Fellowships and Grants for Entering Graduate Students

Most fellowship and grant awards are for one academic year (three terms or two semesters). Entering students may, however, receive offers covering all the years of study through degree attainment. Some federally funded awards provide additional summer coverage. Departmental fellowships and grants are awarded in varying amounts and may include fees and nonresident tuition. Awards are competitive and open to all graduate students. Recipients of fellowships, traineeships and grants must maintain satisfactory progress throughout their tenure. They must be registered and enrolled each quarter for a minimum of 12 units and are expected to devote full-time to study and research.

UCLA seeks to achieve a student body and faculty which is inclusive of individuals from all cultural, linguistic, geographic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Our commitment to academic excellence places a high value on sustaining the diversity of experience and perspective which is critical in promoting lively intellectual exchange and the breadth of new ideas that are essential for creative research and scholarship.

Some of our available fellowship funding (specifically the Eugene V. Cota-Robles Fellowship and Graduate Opportunity Fellowship programs) is intended to help ensure access to graduate study for students who have experienced significant socioeconomic disadvantages or overcome other major educational or physical disadvantages in their pursuit of higher education. All qualified applications will be considered for these fellowships without regard to gender, color, race, ethnicity or national origin.

Graduate Division Fellowships and Programs

Eugene V. Cota-Robles Fellowship

This four-year fellowship program, funded by the University of California Office of the President and the UCLA Graduate Division, supports a limited number of students who are entering PhD programs and are interested in a career in college or university teaching and research. The fellowship currently provides a stipend of $18,000 plus standard registration fees and nonresident tuition (for the first year only) if necessary. During the student's second, third or fourth year, the Graduate Division provides a second year of support in the form of a Graduate Research Mentorship Award upon activation of the award by the student and the department. The student's department is obligated to provide two or more years of equivalent support. Applicants must be nominated by their department/school. Students pursuing MD or DDS degrees are not eligible for this program.

Applicants must be either U.S. citizens or permanent residents and should demonstrate high potential and promise. Individuals from cultural, racial, linguistic, geographic and socioeconomic backgrounds that are currently underrepresented in graduate education are especially encouraged to participate in the program. The intent of this fellowship is to provide access to higher education for students who might otherwise find it difficult or impossible to successfully pursue graduate study. Applicants must complete both the Fellowship Application for Entering Graduate Students and the Diversity Fellowships - Supplemental Application. These forms, along with your Admission Application's Statement of Purpose essay on your contributions to the University's diversity mission, will be reviewed as part of your fellowship application.

Graduate Opportunity Fellowship Program (GOFP

This one-year fellowship program provides recipients with a $12,500 stipend plus standard registration fees (and nonresident tuition if necessary). The program supports a limited number of entering students pursuing either terminal or professional master's degrees. Students pursuing doctoral degrees (e.g., PhD, MD, DDS, etc.) are not eligible for funding. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Individuals from cultural, racial, linguistic, geographic and socioeconomic backgrounds that are currently underrepresented in graduate education are especially encouraged to apply. The intent of this fellowship is to provide access to higher education for students who might otherwise find it difficult or impossible to successfully pursue graduate study. Applicants must complete both the Fellowship Application for Entering Graduate Students and the Diversity Fellowships - Supplemental Application. These forms, along with your Admission Application's Statement of Purpose essay on your contributions to the University's diversity mission, will be reviewed as part of your fellowship application.

The following programs have special eligibility requirements. If financial need is one of the eligibility criteria, please also submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or a UCLA Graduate Student Support Financial Statement.

