Graduate Financial Aid

Aerospace engineering graduate assistantships

Typically, funded graduate students are offered either Graduate Assistant - Research GAR or Graduate Assistant - Non-Teaching GANT appointments. Both positions require 20 hours of work per week. GARs are assigned research project activity (that may or may not be directly related to thesis research). GANTs are assigned course-support duties such as grading or assisting labs for one or more courses.

Additional research activities are expected as part of academic program of study that leads to your thesis or dissertation. A thesis or dissertation is expected from any funded student.

GARs are awarded by individual faculty members through their established programs of research.

Aerospace Engineering Academic Excellence Fellowship

The Department of Aerospace Engineering will annually offer up to 10 fellowships of $5,000 each to outstanding entering or continuing graduate students. The fellowships will supplement our research assistant and fellowship stipends, which range from $15,000 to $18,000. In addition, there is a generous benefit package that includes health insurance.

Applications for the Aerospace Academic Excellence Fellowships must be received by March 1st for the following academic year (September through May). Notification to recipients will be made by March 31st. The Aerospace Engineering Graduate Committee selects the recipients of these annual, merit-based, competitive fellowships. Repeat awards for subsequent years are possible for exceptionally strong academic performance.

The Texas A&M University System serves people of all ages, regardless of socioeconomic level, race, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

To apply: Candidates for the Aerospace Academic Excellence Fellowships will be selected from those who have completed graduate admissions applications and submitted them to the Office of Admissions and Records by March 1st. For those already in our graduate program, applications can be requested from the Department of Aerospace Engineering Graduate Programs Office.Call (979) 845-5520 or e-mail gradadvising@aero.tamu.edu.

National Excellence Fellowship

The National Excellence Fellowships will be awarded for students selected for the fall semester, but spring semester start dates will be an option. The National Excellence Fellowship program will provide $40,000 annually for 3 years, which includes a stipend and tuition/fee allowance. While being supported under the National Excellence Fellowship, students will be encouraged and assisted in submitting proposals to external sources for continued funding. Faculty members who are working with the participants in this program will guide the student throughout the proposal process. It is the intention of this program to be a precursor to the federal funding programs that have the same eligibility criteria, i.e., the students will be supported by the National Excellence Fellowship while they submit proposals for federal programs, which will provide the support for the remainder of the students’ education.

Nominees must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident pursuing a Ph.D. in an engineering or engineering-related discipline, with the intent of pursuing an academic career.

Applications will be due on January 31 for the following fall semester. Special cases for spring semester awards will be considered. All applications will be reviewed by a committee comprised of holders of endowed chairs within the College of Engineering. The committee will make recommendations through the executive associate dean and associate dean for graduate programs to the dean, who will make the final appointment.

For more information, visit Texas A&M Engineering’s National Excellence Fellowship webpage.

Other graduate fellowships

Assistantships and Fellowships are also available from The Office of Graduate Studies, The Board of Regents, Dwight Look College of Engineering, and the Department of Student Financial Aid. Some of these fellowships are for U.S. citizens only. The department nominates newly admitted graduate students for the fellowships. Students awarded fellowships may work up to 10 hours per week as teaching or research assistants to qualify for resident tuition fees.

Many job opportunities for students spouses exist on campus and with other firms in the fast growing surrounding community. An on-line job posting/bulletin is available through the Department of Human Services Employment Office.