Prospective students should submit an application for admission directly to the academic department by the application due date. Current and continuing graduate students at Rice are also eligible for an AGEP fellowship if they are enrolled in a doctoral program. Departments nominate and rank applicants for AGEP fellowships. A committee comprised of faculty and AGEP staff then prepares an overall ranking according to academic merit, socioeconomic background, educational background, commitment to building bridges in multicultural settings, interest in pursuing graduate studies, and other factors. The committee may also consider the size of the department and the quality of departmental efforts to increase diversity.
Preference is given to applicants who plan a career in academic research and the professoriate.
Rice provides graduate fellowships to nearly all entering students enrolled in thesis graduate programs, and most receive financial assistance during the entire course of their studies. Most students entering Rice graduate programs receive tuition waivers as part of their fellowship package. Rice graduate students receive travel funds when they present scholarly work at a professional meeting or conference. If the student is awarded an NSF, Hertz, GEM or other graduate fellowship, we expect them to accept that award in place of the AGEP fellowship. We will supplement the difference between the actual stipend and tuition amounts, up to the standard departmental level.