The department maintains affiliations with the federal Sea Grant Program and the Institute for Water Resources, which provide funding for research in marine, estuarine and aquatic sciences. The University is a member of the Organization for Tropical Studies , which provides graduate students with training and research experience in tropical biology. The campus is situated in an attractive landscape of forested hills interspersed with pastoral farms and small colonial New England villages. The University lands encompass some 3,000 acres offering ready access to a diversity of habitats well-suited for field studies. Admissions A lthough awards of financial aid are highly competitive, most well-qualified students can be supported, usually on teaching assistantships.
Additional support is often available for the summer months.
In addition, as a Connecticut state employee, full health and dental coverage is provided. Health insurance for spouses and dependants is available at a reduced fee. Most students may also be eligible for federal financial aid . Residency can be obtained after one year. Tuition is waived for students with assistantships.