Graduate students receive financial support in a number of forms: graduate student researcher positions, teaching assistantships, fellowships, scholarships, loans, and/or grants-in-aid.  Each type of support may have different requirements and may come under certain constraints.  In order to learn the specific requirements for each award and how to apply, contact the academic department or the Student Financial Support staff at OGS, (858) 534-3724.

Institutional Funding

Awards include University fellowships, traineeships, on-campus employment and grants offered by the department as a graduate award package, and loans or need-based financial support administered by the Financial Aid Office.

Extramural Funding

These awards include extramural fellowships, traineeships and grants offered by outside organizations to which students apply directly, and off-campus employment without university affiliation.

Graduate students who are interested in national and international fellowships may obtain information online by accessing the OGS Home Page, Current Students, then Fellowship Opportunities ().  Many organizations require that individuals download application materials directly, or send requests for applications via U.S. Mail.  In the letter requesting application materials, the student should state briefly the discipline, present stage of graduate work, degree and date, and research interests. Further information is available from the reference section of the Central University Library, Contracts and Grants, Career Services and academic departments, or the Community of Science website (http://www.cos.com).

Regents Fellowships

Regents Fellowships are offered to students with excellent academic and research qualifications.  A Regents appointment is made for nine or ten months.  The fellowship may provide a stipend up to $18,000, plus tax-free resident fees and nonresident tuition, if applicable.

Diversity Support

UCSD has received funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) for the development and retention of underrepresented graduate students in the sciences and engineering.  These programs provide graduate student support to a limited number of first-year graduate students in these fields.  Support may include fees, nonresident tuition (if applicable), a stipend, and travel funds for professional conferences.

Dissertation Fellowships

Departments may offer students from one to three quarters of a dissertation award to enable them to complete dissertation research or the final writing of the dissertation.

Kenneth and Dorothy Hill Fellowship

The Kenneth and Dorothy Hill Fellowship is an award for students who are conducting a significant portion of their research in the special collections section of the Central University Library.  The Hill Fellowship provides a ten-month stipend with a minimum payment of $7,500 and payment of registration fees.  Funds do not permit awarding of the fellowship every year.

Tuition Scholarships

Tuition scholarships pay the nonresident tuition for distinguished entering or continuing graduate students.

Fee Scholarships

Fee scholarships pay the registration fees for distinguished entering or continuing graduate students.

TA Health Insurance (TAHI) and TA Fee Remission (TAFE)

Graduate students who have an appointment as a Teaching Assistant at a minimum of 25% for the entire quarter are eligible to have mandatory health insurance and partial fee remission paid to them.  Fee payments are credited to the student's accounts.  Students will have a balance due for the remainder of fees and are eligible to apply for a fee deferment through payroll deduction (see TA Fee Deferment section).

Readers and Tutors who are appointed to a minimum of 25% time for the quarter also eligible for TAHI/TAFE; however, payment is issued as a REFUND after the end of the quarter.  Refunds are coordinated between the funding department and OGS.

TA Loan Fund (Available Fall Quarter Only)

The TA Loan Fund was established to assist new and continuing graduate students with funds for living expenses until they receive their first paycheck of the academic year on November 1.  A graduate student holding a TA, GSR, or Associate appointment for fall quarter who has not received summer support through UCSD is eligible for this loan.  Students may borrow up to one month's gross salary (in increments of $100), less whatever amount they arrange to pay for their resident fees by payroll deduction.  Students repay the loan by payroll deduction in two equal deductions in December and January.  There is no fee for this loan program.

TA Fee Deferment/Payroll Deduction of Resident Fees

The Fee Deferment Program permits students with a minimum 25% appointment for the quarter as a TA or Associate to pay resident fees (not nonresident tuition) by payroll deduction, as long as their appointment extends through the end of the quarter.  Applications may be obtained through the graduate coordinator.  For further information contact the graduate coordinator in the department or OGS, (858) 534-6562.

In-Candidacy Fee Offset Grant

The In-Candidacy Fee Offset Grant is intended to provide incentive for timely advancement to candidacy and completion of doctoral requirements.  Each department has established a normative time for completion of a Ph.D. degree program.  At the present time, when a student advances to Ph.D. candidacy and is within the normative time, the educational portion of fees will be paid for the student.  Students should contact their departmental graduate coordinator for additional information on In-Candidacy Fee Offset Grants.

