Rice University Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP)

Who is eligible to apply for a AGEP Fellowship?

Any U.S. citizen or permanent resident who has a sincere interest in these issues and is admitted to a doctoral program in science, technology, engineering and mathematics at Rice, is eligible for the AGEP fellowship. By focusing on the applicant attributes and plans, the program aims to promote inclusion and diversity regardless of the race or ethnicity of the recipients.

Eligible fields of study:

• Applied Physics
• Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
• Biochemistry & Cell Biology
• Electrical & Computer Engineering
• Bioengineering
• Civil & Environmental Engineering
• Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
• Earth Science
• Chemistry
• Mathematics
• Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science
• Computational & Applied Mathematics
• Physics and Astronomy
• Computer Science
• Statistics

What are the expectations of an AGEP Fellow?

Any student who receives financial support from AGEP is expected to fully participate in program activities. The activities are designed to promote both scholarship and leadership and may include periodic professional and academic luncheon meetings with other students and faculty leaders. The student also interacts with prospective students in order to help orient them to Rice and the AGEP Program and they participate in other similar activities. Fellows should expect to average approximately two hours per week in program activities during the academic year.

In addition, AGEP Fellows are expected to participate in the summer research component of the program unless their research requires him/her to be off campus during the summer. The summer program will provide travel support and an additional stipend during the three summer months. Fellows who do not participate in the summer program are not eligible for summer support.

AGEP Academic Year Fellowships

Applicants for the academic year program must be admitted to a doctoral program in a science, mathematics, or engineering department at Rice University. Prospective students should submit an application for admission directly to the academic department by the application due date which is currently February 1st. Be sure to mention that you would like to be considered for funding through the AGEP Program. Current and continuing graduate students at Rice are also eligible for an AGEP fellowship if they are enrolled in a doctoral program.

Departments nominate and rank applicants for AGEP fellowships. A committee comprised of AGEP faculty and staff prepare an overall ranking according to academic merit, socioeconomic background, educational background, commitment to building bridges in multicultural settings, interest in pursuing graduate studies, and other factors. The committee may also consider the size of the department and the quality of departmental efforts to increase diversity. Preference is given to applicants who plan a career in academic research and the professoriate.

How students receive AGEP fellowship awards

Once the academic department and the prospective student are notified of the fellowship and the student accepts an offer of admission and agrees to participate in AGEP Program activities, the department will coordinate with the AGEP office to compensate the student through regular departmental processes at the standard rate, which varies in different departments.

• Rice provides graduate fellowships to nearly all entering students enrolled in thesis graduate programs and most receive financial assistance during the entire course of their studies.
• Continuing students are eligible for a variety of fellowships and other awards, including tuition waivers, research fellowships, teaching assistantships, and special fellowships (such as AGEP).
• Most students entering Rice graduate programs receive tuition waivers as part of their fellowship package.
• Rice graduate students receive travel funds when they present scholarly work at a professional meeting or conference.

It is important to avoid over awarding of AGEP Students. If the student is awarded an NSF, Hertz, GEM or other graduate fellowship, we expect them to accept that award in place of the AGEP Fellowship. We will supplement the difference between the actual stipend and tuition amounts, up to the standard departmental level.

For other available fellowships visit:

• National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowships
• National Institute of Health
• Ford Foundation
• National Physics Consortium
• Hewlett-Packard Fellowship

Travel Support

AGEP is committed to ensuring that AGEP Fellows have the travel support that will allow them to attend national conferences to present their work and network with other professionals in their fields of study. Current students can download an application here.

Campus Visit

We encourage you to visit Rice at any time for a firsthand look at the beautiful, tree-lined campus near the heart of historic Houston. If you apply and are admitted, you will be invited to visit the campus at departmental expense. During your time here, you will visit with faculty and will usually be hosted by current graduate students from whom you can learn more about graduate life and lifestyles in Houston. In the meantime, feel free to contact the AGEP Office or any of the departments with any questions you may have about its programs or the university.

• How to Apply to the Graduate Programs at Rice University