Graduate School Fellowship Incentive Program Banner

As UTSA strives to maintain Carnegie R-1 designation, our commitment to excellence in graduate research training is crucial to the institution's success. One measure of graduate research training success is the number of external federal fellowships awarded to UTSA graduate students. Several agencies have excellent opportunities for students to gain recognition for outstanding research activity. These include the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP), the Ford Foundation’s Predoctoral Program, and the National Institute of Health’s F31 Fellowship (NIH F31).

To encourage a culture where our students and their mentors prepare and submit competitive applications for national programs, as well as to underscore the value of these fellowships, we are pleased to offer the Graduate School Fellowship Incentive Program.

Incentives

The Graduate School will award monetary incentives to students and their mentors who prepare and submit applications in response to a variety of approved fellowship opportunities that offer students stipends of at least $18,000 annually for two or more years. Students should forward their submitted proposal and evidence of submission within one week after submission to the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies in their college. Applications must be approved by the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies in the student’s college. Applications submitted more than one week after the proposal deadline will not be eligible. The Associate Dean will submit a list of approved proposals to the Graduate School.

  • Students will receive a $1,000 incentive from The Graduate School via Financial Aid, and
  • Mentors will receive a $1,000 incentive allocation to be used to support research or graduate education expenses. If co-mentors are assisting the student, they may decide how to share the $1,000 award. Mentors may reach out to Jake Sullivan (Jake.Sullivan@utsa.edu) when they are ready to utilize their incentive allocation.

Eligibility

For all funding mechanisms, graduate students must meet all requirements of eligibility as detailed in program solicitations, requests for proposals, or other funding announcements. Students and mentors should review eligibility criteria closely to ensure students are eligible. UTSA's Research Service Centers (RSCs) are available to provide guidance on proposals.

This incentive will only be awarded once to each student. Students who have previously received the Graduate Fellowship Incentive may not receive additional awards under this program.

Examples of Eligible Funding Mechanisms

Click each funding opportunity for more information regarding eligibility, deadlines, and more.

This list is not meant to be exhaustive. If you are interested in a funding mechanism that provides support equivalent to those listed above (at least $18,000 annually) for at least two years and would like to know if it is eligible, or if you have other questions about the incentive program, please contact Rebecca.Weston@utsa.edu.