Fellowships for Current Students

The Barbara Jordan Professional Development Fund is available to all attending, degree-seeking LBJ School students in good academic standing. These fellowship awards can be used to offset costs associated with academic and professional experiences, such as traveling to a conference or an interview. Apply using the common Current Student Endowed Fellowship Application form.

• Eligible Students: Master's students
• Deadline: Rolling
• Award Amount: Individual master's students can receive up to $250 annually for two years until the funds are exhausted.
• Criteria for Eligibility and Award Information
• Current Student Endowed Fellowship Application

The Barbara Jordan Excellence Fund is available to full-time master's students in good academic standing. Awards from this endowment can be used to supplement any available Barbara Jordan Professional Development Funds to assist students in covering the costs associated with exceptional, high impact, and high profile professional development experiences to develop their policy and governing skills. For example, these funds may aid students who are selected to present research at a major conference, testify before a legislative body, or attend a national conference or convening that would allow the student to showcase their skills, increase their network and increase job opportunities. Funding is limited. These fellowships are not guaranteed and will be awarded on a competitive basis annually until available funds are exhausted. The amounts are determined each year by the fellowship committee.  Apply using the common Current Student Endowed Fellowship Application form.

• Eligible Students: Master's students
• Deadline: Rolling
• Current Student Endowed Fellowship Application

The Barbara Jordan Baines Report Fellowship Fund is available to students interested in gaining skills in policy writing and storytelling, as well as exercising leadership through managing the student-run publication, The Baines Report. Students are eligible to receive up to $750 per semester. Both the fall and spring fellowship awards also provide $500 toward travel funds to the Journal of Public and International Affairs reading weekend at Princeton University, contingent on JPIA's invitation. More information is available in the fellowship eligibility and criteria document below. Apply using the common Current Student Endowed Fellowship Application form.

• Eligible Students: Master's students
• Deadline: Fall TBD and Spring TBD
• Criteria for Eligibility and Award Information
• Current Student Endowed Fellowship Application

The William and Judith Bollinger International Student Enrichment Fund was established to enable international students studying at the LBJ School to pursue educational and cultural interests, within the United States, both at and away from The University of Texas at Austin. The funds are meant to elevate the experiences of international students by expanding their knowledge and inspiring them to share that knowledge with their peers, friends and family back home. Apply using the common Current Student Endowed Fellowship Application form.

• Eligible Students: International master's students
• Deadline: Rolling
• Award Amount: Individual international master's students can receive up to $2,500 annually until the funds are exhausted
• Criteria for Eligibility and Award Information
• Current Student Endowed Fellowship Application

William and Judith Bollinger also fund a group trip, within the United States, once a year for "all" international students in attendance full-time at the LBJ School during the semester the trip occurs. A meeting time notification to discuss the group trip will be posted to lbjschool@utlists.utexas.edu. The location and details to plan the group trip is discussed during this meeting. 

The University of Texas at Austin Graduate School provides support for Ph.D. students to attend major professional meetings at which they will present original research. Awards range from $100 to $1,000. The LBJ Fellowship Committee will nominate students for these awards, which are then approved and administered by the Graduate School. Students seeking these awards should submit a completed application to the LBJ Fellowships Office, who will then work with the LBJ Fellowship Committee to nominate the student through the UT Graduate School. Apply using the PhD Professional Development and Dissertation Support Funds Application and UT Graduate School’s Professional Development Awards Student Application form.

• Eligible Students:  Ph.D. students
• Deadline: Refer to UT Graduate School 
• Award Amount: Individual Ph.D. students can receive up to $1,500 annually from a combination of UT Graduate School Professional Development Funds and LBJ PhD Professional Development Awards until the funds are exhausted
• More information 
• Criteria for Eligibility and Award Information
• PhD Professional Development and Dissertation Support Funds Application
• UT Graduate School’s Professional Development Awards Student Application

The Ph.D. Professional Development (PD) Award is available to all full-time, attending, degree-seeking LBJ School Ph.D. students in good academic standing. This fellowship is to support Ph.D. students at the LBJ School in pursuing their professional goals via educational and professional development opportunities. Apply using the PhD Professional Development and Dissertation Support Funds Application.

• Eligible Students: Ph.D. students
• Deadline: Rolling
• Award Amount: Individual Ph.D. students can receive up to $1,500 annually from a combination of UT Graduate School Professional Development Funds and LBJ PhD Professional Development Awards until the funds are exhausted
• Criteria for Eligibility and Award Information
• PhD Professional Development and Dissertation Support Funds Application

The Ph.D. Dissertation Support Fellowship is available to all full-time, attending, degree-seeking LBJ School Ph.D. students in good academic standing who have passed the Qualifying Paper milestone. This fellowship is to support Ph.D. students at the LBJ School with the costs that they may incur when completing their dissertation research. Apply using the PhD Professional Development and Dissertation Support Funds Application.

