Graduate Program Tuition and Support
Applicants are strongly urged not to wait for notification of admission before filing your Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application, even if you do not intend on taking out student loans. Failure to do so could result in delay or disqualification from certain types of financial support.
Tuition and Fees
Effective September 1, 2012. Tuition and fees are established by the State of Texas Legislature and are subject to change.
Tuition and Fees for entire 3-year, 60-hour MFA program
Texas Residents
Non-Residents of Texas *
$30,000
$56,000
* The faculty's goal is to make awards to all non-residents of Texas that waive the non-resident portion of tuition. Tuition Waivers forgive the non-resident portion of tuition for out-of-state and international students, cutting the cost almost in half. Therefore, it is very likely that each admitted student will only be charged resident (in-state) tuition for all three years.
Additional Financial Information
Tuition, Fees, and Other Costs
Financing Your Education
Fellowships
All incoming students receive some fellowship support. No additional application or supporting material is required.
Fellowship decisions for continuing students are made each spring after a faculty review of student artwork.
Teaching Assistantships
There are 10- and 20-hour teaching assistantships available for both incoming and continuing students. Teaching Assistants (TAs) assist faculty members in classrooms and/or monitor open-laboratory periods. All students are considered for appointment as Teaching Assistants. TA assignments are based on institutional needs and budgetary limitations. Twenty-hour-a-week Teaching Assistantships pay a salary of $11,034 plus tuition assistance of $8,000 for a total compensation of $19,034 over the fall and spring semesters. In addition, a 20-hour TA also receives health insurance premium coverage for twelve months at a cost to the University of $5,547.
Some third-year graduate students may be appointed as Assistant Instructors (AIs). Assistant Instructors are responsible for teaching a lower-division undergraduate course. The Graduate Studies Committee of the Faculty considers students who have completed thirty semester hours of graduate coursework and passed their 30-hour oral examination for AI positions for a specific course.
Appointments of TAs and AIs are made on a semester-by-semester basis, rather than by annual contract. Rigorous performance evaluations are given and appointees can be terminated if they are negligent either in their duties or in their graduate studies. Appointments follow departmental criteria, receive approval by the department chair, and are subject to the availability of funds.
Travel Awards
The department has limited funds to support annual travel for graduate research.
Federal Student Loans and University Grants
Graduate students from the U.S. (citizens or permanent residents) are automatically eligible for Federal Stafford loans as independent students. Students should file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as their application to the graduate school has been submitted, and they have completed their federal tax return. Review the Web site of the University's Office of Student Financial Services and utilize Ask Don: Data Online; or call (512) 475-6282, extension 4.
Information about how to search for other sources of funding and external fellowships is available from the Graduate School: Funding Resources and Graduate Recruitment and Outreach Program.
