Funding the Graduate Archer Fellowship Program

Program Fee and Housing

Participation in the Graduate Archer Fellowship Program is an investment in your future. While the cost of participating in the program is designed to be comparable to studying on campus for a semester, actual cost comparisons will vary for individual students. Students pay a flat extension program fee to their home institution in lieu of the usual tuition and fees paid to their home campus. The program fee is currently $3,900. Students pay this program fee and the living expenses incurred while working in Washington, D.C. (including, but not limited to, groceries and appropriate professional attire for your internship). Graduate Archer Fellows who choose to live in housing arranged through the Archer Center are also responsible for the housing fee, which is $3,900 for summer 2023.
Substantial funding from the Archer Center, individual campuses, the Archer Center Trust, and the Archer Fellow Alumni Association is available for students. Prospective Graduate Archer Fellows should attend an information session or email archeradmissions@utsystem.edu with specific funding questions. 

Scholarships and Financial Assistance

Because Graduate Archer Fellows are registered as full-time students on their home campus, students may continue to receive financial aid or scholarships they would utilize or qualify for during the summer on their home campus.
The Archer Center is partially funded by several endowments created by our founder and generous donors. These endowments allow the Center to keep the Graduate Archer Fellowship program fee at $3,900 while the actual cost per student is much higher. Additionally, all Archer Fellows are eligible to apply for a number of scholarships made possible by generous Archer Center supporters and the UT System Board of Regents.
Washington, D.C. Metro University Pass (U-Pass)
The Archer Center currently provides each Archer Fellow with a Metro Card during their summer in D.C. through the Washington Area Metro Transit Authority (WMATA) University Pass (U-Pass) Program. U-Passes provide unlimited rides on WMATA transit throughout the semester and are of no additional cost to the student.
Archer Center Scholarships
Thanks to a significant investment from The University of Texas System Board of Regents, the Archer Center is able to provide up to $8,000 of support to incoming Graduate Archer Fellows. Applications will be sent to selected Archer Fellows in the months prior to their arrival in D.C.
Campus-Specific Scholarships
UT System campuses may offer variable amounts for housing support, scholarships, or financial assistance to Archer Fellows. Please contact the Archer Center or your campus coordinator to find out more about financial assistance on your campus. ​
Archer Fellow Alumni Association Scholarships
​The Archer Fellow Alumni Association (AFAA) provides a number of scholarships for accepted Graduate Archer Fellows prior to the beginning of their summer in D.C. Applications for these scholarships are sent to admitted Fellows prior to the beginning of their semester in D.C. The selection process is managed entirely by the AFAA Scholarship Committee. In addition to general scholarships of varying amounts, the committee also awards the following scholarships:
The John A. Daly Scholarship is named in honor of beloved Archer Center professor Dr. John Daly. Dr. Daly has made a significant impact on the Archer Fellowship Program since its very beginning and has taught every single undergraduate Archer Fellow since the program’s first semester in Spring 2001. The scholarship of a variable amount is awarded to one deserving Archer Fellow each semester.
The Fall 2011 Archer Excellence Award is named by the Fall 2011 Archer Fellows in honor of the 10 years of Archer Fellow alumni who came before them.  With their hard work, dedication and lasting friendship, the Fall 2011 class hopes to have laid a solid foundation for the future of Archer excellence. This scholarship of a variable amount is awarded to one deserving Archer Fellow each semester.
The Fall 2001 Class 9/11 Memorial Scholarship is named by the second class of Archer Fellows in fall 2001 in memory of those who lost their lives during the attacks of September 11, 2001. This scholarship of a variable amount is awarded to one deserving Archer Fellow each semester.
The Bonnie G. Moore Scholarship is dedicated by the Summer 2011 Graduate Fellow class in memory of Bonnie Moore, mother of Summer 2011 Graduate Fellow Rian Carkhum, Ph.D. The class is grateful for what Rian called “a truly transformative experience.” This scholarship of a variable amount is awarded to one deserving Archer Fellow each semester. 
Donald G. Carlson Scholarship Fund Scholarships 
​This fund is named in honor of Don Carlson, Archer Center co-founder, Archer Center Advisory Board Chair, and longtime Chief of Staff to Congressman Bill Archer. Several scholarships of varying amounts are awarded to deserving Archer Fellows each semester. The application and selection process is managed entirely by the AFAA Scholarship Committee. 
First-Generation College Student Scholarships
The Archer Center Trust provides scholarships to first-generation college students participating in the Archer Fellowship Program. The stipends will be awarded through the Archer Center's need-based application process.
Energy Policy and STEM Scholarships
Thanks to the generosity of donors, scholarships are available to enable more students studying energy policy or STEM-related fields to participate in the Archer Fellowship Program. Applications will be made available to selected Archer Fellows prior to their semester in D.C.
Health and Public Health Policy Scholarships
Thanks to the generosity of donors, scholarships are available to enable more students studying health or public health policy to participate in the Archer Fellowship Program. Applications will be made available to selected Archer Fellows prior to their semester in D.C.