• Eligible Students: Ph.D. students who have passed the Qualifying Paper milestone
• Deadline: Rolling
• Award Amount: Individual Ph.D. students can receive up to $750 annually until the funds are exhausted
• Criteria for Eligibility and Award Information
• PhD Professional Development and Dissertation Support Funds Application

The LBJ School administers grants to support students working summer internships for nonprofit, nongovernmental, or governmental organizations that conduct development projects in the developing world. The grants are made possible by the William H. Crook Program in International Affairs. Students may use the grants to cover travel and living expenses during the internship.

During the more than 40 years in which Frances Goff served as director of Texas Girls State, she helped over 20,000 girls from across Texas learn about patriotism, citizenship and government. Notable Girls State graduates include former Texas Gov. Ann Richards and former Assistant District Attorney for Harris County Lori Swann. This award's eligibility has recently been expanded to include all internships based in the state of Texas.

Criteria: "The purpose of this scholarship is to fund a summer intern in the Office of the Governor of the State of Texas."

• Learn more about internship opportunities in the Governor's Office and apply for an internship.
• Students must have a GPA of 3.5 of higher. 

The Barbara Jordan Fund was endowed to help students at the LBJ School pursue their goal of moving into public service upon receiving their degree. This fund honors Barbara Jordan, a lifelong advocate for social justice who became the first African-American woman elected to the Texas Senate. Barbara Jordan served as a professor at the LBJ School, where she held the Lyndon B. Johnson Centennial Chair in National Policy from 1979 until her death in 1996.

Criteria: "The Fund provides financial support on an as-needed basis for such activities as unpaid internships, travel to internships and internship interviews." 

Robert S. Strauss is a figure in American politics and diplomacy whose service dates back to future president Lyndon Johnson's first congressional campaign in 1937. Strauss advised and represented U.S. presidents over three administrations and for both major U.S. political parties. Strauss occupied many academic chairs and lecture positions, including one as the Lloyd Bentsen Chair at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas.

Criteria: "To support graduate students with awards made on a basis of academic and intellectual abilities and a commitment to a career in public service." 

Former Rep. J.J. "Jake" Pickle served the 10^th District of Texas in the U.S. House of Representatives for more than 30 years. His close association with former President Lyndon B. Johnson inspired the creation of this endowment to enable promising students who share Rep. Pickle's lifelong dedication to public service.

Criteria: "These funds will help support students as interns in congressional offices or on federal and state committee and agency staffs." 

The Blodgett Endowment honors Terrell Blodgett, LBJ School professor emeritus, with a lifelong dedication to professional city management. Professor Blodgett earned a master’s degree in public administration from Syracuse University. He has worked as city manager of Garland and Waco, and as assistant city manager of Austin. Professor Blodgett received an appointment at the LBJ School in 1982, where he taught until 1995. Upon retirement, Blodgett spent 13 years as the LBJ School's first Mike Hogg Professor in Urban Management. For more information about the Blodgett Fellowship, visit the fellows page. This fellowship provides a $4,500 summer internship fellowship, a $4,500 fall fellowship and $3,000 toward travel to designated professional conferences.

Criteria: "Income from this endowment is used to support rising second-year students interested in government service in urban management and finance." 

This fellowship honors the late Paul Leventhal, who advocated tirelessly for the protection of the United States and the world from the proliferation of nuclear weapons and the materials and technology to make such weapons. Mr. Leventhal worked as an aide in the Senate from 1972 to 1981 and was instrumental in the passage of many landmark pieces of nuclear legislation. This fellowship is made possible by the LBJ School’s Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Project (NPPP).

Criteria: "Funds distributed from this endowment will provide an internship or apprenticeship stipend to… fund work inside a public policy organization, federal government office, or think tank that advances policy in the area of international and nuclear security."

• A minimum of 50 percent of the student's internship time must be spent working on issues that focus on reducing the risks of nuclear nonproliferation and nuclear terrorism, or associated weapons of mass destruction.

NOTE: Applicants are not required to have secured an internship to be eligible to apply for a Leventhal Fellowship. 

This internship fund was established to commemorate Steve Spinner, a 1984 graduate of the LBJ School. Steve was devoted to developing a comprehensive system for employment and training and to fostering public-private partnerships in the area of workforce development. As job training adviser to the U.S. Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee, he successfully led a bipartisan effort to consolidate federal employment training and education programs. The Senate overwhelmingly approved the legislation, known as the Workforce Development Act, two weeks after Spinner's death in 1995.

