UCR Fellowship Recipients

Eligibility Requirements:

To maintain eligibility for fellowship support at UCR, students must meet the following criteria:

• Maintain acceptable academic progress:
  • Pd.D. students must advance to candidacy within 12 quarters of entry and complete their degree within the normative time to degree plus one year.
  • Master's students should complete their program within three years.
• Have fewer then 8 units of Incomplete grades.
• Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.00. 
• Enroll in and complete a full-time course load (12 graduate units or equivalent).
• Changes to your degree objective or program may impact your continued eligibility.

Important Tax Information 

• Taxes are not automatically withheld from stipends for domestic students. 
• You may be responsible for reporting an paying taxes on your fellowship stipend.
• For guidance, consult a qualified tax professional. 

UCR Fellowship

• Dissertation Research Grant

  The Dissertation Research Grant provides funds to doctoral candidates for research-related expenses associated with the dissertation. Applicants must be advanced to candidacy and plan to be registered during the period of the award. Proposals may be funded up to a maximum of $2,000.

  This grant is offered each Fall and Spring quarter. Eligible students are encouraged to apply every term.

  Fall Quarter Application Period 

  • Opens: July 01, 2025
  • Deadline: October 16, 2025

  Spring Quarter Application Period

  • Opens: January 01, 2026
  • Deadline: April 16, 2026

   Dissertation Research Grant Application 

• Master’s Thesis Research Grant

  The Master’s Thesis Research Grant supports students enrolled in the following graduate programs: Anthropology (M.S. only), Art History, Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts (main campus), Experimental Choreography, Southeast Asian Studies, and Visual Art. The grant is intended to cover expenses directly related to thesis research.

  This grant is offered each Fall and Spring quarter. Eligible students are encouraged to apply every term.

  Fall Quarter Application Period 

  • Opens: July 01, 2025
  • Deadline: October 16, 2025

  Spring Quarter Application Period

  • Opens: January 01, 2026
  • Deadline: April 16, 2026

   Master's Thesis Research Grant Application 

• Earle C. Anthony Graduate Student Travel Awards

  The Graduate Division is pleased to announce the availability of the Earle C. Anthony Graduate Student Travel Awards. These awards support Ph.D. students who have advanced to candidacy in the biological, physical, agricultural, engineering, mathematics, and health sciences—or in interdisciplinary fields related to these areas. Funding is available to help cover the costs of attending national or international meetings and conferences.

  The ECA Travel Award is offered each Fall and Spring quarter. Eligible students are encouraged to apply every term.

  Fall Quarter Application Period 

  • Opens: July 01, 2025
  • Deadline: October 16, 2025

  Spring Quarter Application Period

  • Opens: January 01, 2026
  • Deadline: April 16, 2026

   Earle C. Anthony Graduate Student Travel Awards Application 

• Emeriti Association Graduate Student Travel Award

  UCR Emeriti Association Graduate Student Travel Award supports PhD students in any field who travel to a national or international professional society conference, symposium, or workshop to present and defend research, or who travel for dissertation research to access resources available at another institution, museum, private collection, or field site.  A student can win this award only once.  Current or previous recipients of the Earl C. Anthony Graduate Student Travel Awards are not eligible.

  The deadline for submissions is on May 16, 2025 at 5:00pm (extended). UCR Emeriti Graduate Student Travel Award Application

• Graduate Student Association (GSA) Conference Travel Grants

  The GSA Conference Travel Grants help to meet the financial needs of graduate students who have been invited to present scholarly papers or posters at regional and national professional conferences. The program, administered by the UCR Graduate Student Association, and with support from the Chancellor and Graduate Division, provides funding support for both conference presenters and, to a lesser degree, attendees. The per conference and annual caps are updated annually and are available on the GSA website. 

• Humanities Graduate Student Research Grants

  The Humanities Graduate Student Research Grants financially assist graduate students doing original research or creative projects in the humanities, as broadly defined by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Awards are up to $1500. The grant period runs from May through April. Extensions of the grant period should be requested in writing. Awards terminate upon leaves of absence, filing fee status, withdrawal or graduation. A student must be registered in the Spring Quarter to use these funds during the summer months. For more information go to: http://chass.ucr.edu/research/student.html

• Dissertation Year Fellowship Award

  The Dissertation Year Fellowship Award (DYFA) is intended to free PhD students from teaching and other duties, allowing them to fully dedicate their time to completing their dissertation and graduating on schedule. The award provides one full year (three quarters) of financial support for students who plan to finish their PhD in the upcoming academic year.

