Italian Support
Beginning in Fall 2024, we are implementing a minimum funding guarantee for all Italian Studies admitted graduate students. From a combination of fellowship funds, TA/AI appointments, and/or other scholarships, all students will earn at least $30,000 (pre-tax). On top of that, they will be eligible for additional summer funding.
Italian Studies graduate students are offered six years' minimum financial support, in the form of fellowship stipends and/or TA/AI appointments. Some students may receive recruitment fellowships in their first year or fellowships for dissertation writing in one of their final years. Competitive fellowships administered by the graduate school are another possible source of financial support.
They may also have the opportunity to work as a funded Graduate Editorial Assistant for an Italian Studies scholarly journal. The experiences and skills acquired by Italian Studies graduate students will help them immensely in making the transition from graduate school to full-time employment.
Here is what standard funding schedule looks like for our Italian Studies Graduate Students, but graduate students will be notified yearly of their specific funding package which has final approval from the Italian Studies faculty and Department Chair:
| Program Year |
Source of Funding |
|
1st Year |
Eligibilty to receive an Office of Graduate School Recruitment fellowship for fall plus a separate scholarship which can be used as a health insurance supplement, and a full tuition award.* And/Or Teaching Assistantship (TA)** in which the student assists primary instructors. TAs will receive a total of $20,353 during the fall and spring semesters. TAs also receive a full tuition award* that pays for 9 hrs/semeseter plus student health insurance benefits. First year TAs are also eligible to be considered for a recruitment OGS award of $5,000 in the fall or spring semester. An additional scholarship will be awarded during the spring semester to get the overall funding for each student to $30,000 (fall/spring combined funds). |
|
2nd - 5th Years |
Assistant Instructorship (AI)** in which the student teaches one class per term. The AI stipend within COLA totals $22,494, and the AI appointment includes full tuition awards* for up to 9 hrs/semester and health insurance benefits. An additional scholarship will be awarded during the spring semester to get the overall funding for each student to $30,000 (fall/spring combined funds). Students are also eligible to apply for summer research support scholarship of $6,900 which students typically receive at least once during their academic program. |
| 6th Year |
Eligibilty to receive an Office of Graduate Studies Continuing fellowship for the fall semester: a $10,000 stipend, separate scholarship which can be used as a health insurance supplement, and a full tuition award.* And/Or Assistant Instructorship (AI) in which the student teaches one class per term. The AI stipend within COLA totals $22,494, and the AI appointment includes full tuition awards* for up to 9 hrs/semester and health insurance benefits. An additional scholarship will be awarded during the spring semester to get the overall funding for each student to $30,000 (fall/spring combined funds). |
*Students may still be required to pay a small portion of their tuition bill that will be related to university fees. For instance, international graduate students will also be responsible for paying some fees on their tuition bill that originate from Texas Global such as the ISSS fee, Evacuation and Repatriation fees, and an Insurance Administration fee.
**For eligibility of AI/TA positions, see Academic Employment. Additionally, students that are appointed as TAs and AIs for 20 hrs/week appointment within FRIT and are automatically opted into the Student Health Insurance. For more on these Academic Graduate Student Health Insurance options, please review the HR website.
Academic Employment
For more information on Assistant Instructorships and Teaching Assistantships, including eligibilty, please visit this webpage, see academic employment.
AI/TA rates updated above for the 2023-2024 academic year.
University Fellowships
Competitive fellowships administered by the graduate school are another possible source of financial support, see Graduate School Fellowships.
