Guidelines for Graduate Merit Fellowships
Deadline for submission: 5 p.m., January 18, 2013
The Merit Fellowship seeks to encourage high-quality applicants to enroll in Texas A&M’s graduate programs. Only U.S. citizens or permanent residents seeking entry to master’s or doctoral programs at TAMU will be eligible for these awards. In addition, the prospective student must be graduating with a bachelor’s or master’s degree no later than August 2013, so that he/she can begin graduate work at TAMU in Fall 2013. Master’s students currently enrolled at TAMU are not eligible for doctoral Merit Fellowships; these Merit awards are restricted to students enrolling in TAMU graduate programs for the first time. Nominees must have already completed an application for graduate admission to Texas A&M by the date of their nomination for this fellowship.
First-time enrolled TAMU domestic doctoral students who are awarded the fellowship receive ~$63,000 over a four year period. This includes a $25,000 stipend paid out over the first year, $9,000 per year tuition and fees for four years, and reimbursement for the cost of personal health insurance coverage equivalent to the graduate student health plan during the first year of the award only.
First-time enrolled TAMU domestic master’s students will receive ~$31,000 in funding over one year which includes a $20,000 stipend, $9000 for tuition and fees, and reimbursement for the cost of personal health insurance coverage equivalent to the graduate student health plan. Outstanding students entering master’s thesis programs and master’s level professional programs will receive priority.
For these awards, no matching funding is required from the department for the first year. However, the expectation is that the department/college will commit to providing financial support for subsequent years through a graduate assistantship or other departmental financial contributions.
As part of the nomination process, nominators must submit the student’s completed Apply Texas application and a nomination letter. Letters of nomination should not exceed two double-spaced pages in length and provide an evaluation of the applicant’s 1) past superior academic performance, 2) relevant experiences outside the classroom, and 3) other indicators of future success. Attached you will find a checklist of all items that MUST be included when you submit your nomination packet. Reviewing these now will assist you as you prepare for the IGPS submittal process. The deadline for submitting a nomination is 5 p.m. January 18, 2013. Nominations will automatically be forwarded to appropriate department and college personnel for approvals.
Reviewers will consider the Masters and Doctoral applicant nominations separately. The award selection committee will complete their review by February 11, and the official award letters will be distributed shortly thereafter. Nominators, graduate advisors, department heads and graduate deans will be notified of which applicants have been selected for the Merit Fellowship. OGS must be copied on all correspondence to fellowship recipients.
Guidelines for Graduate Diversity Fellowships
Deadline for submission: 5 p.m., February 8, 2013
Diversity at Texas A&M University is an indispensable component of academic excellence. This Graduate Diversity Fellowship seeks to increase the diversity of the graduate student population at Texas A&M University to maximize the educational benefits of diversity for all students and to support the development of scholars who show promise of distinguished careers and whose life and research experiences and/or employment background will contribute significantly to academic excellence at TAMU. Nominees must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. In addition, the prospective student must be graduating with a bachelor’s or master’s degree no later than August 2013, so that he/she can begin graduate work at TAMU in Fall 2013. Master’s students currently enrolled at TAMU are eligible for nomination for a doctoral Diversity Fellowship. Nominees must have already applied for graduate admission to Texas A&M by the date of their nomination for this fellowship. Eligible applicants might be from minority groups that historically have been under-represented at TAMU and/or in their profession; might have overcome socioeconomic or other educational disadvantages; might be first generation college graduates (neither parent earned a bachelor’s degree); might be persons with disabilities, or veterans; or will work on scholarly topics related to these areas. This list is not meant to be exhaustive. Nominations should include a brief statement about the basis of your applicant’s eligibility regarding these markers of diversity.
The Diversity Fellowship provides funding for domestic doctoral students enrolling for the first time in a doctoral program in Fall 2013 in the amount of $103,800 over a 3-year period. The fellowship provides an $18,000 stipend per year for three years, $9,000 per year for tuition and fees for three years, with the nominating department mandated to provide an additional assistantship* worth at least $7,600 each year for three years. This assistantship must also include payment for health insurance equivalent to the graduate student health plan. The expectation is that the department/college will commit to providing financial support for subsequent years through a graduate assistantship or other departmental financial contributions.
The Diversity Fellowship provides funding for domestic master’s students enrolling for the first time in a master’s program in Fall 2013 in the amount of $59,138 over a 2-year period. This includes a $13,000 stipend per year for two years, $9,000 for tuition and fees per year for two years, with the nominating department mandated to provide an additional $7,600 assistantship* plus provide payment for health insurance from the graduate student health plan each year for two years.
