How do I make sense of my fellowship award letter?
Review the definitions below to better understand the fellowship financial terminology:
Assistantship – Some fellows are on an assistantship during all or part of their fellowship. The amount listed in this section of your award letter is what you will receive from your assistantship on an annual basis. In essence, this is your TAMU paycheck. Graduate students may be hired as teaching (GAT), research (GAR), non-teaching (GANT) or lecture assistants (GAL). For more information on Assistantships, please visit the Graduate Assistant Employment Comparison webpage.
Fellowship – This is your stipend. Your stipend is the amount the Graduate & Professional School contributes annually to your fellowship and is paid directly to your student Howdy account. See the Duration of Assistantship information below for more information regarding how stipends are paid.
Tuition & Fees – This is your payment towards tuition and fees. It is paid directly to your student Howdy account at the beginning of each semester. You must be enrolled full-time at the beginning of each semester for the payment to process. Full-time enrollment is 9 hours for Fall and Spring and 6 hours for Summer. For Dissertation Fellows, the full-time requirement is 1 hour.
Duration of Assistantship – This is the time period, either selected by your department or mandated by your fellowship type, that determines over what length of time your funds will be dispersed. Some fellowships, but not all, have the option of either a 9-month or 12-month duration of disbursement. If 12 months is selected, your Assistantship and Fellowship will be spread across a 12-month payment schedule. Your Tuition and Fees will be spread across Fall, Spring and Summer. If 9 months is selected, your funds will be spread across a 9-month payment schedule and you will not receive funds during the Summer semester.
Annual Insurance reimbursement – Some fellows receive an insurance reimbursement benefit during all or part of their fellowship. If you are eligible, it will be listed in your award letter and will designate the length of the benefit. Please note, as a Fellow, you are NOT automatically enrolled in insurance. You must take the necessary steps to self-enroll. To find out more about your TAMU insurance options, please contact the TAMU Benefit Services at benefits@tamu.edu. The Graduate & Professional School reimburses the cost of medical-only coverage up to the current cost of the TAMU Graduate Student Health Plan for fellows only. Students must submit the appropriate paperwork to receive the reimbursement. Reimbursements are then posted to your student Howdy account as a scholarship.
Total Annual Award Package – This is the total financial amount you are awarded each year.
*Amount paid monthly is based on your total stipend amount divided by the Duration of Assistantship/Fellowship selection.