The Graduate School
New Mexico State University
Anderson Hall, First Floor
MSC PSL/ P. O. Box 30002
Las Cruces, NM 88003-8002
(575) 646-5746    Fax:  (575) 646-7758

To:       Department Heads, Faculty and Staff                            
From:    Linda Lacey, Dean of the Graduate School
Re:       Graduate Assistant Tuition Fellowships for New Graduate Students

The Graduate School will award tuition fellowships for fall 2009 to entering graduate assistants to help departments recruit outstanding graduate students to their programs. Master’s degree students will receive up to 2 years of support and doctoral degree students will receive up to three years of support.  In order for students to qualify for a second and third year of support, they must maintain their status as graduate assistants for the duration of the tuition fellowship period.  These awards are for students receiving 10 hour and 20 hour graduate assistantships.  The award pays for up to 9 credit hours.  Students must pay for credit hours beyond 9 credit hours.  The tuition fellowships do not include fees (required and other fees such as course, lab and/or technology fees) and are limited to entering first year students that have been awarded a graduate assistantship.  

How to apply for the Graduate Assistant Tuition Fellowships Awards:
Letter nominations from faculty must be submitted to the Graduate School.  A copy of the students’ transcript must accompany the letter nomination.  Resumes are helpful but are not required.  If is it an international student, please include the evaluation of transcripts from the Center for International Programs.  Criteria for selection include the following:

1. The candidate must be admitted to a department of NMSU.
2. They must enroll as a full time student taking at least 9 graded credit hours.
3. The candidate should have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher.
4. Departments should also discuss other positive attributes of the graduate assistant (diversity, experience, skills, academic merit and other unique attributes the student will bring to the program).
5. The candidate must be granted a graduate assistant by the department.  State supported and non-state supported graduate assistants (including research assistants) can receive the award.  
6. Departments can nominate as many admitted students that it wishes to. 

Nominations are due at the Graduate School by April 1st.  Please provide a letter nomination for each student rather than an email nomination.  We will accept faxed nominations as well (fax number of the Graduate School 646-7758).  

Please contact me if you have any questions, 646-5746, 649-8081 or lacey@nmsu.edu.

The Fellowship Committee of the Graduate Council will begin reviewing nominations immediately.