Financial Support
Application Fee Waivers
Rice waives application fees for doctoral applicants who are graduates of institutions in Texas and bordering states Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico or who have a permanent address in these states. Other fee waivers granted can be found here.
Fellowships and Assistantships
Incoming doctoral students are eligible for a variety of fellowships and other forms of financial assistance. Over 90% of newly enrolled graduate students are provided with a financial incentive package that includes a Graduate Fellowship and a tuition waiver, and many departments offer multi-year financial assistance to students who are making normal progress toward a graduate degree.
Graduate students are encouraged to compete for national Fellowships that support their graduate work at Rice. Examples of such awards include fellowships from the National Science Foundation, NASA, the Fullbright Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and GEM. The University provides advice and assistance to graduate students applying to such programs.
Rice is the recipient of NIH, NSF, and NASA-sponsored Federal Training Grant Programs. These provide stipend-supported traineeships and tuition to graduate students studying in research areas supported by these programs. In some programs, internships in industrial laboratories are available.
Tuition & Fees
The tuition for full-time graduate students for the 2024-2025 academic year is $29,892 per term. Students who receive departmental stipends or secure a competitive external fellowship are typically offered full tuition support. For students enrolling in Architecture, Shepherd School of Music, and Professional Master's programs, tuition for the academic year varies by program, and rates can be found on the Cashier's website.
Continuing students are eligible for a reduced tuition rate after ten semesters of full-time study in a single degree program (excluding the summer semesters). Like the standard rate, the reduced rate varies by department/program. Please see the Cashier’s website for tuition rates in specific degree programs.
Annual fees are $730.00 for 2024-2025. Additional information regarding fees, including a breakdown of what your fees support, can be found on the Cashier's website. For traditional master's and doctoral students, the majority of this fee goes to support Student Health Services, Student Wellbeing, and the Graduate Student Association.
Tuition Waivers
Students who receive departmental stipends or secure a competitive external fellowship are typically offered full tuition support. Tuition at Rice is low compared to most private major research universities. All doctoral students completing ten semesters of full-time graduate study receive a major reduction in tuition and are charged tuition at the reduced rate. Students in the Shepherd School of Music and the School of Architecture receive a reduction in tuition after six semesters of full-time study.
Stipends
Qualified doctoral and thesis master’s students often receive departmental stipends of $36,000-$40,000 per year to cover living expenses. That means you can earn your Ph.D. while getting paid for it. Stipend and/or tuition support is also available in some master’s programs.
Financial Aid & Loans
Rice participates in all federal student loan programs, and the Rice University Office of Financial Aid can assist graduate students in the preparation of applications. The Rice Graduate Student Association and the Graduate Studies Office provide loans to graduate students requiring emergency assistance. These loans are low-interest. In addition to the merit-based aid described above, the Office of Financial Aid offers need-based aid in the form of loans to graduate students who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or refugees.
Other forms of financial support
Students interested in engineering and natural sciences graduate degrees should consider applying for the GEM Fellowship. GEM offers MS and Ph.D. students an outstanding opportunity and access to dozens of the nation's top Engineering and Science firms and Universities. GEM Fellows can receive funding for their graduate education and connect to leading organizations for work and study. More.
Graduate students interested in STEM can also apply for Rice's I-ACED program. This award will support students from low-income backgrounds seeking master’s degrees in engineering, computer science, mathematics, and data science. Students will select from among disciplines in one of three technical tracks: biotechnology, sustainability and resilience, and digital twinning. More.
International students considering graduate study in the U.S. should apply for the Fulbright Foreign Scholar Program. The Fulbright Foreign Student Program enables graduate students, young professionals, and artists from abroad to study and conduct research in the United States through providing funding for study. More.
Reviewed January 2025