Funding Opportunities for Prospective/Incoming Students
Assistantships
A graduate assistantship (GA) is a part-time, paid position generally working in a research, teaching, or administrative support role related to your field of study. Assistantships include a stipend, coverage of tuition and fees, and health insurance. Most assistantships are awarded by the department to which you are applying, but some are offered on Jobs for Aggies.
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.
Texas A&M Fellowships and Training Programs
A fellowship is a funding award given to master’s and doctoral students, usually provided in regularly scheduled stipend payments to assist with living and educationally related expenses. Many competitive fellowships of $1,000 or greater per academic year also allow students to pay tuition at the in-state rate.
The following fellowships are administered by departments, colleges or the Graduate and Professional School at Texas A&M.
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.
Additional Fellowship Resources
You may also apply for external fellowships funded by federal agencies, foundations and industries. These include the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship; the National Institute of Health (NIH) Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award; the Fulbright Program; and others. Some external fellowships are processed by the Grad School, while others may be processed by your department or college.
Awards
The following are awards given to students based on exceptional research, teaching, and/or citizenship. Students may apply or be nominated, based on the terms of each award.
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 eligible for this award. See the the Doctoral Research Excellence Assistantship page for information.
Supplemental Funding
Texas A&M encourages students to seek external sources of funding. In addition to financial support, landing a prestigious external fellowship from sources such as the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Ford Foundation, or other national fellowships can provide students with valuable networking opportunities, opportunities for collaboration, and pipelines to careers.
Through the Graduate Recruitment, Enhancement and Travel (GREAT) Program, we supplement external fellowships so we can offer highly competitive funding packages to recruit high achieving students into our graduate and professional programs.
Scholarships
Texas A&M, as well as external organizations, offers various types of scholarships, which are awarded based on prior performance or financial need.
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.
Grants
Texas A&M offers several need-based grants to help supplement costs of education.
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.
Employment
In addition to assistantships, graduate and professional students have a variety of options for employment at Texas A&M. Check Jobs for Aggies, hosted by our Human Resources & Organizational Effectiveness office for wage positions.
Internships
An internship is an interest or major-related work experience with a learning component. It often provides you with the opportunity to explore your career interests or establish your qualifications for your ideal post-graduation job.
Internship opportunities are available through the department with which you are associated or through various companies and organizations state and worldwide. Your advisor and other professors in your department can help you identify and prepare for the internship that best fits your skills and career objectives.
All on and off-campus internship opportunities are found on HireAggies through the Texas A&M Career Center. You can also find internships by attending the numerous Career Fairs held by the Career Center.