MU Graduate Fellowships

The University of Missouri Graduate School sponsors two major fellowship programs: our spring competition (see guidelines), and the Supplemental Graduate Fellowship Program. Both of these programs require nomination by directors of graduate studies. Students are not allowed to apply on their own.

Spring Fellowship Competition

Fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis in recognition of a student's demonstrated scholarship, scholastic and creative promise, and/ or financial need. To be eligible for consideration, a student must be admitted to a graduate program with a specific graduate degree objective and must be enrolled in graduate academic course work.

Duties

There is no service or work requirement associated with fellowship awards.

Maintaining Eligibility

To maintain eligibility, the following criteria must be met:

• funding is available, or limited semesters of support of a student are met
• academic program guidelines for funding duration of a student are met
• the student is making satisfactory academic progress

Graduate SchoolFellowship Stipend Awards

The information below pertains to fellowships that are administered by the office of the Graduate School and are awarded to incoming graduate students.

In-depth information and available fellowship listings can be found in the Graduate Fellowships Guidelines (pdf).

Receiving the Stipend

Monthly stipend payments are scheduled, and checks are available at the Cashier's Office, 15 Jesse Hall, or can be direct deposited upon completion of the registration process.

To qualify for the spring semester fellowship check, a recipient must have successfully completed the fall semester and be enrolled for a minimum of nine hours for the spring semester.

Nomination Process

Nominations must be completed by departments and programs, which choose candidates from the body of applicants in any given year. Students are not permitted to nominate themselves for University fellowships. Students with questions should contact their academic program's director of graduate studies. If your department or program would like to nominate a deserving graduate student, please complete the nomination form and all accompanying required items by February 11, 2009 to the Graduate School (210 Jesse Hall, Attn. Gretchen LaButti).

Eligibility

Fellowship recipients are required to be full-time students (at least nine credit hours or have an approved full-time graduate status form) during the period of appointment and may hold another smaller fellowship or engage in remunerative employment.

Students that have extenuating circumstances, and thus are temporarily unable to fulfill nine credit hours of course work, may appeal to the Graduate School on a case-by-case basis.

The Graduate School allows students to be continuously enrolled as full-time students by enrolling in two hours in fall and spring semesters, and one hour in summer after they have passed their comprehensive exams.

Benefit-Eligible Employees are Not Eligible

Benefit-eligible employees of the University of Missouri are ineligible for fellowship stipend awards because of the potential appearance of a conflict of interest.

Maintaning Eligibility

Continuation of graduate fellowships may be denied to recipients under the following conditions:

• failure to satisfy Scholastic Grade Requirements as specified in the Graduate Catalog
• violations of the Code of Conduct as specified in the Graduate Catalog
• failure in qualifying examinations, preliminary examinations, comprehensive examinations or failure to make satisfactory progress in a graduate program