Skip to content Skip to main navigation Report an accessibility issue

Graduate Assistantships and Fellowships

Students walk down Pedestrian Walkway

Assistantships

Many graduate students serve either as teaching assistants or research assistants or a combination of both. Assistantships come with a month stipend, tuition and fee waivers, as well as health insurance.

Graduate Teaching Assistantship

GTAs assist faculty with course-related tasks such as grading, helping students, and leading labs. GTA positions are assigned by a committee. Current students and students who have completed their admissions application can self-nominate using this GTA request form. GTA positions are filled mid-summer for the upcoming academic year with a limited number becoming available late fall for spring.

Graduate Research Assistantship

GRAs assist faculty with research tasks. GRA positions are handled by the individual faculty members since they are tied to grants and contracts. Reach out to faculty who work in your area(s) of interest.

Note that GTA and GRA positions may be either 10 hours (25% FTE) or 20 hours (50% FTE) per week. A 10-hour GTA position may be combined with a 10-hour GRA position to produce a 20-hour position.

Some students hold GRA positions in other departments. Some students work for the university. EECS does not maintain a list of these positions.


Fellowships

The department and the university each provide several graduate fellowships. Except for the Bodenheimer fellowship, the research faculty advisor is responsible for nominating a student.

Criteria: The Min H. Kao Electrical and Computer Engineering Fellowship is open to all applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, citizenship, disability, age or veteran status with the following restrictions:

  1. The Fellowship will be available to students who are currently admitted or have been enrolled in the graduate program within the Min H. Kao Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville College of Engineering.
  2. The award(s) may be made to a student in the master or doctoral program within the Min H. Kao Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
  3. Students must demonstrate excellence in academic performance with a GPA of at least 3.8 out of a possible 4.0.
  4. Preference will be given to students who are pursuing advanced degrees in integrated and/or embedded systems engineering.
  5. A student who held the Min H. Kao EECS Fellowship in a previous year shall have preference in the selection procedure in subsequent years with all other things being equal. However, the Fellowship recipient must maintain a GPA of at least 3.5 out of a possible 4.0 GPA to continue eligibility for the fellowship.
  6. The fellowship provides a graduate fee waiver and a stipend of $6,000 per year per student.

Criteria:  The Ronald Nutt Fellowship in Imaging Formation and Processing is open to all applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, citizenship, disability, age or veteran status with the following restrictions:

  1. The Fellowship will be available to students who are currently admitted or enrolled in the graduate program in the Min H. Kao Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in the University of Tennessee, Knoxville College of Engineering.
  2. The Fellowship is intended to fund an amount up to full tuition and fees dependent upon the amount of available income earned on the endowment.
  3. The student(s) awarded this Fellowship shall have demonstrated successful academic performance as expressed through having a minimum GPA of 3.5 with a preference for 3.8 and above. Student applicants must submit at least one letter of recommendation from a faculty member in the College of Engineering.
  4. Financial need (in the broadest sense), may be a factor in selection.
  5. First preference will be given to recipients of the Randall K. Nutt Engineering Scholarship or the Ronald Nutt Family Engineering Scholarships.
  6. Second preference will be given to CTI Molecular Imaging, Inc. staff and members of their immediate families who are admitted or enrolled in the graduate program of the Min H. Kao Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the Tickle College of Engineering, University of Tennessee Knoxville.
  7. A student who held the Ronald Nutt Fellowship in Image Formation and Processing in a previous year shall have preference in the selection procedure in subsequent years with all other things being equal, with the maximum length of renewal not to exceed three years.
  8. The fellowship provides a stipend of $20,000 per year.

Criteria: The fellowship is open to all U.S. Citizen Applicants regardless of race, color, creed or sex.  Preference shall be given to residents of Tennessee.

  1. The student shall be enrolled or accepted for admission to the university MS or PhD graduate program with a major course of study in Computer and Electrical Engineering.
  2. The student shall have demonstrated successful academic performance and/or financial need (in the broadest sense).
  3. The fellowship provides an annual stipend of $10,000 per student.

Get more details on the Bodenheimer Fellowship.