[*Some exceptions may be approved by OGS for a department/program to offer a scholarship instead of an assistantship. In those cases, the department/program must also provide payment for the graduate student health insurance plan. The request to offer a scholarship instead of an assistantship must be submitted to and approved by OGS before the nomination is submitted.]
It is essential that Graduate Diversity Fellowship recipients be given ample opportunities for success and integration into the culture of their respective department early in their campus residence. A preliminary plan of mentoring must be submitted as part of the nomination package, stipulating how the mentor will guide this Diversity Fellow to achieve success in his/her academic program while integrating the Fellow into the local academic community. Should the student be awarded the Fellowship, revisions to the mentoring plan must be completed and submitted to OGS by the Friday of week four, Fall semester, 2013. One outcome of this mentoring relationship might be the writing of a grant proposal to fund the student’s stipend and/or research in succeeding years.
As part of the nomination process, nominators must submit the student’s Apply Texas application and a two-page letter of nomination that provides an evaluation of the applicant’s 1) past superior academic performance, 2) relevant experiences outside the classroom, and 3) other indicators of future success; and, finally, 4) how this applicant can contribute to diversity in the nominating department/program and to his/her future profession. Attached you will find a checklist of items that MUST be included when you submit your nomination packet. Reviewing these now will assist you as you prepare for the IGPS submittal process. The deadline for submitting Diversity Fellowship nominations is 5 p.m., February 8, 2013.
For Diversity Fellowship Awards, reviewers will consider the Master’s and Doctoral nominations separately. Nominations will automatically be forwarded to appropriate department and college personnel for approval. The award selection committee will complete their review by February 25, and the official award letters will be distributed shortly thereafter. Nominators, graduate advisors, department heads and graduate deans will be notified of which applicants have been selected for the Merit Fellowship. OGS must be copied on all correspondence to fellowship recipients.
IGPS Tutor
Use IGPS Tutor to submit your candidate’s application for Graduate Merit and Diversity Fellowships
Log into IGPS- Choose Texas A&M as the organization
- Enter your NetID and Password. (This is the same as your Neo login).
- On the IGPS main page, select the program (Merit or Diversity).
- You will not be able to submit the final document until you’ve entered all required information. (You can save and go back to edit at a later time if needed.)
- To go back a screen, click the back button or click ‘proposal.’
Required Information for Nomination Process
The student’s Apply Texas application must be submitted.
Note: All documentation should be submitted in a single PDF file. The system will not accept any other file format.
- Fellowship Questionnaire – Enter the student’s name, contact information, and department information.
- Fellowship Files – Upload the documents in PDF format – the system will not accept any other form of document.
- Fellowship Worksheet – Complete the checklist to ensure that all documents have been included.
- Once all information has been entered and all required sections show a check mark, the submit button will be active. Submit the document
- Main screen will show the document that you have submitted. Check all information for accuracy.
- Each Merit and Diversity nomination submission is automatically sent via email to each department and college for signature approval. Signatures are required from GOC Dean and Department Head or Interdisciplinary Degree Program Chair. Each signature must be obtained before the nomination is sent for review. It may be best to alert these individuals to let them know their signature is required.
- Two emails will be sent to the nominator – one to confirm completed submission and another confirming that all required approval signatures have been obtained.
Required Documents for Merit Fellowships
Nomination Deadline: January 18, 2013
- Apply Texas Application
- Completed nomination letter clearly describing how this student’s application meets all of the criteria regarding selection for the Merit Fellowship (no more than 2 pages total)
- Three reference letters for the student (no more than 6 total pages). These can include letters of recommendation submitted with student’s admission application
- A statement that you are willing to support the student beyond the stipend period of the Master’s or Ph.D. Merit Fellowship
- Student’s resume or curriculum vitae (no more than 4 pages total)
Required Documents for Diversity Fellowships
Nomination Deadline: February 8, 2013
- Completed nomination letter clearly describing how this student’s application meets all of the criteria regarding selection for the Diversity Fellowship (no more than 2 pages).
- Statement written by the nominator about how this applicant can contribute to diversity in the nominating department/program and to his/her future profession (no more than one page).
- Preliminary mentoring plan (no more than one page).
- Three references for the student (no more than six total pages).
- A statement of financial support (assistantships/scholarships, with $ amounts) that the department/program plans to offer this candidate for the year(s) following the end of the Diversity Fellowship benefits.
- Student’s resume or curriculum vitae (no more than four pages).
- Completed Apply Texas Application.
