Financial Aid Resources for the
Integrated MPA

Teaching Assistantships
The Department of Accounting offers a limited number of teaching assistant (TA) positions to qualified graduate students. Students are eligible to serve as teaching assistants during their fifth year. TAs are assigned to graduate or undergraduate courses to assist the professor with a variety of tasks associated with course instruction, such as grading homework and exams, holding office hours and leading review sessions. Positions are usually 10 to 15 hours per week.

All positions require an overall GPA of at least 3.0 and enrollment in at least nine semester hours (exception: in their graduating semester, fifth year students need only be enrolled in six semester hours plus a CPA Review course to meet the coursework requirement). Applications are available at the Accounting Department reception desk in CBA 4M.202.

The Office of Graduate Studies provides more information regarding TA/AI issues.

Scholarships

McCombs School of Business Scholarships
Scholarship awards are available to continuing undergraduates in the McCombs School of Business. You are a continuing student if you are enrolled in the McCombs School of Business during the current academic year, and will be enrolled as an undergraduate in the McCombs School of Business in the following academic year. Application information is available.

Departmental Scholarships
Department of Accounting scholarships are funded through financial contributions made by alumni, business partners, and friends of the department. The majority of these scholarships are directed towards students in their fifth year to help defray graduate tuition and fees. Scholarships range from $500 to $5,000 and are disbursed during the fall and spring semesters each year. Award decisions are made during the summer and applicants are notified of the decisions as soon as possible.

When making these awards, the Department equally weights academic performance at The University of Texas and financial need. In order for the Department to consider the level of your financial need, you must have a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file with the UT Office of Student Financial Services .  Additionally, the Department also considers area of interest (i.e. audit, tax, or managerial tracks, career focus on public accounting or industry) and work experience when making some awards.

Some scholarship donors stipulate that the awards be made only to students with specific interests or qualifications. Some of the application questions are designed to identify these students, and while you are not required to answer all of the questions, the Department may not be able to consider your application for all awards without this information.

In order to maximize the number of students who receive scholarships, the Department considers all sources of award monies made to students. Receipt of a major scholarship from sources outside the Department reduces the likelihood of receiving a departmental scholarship.

If you have questions about the application process, contact Jan Gillespie.

TSCPA Fifth Year Accounting Scholarships
Each year, the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants funds Fifth Year scholarships through additional license fees paid by Texas CPAs. The application forms are typically mailed out during June and the scholarships are awarded for the next academic year. Over their academic career, students may receive a total of $3,000 or the amount of their demonstrated financial need (whichever is lower). Applicants are evaluated based on the following criteria: Texas residency, financial need, and grade point average. Students are most likely to receive funding if they score high on all three dimensions. Also, all students applying for the scholarship will need to have an FAFSA on file at the Student Financial Aid Office. The Accounting Department does not make award decisions for these scholarships.

Other Accounting Scholarships
Many organizations offer scholarships to encourage the pursuit of an accounting education. The AICPA Web site provides a listing of several scholarship opportunities.

Additional Scholarship Resources
Private foundations and agencies offer fellowships, grants and loans for graduate education. Consult McCombs School of Business Financial Aid to learn about these scholarships.