Graduate Student Research Grants

Graduate student research grants are available to assist registered graduate students with expenses related to their research or creative activity for which there are no state, extramural, or intercampus travel funds available.  First priority is given to advanced graduate students working on their Ph.D. dissertations, M.P.I.A. or M.F.A. theses.  Grants can be used for most research expenses, excluding computing costs and costs associated with preparing the final copy of the dissertation.  The maximum grant is currently $1,000.00 for research in the U.S. or for an M.P.I.A. or M.F.A. project; $1500 for research outside the U.S.  A 10 percent minimum matching amount is required of the student's major department.  All funds must be expended by June 30, following the date of the award.  Applications for these grants are made at the student's major department/school/group.

Travel Grants

Travel grants are available for registered graduate students to present their own papers or artistic works at a meeting of a recognized learned society.  Travel monies are granted for transportation expense only and may not exceed $500.

 A 10 percent minimum matching amount is required from the student's major department/school/group.  All funds must be expended by June 30, following the date of the award.  Applications for these grants are made at the student's major department/school/group.

Need-Based and Unsubsidized Loans

The Federal Stafford (Subsidized and Unsubsidized), Federal Perkins, and University Loan eligibility is determined through the financial aid application process.  See the section, "Financial Aid Office" for application information or stop by the Financial Aid Office, located in Building 201, University Center, (858) 534-3807 (Financial Aid website).

Short-Term Student Emergency Loan

All registered students who are not currently receiving need-based financial aid (Federal Perkins Loan, University Loan, Minimum Grant, or Opportunity Grant) are eligible to apply to this short-term emergency loan.  Limited funds are loaned in small amounts to help students in critical short-term emergencies, and usually must be repaid within thirty days.  There currently is a service charge of $20.00 per emergency loan, and students must be enrolled in at least six units.  Applications and further information are available from the Financial Aid Office.

On-campus and Academic Appointments

To accept campus appointments, students must meet the basic requirements as follows:

• Be registered full-time (twelve units or more) to be employed 50% time (20 hours per week) during the academic year.  During the summer (mid-June to mid-September), some departments allow appointments up to 100% time.  Students registered in a part-time program (fewer than twelve units) are eligible for 25% time appointments.

• Be in good academic standing.

• Be within departmental support time limit.

These are general requirements.  Departments may have additional requirements, so students should seek departmental approval prior to accepting a University appointment.  Contact OGS at (858) 534-3727 or the departmental graduate coordinator for further information on employment as a graduate student.

Need-Based Grants

Graduate Minimum Grants and Opportunity Grants are awarded to eligible students who qualify based on financial need as determined by the financial aid application process through Student Financial Services.

Financial Aid Office

      The graduate division of Student Financial Services administers all need-based financial aid for graduate students.

 This includes Federal Stafford loans (Subsidized and Unsubsidized) and Graduate Opportunity grants.  All other financial support for graduate students is detailed in Section V, Graduate Student Financial Support.

All students interested in need-based financial aid must submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  Entering students can obtain a paper application from Financial Aid Office, or may file electronically at the FAFSA website.

Continuing students who filed a FAFSA application for the previous year were mailed a Personal Identification Number (PIN) in January to renew their FAFSA application online at the FAFSA website.  If you did not receive your PIN, you should request one at the FAFSA website, or obtain and complete a new paper FAFSA form, or complete a new FAFSA electronically at the FAFSA website.

The financial aid application deadline for UCSD funding is March 2 prior to the academic year.  Students applying after the deadline are still eligible for Federal Stafford loan consideration.

The Graduate Financial Aid Information Guide and other informational/application materials are available at the Financial Aid Office, (858) 534-3807, located in Building 201, University Center.  Or you may visit their website at the Financial Aid website. 

General Tax Statement

The Tax Reform Act of 1986 changed the tax code so that most graduate student support is taxable income.  Students appointed as teaching assistants and graduate student researchers (fully taxable income) will complete the W-4, Tax Withholding Allowance Certificate to indicate the amount of federal and state taxes to be withheld from monthly salary payments.  For students with fellowships (providing a monthly stipend and usually full fees), any stipend funds used for registration fees, or for books, supplies, and equipment required for courses of instruction are non-taxable.  All remaining fellowship stipend funds are taxable.  For students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, taxes are not withheld from stipend payments and students should submit quarterly tax payments for federal (1040 ES) and state (540ES) taxes.  For International students receiving salary or stipend payments, federal tax withholding is mandatory unless the provisions of an income tax treaty cover the income.  Tax treaties apply to federal but not California State taxes.  All fee and tuition payments from scholarships, fellowships, traineeships, research assistant tuition and fee remission, teaching assistant health insurance/fee remission and in-candidacy fee offset grants are non-taxable.