All students in good academic standing receive an annual stipend ($24,000 in 2007/2008). In addition to the stipend, both fees and out-of-state tuition (if applicable) are provided. The total support package ranges anywhere between $35,000 to $47,000, depending on the need for out-of-state tuition. Graduate student health insurance for the nine-month academic year is also covered in these costs. The most common sources of support are teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and training grants.

Campus Fellowships and Awards

Below is a list of the most common campus fellowships and awards for incoming students in the chemical and biochemical sciences. If the fellowship program pays a lower stipend than that paid by Chemistry and Biochemistry, supplemental funding through the department is provided. From time to time, these fellowships will also include on-campus graduate student housing, travel, and supplies.

• Cota Robles Fellowship and the San Diego Fellowships: Provides a stipend, fees, and out-of-state tuition (if applicable). The fellowship application is part of the UCSD electronic graduate application.
• UCSD Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP): UCSD AGEP is a partner in the system-wide effort to increase the number of underrepresented minority students (African American, Hispanic/Latino, Puerto Rican, Native American and, Native Pacific Islander) who are in science, engineering, and mathematics graduate Ph.D programs and who are interested in careers in the professoriate. UCSD AGEP provides activities and support services for eligible undergraduate and graduate students. Entering eligible doctoral students can apply for summer research opportunities, preferential access to on-campus housing, and first year AGEP Fellowships ($16,000).
• ARCS Scholars: The generosity of local residents with an active interest in promoting the graduate education in science and engineering make this fellowship unique. The Department nominates exceptional students for these awards.

Departmental Fellowships and Awards

• Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN): GAANN is a Department of Education grant that is supplemented by campus and departmental funds. New students who meet merit- and need-based criteria receive one-three years of full support plus a discretionary allowance. The goal of the GAANN program is to promote diversity in the number of Chemistry and Biochemistry doctoral students who intend to pursue careers in academia.
• Teddy G. Traylor Fellowship in the Chemical Sciences: Prof. Traylor was one of the early members of our faculty. Colleagues and friends recognize his scientific and personal achievements by funding this award for exceptional graduate students who have recently Advanced to Candidacy. Awards vary.
• Teaching Assistant Excellence Award: Over 300 teaching assistants participate in the teaching of our undergraduate curriculum in Chemistry and Biochemistry. Those who show repeated excellence in their efforts receive a cash award and their name on a plaque.

Interdisciplinary Training Grant Programs

Interdisciplinary research and collaboration at UCSD is enhanced through a variety of training grants. These programs provide financial support for exceptional graduate and postdoctoral scholars and also unite researchers from across campus and throughout the La Jolla research community in special seminars, retreats, and courses. Students are usually placed on training grants in their second year or later.

• Molecular Biophysics Training Grant
• UCSD Biosciences
• Cell, Molecular, and Genetics Training
• NIH Training Grant: Biochemistry of Growth Regulation and Oncogenesis

Other Fellowships

Students are encouraged to apply for fellowships. These are important career honors to have listed on your resume! The department supplements all fellowships to meet and sometimes to exceed the standard departmental stipend. Application deadlines for competitive fellowships, such as NSF Graduate Fellowships, are often up to a year in advance (e.g. applications for fellowships for 2007/2008 are due as early as November, 2007).

These are some sites on the Web for information about fellowships:

• UCSD Office of Graduate Studies
• Peterson's Guide
• Howard Hughes Medical Institute Fellowship
• National Science Foundation Fellowship
• Fannie and John Hertz Foundation Fellowship
• National Physical Sciences Consortium
• Ford Foundation

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

It is often required to prove eligibility for student aid and graduate fellowships. We strongly suggest, but do not require, that applicants file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The forms for FAFSA are available in financial aid offices at colleges and universities or can be ordered by calling 1-800-433-3243. You can also apply online at www.FAFSA.ed.gov.