must have a clear and direct impact on the downstream marine environment.
The project description is limited to 1,500 words; any text over this limit will be redacted. References are submitted in a separate section and are not subjected to a word count. Figures and tables can be included in the project description; any text in tables or figures will be included in the word count.
References (0 points)
Provide full bibliographic information for each citation. Reviewers should be able to easily locate any references you include. For examples of widely accepted citation formats, see http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html.
Timeline (250-word maximum, 10 points total)
Include a timeline for use of your award beginning May 15, 2025. Include projected dates/timeframes for specific activities including your anticipated graduation date. If you reference activities occurring prior to May 15, 2025, for context, be sure to clearly identify the activities an award would fund. As noted below in the Budget and Justification section, awards cannot be used to fund any activities that occur prior to May 15, 2025. Requests for funds for expenses or work done prior to start date will result in your application being returned without review.
Need for Research (250-word maximum, 7 points total)
This section must clearly articulate the scientific need for your research. How will your work will contribute to the advancement of your field? What intellectual contribution will your expected results make?
Relevance to state of California (100-word maximum, 3 points total)
Work supported by COAST is NOT limited to California, but priority will be given to projects that are applicable to the needs of California. Please describe how your research is relevant to California.
Budget and Justification (250-word maximum for justification, 15 points total)
Construct a line-item budget totaling $4,000 that shows how you will use the award. Awards can be used for living expenses, research-related expenses or both. PLEASE NOTE: COAST considers requests for personal living expenses and/or tuition to be equal in merit to requests for research-related expenses.
You can request that the entire award be paid 1) directly to you to help defray personal living expenses and/or tuition, 2) to your Department for you to use for supplies and services, or 3) any combination of the two. Any portion of the award paid directly to you will be processed as a scholarship through your campus financial aid office (see Section 7 below). Portions of awards paid through your Department for supplies and services will be managed by the Department. In some cases, materials or supplies purchased for your use by the Department are property of the Department and therefore are not considered personal property. Please consult with your Department for policies regarding purchase of materials and supplies.
Funds can only be requested for costs incurred ON or AFTER the project start date (May 15, 2025). Award funds may not be used for activities that occur prior to this date. Requests for funds for expenses or work done prior to the start date will result in your application being returned without review.
An example budget is provided in the Application Form. You may use this template (after deleting the example text) or create your own as long as a similar or greater level of detail is provided.
Provide a budget justification that clearly explains your need for the requested support and details how this award will help further and support your research activities. If you request funds to help pay tuition or defray personal living expenses, please be very specific about HOW the funds will be beneficial (i.e., what would an award allow you to do that would not be possible otherwise?).
- Line item budget (7.5 points)
- Justification (7.5 points)
Letter of Recommendation
Your CSU Advisor must provide a letter of recommendation (two-page maximum). The letter must be on CSU letterhead and submitted electronically as either a scanned version of an original containing a signature or must contain an electronic signature. Letters must discuss the value of the student’s proposed research and must comment on the student’s ability to successfully conduct and complete the proposed project. Letters must verify that the student is enrolled in a graduate degree program at a CSU campus. Advisors may recommend more than one student. Advisors should name the file ApplicantLastName_LOR.pdf.
Please enter the email address of your CSU Advisor who helped you with your application and will be providing a letter of recommendation on your behalf.
Once your application is submitted, your CSU Advisor will receive an automatic email from InfoReady with instructions on how to submit a signed letter of recommendation on your behalf through InfoReady (see more details in the letter of recommendation section below).
By uploading a letter of recommendation on your behalf, your Advisor is indicating that they have reviewed your application, provided guidance and input, and approved it for submission. Your CSU Advisor’s submission of the letter of recommendation must be submitted by the deadline of Wednesday, January 29, 2025, 5:00 p.m. PST Wednesday, February 26, 2025, 5:00 p.m. PST in order for your application to be complete.
Award Conditions and Details
- REPORTING FORM
Awardees are required to
- Make an oral or poster presentation on your thesis at an external meeting or conference within one year of receiving the Award, and acknowledge COAST in the presentation. Presenting at a virtual meeting or conference is allowed.
- Acknowledge COAST in any publications or presentations resulting in whole or in part from the Award.
- Provide COAST with an abstract of their research and a one-page summary of the impact of this award on their research progress by December 1, 2025.
Awardees’ name, campus and award information will be included on our website, in annual reports and may be posted on social media. To opt out, please email
[email protected].
Important Financial Aid and Tax Liability Information
Applicants are strongly encouraged to consult with their campus financial aid office prior to applying to COAST to determine the potential impact of this award to other forms of compensation provided through their university, including financial aid. Portions of awards paid directly to students will be processed through campus financial aid offices. Please be advised that receiving and accepting a COAST award could lead to a decrease in other forms of financial assistance. Ordinarily, adjustments (if any) are made to loans first before other grants or scholarships. Award recipients should contact their campus financial aid office to determine how the award may affect their total financial aid package.
Because of Internal Revenue Service and other requirements, campuses may also consult with accounting, human resources and international programs staff to determine appropriate method of payment and any tax withholding requirements. Award recipients should consult with a tax professional regarding tax liability resulting from any award.
Examples of Highly Ranked Applications
In an effort to facilitate successful application development, we have gathered several examples of Graduate Student Research Award applications that were highly ranked in previous competitions. This is meant to serve as a guide to the quality of writing and level of detail required to be successful in this competitive opportunity.