Graduate Program in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
Financial Support
Doctoral students who do not hold external fellowships will receive an Ecology & Evolutionary Biology graduate program stipend to cover living expenses. In addition, students receive a tuition waiver from the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. The annual stipend (including summer support) for the 2024-25 academic year is $34,000, which is sufficient to live well as a student given Houston's low cost of living. Support beyond the first year is extended to all students who remain in good standing in the program. Although the program offers MA degrees, the program cannot guarantee stipend funding for MA students; this funding must be provided by the prospective research advisor. Stipend levels are reviewed annually and periodically increased to maintain competitiveness with comparable institutions. If externally obtained stipends should fall below the program's stated level, a supplement is provided. Students who are able to obtain their own independent funding are potentially eligible for additional bonus pay by the department to supplement their stipend. Further detail on financial support is provided in the EEB graduate student handbook.
Rice University also offers graduate student campus housing, which includes furnished apartments in a variety of floor plans and their shuttle service provides easy transportation to and from campus, nearby grocery stores, and shopping centers. Free high-speed internet access through the Rice network gives you access to Fondren Library’s online journals and databases. Many graduate students live within two miles of campus.