Diversity at SMU

Southern Methodist University is committed to nurturing an inclusive, respectful, and intellectually challenging environment for all of our graduate students.

We believe that a supportive community embracing individual viewpoints and backgrounds leads to a more rigorous academic environment and a more fulfilling experience for all.

Mustang Fellowships

SMU offers Mustang Fellowships to a select group of incoming Ph.D. students who identify as diverse in their disciplines. These fellowships provide tuition waivers, health insurance, and stipends of $30,000 for up to five years. They thus concretely support SMU's commitment to an inclusive graduate community by creating additional funded positions in Ph.D. programs for students with diverse backgrounds. Applicants must be nominated by their prospective Ph.D. program at the time of admission to be considered for a Mustang Fellowship. Applicants who wish to be considered for a Mustang Fellowship are asked to provide in their application a brief essay explaining why their educational, cultural, geographic, or familial background will contribute to graduate program diversity at SMU.  

McNair Scholars

SMU encourages McNair Scholars to apply to graduate studies at Southern Methodist University by waiving their application fee. Applicants to Dedman College should identify themselves in their graduate application. Applicants for the other graduate programs should contact their school's admissions office for application fee waiver information.

In addition, a limited number of tuition waivers are designated for admitted McNair Scholar doctoral applicants. SMU supports the aims of this program - to identify and mentor undergraduates as they prepare for graduate school - and we are excited to participate in realizing the goal.

SMU is proud to host a McNair Scholars program as well. For more information, please visit our website.

Institute for Recruitment of Teachers

We welcome IRT applicants seeking a graduate degree. We provide an application fee waiver for Dedman College and Simmons School of Education graduate programs.