Financial Assistance

Most academic departments offer teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and/or administrative assistantships. These assistantships involve a biweekly or monthly stipend in exchange for supervised work that both provides professional experience to the student and supports the university in carrying out its mission. Most assistantships also include full or partial tuition scholarships, health insurance, and coverage of college/department fees. Prospective and current graduate students should contact  the Graduate Program Director of their departments to request information regarding the process to follow in order to be considered for an assistantship. Outside of the academic departments, assistantships are sometimes advertised on the UA Student Jobs website. 

Additional details regarding assistantship eligibility and enrollment requirements may be found in the Registration and Assistantships section of this catalog. Information regarding the processes for administrative management of assistantships may be found on the Graduate School website.

Graduate School fellowships are designed for exceptional applicants or current students. Unless otherwise noted, Graduate School fellowships carry a service-free $20,000 stipend for the academic year (fall and spring) plus a full-time tuition scholarship for up to 15 graduate hours* for the academic year (fall and spring). The fellowship also includes single-coverage health insurance coverage and payment of college/departmental fees for each recipient. Nominations for fellowships must be made by the student’s academic department.

Fellowships and scholarships will affect a student's allowable federal financial aid. Students who receive federal financial aid should consult with the UA Office of Student Financial Aid before accepting any of the fellowships listed below.

Additional details regarding assistantship policies may be found in the Registration and Assistantships section of this catalog.

The Graduate School awards and administers fellowships in the following categories:

Graduate Council Fellowships

Graduate Council Fellowships are designated for both new and current graduate students. Departments may nominate resident, non-resident, and international students in this category. Most Graduate Council Fellowships are for one year. Beyond the regular Graduate Council Fellowships, exceptional nominees may be considered for the following additional categories:

1. David A. Francko Fellowship. Up to five years of funding at $25,000/year. 
2. Capstone Graduate Council Fellowship: Fellowship funding in years one, three, and five and departmental assistantship funding in years two and four (doctoral nominees) or two years of fellowship support (master's nominees).

McNair Graduate Fellowships

McNair Graduate Fellowships are designated for both new and current graduate students. McNair Graduate Fellowships are for students who have either completed a McNair Scholars program as an undergraduate or who are McNair-eligible; i.e., a low income AND a first-generation college student or a member of a group traditionally underrepresented in graduate education (Hispanic, African American, Native American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander). Preference is given to doctoral students. Following two years of support from the Graduate School, a doctoral student’s home department is required to continue to support the McNair Graduate Fellow for at least an additional two years through an assistantship or equivalent. For master’s students, the Graduate School will provide one year of support followed by one year of support from the student’s home department.  Beyond the regular McNair Graduate Fellowships, exceptional nominees may be considered for the following additional categories

1. Capstone McNair Graduate Fellowship: Fellowship funding in years one, three, and five and departmental assistantship funding in years two and four (doctoral nominees) or two years of fellowship support (master's nominees).

National Alumni Association Fellowships

National Alumni Association Fellowships are designated for both new and current graduate students who are designated as Alabama residents (for tuition purposes). Departments may nominate students for National Alumni Association Fellowships. National Alumni Association fellowships include tuition and a $20,000 stipend for one year.

Joint Faculty Development Program Fellowships

The University of Alabama Graduate School has joint programs with Alabama A&M University, Alabama State University, Oakwood University, and Stillman College for practicing faculty members at these institutions who do not have terminal degrees in their fields of instruction. Faculty members must be nominated for the fellowship by their home institution. Faculty who participate in this program receive support from both their home institution (to be negotiated with each institution’s vice president for academic affairs) and The University of Alabama Graduate School. The Joint Faculty Development Program provides support for up to two years of full-time graduate study to allow the faculty members participating in this program to complete the majority of their required coursework.

Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Doctoral Scholars Program

The SREB Doctoral Scholars Program supports newly admitted graduate students who are seeking the PhD and planning a career in college teaching. Recipients must be a member of a group traditionally underrepresented in graduate education. SREB provides a $20,000 annual stipend to awardees for up to three years. While the stipend is being paid, the Graduate School will provide a full tuition scholarship for up to 15 graduate hours* for the academic year (fall and spring). The student’s home department is required to continue to support the student for at least an additional two years through an assistantship or equivalent. Support is also available for students in the final year of their program.

Alumni Heritage Graduate Scholarship

The Alumni Heritage Graduate Scholarship is aimed at recruiting children and grandchildren of graduates of The University of Alabama. This is a one-time non-renewable $500 scholarship for graduate students who are classified by The University of Alabama as Alabama residents and who are children or grandchildren of a University of Alabama graduate. A parent or grandparent must be a degree holder (undergraduate, graduate, or law degree) from The University of Alabama. The qualifying parent or grandparent must be an active member of the National Alumni Association for three of the past five years. The student must be admitted to a graduate degree program at UA and may be enrolled part-time or full-time. The scholarship can only be awarded in the first semester of enrollment as a graduate student. 

Graduate Student Conference and Research Fund

These awards are available to all graduate students on a competitive basis, for presenting their research at conferences or for other research-related expenses. These awards require department-based matching funds. For information regarding deadlines, application processes, and the amount of funding available, students should contact their department offices, or consult the Graduate School website.  

Departmental Scholarships and Grants

Many departments and divisions offer special scholarships for graduate students. Consult individual departments for a list of these scholarships and grants. 

UA Online

UA Online offers scholarship opportunities for distance students. Please see the UA Online website for details. 

Students enrolled in degree programs in the Graduate School are also eligible to apply for federally supported financial aid. Further information can be obtained from the Office of Student Financial Aid.

*Graduate School tuition scholarships only cover regular (distance or on-campus) graduate level classes and mandatory college/course fees. Graduate School tuition scholarships do not cover Law School classes or programs with special tuition rates (for example, the Executive MBA program). Graduate School tuition scholarships also do not cover any individual campus fees, books or other ancillary costs.