Criteria: "Funds distributed from the endowment shall be used to support the required 12 week summer internship for a second-year student interested in workforce development policy." 

• The student must engage in a project that is mutually beneficial to the organization and to the student's academic and professional goals.

The Eleanor Crook DC Fellowship will serve as a model in preparing the next generation to take on effective leadership roles in public service on the federal stage.

Criteria: Students participating in the programming of the LBJ Washington Center are eligible to apply. 

The Charls and Harmolyn Walker Public Policy Excellence Fund was established to benefit the LBJ School of Public Affairs, particularly financial support when needed to allow graduate students to participate in public policy internships. Internships can provide networking opportunities and real-world experience that can be crucial to establishing a career. The Walkers have created a legacy of extraordinary commitment to public service that will be reflected in generations of future UT students.

Dean’s Fellowships recognize students who have proven academic merit while pursuing a degree at the LBJ School. Beyond the classroom, extracurricular contributions that impact the school, university, or community and further the mission of the LBJ School may be considered. Funding that has already been committed will also be taken into consideration. Financial need will be taken into consideration for the Dean's Fellowships and is required for the Excellence in Public Service Fellowships.

• Eligible Students: Second-year master's students
• Application Opens: April 19, 2024
• Deadline: May 10, 2024

The Dean’s Graduate Fellowships and Excellence in Public Service Fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis to degree-seeking second-year master's students who have demonstrated excellence in their first year of study.
 

• Eligible Students: Second-year master's students
• Application Opens: April 19, 2024
• Deadline: May 10, 2024

The Elspeth D. Rostow Memorial Graduate Fellowship annually recognizes students who actively engage in opportunities to serve the public while pursuing an LBJ Master’s degree. The fellowship is awarded on a competitive basis to one second-year student who has demonstrated a superior commitment to public service through his or her work (campus leadership, volunteer work, internship, and employment) in communities – local, domestic, and abroad.

• Eligible Students: Second-year master's students
• Application Opens: April 19, 2024
• Deadline: May 10, 2024

The LBJ School Student Emergency Fund was created with the mission of supporting students who encounter emergencies that may make it hard to make ends meet. Emergency funds we can provide can help students get back on a path of success. Funds provided in these emergency cases shall not exceed  $500 and are granted at the discretion of the LBJ Fellowship Committee. Apply using the 2024-2025 LBJ Emergency Fund Application form, located here. 

• Eligible Students: All Students
• Deadline: Rolling
• Criteria for Eligibility and Award Information
• 2024-2025 LBJ Emergency Fund Application

The Clements Center awards funds to undergraduate and graduate students who secure unpaid internships in the fields of national security and foreign policy. Awards will be granted to those students whose work best reflects the mission and goals of the Clements Center. For more details and to access the application, visit the Clements Center website. The Clements Center also offers an Internship and Fellowship Database for your internship search.

The Strauss Center's Brumley Next Generation Graduate Fellows program is open to Ph.D. and master's students with an interest in international affairs. The mission of the program is to provide a transformative experience for UT graduate students from an array of disciplines, accelerating their path toward career success with an emphasis on building professional and scholarly skills and networks. Fellows will receive academic and professional mentorship, opportunities for individual research and networking, and a monetary stipend for the academic year.

• Eligible Students: Ph.D. and master's students      
• Deadline: See Website
• Application information 

The Strauss Center's Cybersecurity Fellows Program is open to Ph.D. and master's students with an interest in the interdisciplinary study of cybersecurity issues. The Strauss Center established the Cybersecurity Graduate Fellows Program to encourage graduate students from all departments who have an interest in cybersecurity to take relevant courses from outside their home department, to reward students who pursue this approach with formal recognition, to generate a cross-campus community of interest featuring a speaker series and mentoring, and to provide financial support for cybersecurity-related research, conference attendance, and the like.

• Eligible Students: Ph.D. and master's students      
• Deadline: See Website
• Application information 

The Graduate Archer Fellowship Program was established in 2010 by The University of Texas System as a way to bring graduate and medical students interested in policy and politics to our nation's capital to learn about the federal government and public service. Graduate Archer Fellows live, learn and work in the heart of Washington, DC during the summer. Selection is based on a competitive process and is offered to highly motivated graduate and medical students of The University of Texas System. Archer Fellows make and maintain social and professional contacts that can help lead to continued professional opportunities post-graduation. Learn more about the selection process and available scholarships, including the Texas National Security Network Scholarship, by visiting The Archer Center website.

