Information about funding available to entering domestic and international graduate students.
UCLA has a variety of fellowships and student employment available for entering domestic and international graduate students. After admission to the program, the Department offers financial support in various forms including department fellowship(s), employment in teaching and research assistantships; and extramural supported traineeships. The fellowship application in the application for Graduate Admission is optional and is to be used by all UCLA graduate applicants who wish to be considered for merit-based awards. Applicants should also investigate opportunities for extramural funding (National Science Foundation, Department of Defense, National Institutes of Health, etc.).
The University of California, UCLA, and our Department aspire to have a global reach and include international and undocumented students in our graduate programs. International applicants and undocumented applicants with or without Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status, or with or without California Assembly Bill 540 status can be considered for admission on the same basis as any or other applicant. However, the Department also carefully reviews our ability to offer a full funding package to cover 5 years in the program when considering applicants for admission. To learn more about the UC’s commitment to supporting undocumented students, please visit: https://undoc.universityofcalifornia.edu/.
The Department also carefully reviews our ability to offer a full funding package to cover 5 years in the program when considering applicants for admission. Funding packages for international students must include additional funds to cover non-resident tuition (currently at $15,102 per year) after Year 1 and until advancement to candidacy (typically 2-3 years). Support from guaranteed sources (e.g., Fulbright Foreign Student Program), including programs related to your home country (e.g., Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies, China Scholarship Council, J. Yang Scholarships), resources for clinical students and/or specific faculty mentors’ funds are possible sources of the additional funds required for the 2-3 years.
Because of federal and state laws, types of funding support available for undocumented students varies depending on whether a student has DACA and/or AB540 status. We recommend all undocumented applicants and potential faculty advisors be familiar with information on funding eligibility available at https://grad.ucla.edu/funding/financial-aid/students-with-ab540-andor-daca-status/. In addition, applicants can learn more about the applications process, rights and laws that protect undocumented students, resources available at UCLA, and more by reviewing the UCLA Undocumented Graduate and Professional Students Handbook.
Information about fellowships available to entering domestic and international graduate students.
Departmental Fellowships and Awards
The Department of Psychology fellowships include full payment of registration fees, health insurance, non-California tuition (if needed), a stipend of $25,000 (over 9 months), and a commitment of four additional years of financial support primarily through teaching or research assistantships, and in some cases other sources, such as donor or private funds (see below for details).
There are many opportunities for summer fellowship support. Students may apply for various competitive summer research fellowships, including the UCLA Graduate Summer Research Mentorship Fellowship ($6000) and the Department of Psychology Summer Research Fellowship ($6000).
Division of Graduate Education Fellowship and Awards
Self-nomination forms are included in the Application for Graduate Admission.
Eugene V. Cota Robles Award
This is a four-year fellowship program which has historically supported a limited number of outstanding underrepresented students who are entering Ph.D. programs and are interested in a career in college or university teaching and research. During year 1, this fellowship provides funds of $30,000, Registration Fees, and Non-California Resident Tuition (if needed). The Division of Graduate Education will also provide a second year of equivalent support (to be scheduled in the fourth year) in the form of a RA/Mentorship award. The Department will provide two years of support in the form of Teaching Assistantships (in the third year). Students will receive the appropriate salary stated above. In addition, the Department will cover Registration Fees during the two-year period. Applicants must be either U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or undocumented students who qualify for nonresident supplemental tuition exemptions under AB 540 and should demonstrate high potential and promise.
Division of Graduate Education Special Fellowships
These fellowships are available to specific applicant populations. Please review the Division of Graduate Education Special Fellowships for detailed descriptions. Graduate students who can demonstrate strong research interests related to or of value to the medical field, for example, should consider applying for the Ursula Mandel Fellowship. For detailed descriptions, please visit the Division of Graduate Education Special Fellowships website.
The Division of Graduate Education’s policy for Doctoral Student Travel Grants for conferences, professional development and off-campus research programs provides up to $1,000 total reimbursement which can be used, in whole or in part, at any time during your Ph.D. program. The Department and individual faculty mentors are often able to provide additional funding for conference travel.
Extramural Fellowships and Scholarships
You are urged to investigate extramural sources of funding such as those listed below. Applicants who are truly competitive for admission to the UCLA Psychology Graduate Program should have an excellent chance of obtaining these awards even prior to admission to our program. The major extramural funding sources for psychology graduate students are the National Science Foundation, graduate research fellowship program, the Department of Defense National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship Program, National Institutes of Health fellowships, American Psychological Association funding, and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Research Scholars program. Note that all the fellowship programs listed above are mainly multiple year fellowship programs, with DoD, NSF and RWFJ providing three to four years of support.
The UCLA Division of Graduate Education maintains the UCLA Graduate & Postdoctoral Extramural Support (GRAPES) Database. The GRAPES database catalogs extramural funding opportunities of interest to prospective and current graduate students, students working on a master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation, and postdoctoral scholars.
Refer to the following alternative online publications for additional fellowship listings:
- Annual Register of Grant Support
- Financing Graduate School
- Foundation Grants to Individuals
- The Grants Register
- Money for Graduate Students in the Sciences
- Peterson’s Grants for Graduate and Postdoctoral Study
Information about employment available to entering domestic and international graduate students.
UCLA includes an offer of employment as an Academic Student Employee (ASE; e.g., Teaching Assistant) or as a Graduate Student Researcher (GSR), as determined by the Department. Either position will range from 25-50% full-time effort (FTE), which allows appointees to have sufficient remaining hours in the week for the completion of coursework, independent study, research units, graded lab work beyond the assistantship, and any other academic responsibilities. There are also opportunities for ASE positions as teaching assistants for courses offered during summer sessions and GSR appointments funded by faculty grants. Please see the current pay scale and schedule from the University of California Office of the President. Relevant tables are Revised Table 18 for ASE positions, Revised Table 22 for GSR positions. Please note that all UC pay scales display 100% effort. Throughout the term of the employment, 100% of tuition and campus fees and student health insurance premium which includes vision and dental coverage will be covered. Any increases in tuition or campus fees will also be covered throughout the term of employment.
Financial Aid
UCLA’s Financial Aid Office is responsible for administering financial support based on need. To obtain detailed information on loan programs, please visit: www.financialaid.ucla.edu/.