Karekin Der Avedisian Memorial Endowment Fund	One award (approximately $1,000) for a graduate student whose major is in Armenian Studies, with no restrictions as to sex or citizenship. Applicants may show financial need (via a FAFSA or UCLA Financial Statement submitted at time of application) or outstanding academic ability.
Rose and Sam Gilbert Fellowship	Approximately two awards of up to $10,000 each, from which fees are paid, for graduate students who attended UCLA as undergraduates for at least two years and participated on men's or women's athletic teams (intramural teams are ineligible).
Gordon Hein Memorial Scholarship	Several awards of up to $5,000 each for blind graduate students in any field of study. Awards are made on the basis of the student’s financial need during the fellowship year, academic record, and the availability of funds. Applicants must submit verification of their blindness (e.g., letter from a physician or from the Office for Students with Disabilities) and a completed FAFSA or UCLA Financial Statement with the application.
Kasper and Siroon Hovannisian Fellowship	One award of up to $10,000, from which fees are paid, for a graduate student with a focus in Armenian Studies, with preference given to Armenian history. Applicants should provide a statement of their projected plan of study.
Dr. Ursula Mandel Scholarship	Several awards of up to $15,000 each, from which fees are paid, for graduate students in scientific fields related, allied or of value to the medical field. Applicants must have a doctorate as their degree objective. MD and DDS students are not eligible.
Mangasar M. Mangasarian Scholarship	Several awards of up to $10,000 each, from which fees are paid, for graduate students who are of Armenian descent. Applicants must provide evidence that at least one parent is Armenian. The awards are made on the basis of candidates' academic records and the availability of funds.
Paulson Scholarship Fund	One or more awards of up to $6,000 for graduate students who are from Sweden.
Will Rogers Memorial Fellowship	Several awards of up to $10,000 each, from which fees are paid, for graduate students with physical disabilities in any field of study. Applicants must submit verification of their physical disability (e.g., letter from a physician or from the Office for Students with Disabilities) with the application.
Steven J. Sackler Scholarship	One award of up to $5,000 for an undergraduate or graduate student who had or is experiencing cancer and who can demonstrate financial need for the fellowship year. The student must (1) provide a letter from a physician verifying the condition and (2) submit a completed FAFSA or UCLA Financial Statement. Final selection is made by the Sackler family.
Charles F. Scott Fellowship	Several awards of up to $15,000 each, from which fees are paid, for graduate students with baccalaureates from UCLA; consideration may be given to students with baccalaureates from other UC campuses. Applicants must provide evidence that they are enrolled in a course of study that prepares them for leadership in national, state or local governmental administration.
Werner R. Scott Fund	One or more awards of up to $8,000, from which fees are paid, for Caucasian graduate students who are residents of Hawaii.
Malcolm R. Stacey Memorial Scholarship	Several awards of up to $5,000 each are available for Jewish graduate students in any area of engineering. Amount of award is based on financial need during the fellowship year, as determined by the Financial Aid Office. Applicants should submit a completed FAFSA or UCLA Financial Statement with the application. This program is funded by the University of California Office of the President.
UCLA Competitive Edge	This program is for admitted, entering doctoral students in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) with a strong interest in pursuing a faculty or research position. The objective is to provide awardees with research and professional development experiences to enhance their success in UCLA doctoral STEM programs. Competitive Edge is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) and provides entering students with six weeks of full-time, faculty-guided research and mentoring, as well as academic and professional workshops. Students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and, in accordance with the NSF have backgrounds underrepresented in STEM doctoral programs. For further information visit the UCLA Competitive Edge program.
UCLA Faculty Women's Club Scholarship	The UCLA Faculty Women's Club offers several graduate scholarships (up to $2,500 each). One is for direct descendants (children, step- and adopted children, grandchildren) of UCLA full-time, academic and/or administrative employees or members of the UCLA Faculty Women's Club. Another is designated to go to a UCLA graduate student in the Humanities. A third scholarship may be awarded to a graduate student who is (1) majoring in scientific fields related, allied, or of value to the medical field or (2) attending the David Geffen Medical School at UCLA. Students must have at least a 3.5 GPA to apply. For further information, visit the UCLA Faculty Women's Club website.

For all of the above awards submit the Fellowship Application for Entering Graduate Students and, if applicable, the Diversity Fellowships - Supplemental Application directly to your major department by December 15. Consult your department for exceptions.

Fellowships Offered by Centers & Departments

Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship (TITLE VI)	Assists individuals who are undergoing advanced training in modern foreign languages and related area studies. For further information visit the Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship page.
Fellowships Offered in Specific Disciplines	Many academic departments and centers at UCLA also offer fellowships. Please contact the department you wish to apply to for information on departmental fellowships.
Nonresident Tuition Fellowships/ Registration Fee Grants	A limited number of fellowships are awarded by departmental recommendation to cover *either* the nonresident tuition or the registration fees and living expenses of graduate students with distinguished academic records. Applicants must be enrolled in a full-time program of study and may not be recipients of awards from federal, state or private foundations that provide tuition coverage. Nonresident tuition fellowships are not available for students financially sponsored by foreign governments. Please contact the department for details.