Over 1,700 assistantship appointments are made by UNL departments during an academic year. Art and Art History assistantships include tuition remission during the semester of appointment. The assistantships are competitively awarded and typically require 13 to 20 hours of service per week. All admitted applicants are automatically considered for assistantships.

Othmer Fellowships

Othmer Fellowships are intended to assist in recruiting exceptional scholars who are seeking a terminal degree (i.e., Ph.D., Ed.D., D.M.A., M.F.A.). Othmer Fellows will receive, in addition to the departmental assistantship, a $7,500 fellowship per year. Othmer Fellowships are renewable for up to three years, given continued excellent progress toward the degree. All graduate applicants newly admitted to a doctoral or MFA degree program are eligible for an Othmer Fellowship. To qualify, the department is expected to offer an assistantship stipend equal to the highest amount offered by the department to first-year students. The assistantship must be renewable for up to three years.

  • Newly admitted doctoral or MFA student
  • Minimum GPA of 3.5 in previous degree
  • Excellent letters of recommendation
  • Student must be offered a department assistantship with a stipend equitable to those held by students not on the fellowship

All admitted applicants are automatically considered. No additional application needed.

Centennial Fellowships

Centennial Fellowships are designed to assist departments with the recruitment of outstanding graduate students by adding fellowship funds to an assistantship and by providing maximum recruitment flexibility when assistantship funding is unavailable at the time the student is admitted. Centennial Fellows will receive, in addition to any departmental assistantship or tuition fellowship, a $1,500 fellowship for one year.

  • Newly admitted full time doctoral or masters student
  • Excellent academic record
  • Excellent letters of recommendation

All admitted applicants are automatically considered. No additional application needed.

Chancellor's Fellowships

Chancellor's Fellowships are designed to assist departments with the recruitment of superior graduate students by adding fellowship funds to an assistantship. Chancellor's Fellows will receive, in addition to the departmental assistantship, a $4,000 fellowship per year. Chancellor's Fellowships are automatically renewable for a second year, given excellent progress toward the degree. All newly admitted masters or doctoral students are eligible. To qualify, the department is expected to offer an assistantship stipend at least equal to the typical level offered by the department to first-year masters or doctoral students. The assistantship must be renewable for up to two years.

  • Newly admitted doctoral or master's student
  • Excellent academic record
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA in previous degree
  • Excellent letters of recommendation
  • Student must be offered a full department assistantship at the typical level for master's or doctoral students

All admitted applicants are automatically considered. No additional application needed.

Edgren Tuition Fellowship

This fellowship is available to U.S. citizens who are full-time students and non-residents for tuition purposes. Students retain the fellowship until graduation if continuously enrolled. Conditions for eligibility include:

  • Newly admitted full time domestic doctoral or masters student
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA in previous degree
  • Excellent letters of recommendation
  • Student must be a U. S. citizen or permanent resident
  • Students who receive the fellowship pay tuition at 150% of the resident tuition rate until graduation if continuously enrolled at UNL
  • Covers up to 12 credit hours during the fall and spring semester and 6 credit hours during the summer session

All admitted applicants are automatically considered. No additional application needed.