Incoming Graduate Student Awards
Research and Graduate Studies is offering awards to facilitate recruitment of new graduate students who plan to matriculate in Master’s (thesis-option) or PhD programs for the 2025-2026 academic year. The awards are made to the incoming graduate student in the form of a Graduate Assistant - Researcher (GAR). Pending final budgetary considerations and application evaluation by the Research Advisory Council (RAC), it is anticipated that funding will be available to support (i) two 1-yr awards available to thesis-option Master’s Students, and (ii) three 2-yr awards available to incoming PhD students. The MARB and MCMS PhD programs will each receive at least one 2-yr award. All students nominated for an award must have their graduate committee chair in the College of Marine Science and Maritime Studies.
Application process: Faculty are required to (i) submit a letter of nomination for each student that includes a post-award plan of financial support for the graduate student, and (ii) complete the multiple candidate ranking form if nominating multiple students. In addition, for potential Galveston-based graduate students applying to matriculate into College Station programs (OCNG, EEB, OCEN), nominating faculty must also (iii) provide the TAMU Admissions Application for their candidate(s). It is highly unlikely that a single Primary Investigator will be allocated more than 1 award for incoming graduate students. Materials must be submitted by Wednesday, 15 January 2025 to gradstudies@tamug.edu. No input is required from the potential graduate student. Research and Graduate Studies (RGS) will compile faculty nomination letters, faculty ranking form, and candidates’ admission application for subsequent RAC evaluation.
Evaluation and Allocation Process: The RAC is responsible for evaluating and ranking nominees in two separate pools (MS vs. PhD). Candidates in each pool (MS vs. PhD) will be wholistically ranked, and the ranking criteria applied by the RAC will consider: (i) prior academic achievement, (ii) preparatory activities for graduate school, (iii) external reference letters submitted during admissions process, (iv) the candidate's admissions application, and (v) the nomination letter from the potential faculty graduate chair.
2-Year Merit Graduate Student Awards
Texas A&M University at Galveston Merit Graduate Student Awards were created to allow faculty to compete effectively for outstanding doctoral students. All students nominated for an award must have their graduate committee chair in the College of Marine Science and Maritime Studies.
Students receiving the Galveston 2-Year Merit Graduate Student Award will have 24 months of salary, medical, tuition, and mandatory fees covered (24 SCHs per year). This award is in the form of a 12-month Graduate Assistant-Research (GAR) position each year starting Fall 2024.
Doctoral Awards amount to ~$83,200 during the first two-year period depending on the program and classification. This includes a $25,000 stipend paid per year, ~$12,000 per year tuition and fees for two years.
Expected outcomes
TAMUG Graduate Student Award holders are expected to provide academic leadership among graduate students within their departments and be well-positioned for employment upon graduation. These students are expected to be academically successful and to distinguish themselves through publications, conference presentations, or other indicators of research success and future promise.
Eligibility
The faculty advisor must provide clear evidence of support for the student’s research and be a College of Marine Sciences and Maritime Studies graduate committee faculty member. Graduate committee faculty should submit a nomination letter and nomination form to gradstudies@tamug.edu by January 15, 2025. Only one nomination letter is needed to nominate an applicant to the incoming award applicant pool.
1-Year Merit Graduate Student Awards
Texas A&M University at Galveston Merit Graduate Student Awards were created to allow graduate committee faculty to compete effectively for high quality and diverse graduate students. The 1 Year Merit Awards program is open to all thesis option master’s students working on the TAMUG campus under the direct supervision of a College of Marine Sciences and Maritime Studies graduate committee faculty member.
Students receiving the Galveston 1-Year Merit Graduate Student Award will have 12 months of salary, medical, tuition, and mandatory fees covered (24 SCHs per year). This award is in the form of a 12-month Graduate Assistant-Research (GAR) position each year.
Expected outcomes
TAMUG Graduate Student Award holders are expected to provide academic leadership among graduate students within their departments and be well-positioned for employment upon graduation. These students are expected to be academically successful and to distinguish themselves through publications, conference presentations, or other indicators of research success and future promise.
Eligibility
The graduate committee faculty advisor must provide clear evidence of support for the student’s research and be a College of Marine Sciences and Maritime Studies graduate committee faculty member. Graduate committee faculty should submit a nomination letter and a nomination award form to gradstudies@tamug.edu by January 15, 2025. Only one nomination letter is needed to nominate an applicant to the incoming award applicant pool.