Criteria: The Dr. Vaughn Blalock Graduate Award will be open to all applicants with the following qualifications, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age or veteran status:

  1. The Award will be available to students who are graduating seniors in Electrical Engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville who plan to attend graduate school in Electrical Engineering at UT, Knoxville.
  2. Academic excellence in Electrical Engineering will be primary criterion for selection. Preference may be given to students in the field of Electronics.
  3. The committee may consider financial need (in the broadest sense), with all other factors being equal.
  4. The award amount is $3,000.

Criteria: The scholarship/fellowship shall be open to all applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, citizenship, disability, age or veteran status, subject to the following restrictions:

  1. Applicants must be currently enrolled at or admitted to attend the University of Tennessee, Knoxville College of Engineering.
  2. The award will be made to a full-time senior or first year graduate student(s) majoring in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering.
  3. Strong preference shall be given to a student showing promise in analog electronics.
  4. A student holding the award in one year shall have preference in subsequent years.
  5. Financial need (in the broadest sense) may be considered.
  6. The award amount is $2,500.

Criteria: Recipients of this scholarship shall be selected by a committee composed of two faculty members from the Min H. Kao Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, to be appointed by the head of that department.

  1. The award may be made to either graduate or undergraduate students who are majors in the department.
  2. In order to apply for this scholarship, a student must have an overall GPA of 3.0 or better, based upon a 4.0 system.
  3. The committee may consider financial need of the applicants in their selection process, if they wish.
  4. The award amount is $4,000.

Criteria: The Harland D. Mills Scholarship will be open to all applicants with the following qualifications, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age or veteran Status:

  1. The Scholarship will be available to students who are currently enrolled in or have been admitted to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
  2. The award shall be given to students enrolled in the College of Engineering and pursing a major in Computer Science.
  3. The award shall be given to undergraduate, graduate, and/or post graduate students with an expressed interest in Computer Software.
  4. The student(s) awarded this scholarship shall have demonstrated successful academic performance.
  5. Financial need (in the broadest sense) may be a factor.
  6. The award amount is $2,500.

Criteria: The Erby Roy and Jean Bush Nankivell Electrical Engineering Scholarship is open to all applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, citizenship, disability, age or veteran status, subject to the following restrictions:

  1. Applicants must be currently enrolled at or admitted to attend the UTK College of Engineering.
  2. Applicants must be pursuing a major in Electrical Engineering at either the undergraduate or graduate level.
  3. Students should be selected based on academic potential.
  4. The award amount is $5,500.

Criteria:  The J. Frank and Joan Uhl Pierce Graduate Award is open to applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, citizenship, disability, age or veteran status with the following restrictions:

  1. Recipient(s) must be currently enrolled or admitted to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville College of Engineering as a graduate level student.
  2. Student(s) must be majoring in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering.
  3. Recipient(s) must have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement.
  4. The award amount is $2,000.

Criteria: The fellow program is for newly admitted PhD students in each engineering college who apply for admission to one of the SEC schools, having completed their UG engineering degrees at another of the SEC schools.  The program would be initiated for students applying for admission in FY18 (Fall 2017 admission).

  1. The top off stipend would have a value of $5,000/year for up to five years, based on satisfactory progress toward the degree.
  2. Each participating college would award up to two awards per year, as finances allowed but with a minimum intent of at least one.
  3. Students would be recognized as the SEC Engineering Deans Graduate Fellows. Visibility of the awards would be provided through various media such as ASEE First Bell and/or other within-university media, as well as through the SECU annual conferences.
  4. The SEC deans agreed that the top off stipend be provided to the selected PhD student(s) with the student(s)’ department(s) providing a GTA/GRA or similar base stipend with a minimum value of $25,000/yr, for a total minimum stipend of $30,000.

Criteria: The fellowship is awarded to one new student per existing PhD degree program

  1. Selected students will receive $5,000 per year (renewable for up to 5 years)
  2. Department expected to provide a total package (GRA/GTA stipend + $5,000) at the level of a total minimum stipend of $30K to recruit top graduate students


Learn more about university-based graduate fellowships for financial aid. Note that these are all nominated by the department. Talk to your faculty advisor about putting your name forward.