The University of California, San Diego offers a student support program designed to improve the campus environment and educational experience for all students. The goal of the program is to significantly increase the number of underrepresented students who complete doctoral programs in science, engineering, and math and enter careers in the professoriate. Students who participate and/or are funded must agree to fulfill the general participation expectations and specific expectations for each part of the program. Participants are expected to support and encourage diversity on campus.
These opportunities are offered to incoming graduate students prior to registration. YOU MAY APPLY TO AGEP AFTER YOU HAVE BEEN ADMITTED TO UCSD. See Continuing Graduate Student Programs for opportunities available after initial registration.
Competitive EDGE Summer Research Program
Five selected AGEP eligible students are funded to begin research in their UCSD academic department/program in the summer prior to the start of their graduate program. This experience can be from one month to three months as collaboratively determined by the student and the department. Before you apply, check with your program to see if they can facilitate your early arrival.
On-campus Housing, Priority Access
Selected incoming AGEP eligible graduate students can apply for priority access to on-campus housing. This is the AGEP component of the Student Housing Opportunity and Recruitment Enhancement (SHORE) program. Acceptance to the housing program assures on-campus, graduate housing from the start of your graduate program in the fall continuing through normative time to degree. The Mesa Apartment rent for a single student sharing a two-bedroom apartment with one roommate will be approximately $340.00 per month. As a married/committed couple or family, students qualify for the same two-bedroom apartment at approximately $680.00/month. An equivalent off-campus arrangement may cost as much as twice this amount. There are a limited number of housing slots available through this program. The number of students who desire on-campus housing far exceeds the number available, which makes SHORE a valuable offer.
First-year AGEP Fellowship (Non-NSF)
Eight AGEP one-year fellowships of $16,000 are competitively awarded to entering first year AGEP eligible students. The fellowships provide partial funding for the first year of doctoral study. Funding for subsequent years is provided by the academic department at the same level or higher for at least four additional years as long as the student maintains satisfactory academic progress.
GUIDE: Graduates United in the Interest of Diversity and Excellence
GUIDE is a student-to-student mentor program that is designed to build community among graduate students at the University of California San Diego (UCSD). GUIDE is an organization designed to build community between incoming and continuing graduate students.
Incoming students voluntarily elect to participate in the program through an application process. They are matched with continuing graduate students. All GUIDE participants are provided workshops and training sessions to assist in their transition to graduate school and development of an ongoing support community.
General Info
To participate in any or all of these programs, incoming students must complete UCSD AGEP application form (link) to be considered for these programs. If you have questions please contact Valita Jones, valita@ucsd.edu or (858) 822-2030.