• Eligible Students: Ph.D. and master's students      
• Deadline: See Website
• Application information 

The Clements Graduate Fellows program aims to create a sense of community and intellectual exchange among doctoral students in history, political science, area studies and public affairs. Students in these fields, too often isolated from one another by artificial disciplinary boundaries, have much to learn from one another in the study of foreign policy and national security. Above all, the Fellows program encourages students aiming for academic jobs to consider the policy implications of their work and students aiming for policy careers to draw skillfully on academic knowledge, especially history. Fellows have received short-term research grants from the Clements Center to visit the National Archives, the Library of Congress, various presidential libraries and other archives in the United States and overseas. Learn more by visiting the Clements Center Graduate Fellows Program website. 

• Eligible Students: Ph.D. students      
• Deadline: See Website

The Clements Center provides research funding for UT scholars and students. Funding is available on a competitive basis to support the research and publication of articles and books. Past sponsorship has included research trips to presidential libraries and support for paper presentations at academic conferences. This program is offered throughout the academic year. Strong preference will be given to proposals from students who have demonstrated involvement with the Clements Center, such as through regular attendance at Clements Center events, participation in the Graduate Fellows program, and/or enrollment in the Portfolio in Security Studies. Learn more by visiting the Clements Center Grants in History, Strategy, and Statecraft for Graduate Students website. 

• Eligible Students: Ph.D. and master's students      
• Deadline: See Website

CSRD Student Fellows expand the Center's range of research and engagement across UT's campus and within the local community. Through exploration and research for independent and group projects, Fellows aid in creating a database of relevant research to serve as a launchpad for further research and social justice-oriented work. This yearlong fellowship pairs research skills development and hands-on research. Mentored by CSRD Director Dr. Peniel Joseph, CSRD Faculty Fellows and CSRD team members, Student Fellows collaborate to conduct research on key subjects that sit at the intersections of race, democracy and social justice. In addition, Student Fellows participate in CSRD events (held virtually for Fall 2020) and act as ambassadors on behalf of the CSRD, the LBJ School of Public Affairs and The University of Texas at Austin. Graduate Fellows will receive a $500 stipend and will have the option to enroll in PA 389 Conference Course in Policy Analysis with Dr. Joseph. Learn more about the program and apply at the CSRD Student Fellows Program website. 

• Eligible Students: Ph.D. and master's students      
• Deadline: See Website

As part of the Inequality & Human Rights project, The Bernard and Audre Rapoport Center For Human Rights and Justice offers grants to support fieldwork by UT graduate students exploring the relationship between human rights and economic inequality. Learn more about the selection and award process by visiting The Bernard and Audre Rapoprt Center for Human Rights and Justice website.

• Eligible Students: Ph.D. students      
• Deadline: See Website
• Application information 

Fellowships are available for law and graduate students to work at the Rapoport Center over the summer and help with projects, publications, events and research. Summer fellows advance the Center's mission and ensure that Center projects reflect and incorporate the diverse perspectives and expertise of a multidisciplinary UT academic community. The Center is particularly interested in candidates with some knowledge of or experience in human rights, and in candidates with experience or serious interest in scholarly publications and publication/graphic design. Fellows will receive a stipend between $2,500 and $5,000, depending on the time they spend at the Center (which is based on their specific assignments). Learn more about the application and selection process by visiting The Bernard and Audre Rapoprt Center for Human Rights and Justice website.

• Eligible Students: Ph.D. and master's students      
• Deadline: See Website
• Application information 

CREEES Professional Development Awards are available to students in ANY major at UT Austin who are interested in professional development in the realm of Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies. Applications to participate in professional development activities MUST be somehow related to the CREEES region, namely: the former Soviet sphere of influence, Central/Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe/former Ottoman Empire, Central Asia, the Caucasus, etc. Awards are meant to help cover travel costs associated with competitive internships, job interviews, research/fieldwork or presenting at academic conferences. Up to $1,000 per student will be awarded to cover international travel costs or $500 per student for domestic travel costs. Learn more about the application and selection process by visiting the CREEES website. 

• Eligible Students: Ph.D. and master's students      
• Deadline: See Website

FLAS Fellowships are funded by the U.S. Department of Education (DoED) through its Title VI grant and are awarded to graduate students studying an approved foreign language. FLAS Fellowships can be for an academic year or summer program and are competitively awarded. The Fellowship is interdisciplinary and open to students from ANY department / school at UT. There are five FLAS-granting centers at UT Austin. Learn more about the application and selection process by visiting the FLAS websites for the FLAS-granting centers at UT Austin: Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies (CREEES), Center for European Studies, South Asia Institute, Middle Eastern Studies and Latin American Studies. 

• Eligible Students: Ph.D. and master's students      
• Deadline: See Website(s)