Cratis D. Williams School of Graduate Studies

A number of scholarships and fellowships are available for qualifying graduate students who enroll in degree programs. Some of these are awarded by the Graduate School based on a competitive review process, while other awards are made by individual programs and departments. Below is a partial list of available scholarships and fellowships.

Are you a Summer/Fall applicant? You will be invited to submit an application for the Chancellor's and Provost's Fellowships if you meet the minimum criteria for consideration, are applying for Summer/Fall admission, and submit your completed application by no later than March 1. Additional eligiblity criteria can be found in the individual award descriptions linked below. Fellowships are awarded to Summer and Fall admits; if funds become available at the end of Fall semester, Spring admits will be considered.

North Carolina Tuition Scholarship (NCTS)

These scholarships are available for a limited number of main campus, out-of-state degree-seeking students who are attending graduate school full time at Appalachian State. The scholarship covers a substantial amount of the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition and fees during the regular academic year (excluding Summer sessions). Interested students may inquire about the availability of this scholarship with their respective program director.

Criteria for Eligibility and Guidelines for Nomination

• New students must be admitted without provision.
• Continuing students must maintain at least a 3.4 cumulative GPA.
• All students must complete full-time enrollment (at least 9 hours during Fall and Spring) in graduate program of study (POS) courses. Courses numbered 5989/7989 can only count if the student has completed all other POS coursework, and can only count up to 3 of the 9 required hours.
• All students must also have research assistantship or teaching assistantship funding of at least $2000 per semester from Appalachian.
• No student may hold a tuition scholarship for more than four (4) semesters, regardless of how many degrees he or she pursues at Appalachian.
• Tuition scholarships can be awarded by departments as either a full or partial award. Departments should work with the graduate school regarding the funding levels for each.
• Departments that are unable to use their tuition scholarship funds, should contact the graduate school before the end of the fall term so funds can be reallocated to students in need.

Chancellor's Fellowships and the Lovill Fellowship

Priority Review Deadline: March 1

We anticipate that up to seven Chancellor's Fellowships (up to $6,250 for the academic year) and one Lovill Fellowship (up to $8,830 for the academic year) will be awarded to outstanding new degree-seeking graduate students each academic year. If you are applying for Summer or Fall admission and you meet the eligibility criteria you will be sent an email inviting you to apply after the March 1 deadline. The Lovill Fellowship will be awarded to the top-ranked Chancellor's Fellowship applicant. Applicants will be required to provide a 500-word essay on the importance of graduate education at Appalachian State to their career goals.

Criteria for Eligibility

• Unconditional admission to a graduate degree program at Appalachian for Summer or Fall
• Cumulative GPA of at least 3.75 in an earned bachelor's degree
• Full-time status required (minimum planned enrollment in 9 or more graduate credit hours per semester)

Chancellor's Fellows who demonstrate excellence their first year by maintaining a GPA of 3.75 or higher will automatically receive a second year of funding.

Provost's Fellowships

Priority Review Deadline: March 1

We anticipate that up to five Provost's Fellowships (up to $4,000 for the academic year) will be awarded to outstanding new degree-seeking graduate students. If you are applying for Summer or Fall admission and you meet the eligibility criteria you will be sent an email inviting you to apply after the March 1 deadline. Applicants will be required to provide a 500-word essay on the importance of graduate education at Appalachian State to their career goals.

Criteria for Eligibility

• Unconditional admission to a main campus graduate degree program at Appalachian
• Cumulative GPA of at least 3.6 in an earned bachelor's degree
• Full-time status (minimum planned enrollment in 9 or more graduate credit hours per semester)

Provost's Fellows who demonstrate excellence during their first year by maintaining a GPA of 3.6 or higher will automatically receive a second year of funding.

Domer Fellowship

Priority Review Deadline: March 1

We anticipate that one Domer Fellowship will be awarded to one outstanding new degree-seeking graduate student each academic year. This award will cover in-state tuition and fees for the Fall and Spring terms to a qualifying student. If you are applying for Summer or Fall admission and you meet the eligibility criteria you will be sent an email inviting you to apply after the March 1 deadline.  Applicants will be required to provide a 500-word essay on the importance of graduate education at Appalachian State to their career goals.

Criteria for Eligibility

• Unconditional admission to a main campus degree program at Appalachian
• North Carolina resident status, as verified by the Residency Determination Service (RDS; completed as part of the application process)
• Demonstration of academic excellence (as evidenced by the undergraduate GPA) and financial need (although the FAFSA is not required)

In addition to the scholarships offered by the School of Graduate Studies, many departments offer discipline-specific scholarships for graduate students. Contact the program director in your area of interest to inquire about scholarship opportunities, deadlines, and application procedures.