Funding Opportunities for Graduate Students

Funded by the Texas A&M University System Chancellor's Office, the Doctoral Research Excellence Fellowship provides four fully-funded doctoral research assistantships at stipend levels sufficient to be competitive with peer universities to enhances A&M’s research capacity and productivity. For more information, see the call for nominations. You must be nominated by your college or school to be awarded the Doctoral Research Excellence Assistantship. Learn more!

With a Graduate Assistant Teaching (GAT) position, you have the opportunity to administer or assist instructional assignments and interact directly with students. Depending on the needs of your advisor, you might offer classroom and laboratory instruction, assist a faculty instructor in teaching sessions, tutor or hold office hours. You’ll also be responsible for grading some student work. These assistantships are typically extended by your department along with your offer of admission. 

Graduate Assistant Researchers (GARs) are hired by a research supervisor or Principal Investigator (PI), usually a faculty member, to assist on a research project. The research you perform will likely be related to your research focus, dissertation, or thesis. Research may or may not be externally-funded. This position is ideal for you if you excel at research; collecting, coding and analyzing data; and writing materials for review or presentation. These assistantships are typically extended by your department along with your offer of admission. 

Graduate Assistant Non-Teaching (GANT) is the most fluid GA position. GANT responsibilities do not involve instructional assignments or support of teaching or academic programs, and are not primarily assisting with research. GANT responsibilities vary greatly and may include, but are not limited to the following non-teaching/non-curricular duties: performance of varied programmatic duties in non-academic units, assisting with administrative duties in a variety of settings. Most assistantships are awarded by the department to which you are applying, but some are offered on the Jobs for Aggies employment site.

Named for Dr. Dionel Avilés ’53 and Dr. James Johnson ’67, the first Hispanic and Black doctoral degree earners, respectively, at Texas A&M, the Avilés-Johnson Fellowship Program seeks to attract, recruit and support the development of high-achieving graduate and professional students who bring a multiplicity of experiences to our university.  Visit the program webpage for more information. 

Many colleges offer merit-based fellowships on a competitive basis. You do not have to apply for college merit fellowships. If applicable, these fellowship offers will be presented with your offer of admission. 

Interdisciplinary Degree Program (IDP) Merit Fellowships were created to encourage high-quality doctoral applicants for Texas A&M’s interdisciplinary graduate programs. Programs will nominate applicants. Contact your IDP for information.  

Interdisciplinary Degree Program (IDP) HEEP Fellowships seek to encourage high-quality doctoral applicants for Texas A&M’s interdisciplinary graduate programs. Programs will nominate applicants. Contact your IDP for information.  

Pathways to the Doctorate Fellowships are designed to support students who come to Texas A&M University as a result of a partnership and collaboration with another institution and are intended to promote mutually beneficial relationships between faculty, departments, and programs at Texas A&M University and other institutions. Visit the Pathways to the Doctorate webpage to learn more. 

The Initiative For Maximizing Student Development in Biomedical Sciences aims to enhance the recruitment and retention of students from populations underrepresented in the field with the skills to transition successfully into biomedical research careers. Visit the IMSD webpage to learn more. 

This initiative grants selected high achieving doctoral students a scholarship to attend a Texas public research or emerging research university. Learn more about TLRS.

These funds are awarded from departments/colleges to support incoming graduate students. You do not have to apply for a Lechner award. If applicable, these offers will be presented with your offer of admission. 

The Federal TEACH Grant (Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education) Program helps students who plan to teach in high-need fields at the secondary or elementary level. Open to master’s students only. Learn more by visiting the Financial Aid website. 

For international students seeking a graduate or professional degree, these grants are awarded based on financial need. Apply through the International Student Financial Aid Application (ISFAA). Visit the financial aid page on Aggie OneStop to learn more.  

The Texas Aggie Graduate Grant is a need-based award (need is determined by Scholarships & Financial Aid) for Texas residents attending graduate or graduate certificate programs on the College Station campus. The TAGG application is located on the Aggie OneStop Forms and Media webpage. Signed applications are accepted via upload in the Howdy Portal. 

The Texas Public Education Grant (TPEG) is a program administered by the State of Texas to aid students with financial need, seeking a first bachelor's degree, graduate degree or professional degree. It is awarded based on the FAFSA/TASFA received. 

The Texas A&M Distinguished Dissertation Award recognizes exceptional dissertations by doctoral students, highlighting significant contributions to their respective fields of study. Visit the Distinguished Dissertation Award webpage to learn more

The Distinguished Graduate Student Award represents one of Texas A&M’s highest honors for outstanding achievements by graduate students in research or teaching. Visit the DGS Award webpage for more info. 

The Montgomery Award is presented to student leaders making major contributions to the academic and professional opportunities, and quality of life of their fellow graduate and professional students at Texas A&M. Visit the Montgomery Award webpage for more info. 

The U.S. Senator Phil Gramm Fellowship acknowledges outstanding teaching and mentoring by graduate students at Texas A&M University. Learn more on the Phil Gramm Fellowship page. 

The program reimburses students up to $1000 for travel expenses associated with academic conferences and research projects in the United States and abroad. Visit the RAP Travel Award page for info. 

The Graduate Student Child Care Travel Award reimburses students up to $750 for expenses incurred to care for children (either expenses for child travel or child care at home) while attending academic conferences, professional development opportunities, or conducting research in the United States or abroad. Visit the Travel Awards page for info. 

The Future Faculty Fellowship at Texas A&M supports graduate students who aspire to pursue academic careers through dedicated mentoring and professional development opportunities. Learn more at the F3 webpage. 

The Dissertation Fellowship at Texas A&M provides support for doctoral students who are in the final stages of their dissertation research. Visit the Dissertation Fellowship webpage for info. 

The Crossing Latinidades program is open to doctoral students in the humanities or humanistic social sciences who are working on dissertations with US Latino/a/x/e topics.  The Grad School issues calls for applications annually for both the Summer Institute and the fellowship, which carries a stipend of $30,000 for nine months + tuition waiver, health insurance and fees.