Scholarships and Financial Aid - Department of Agricultural Economics

Students at Texas A&M get a world-class education at a reasonable cost—and graduate with far less college-related debt than their peers at other universities. We award over $50,000 in scholarships annually to undergraduate students in the Department of Agricultural Economics and support graduate students through assistantships and fellowships, travel and research grants. This funding is made possible by donors and supporters of the department including former students, family and friends, former faculty and industry sponsors.

Texas A&M University Scholarships

Financial Aid

Non-Resident Tuition Waiver

Available for graduate or undergraduate students, The Competitive Scholarship waiver, authorized under Texas Education Code 54.213a, is an optional waiver that institutions can implement. An eligible non-resident student who holds a competitive academic scholarship of a specified minimum dollar amount for the academic year or summer for which the student is enrolled may be eligible to pay the fees and charges required of Texas residents without regard to the length of time the student has resided in Texas. Learn more about requirements and eligibility for the non-resident tuition waiver.

Undergraduate Scholarships

Our department offers over 35 scholarships annually to undergraduate students to help make higher education more affordable and accessible. To be eligible for these scholarships, undergraduate students need to fill out the university scholarship application. Scholarship awards are assessed each year and given based on need and availability of funds. Students may be eligible for different scholarships based on the type of student they are. For more information on application deadlines, please visit the Important Dates page on the university website. Students will be notified by the department if they have received an award.

Graduate Funding Opportunities

There are a number of fellowship and scholarship opportunities that are available to graduate students. The following discussion summarizes some of the major opportunities currently available. Most provide a nonresident tuition waiver. Check with the department graduate office and Office of Graduate Studies for details. Students holding fellowships should check the current graduate catalog to determine registration requirements.

Graduate Scholarships

To be eligible for university scholarships, graduate students need to fill out the university scholarship application. In addition to university scholarships, the Department may offer a limited number of competitive or travel scholarships based on merit and financial need. Recipients of such scholarships are eligible for a waiver of non-resident tuition. Requests for applications will be announced and distributed through the department.

Rod Ziemer Scholarship: Need-based travel scholarship for graduate students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences who are presenting papers at the annual AAEA meetings.
Hopkin Scholarship: Scholarship awarded through the Department of Agricultural Economics to assist in recruitment of outstanding graduate students specializing in Agricultural Finance.

Graduate Student Research and Presentation Travel Award

The Graduate and Professional School’s Graduate Student Research and Presentation (RAP) Travel Award provides graduate students with educational and professional development opportunities through reimbursing up to $750 for travel expenses associated with academic conferences and research projects in the United States and abroad.

Graduate Fellowships

Graduate fellowships are awarded annually based on availability of funding and need. They are open to master’s and doctoral students, with the exception of the Master of Agribusiness students. Students interested in the Master of Agribusiness are not eligible to receive graduate fellowships.

Regents Graduate Fellowships

These highly competitive awards are given to new graduate or professional students with exceptional
credentials. The awards are for one year with an option for renewal by the College. Fellowship nominations are made by the Department to the College or by the intercollegiate faculties to the Office of Graduate Studies. The size of stipends varies depending on College guidelines.

Graduate Merit Fellowships

These prestigious fellowships are awarded through a University-wide competition. The fellowships are designed to encourage high-quality applicants to enroll for the first time in graduate programs at Texas A&M University. Nominations are made by the department to the College. These awards are for one year.

National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships

The National Science Foundation, NSF, awards these fellowships and the money is administered through the Office of Graduate Studies. Applications can be obtained from the Office of Graduate Studies during September and October and sent directly to the NSF.

Willie May Harris Charitable Trust Graduate Fellowship

The Willie May Harris Fellowship is awarded to first time graduate students who are citizens of the United States. The award is for a one-year term. Nominations are made by the Department to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Heep Award for Excellence in Graduate Study

The Heep Award was created to enhance recruitment of the best prospective Ph.D. students. This is a three year award made to incoming Ph.D. students, and can be given in conjunction with an assistantship in the department. Nominations are made by the Department to the Office of Graduate Studies.

Tom Slick Fellowship

The Tom Slick Graduate Research Fellowship Program in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
provides support for dissertation research of exceptional PhD students regardless of their nationality. The topic of the research conducted by the student should be relevant to Texas agriculture. Recipients are selected twice yearly with fellowships beginning January 1st and September 1st. Tenure is for no more than 12 months. Fellows are selected by a committee appointed by the Dean of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Fellows must have completed all preliminary exams and a dissertation proposal prior to the beginning of the fellowship.

Robert G. Cherry Fellowship

The student receiving this fellowship must be enrolled as a Ph.D. or a M.S. student in
Agricultural Economics. The maximum award is $3,000 per year for three years. It is available to a student awarded a half-time assistantship by the Department. Preference is given to students who are Texas residents, employees of the Texas Cooperative Extension (TCE) with demonstrated potential for advancement, or have an interest in employment with TCE and plan to pursue dissertation or thesis research on an economic problem relevant to Texas agriculture, agribusiness, or related food and fiber concerns.

Tyrus Timm Fellowship

The student receiving this fellowship must be enrolled as a Master’s student in Agricultural Economics. The recipient must also be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, have a strong academic record and a clear conduct record. The stipend paid by this fellowship varies with the income available from the endowment. The recipient’s name is also added to the plaque displayed in the Department.