Funding Sources for Graduate Students

UC Davis offers various types of financial assistance. Both prospective and continuing graduate students are encouraged to apply. Merit-based support includes fellowships, scholarships, and nonresident tuition fee fellowships that are administered by the Office of Graduate Studies. Need-based support includes grants, loans, and work-study employment administered by the Office of Financial Aid. Individual departments/schools administer graduate student academic employment, such as teaching or research assistantships. Listed below are the various categories of support for fellowships and graduate scholarships.

Fellowships and Graduate Scholarships: Fellowships and scholarships are awarded primarily on the basis of scholarship and promise of outstanding academic and professional contribution, or a combination of merit and need. If the student is a US citizen or a permanent resident alien, the student is eligible for most of the awards. The application for fellowship, and all supporting documentation, must be on file by the deadline. A current FAFSA is required for all fellowship and scholarship awards. For more information see: http://gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/ssupport/internal_fellowships.html

Graduate Financial Aid: Financial assistance may include loans, grants, and work-study employment. These funds must be used for education-related expenses and are intended to supplement the student’s own earnings, family assistance, fellowship, or scholarship aid. Financial aid is not available for applicants in non-degree programs. FAFSA applications are available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov in January. FAFSAs should be filed as early as possible to allow for Fellowship consideration. The student need not wait for formal admission into a graduate program to apply for financial aid.

Departments/Schools: Departments and schools administer Teaching Assistantships (TA) and Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) positions to full-time students.  TA and GSR positions are normally either for 25 or 50 percent time employment on a quarterly basis. Teaching Assistantships provide an Educational fee remission, while GSR positions provide a full fee remission. 

The School of Education offers teaching assistantships for several courses offered during the academic year. The call for Teaching Assistantships will be announced via email and an electronic application will be provided with the call. Students must be registered as full-time students and have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in order to hold a T.A. appointment. Students may not hold a TA appointment after 10 quarters of enrollment unless they have advanced to candidacy.

GSR positions are offered through individual faculty members and have no standard award deadline.