Graduate Funding Opportunities

Typically, funded graduate students are offered either Graduate Assistant - Research GAR or a Graduate Assistant - Teaching GAT. All 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). GATs are assigned course-support duties such as grading or assisting labs for one or more courses.

Additional research activities are expected as part of an 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 may 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 Engineering 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.

To apply: Candidates for the Aerospace Engineering 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, your faculty committee chair may nominate you for any available departmental fellowships.

Other graduate fellowships

Assistantships and Fellowships are also available from Graduate and Professional School, the Board of Regents, Texas A&M University College of Engineering, and the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid. Some of these fellowships are for U.S. residents 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 online job posting/bulletin is available through the Department of Human Services Employment Office.