George Washington Carver Program for Graduate Students

The George Washington Carver Program follows the standard assistantship policies as documented in University Policy No. 6210. Each scholar will receive a Graduate Assistantship Contract for full tuition remission and a competitive stipend for the duration of their graduate program.  The type of graduate assistantship (GA, GTA, or GRA)  will be determined by the department/program and outlined in a graduate assistantship offer letter. For both master’s and doctoral level awards, work effort for the graduate assistantship should be consistent with FTE (e.g., standard work effort for 25% FTE equals 10 hours/week).

At a minimum, the monthly stipend must be at the employment department's standard assistantship rate that falls within the assistantship stipend table approved by the Board of Visitors. The academic department may choose to pay at a higher rate based on the student's qualifications and experience, academic standing, and availability of funds. Payment of Comprehensive and CFE (Commonwealth Facility and Equipment) fees are not included. Students are responsible for the payment of these comprehensive fees each semester.  See the Graduate School funding page for additional information about health insurance benefits and a description of fees.

Assistantship compensation packages will be for 9 months on the academic year schedule (August 10 through May 9). The Carver program does not provide tuition or a stipend for the summer (May 10 through August 9). Your Graduate Assistantship Contract may detail summer funding from the department or another source. Students are eligible to participate in funded research projects during the summer months. Please check your assistantship contract and plan if summer funding is needed. 

Graduate students on full assistantships are not prohibited from seeking additional employment (some restrictions apply: assistantships cannot be combined with P14 appointments). Students should consult with their academic advisor and/or assistantship supervisor as applicable regarding the fulfillment of their assistantship and graduate study responsibilities. Students must notify the Graduate School about any additional employment, including the period of employment, name and contact of employer, and job title or short description of duties.

This fellowship is intended to allow fellows to concentrate on coursework, research, and professional development, free of financial stress. To maintain award eligibility, fellows are required to maintain satisfactory academic progress (3.0 graduate GPA each semester), enroll in 12-18 credit hours in fall and spring, make satisfactory progress toward the degree as defined by academic departments and Graduate School, participate in professional & academic development and support activities, adhere to the Virginia Tech Code of Conduct, and submit annual reporting requests. Attendance will be recorded at Carver-sanctioned meetings and programming. The Carver Participation Agreement will outline the attendance policy (separate from the assistantship contract).

Students who wish to be considered for a Carver Scholarship must complete a three-step process:

1. Visit the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences website at www.cals.vt.edu to determine the department(s) they will apply to.
2. Apply to the Carver program here.
3. Apply to the Virginia Tech Graduate School at www.graduateschool.vt.edu.

The Carver application will include the following:

1. Application entry fields regarding the applicant.       
2. A nomination letter clearly describing the applicant's basis of eligibility, superior academic performance, relevant experiences outside the classroom, and other indicators of future success (no more than 2 pages).
3. Personal statement from the applicant addressing one of the following (no more than two pages):
   1. How has your background influenced your life or lived experience and impacted your development, motivation, academic interests, and/or aspirations?
   2. Have you encountered any unusual circumstances, challenges, or obstacles in your educational journey? If so, discuss how you persisted through them.
4. Applicant's resume or curriculum vitae.
5. Financial commitment details noting the department or school's financial offer to complement the collaborative funding package.**

Upon completion of the application, you must interview the program director. A scheduling link will be provided in the submission platform.

Failure to follow the guidelines and instructions may result in an application not being formally reviewed. The award selection committee will complete reviews following each submission deadline. Applicants, graduate advisors, department heads will be notified of which applicants have been selected for the George Washington Carver Graduate Assistantship within three weeks of the deadline.

**Information from the Financial Commitment will be entered directly into the Carver application system from the department's graduate administration staff.  A document is not required at the time of application.

Reviewers will assess applications by considering the full scope of each applicant's experiences. The evaluation will emphasize academic excellence and the applicant's overall qualifications for eligibility. Various elements of the application will be used to assess these criteria, including but not limited to cumulative grade point average within the broader academic context, the depth and clarity of the personal statement, the extent and quality of prior research involvement, faculty recommendations, and alignment between the applicant’s research interests and available faculty expertise.

Key factors for evaluation include:

• Demonstrated Academic Excellence – indicators such as class rank, GPA, academic honors, awards, and other recognitions of achievement.
• Relevant Experiences Beyond the classroom – Engagement in extracurricular activities related to the field of study; leadership roles; professional and military experience; internships; personal background and unique life experiences; international exposure (study abroad, global programs, etc.); research participation at their home institution or through external summer research opportunities; presentations (oral or poster); published work, and other scholarly contributions.
• Personal attributes and research potential – Evidence of adaptability, creativity, collaboration, motivation, and perseverance in academic and professional pursuits; demonstrated commitment to educational and research goals; social and emotional skills that contribute to success in a research environment; and character traits indicative of a long-term commitment to scholarly and professional development.

• December 21 – Application opens for the upcoming academic year
• February 15 – Round 1 Deadline (Master’s and Doctoral)
• March 15 – Round 2 Deadline (Master’s and Doctoral)