  Graduate advisors must confirm the student's anticipated timeline and support their plan to graduate during the fellowship period. For details on the application process, please contact your Graduate Advisor. Each graduate program is responsible for submitting its nominees to the Graduate Division.

  For more information:  Frequently Asked Question

• Dissertation Completion Fellowship Award

  The Dissertation Completion Fellowship Award (DCFA) offers financial support to PhD students in the final phase of their degree during the current academic year. DCFA applicants may request funding for up to two quarters. A key component of the application is a clear and detailed timeline that shows you are in the final stages of your program, actively writing your dissertation, and on track to graduate.

  Per the terms of the award, recipients must graduate within the quarter for which the fellowship is granted and will not be eligible for further university employment afterward.

  Both the Dissertation Advisor and Graduate Advisor must verify the student's graduation timeline and confirm their plan to complete the degree within the award period.

  For more information:  Frequently Asked Questions

• UC-HSI Pre-Professoriate Fellowship

  The UC-HSI Pre-Professoriate Fellowship (PPPF) supports three Ph.D. students per UC campus each year who are California HSI alumni and have advanced to candidacy at UC. The fellowship is designed to cultivate interest in academic careers and to prepare students for future roles in the professoriate. In addition to the fellowship, each UC graduate division receives support to offer professional development resources for underrepresented Ph.D. students. These resources are intended to encourage and prepare more students to pursue faculty positions.

  Originally established in 1984, this fellowship program was created to encourage women and minority Ph.D. recipients to consider academic careers within the University of California system. Today, it provides postdoctoral research fellowships, professional development opportunities, and faculty mentoring to exceptional scholars across disciplines whose work advances diversity, equity, and inclusion at UC. 

  For more information about the UC-HSI Pre-Professoriate Fellowship: https://ppfp.ucop.edu/info/ 

Funding Resources for International Graduate Students and Postdocs

Below you may download a resource curated by GradSuccess for international graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. These funding opportunities do not require U.S. citizenship or permanent residence. This list is updated annually, so for the most up-to-date information about each funding opportunity, visit funding agency's website.

Fellowships-Scholarships for International Grad Students-Postdocs.pdf 

You may also see Immigrants Rising’s List of Graduate Scholarships available on this page for graduate scholarships that do not require proof of citizenship or legal permanent residency. 

UCR Postdoc Awards for Excellence

As UCR continues to grow, as does our postdoc community. These individuals are an integral part of our research efforts and frequently play important roles as mentors, teachers and links to our communities. A focused and productive postdoctoral scholar is a key component of many research facilities conducting skilled experiments, technical support in the lab and field and providing graduate students with near-peer mentorship. This part of the UCR community should be celebrated. Therefore, in partnership with the Riverside Postdoctoral Association (RPA), the Graduate Division and the Office of Research would like to recognize our postdoctoral scholars with a new set of awards aimed at recognizing excellence in research, mentorship and service.

 The Graduate Division, the Office of Research and the Riverside Postdoc Association is pleased to announce the call for the annual Postdoc Awards for Excellence. This award honors postdocs who have demonstrated excellence in research, mentorship and service to the community. The awards will consist of a plaque and a $1000 check to be awarded at the Graduate Division’s Award Ceremony. We are seeking nomination letters from department chairs, faculty, students, and postdocs in support of an excellent individual in your area.

Eligibility Criteria

• Be a current postdoc at UCR and have held the position for at least 6 months in any of UCR’s departments and must be holding the position at the time of application.
• Work described must have taken place while at UCR.
• Additional service to the community does not have to be associated with UCR

How to Apply

• Submit a research statement describing your research achievements.
• Submit a personal statement to include activities such as mentorship, philosophy on diversity and outreach activities.
• Statements are a maximum 2 pages, 1 inch margin, 12pt Arial, single space.
• Submit a CV (NIH biosketch or NSF formatting allowed).
• Letters of support from UCR mentor and/or mentees, such as current or former students should address how the mentoring relationship provided training or boosted their professional development, and describe the positive impact on their own scholarship and well-being. We encourage the authors to use specific examples in their letter.

