GREAT Program FAQs

Q: Is there a minimum stipend level that a graduate student has to be at for the GREAT Program to supplement?  

A: During the years that the GREAT program is supplementing faculty/department/IDP funding, the Assistantship stipend should be at or above the department programs standard assistantship rate. 

Q: The goal of the supplements is to provide a full funding package for eligible nationally competitive dissertation and multi-year external fellowships, federal training grants, and federal research grant supplements. What is included in a “full funding” package?

An annual full funding package includes:

1. A monthly stipend of at least $3,000 per month or up to the monthly amount of the fellowship/training grant stipend if greater than $3,000 per month 
2. Funding for full tuition and required university and college fees 
3. 12 months of student health insurance  
4. $1,500 annual professional development scholarship funding for professional development opportunities, conference travel, research travel, books, etc. 

Per the tuition and fee mandate, employing departments are responsible for payment of resident tuition and required fees for doctoral students employed in an Assistantship. The GREAT Program supplemental funding does NOT replace this funding obligation of the employing department.  

Q: Who is responsible for payment of tuition and fees when a student is approved for GREAT Program supplemental funding?  

A: During the years of active fellowship funding, resident tuition and required fees for full time enrollment (9 SCH in fall/spring, 6 SCH in summer) will be paid from the fellowship/grant funds up to the maximum allowable amount. The GREAT Program will supplement any gaps in tuition and fees payments not allowed by the fellowship. Ex. if the fellowship only allows payment up to 60% for tuition and fees, the GREAT Program will supplement the remaining 40%.

During the years of active fellowship funding, and when the fellowship/grant does not permit tuition and fees payments, resident tuition and required fees for full time enrollment (9 SCH in fall/spring, 6 SCH in summer) will be paid from the GREAT Program. 

During the years that the student is receiving funding from the faculty/department/IDP through an Assistantship, the employing department is responsible for payment of resident tuition and required fees for full time enrollment (9 SCH in fall/spring, 6 SCH in summer) as per the tuition and fee mandate. The GREAT Program will NOT provide funding for resident tuition and required fees as there should not be any gap in fulfilling such payments.  

Q: Once a doctoral student receives their award letter summarizing GREAT Program supplemental funding, when will they start to receive funds? 

A: The timing of when students will receive funds depends on how they are being paid. Students being paid via an Assistantship, will receive funds on the 1^st of the month according to payroll dates. Students being paid a monthly stipend will receive funds according to the financial aid disbursement dates. Some students may receive funds via payroll and via a monthly stipend. In these situations, the dates will be different. Regardless, students receiving GREAT Program supplemental funding should receive a minimum of $3,000 per month in fellowship/grant/assistantship/ and GREAT program supplemental funding. 

Q: If a doctoral student participated in the Aggie Research Program (ARP) prior to receiving GREAT Program supplements, would that count “retroactively” toward the requirement to participate in research leadership?

A: Yes, this will fulfill the requirement to participate in research leadership. The GREAT Program will not require students to participate in ARP again if they previously completed the program.

Q: If a doctoral student has participated in leadership programs other than the Aggie Research Program (ARP) prior to receiving GREAT Program supplements, would those be accepted in place of the ARP requirement?  

A: The GREAT Program will consider other leadership programs on a case-by-case basis. We will update the webpage with approved options. Email great@tamu.edu with the details of the leadership program that has been completed. 

Q: Our department has a doctoral student that has been awarded an external fellowship. We do not see the fellowship on the list of eligible nationally competitive external fellowships. Will other fellowships be considered?

A: Yes, the listing of eligible external fellowships is not comprehensive. Contact great@tamu.edu to discuss eligibility for nationally competitive external fellowships that is not included on the currently published list. For consideration, the fellowship should be nationally competitive, prestigious, and open to students in multiple fields or a single field of study and have significant funding of at least $2,000 / month.  

Q: I am a PI and have been awarded a federal training grant that is not on the list of eligible federal training grants. Will other training grants be considered?

A: Yes, the listing of eligible federal training grants is not comprehensive. Contact great@tamu.edu to discuss eligibility of a federal training grant that is not included on the currently published list.

Q: I am a PI and have been awarded a federal research grant supplement that is not on the list of eligible federal research grant supplements. Will other federal research grant supplements be considered?

A: Yes, the listing of eligible federal research grant supplements is not comprehensive. Contact great@tamu.edu to discuss eligibility of a federal research grant supplements that is not included on the currently published list.

Q: Who manages the postings for the GREAT Program Supplemental funding? 

A: The department/IDP is responsible for posting the GREAT Program supplemental funding for the student. In the event the employing department is different from the academic department, the employing department should handle the posting of the GREAT Program supplemental funding.

Q: Who manages the postings for the GREAT Program supplemental funding for IMSD T32 Trainees? 

A: The Grad School is responsible for posting GREAT Program supplemental funding for the trainees funded from project funds. The employing department is responsible for posting GREAT Program supplemental funding for the trainees funded by an assistantship. The employing department will request reimbursement for the GREAT Program supplements each semester.  

Q: Who manages the postings for the GREAT Program Supplemental funding for NSF-GRFP Fellows? 

A: The Graduate and Professional School is responsible for posting the supplemental funding for active (tenure status) NSF-GRFP Fellows. The department/IDP is responsible for posting the supplemental funding for active (reserve status) NSF-GRFP Fellows. In the event the employing department is different from the academic department for the active (reserve status) NSF-GRFP Fellow, the employing department should handle the posting of the GREAT Program supplemental funding.

Q: What is an example of an annual GREAT Program funding package for a doctoral student awarded a multi-year external fellowship with five years of funding?

A: Below is an example of an annual funding package for a doctoral student awarded an NIH F31 fellowship with 5 years of stipend funding. The source of the fellowship funding amounts for this example is NIH NOT-OD-22-132. 

Q: What is an example of an annual GREAT Program funding package for a doctoral student awarded a multi-year external fellowship with less than five years of funding? 

A: Below is an example of an annual funding package for a doctoral student awarded an NSF-GRFP fellowship with 3 years of stipend funding.   The 2022-2023 annual fellowship stipend amount for NSF-GRFP was used for this example.  

Q: What is an example of an annual GREAT Program funding package for a doctoral student awarded a dissertation fellowship?

A: Below is an example of an annual funding package for a doctoral student awarded a Ford Dissertation fellowship.