Awards and Grants
OGE offers awards for research, travel, outstanding scholarly work, and graduate student contributions to the UTD community. The information below will tell you more about application procedures, as well as timelines for the awards.
Travel Awards
Betty and Gifford Johnson Travel Awards
Graduate students in all degree programs are encouraged to attend and present their creative or scholarly work at regional, national, or international conferences in their disciplines. These travel awards are not a substitute for other forms of funding that currently exist. Rather, the intent is to support research activities in instances where other sources are inadequate or unavailable.
Amount of funding: up to $2,000 (half from School/Department/Research Group and half from Graduate Education).
Who can apply: Graduate students who have applied to participate or have already been accepted to participate in a professional conference, symposium, or workshop.
When to apply: Any time. Applications submitted before the 15th of each month will be reviewed that month; applications submitted after the 15th will be reviewed the following month. Applications must be submitted before the first day of the relevant conference.
How to apply: Applications should include a one-page proposal, confirmation of school funding, and a statement of support from a faculty member.
How funds are distributed: This award is a reimbursement. Award recipients submit their itemized receipts after the conference concludes and work with their department for reimbursement.
Questions? Email keithly@utdallas.edu
Dissertation Research Funding
Dean of Graduate Education Dissertation Research Award
Note: 2024 Awards Cycle Concluded, May 2024
Doctoral students may request funds for equipment, supplies, paying participants, research-related travel, limited support for research assistants, or other related expenses (funds cannot be used to pay the student’s salary). Priority is given to applicants who have previously applied for external funding. Students are strongly urged to start applying now for external funding to receive priority consideration for this Research Award.
Students may receive only one dissertation award while at UT Dallas. However, students may revise and resubmit unsuccessful applications for consideration during future application cycles.
Amount of funding: Up to $5,000 to support dissertation research.
Who can apply: Doctoral students in their dissertation year.
When to apply: Application forms for the next award cycle will be available in January 2025. Completed applications must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Education no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, April 14, 2025.
How to apply: Download Application (pdf)
When announced: May 2025
Questions? Email keithly@utdallas.edu
Dissertation Awards
Best Dissertation Award
Best Dissertation Awards annually honor one scholar from each PhD-granting school. All dissertations from the previous calendar year are eligible for these awards. Faculty committees within each school determine their winner; there is no application process. The awards are announced in the spring, with all winners receiving a plaque, a certificate and a monetary award.
David Daniel Thesis Award
Each year, this award recognizes two exceptional PhD students: one from the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science and the other from the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Faculty committees within each school determine their winner; there is no application process. The awards are announced in the spring, with the two winners receiving a plaque, a certificate and a monetary award.
The awards are supported by an endowment established in 2006 by Dr. David Daniel, former UT Dallas president.
Outstanding Graduate Student Awards
Dean of Graduate Education Outstanding Graduate Student Awards
Every year, two graduate students are chosen as Outstanding Doctoral Student and Outstanding Master’s Student. Each graduate-degree granting school may nominate one (1) master’s student and one (1) doctoral student for the awards. Nomination processes are determined by the schools; there is no application process for students. From the school-level nominees, a committee appointed by the Graduate Dean selects the final two winners.
Criteria upon which nominees are assessed include quality of scholarship/research achievement, contributions to the university or wider community, and perseverance in the face of challenges. All school-level nominees are announced in the spring and receive certificates. The two award winners receive certificates and monetary awards.
