College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Entomology

Applications received by November 27, 2026 will receive full consideration for the Tatter Family Entomology Graduate Fellowship. All application steps must be completed by November 2027, 2026. 

The TFEGF application process:   

1. Please contact your proposed Faculty Mentor prior to submitting your application and confirm that they are willing to accept you into their laboratory if you are selected for the TFEGF. Prospective students can learn about MSU Entomology Faculty Programs here. Proposed mentors will be contacted to confirm their willingness to accept applicants into their program before applications will be considered. 
2. Complete the MSU Graduate School Application and specify your Entomology Graduate Program. Your competed application will be evaluated by the TFEGF Review Committee. 
   1. Application Fee Waivers are available through the Big 10 Academic Alliance for eligible applicants on a case-by-case basis. If the application fee is a hardship, and you do not qualify for a FreeApp waiver, please contact MSU Entomology.  
   2. Curriculum Vitae, Academic Statement, Personal Statements and Reference Letters should be submitted with your MSU Graduate School Application following the format described below.  
   3. The MSU Graduate School Application requires three (3) letters of recommendation  

For all applicants, including prospective and currently enrolled students:  

• When submitting your Academic and Personal statements, they must conform to these specifications:
• • Standard 8.5” x 11” page size
  • 11pt or higher font size
  • 1” margins on all sides with no headers or footers 
  • No less than single-spacing  

• Academic Statement  
  • Maximum length: 2 pages, including citations, figures and images  
  • Should describe your proposed graduate research project including justification & significance, brief methods, and anticipated results & impact  
  • Specify your proposed mentor in your Academic Statement. 

• Personal Statement  
  • Maximum length: 3 pages, including citations, figures, and images
  • Should include information on your professional preparation, your interest in entomology, why MSU Entomology and your proposed mentor is an appropriate fit for these interests, and your future goals  

• Curriculum Vitae
  • should follow the same formatting as Academic and Personal Statements, but there is no page limitation.  

• Three (3) Letters of Recommendation 
  • Recommendation letters should follow the same format as Academic and Personal Statements, should be signed by the letter writer and include their name, professional title, department, and institution, as appropriate.
  • Recommendation letters should not exceed 2 pages.
  • Proposed Faculty Mentors may write recommendation letters but are not required to be among the recommenders.