Graduate Program - Financial Support
Graduate Research Assistantships
Many MABE graduate students are supported with Graduate Research Assistantships (GRAs), principally funded by research contracts. A student may be assigned to a research project by mutual agreement with a faculty member who has a position available. The goal is to match the project to the student's interests and to assign GRAs that correlate with thesis or dissertation activities.
The faculty administering the supporting funds determines the duration of a GRA. The assistantship stipend carries a waiver of tuition and maintenance fees and health insurance. Students with exceptional academic performance, especially Ph.D. candidates, are eligible for higher stipends dependent upon funding availability.
Graduate students and applicants are encouraged to contact all faculty members directly for the latest information regarding funded research projects.
Graduate Assistantships and Graduate Teaching Assistantships
Graduate Assistantships (GAs) and Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs) exist within the MABE department as well as the Engineering Fundamentals Division. For students appointed as GAs and GTAs, tuition and maintenance fees are waived. GA/GTAs are required to work 10/20 hours per week for the department, for a quarter-time/half-time appointment, respectively.
In order to be considered for an assistantship, a GA/GTA Application Form must be submitted to the department.
MABE graduate students are encouraged to apply for GTAs provided by the Engineering Fundamental Division.
The Graduate School limits the duration that a student may hold a GA or GTA as follows:
. . . . . M.S. student: 3 years
. . . . . Ph.D. student: 5 years after M.S. or 8 years after B.S.
Students holding a half-time assistantship may not simultaneously hold another job. Students holding a quarter-time GA or GTA are eligible to also hold a quarter-time GRA. For further details, the student is referred to the Graduate School document on University Policy for Administration of Graduate Assistantships.
Waiver of Fees
Graduate assistants, teaching assistants and associates, research assistants, staff, and others whose fees are billed, prepaid, waived, or partially waived confirm their attendance by making payment or signing a Confirmation of Attendance Form by the due date as published in the Timetable of Classes or the schedule will be cancelled. If an appointment terminates during the term, the student owes the appropriate fees from the termination date until the end of the term. Note: Graduate students are not eligible for UT spouse/dependent discounts.
- Contact Dr. David (Butch) Irick (Deadline: March 1st)
- Graduate School Fellowships
- Hilton A. Smith Graduate Fellowships
- Lori Mayer Re-Entry Women's Graduate Fellowships
- Black Graduate Fellowships
Fellowships
Students with a 3.6 GPA in all previous course work are eligible to apply for a Hilton A. Smith Graduate Fellowship and/or a UT Graduate School Fellowship. Information regarding these fellowships is available through the Office of Graduate Admissions and Records.
MABE departmental fellowships are occasionally available to outstanding applicants. No specific application procedure exists for these fellowships. Opportunities exist for students to apply for fellowships sponsored by their governments, industry, and technical societies.
Graduate Automotive Technology Education Fellowship
UTK Graduate School Fellowships (Contact P-105 Andy Holt Tower, Knoxville, Tennessee,37996-0104, (865) 974-2475)

Contact Information
Mechanical, Aerospace and
Biomedical Engineering Dept.
1512 Middle Drive
414 Dougherty Engineering Bldg.
Knoxville, TN 37996-2210
Phone: (865) 974-5115
Fax: (865) 974-5274
Email: mabeinfo@utk.edu
