Tuition & Financial Aid

Additional Aid for Graduate Students

  • Computer Science

    Graduate students in the electrical engineering and computer science department seeking the Ph.D. degree receive a competitive stipend, full tuition waiver and health insurance. Typically, students are first supported on a Teaching Assistantship and then a Research Assistantship once a thesis advisor has been identified. Students on a Teaching Assistantship assist the faculty with undergraduate courses, typically by grading assignments and holding office hours. Opportunities to teach are available for those that wish to gain such experience. Both Teaching and Research Assistantships can be supplemented by any one of the following university fellowships, which are awarded through a competitive process to highly qualified applicants.

    University Graduate Fellowships:
    $5,000/year for up to 5 years.

    Provost's Graduate Fellowships:
    $10,000/year for up to 5 years.

    Harold Stirling Vanderbilt Graduate Scholarships:
    $6,000/year for up to 5 years.

    School of Engineering IBM Fellowships:
    $5,000/year for up to 4 years plus an award of
    $1,000 for professional development.

    In order to be considered for these fellowships, an applicant's file must be complete by January 15. Prospective applicants are also urged to apply for external fellowships or grants from national, international, industrial or foundation sources.

  • Electrical and Computer Engineering

    Graduate students in the electrical and computer engineering department seeking the Ph.D. degree receive a competitive stipend, full tuition waiver and health insurance. Typically, students are first supported on a Teaching Assistantship and then a Research Assistantship once a thesis advisor has been identified. Students on a Teaching Assistantship assist the faculty with undergraduate courses, typically by grading assignments and holding office hours. Opportunities to teach are available for those that wish to gain such experience. Both Teaching and Research Assistantships can be supplemented by any one of the following university fellowships, which are awarded through a competitive process to highly qualified applicants.

    University Graduate Fellowships:
    $10,000/year for up to 5 years.

    Provost's Graduate Fellowships:
    $10,000/year for up to 5 years.

    Harold Stirling Vanderbilt Graduate Scholarships:
    $6,000/year for up to 5 years.

    School of Engineering IBM Fellowships:
    $4,000/year for up to 4 years plus an award of
    $1,000 for professional development.

    In order to be considered for these fellowships, an applicant's file must be complete by January 15. Prospective applicants are also urged to apply for external fellowships or grants from national, international, industrial or foundation sources.

  • Interdisciplinary Materials Science Program

    We offer full support to our Ph.D. candidates through scholarships, fellowships, teaching assistantships and research assistantships.

    Support includes:

    • 2022/2023 TA/RA annual stipend award starting at $32,500
    • 100% tuition scholarship
    • 100% health insurance
    • 100% activity and recreation fees

    Additional fellowships ranging from $1,000 - $10,000 per year are available for highly qualified applicants.

    First year students in Materials Science are typically supported as teaching assistants for 9-12-months and transfer to research assistantships. TA teaching loads generally consist of teaching Strength of Materials in the fall semester and Materials Science I in the spring semester.

    Prospective applicants are urged to apply for fellowships or grants from national, international, industrial or foundation sources.