Financial Assistance and Teaching Experience

In order to be considered for any type of funding, scholarship, or teaching position, applicants MUST submit a Funding Application with their admissions materials. (For deadlines, requirements, and instructions, please visit our Graduate Program Admissions page.)

Download a Funding Application Form

The Graduate Admission and Financial Aid Committee will make all final decisions regarding the distribution of available departmental funding.  Thus, there is no need for you to indicate what your funding preferences are in your application materials and Funding Application.

Julia Emerson Fisher Walther Graduate Scholarships in French Studies
Walther Scholarships in French Studies, funded by a generous bequest from Mrs. Julia Emerson Fisher Walther, are merit-based scholarships (both single-year and renewable) for outstanding students in French studies and linguistics.  Walther Scholars receive generous packages that include tuition, highly competitive stipends, professional development support, and pre-dissertation funding for study in a francophone country.  Walther Scholarships take a variety of forms, including renewable awards for incoming students; one-year awards for continuing students; travel awards for research abroad; and summer research grants.

Academic Employment
Designed to train students in the methods of scholarly research and to prepare them for college teaching, the French Studies graduate program offers financial assistance in the form of Teaching Assistantships (TAs) and Assistant Instructorships (AIs).   Graduate students who hold a Master's degree (or have completed 30 hours of graduate coursework in French) and who have completed a course in teaching methods (398T or the equivalent) may be eligible for employment as Assistant Instructors.

TAs and AIs receive a stipend, pay in-state tuition and fees, and also receive a Tuition Assistance Benefit (which offsets most of the cost of in-state tuition) each long semester. AIs and TAs are also eligible for university employee group insurance benefits while appointed as student academic employees.

All international graduate students and graduate students whose first language is not English must pass the English Language Assessment and attend the International TA/AI Orientation in order to be appointed to a TA or AI position.

For more detailed information, see academic employment.

University Fellowships
Competitive fellowships administered by the graduate school are another possible source of financial support.  Nominations for Graduate School Fellowships are made by the Department of French and Italian; recipients are selected through the Office of Graduate Studies & The Department of French & Italian.

University Preemptive Fellowships are awarded to incoming students who have not previously attended the University of Texas. The Fellowship provides a stipend for the first academic year, in-state tuition with partial reimbursement, additional funding for medical insurance, and a teaching assistantship during the second year (provided the recipient is making satisfactory progress in the graduate program).