Graduate Fellowships Program

I. Program Overview

The A&M System announces the inaugural call for proposals under the Research Excellence Fund (REF), a bold initiative to elevate the research enterprise across all A&M System member institutions. The REF provides competitive funding to accelerate discovery, strengthen collaboration, and enhance national competitiveness.
 
Strategic Initiative 2: Graduate Fellowships Program under the REF aims to attract and retain outstanding doctoral students who will drive innovation and discovery in areas of state and national strategic priorities. The program supports prestigious fellowships that enhance the A&M System’s competitiveness in graduate education, research productivity, and talent development.

Preference will be given to fellowship proposals that include inter-institutional advising and mentoring across A&M System member universities.

II. Program Objectives

Graduate Fellowships Program is designed to:

• Recruit and retain top-tier doctoral students to advance strategic research areas.
• Foster collaboration through joint mentoring and advising across A&M System institutions.
• Enhance the national and global reputation of A&M System graduate research programs.
• Support projects aligned with state and national research priorities.
• Develop a robust pipeline of research leaders, innovators, and educators for Texas and beyond.

III. Eligibility

• Eligible Institutions: Any A&M System member university.
• Eligible Applicants: Proposals must be submitted by designated Chief Research Officer (CRO) (i.e., Vice President of Research) of each A&M System member university [https://www.tamus.edu/research/vcr/cro/].
• Student Eligibility: Current doctoral candidate student at an A&M System member university in good standing at time of award expenditures, but award may be used to attract and recruit doctoral candidates.
• Mentorship Preference:  Preference will be given to fellowship proposals that include inter-institutional advising and mentoring across A&M System member universities.

IV. Award Information and Allowable Costs

• Total Funding Available (FY26): $3,000,000
• Maximum Individual Award: Proposals requesting multiple fellowships are encouraged for up to $50,000 per fellow per year (options for renewable funding for up to 4 years)
• Expected Number of Awards: Approximately 12 per year (up to total 60 fellowships annually)
• Allowable Costs: Stipend, tuition and allowable fees, travel for research or professional development, and limited research support.
• Limited Submission: One proposal submission per A&M System member university submitted the designated university Chief Research Officer (CRO). Up to 10 graduate student fellowships per proposal.
• Cost Share: Not required but encouraged to leverage the REF investment and demonstrate institutional commitment.

V. Proposal Requirements

A. Proposal Components

Proposals must include the following sections, combined into a single PDF document:

1. Cover Page (1 page): Institution name, program contact name and information (CRO), total number of fellowships requested, total funds requested.
2. Project Summary (1 page): Overview of the fellowship plan, strategic alignment with university research growth plan, and expected outcomes.
3. Project Description (up to 3 pages): Recruitment plan, mentoring framework, inter-institutional collaboration, impact metrics.
4. Evaluation and Sustainability Plan (1 page): Long-term integration into institutional programs.
5. Budget and Budget Justification (1 page): Detailed cost structure per fellow, Institutional cost share commitment to leverage the REF investment.
6. Letters of Support (up to 5 letters; 1 page per letter) from collaborating A&M System institutions or faculty mentors.
7. Memo of Support (1 page) from university President.

VI. Review Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated by an independent peer-review panel composed of internal and external experts using the following weighted criteria:

VII. Reporting and Expectations

Awardees will be required to:

• Submit annual progress reports documenting fellow recruitment, academic progress, publications, and outcomes of inter-institutional mentoring.
• Submit a final report detailing outcomes, publications, and follow-on funding proposed and/or secured.
• Fellows are expected to participate in the annual A&M System Research Excellence Meeting to present their work.

Options for renewable funding for up to 4 years will be considered. Funding for subsequent years will be contingent on demonstrated success in recruitment and outcomes.

VIII. Submission Instructions

• Submission Portal: Submit single PDF document to ref@tamus.edu
• File Format: Single PDF document, 12-point font, 1-inch margins.
• Deadline: February 1, 2026, 11:59 PM CST
• Questions: Contact E-mail: ref@tamus.edu

IX. Program Governance

The Graduate Fellowships Program will be administered by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research under guidance from the REF Advisory Committee, composed of representatives from A&M System member institutions.
 
Proposals will be reviewed through a competitive independent peer-reviewed process. Decisions on funding will be approved by the Vice Chancellor for Research and endorsed by the Chancellor of the A&M System.

X. Key Dates

XI. Summary Statement

The Graduate Fellowships Program embodies the A&M System’s commitment to developing the next generation of world-class researchers and innovators fostering excellence, collaboration and discovery across the A&M System.