The deadline for the 2024-2025 academic year is January 16th, 2024. Please submit your application to the Postdoc Awards here.

Fellowship Opportunities Outside of UCR

There are many databases and search engines that may be used to find sources of funding outside the University. Here are some links that will help you get started:

• To see a list of external funding resources, visit http://graduate.ucr.edu/resources-finding-external-funding.
• Visit https://research.ucr.edu for other search engines to help you find the right support for you.
• A list of popular fellowship opportunities can be found here.

HACU (Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities) National Internship Program
The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, founded in 1986, represents more than 500 colleges and universities in the United States, Latin America, Spain, and school districts throughout the U.S. HACU is the only national association representing existing and emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). The Association’s headquarters are in San Antonio, Texas, with regional offices in Washington, D.C. and Sacramento, California.

UCR is a member with the Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities (HACU) which gives ALL UCR STUDENTS access to the HNIP and other HACU resources. Learn about HNIP and benefits for ALL UCR students, like assistance with internship searches, placement, and housing costs. 

https://www.hacu.net/hacu/HNIP.asp

Writing Resources for Grants and Fellowships

The goal of writing a successful funding proposal is convincing a review panel that your project is worthwhile and unique and that you are the best person to carry it out. Visit the Graduate Writing Center for tips and guidance for putting together a strong proposal.

Loans

The Office of Financial Aid (2106 Student Services Building, Riverside, CA 92521, (951) 827-3878) assists students in meeting educational expenses they cannot afford from personal resources. Applicants must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be considered for any need-based loans. FAFSA applications are available in December for the following academic year and must be filed annually. Apply online at the FAFSA website. In addition to submitting the FAFSA, various supporting materials to determine individual financial need may be required. UCR accepts applications on a year-round basis. Students are encouraged to apply early in order to ensure adequate processing time for loan funds to be available by the fee payment deadlines.

Additional information:

• Go Grad - Explore Funding Options to Finance an Advanced Degree

Employment Supplementation for Fellowship Holders

Fellowships are awarded to students to free them from the need for employment. Employment supplementation may be considered up to a total of 75% time for the year with no more than 50% employment in any one quarter.  
  
Fellowship awards with less than a $10,000 stipend may be supplemented as stated above without approval of the Dean. Fellowship awards with a stipend of $10,000 or higher may be supplemented as stated above only after approval of the Graduate Dean. The Graduate Advisor in your program must make the request of the Dean in writing. Fellowships that do not allow supplementation are the Eugene Cota-Robles Award (ECRA) and the Dissertation Year Fellowships (DYFA and DYP). The Graduate Research Mentorship Program (GRMP) allows only limited supplementation as a 25% Graduate Student Researcher appointment (GSR).

Policies Governing Award Recipients

There are many policies and guidelines governing students who receive funding awards. Those who receive these awards must maintain satisfactory progress and meet all requirements for their individual awards.

Maintaining Satisfactory Progress

To ensure continued funding of their awards, students must ensure that they continue with satisfactory progress towards their degree. These requirements include:

• Maintaining the minimum grade point average required by the fellowship
• Taking and passing all required coursework, exams, etc.
• Fulfilling all TA requirements satisfactorily
• Meeting fellowship GPA requirements, even for TA recipients awarded fellowships (normally exceed TA requirement)

Requirements for Students Receiving Multi-Year Awards 

Students receiving multi-year awards also have specific requirements. These awards are contingent upon:

• Meeting academic standards
• Completing the term(s) in which fellowship funding is received
• Reporting requirements
• Maintaining required course load
• Fulfilling advancement to candidacy requirements
• Not exceeding maximum (8 units) incomplete, "F" and/or NC grades
• Reporting any change in status immediately. Any change in degree objective, change of field/department/program, leave of absence, extended absence from class, or withdrawal may affect funding and must be reported to the Graduate Division/Graduate School immediately
• Reporting fellowship awards when filing taxes