Financial Support

In addition to resources available through the Office of Student Financial Services, you should also become familiar with scholarships and fellowships available at the Department, College, and University levels. Applicants should contact the Graduate Coordinator in SZB 306 for detailed information concerning application procedures and deadlines.

University Continuing Fellowship

These awards are made to students who are currently enrolled in a UT-Austin College of Education. Graduate Advisers submit nominations to the Graduate School. Awards are based on major accomplishments since entering Graduate School, a well-defined program of research, strong personal statement, and letters of recommendation. Financial need will be considered. The application deadline will be emailed to students

In addition, students nominated for the Continuing Fellowship are automatically considered for the following fellowships:

University Tuition Fellowships
David Bruton, Jr. Graduate Fellowship
Cullen Trust Student Endowment Fellowships
Hemphill-Gilmore Fellowships
Houston Endowment President's Excellence Scholarship
A.D. Hutchison Student Endowment Fellowship
William S. Livingston Graduate Fellowship

Other University-level Support

The Graduate Recruitment and Outreach Program provides information on financing your graduate education. Below is a list of fellowships specifically for incoming graduate students.

Harrington Graduate Student Fellows Program Harrington Doctoral Fellows – for incoming graduate students

The Harrington Doctoral Fellowship may be a one-, two-, or three-year award. Each year the new Harrington Doctoral Fellows will be chosen from among the successful applicants to programs leading to a doctoral degree--Ph.D., Ed.D., or DMA--at The University of Texas at Austin. To be eligible, a student must not be a current graduate student at The University of Texas at Austin (undergraduates at The University of Texas at Austin are eligible). Students who already have Master's degrees from other universities are eligible. A Harrington Doctoral Fellow can earn a Master's Degree in the process of completing the doctoral work.

Harrington Master's Fellows –for incoming graduate students

The Harrington Master’s Fellowship may be a one- or two-year award. Each year the new Harrington Master's Fellows will be chosen from among the successful applicants to programs leading to professional or terminal master's degrees--for example, the MFA, MSSW, or MSLIS--at The University of Texas at Austin. To be eligible, a student must not be a current graduate student at The University of Texas at Austin (undergraduates at The University of Texas at Austin are eligible).

West Texas Graduate School Fellowship

The intent of the Graduate Enrichment Fellowship Program is to provide access to higher education for students who might otherwise find it difficult or impossible to successfully pursue graduate study.

Applicants must have received their undergraduate degree from one of the following institutions:

Sul Ross State University
The University of Texas at the Permian Basin
The University of Texas at El Paso
West Texas A&M

These fellowships are for incoming graduate students who have received their undergraduate degree from any public university in Brewster, Ector or El Paso counties.

Graduate School Diversity Recruitment Fellowship Program

The University of Texas at Austin is committed to educate leadership for the future, which must come from all regions and populations of Texas. One of the goals of the Graduate Recruitment and Outreach Program is to assist the University in the creation of educational environments in which we prepare our students, faculty and staff to work more effectively with persons who come from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

The intent of the Graduate School Diversity Recruitment Fellowship Program is to help create a more diverse educational environment. This competitive fellowship program is for incoming students and is open to anyone applying to a master's or doctoral program in the Graduate School of The University of Texas at Austin.

McNair Scholars Fellowship Program

The Ronald McNair Program assists low-income and first-generation undergraduate college students who wish to prepare for graduate school. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, this program (which was named for the African American scientist and astronaut who was killed in the 1986 Challenger explosion) includes research opportunities, faculty mentors, opportunities to publish and/or present research findings, and preparation for the GRE and graduate-level coursework.

South Texas Graduate Fellowship Program

The South Texas Graduate Fellowship Program will offer 20 first-year fellowships to students who have graduated or are graduating from any of the public universities in South Texas (defined for this purpose as all public institutions of higher education in South Texas, including Bexar County) who enter any master’s or doctoral program at The University of Texas at Austin. These fellowships will be awarded on the basis of merit to eligible students entering in a given year.

The students selected for this fellowship must be full-time graduate students in good academic standing and must have received an undergraduate degree from one of the following institutions:

The University of Texas at Brownsville
The University of Texas - Pan American
The University of Texas at San Antonio
Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi
Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Texas A&M International University - Laredo

Professional Development Awards

A limited amount of funding is available through the Office of Graduate Studies to provide travel support for graduate students who are presenting at a national conference. Applicants must be nominated by the Department’s Graduate Adviser. Contact the Graduate Coordinator for detailed information about the application process.

College of Education Scholarships & Fellowships

The following scholarships are available through the College of Education. However, applications are submitted to, and reviewed by the Department of Special Education.

Alexander Caswell Ellis Fellowship in Education This scholarship provides support to graduate students in the College of Education, who intend to serve adult populations, to include such Departments as Special Education. Must hold a bachelor’s degree from a Texas College/University. DEADLINE: May 1.
Joseph L. Henderson and Katherine D. Henderson Scholarship To be considered, applicants must demonstrate financial need, be in good academic standing (minimum 3.0 GPA and no incompletes.)
Elisa Costilla Endowed Scholarship in Education Provides scholarship support to graduate students in the College of Education who are preparing for careers in special education, who have at least a 3.0 GPA on a scale of 4.0, and who demonstrate financial need. Preference shall be given to students from Laredo, TX.
Stanley and Ada Belle Fudell Endowed Presidential Scholarship in Special Education Applicants must have a minimum cumulative 3.5 grade point average (GPA) for all graduate coursework. Preference will be given to students with financial need.
W. N. Kirby Endowed Scholarship for Future Teachers Scholarship support to undergraduate and graduate students in the College of Education for deserving students seeking initial teacher certification.
Paul DeWitt Connor and Ruth Patton Connor Endowed Presidential Scholarship in Education Applicants must have a minimum cumulative 2.5 or higher grade point average (GPA) for all graduate coursework. Preference among equally qualified candidates are given to (a) students with disabilities who intend to teach students with disabilities, (b) students with disabilities students who intend to teach, and (c) students who intend to teach students with special needs. Financial need may be a consideration.
F. Riggs Memorial Endowed Presidential Scholarship in Education Provides Scholarship support to deserving undergraduate and graduate students in the College of Education. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative 3.5 GPA for all coursework.
M. B. Moran Endowed Presidential Scholarship in Education This award recognizes students who exhibit a high degree of commitment to a career in the field of Special Education. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative 3.2 grade point average (GPA) for all graduate coursework.

Departmental Awards

Student/Faculty Dual Presentation Program The purpose of the Student/Faculty Dual Presentation Program is to provide financial support for a graduate student to present, in collaboration with a faculty member, a paper of publishable quality at a national or state conference. Applications are accepted twice a year, at the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters respectively. Detailed information regarding application procedures and guidelines are available from the Graduate Coordinator.
Federally-Funded Personnel Preparation Grant Scholarships The Department also offers scholarships available through federally-funded training grants in selected areas of study. These will vary from year to year and students who are interested in being considered for such opportunities should contact the Graduate Coordinator for more information.

Teaching Assistantships

Teaching assistantships are primarily available to doctoral students in their second year of school or beyond. Students interested in a teaching assistantship should contact individual faculty members.

Last updated on November 20, 2012