1) Vanderbilt University (Nashville) – Most PhD programs guarantee multi-year funding (tuition, health insurance, stipend). Examples: Chemistry (5 years guaranteed), English (full tuition + ~$36.5k base stipend). 
2) University of Tennessee—Knoxville (UTK) – Graduate assistantships (GTA/GRA/GA) include waivers of tuition + mandatory fees and health insurance; most departments fund PhD cohorts (see UTK GA policy and examples in EECS/MABE/SIS). 
3) UT Health Science Center (UTHSC, Memphis) – Biomedical Sciences PhD: tuition waiver (up to 6 years), stipend (~$30.9k), health insurance; many programs state full tuition waiver for PhD GAs. 
4) UT Space Institute (UTSI, Tullahoma) – 12-month GRAs cover tuition, maintenance fees, medical insurance, and stipend for research-intensive MS/PhD study. 
5) UT Chattanooga (UTC) – Graduate assistantships: stipend + maintenance fee waiver; full-time GAs also receive an out-of-state waiver. (Departments often post funded positions.) 
6) University of Memphis – Full-time GAs receive full tuition & fees, health insurance, and a stipend (departmental). Many departments (e.g., Communication & Film; Urban Affairs) publish funded PhD assistantships. 
7) East Tennessee State University (ETSU) – Graduate assistantships provide tuition assistance + stipend (fees typically not covered), with department pages specifying waivers and GA details. 
8) Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) – University-wide GAs offer tuition waiver + monthly stipend; many programs advertise full tuition waivers (e.g., School of Music; Public History; Chemistry). 
9) Tennessee Technological University (Tennessee Tech) – GAs receive tuition remission (in-state rate), most fees covered, plus stipend. 
10) Tennessee State University (TSU, Nashville) – Assistantships typically include stipend + tuition/fee coverage; flagship programs like APEXx Scholars and Title III GAs advertise full tuition and monthly stipends. 
11) Meharry Medical College (Nashville) – PhD in Biomedical Sciences: Graduate Research Assistantship covers tuition, fees, health insurance + $40,000 stipend (total package valued at ~$74k). 
12) Fisk University (Nashville) – Graduate bulletin notes tuition waivers and stipends/assistantships via grants for qualified graduate students (especially in STEM collaborations). 
13) Sewanee—The University of the South, School of Theology – M.A. in Theology: full tuition and fees for the first 10 students who enroll; other programs offer substantial aid. 
14) Belmont University (Nashville) – Several graduate assistantships; notably, Watkins College of Art offers an MFA GA that covers full tuition for one incoming student; other GAs reduce tuition depending on program. 
15) Austin Peay State University (Clarksville) – GTAs/GRAs receive tuition & fee waivers + stipend (university handbook); some departments (e.g., Health & Human Performance) specify tuition/fee waivers. 
16) UT Martin – Graduate assistants/fellows receive stipends and fee waivers through the UT Martin Graduate Studies office. 
17) Carson-Newman University (Jefferson City) – Multiple graduate assistant roles (e.g., Athletics) specifically include a full graduate tuition waiver with stipend; GA handbook confirms tuition waiver + pay. 
18) Lipscomb University (Nashville) – Offers graduate assistantships and departmental scholarships that reduce tuition; funding varies by program. 
19) UTK—College of Communication & Information (flagged separately for clarity) – Published minimum PhD stipend ($27k), tuition & required fee waiver, insurance, and conference travel funding—an example of UTK’s fully funded departmental packages. 
20) UTK—School of Information Sciences / TCE Colleges (examples) – Department pages reiterate GTA stipend + tuition waiver + health insurance, showing robust funding norms within UTK.

How to Use This List
• Prioritize program pages (not just the grad school site): most funding is department-controlled and posted with clear deadlines.
• Ask about coverage details: Some GA packages don’t cover certain fees (ETSU often excludes fees; UTK now covers mandatory fees for GAs). 
• Clarify summer funding: Some universities fund summers automatically; others (e.g., Memphis) note summer coverage may vary by department. 
• Apply early: Priority dates (e.g., UTK/departmental, MTSU) matter for assistantship consideration.