Navigating UCLA PhD Stipends and Health Insurance Benefits: A Comprehensive Guide

Pursuing a PhD at UCLA is a significant undertaking, and understanding the financial landscape is crucial for success. This article provides a detailed overview of funding opportunities, stipends, and health insurance benefits available to doctoral students at UCLA. It aims to equip prospective and current students with the knowledge necessary to navigate their financial journey throughout their graduate studies.

Funding Opportunities for Doctoral Students

UCLA offers a variety of funding sources to support its doctoral students. These include fellowships, teaching assistantships (TAs), research assistantships (GSRs), department scholarships, and grant awards. The availability of funding can vary and is subject to change.

University Award

All incoming doctoral students receive funding to cover standard in-state tuition and fees for up to four years, provided they are not supported by another fellowship. Students must disclose any other awards or sponsorships received.

Eugene Cota Robles Award

This prestigious award offers an annual stipend of $30,000 for four years, along with full tuition coverage. Entering doctoral students who meet specific diversity criteria are encouraged to apply. Diversity encompasses a range of personal experiences, values, and worldviews, including race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, abilities/disabilities, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and geographic region. The funding structure for this award is as follows:

Year 1: Division of Graduate Education provides a $30,000 award + fees/tuition + non-resident supplemental tuition (if applicable).
Year 2: Department funding (at the same level as the Division of Graduate Education award) via a teaching assistant or graduate student researcher position + fees/tuition.
Year 3: Department funding (at the same level as the Division of Graduate Education award) via a teaching assistant or GSR position + fees/tuition.
Year 4: Division of Graduate Education provides a $30,000 award + fees/tuition.

Graduate Research Mentorship Program

This program assists doctoral students in acquiring and developing advanced research skills under faculty mentorship. Students in their first, second, or third year of UCLA doctoral study who have not yet advanced to candidacy are eligible to apply. Participants receive a $20,000 stipend plus standard tuition and fees (excluding nonresident supplemental tuition and professional degree supplemental tuition). Stipends are paid out monthly.

Dissertation Year Award

This program supports doctoral students who have advanced to candidacy and are within one year of completing and filing their dissertation. Applicants should plan to start teaching or research appointments soon after the end of their dissertation award year. Participants receive $20,000 in student financial support plus standard tuition and fees (excluding nonresident supplemental tuition and professional degree supplemental tuition).

NIOSH Training Grant

Students awarded a traineeship through the Southern California NIOSH Education and Research Center (SCERC) OEHN Program to pursue a PhD in Nursing receive standard tuition coverage (excluding nonresident supplemental tuition and professional degree supplemental tuition) along with the possibility of a quarterly student support award. Partial funding for presenting Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) research at conferences may also be available upon request.

Teaching Assistantships (TAs) and Graduate Student Researchers (GSRs)

A Teaching Assistantship (TA) is a valuable opportunity for graduate students to gain teaching experience. TAs are selected based on their scholarship and promise as teachers, supervising assignments in small discussion and lab sections of undergraduate courses. A Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) assists faculty with scholarly research under the direction and supervision of a faculty member. GSRs are chosen based on scholastic achievement and promise as creative scholars and may collaborate in the publication of research results.

Fee Remissions

Fee remissions are benefits paid by the hiring department to cover partial graduate tuition and fees. Qualifying career employees at UC may be eligible for a two-thirds (66%) reduction in tuition and Student Services fees. Enrollment for nursing students is limited to twelve (12) units or four (4) courses, whichever is greater. Applications must be submitted quarterly once term fees are assessed. UCLA employees can access the Employee Experience Center to submit the Employee Reduced Fee Enrollment Application.

Loans and Financial Aid

UCLA’s Financial Aid Office administers financial support based on need.

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Federal Student Loans

Direct Unsubsidized Loans are federally guaranteed loans available to most students, regardless of need. Interest begins accruing after the first disbursement. The Direct PLUS Loan is another option for Graduate/Professional students to help pay for educational costs. Students can borrow up to the cost of attendance minus any other financial aid. Interest accrues upon first disbursement, and payments are not required until 60 days after the loan is fully disbursed.

Private Educational Loans

Once students have exhausted their eligibility for Federal, State, and University financial aid and loans, they may consider applying for a private educational loan, also called an alternative loan. These loans are offered by private lenders and supplement other types of financial aid.

Applying for Aid

Students are advised to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA) annually. The priority deadline is March 2. Federal student loans offer a range of repayment options, including income-based repayment plans and loan forgiveness benefits, which other education loans may not provide. Federal direct loans are available to most students regardless of income.

Funding for International and Undocumented Students

UCLA aspires to have a global reach and includes international and undocumented students in its 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 other applicant. However, the Department carefully reviews its 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. 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.

Summer Funding Opportunities

There are numerous opportunities for summer award support.

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Eugene V. Cota-Robles Award

This four-year award program supports 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.

Division of Graduate Education Special Awards

These awards are available to specific applicant populations. Review the Division of Graduate Education Special Awards for detailed descriptions.

Extramural Funding Sources

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 awards, American Psychological Association funding, and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Research Scholars program. The UCLA Division of Graduate Education maintains the UCLA Graduate & Postdoctoral Extramural Support (GRAPES) Database.

Academic Student Employee (ASE) and Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) Positions

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.

Financial Challenges Faced by Graduate Students

Despite the available funding opportunities, many graduate students face financial challenges. Some students experience symptoms from medical conditions and avoid going to the doctor or paying for medication because of the high costs. Financial insecurity can drive people away from academia. Many graduate students are constantly thinking about their finances and whether they can afford basic necessities. Academic departments may hesitate to recruit and accept international students because their tuition costs more than students with residency in the United States, which depletes their funding.

Addressing Financial Concerns

The Graduate Division is conducting an internal study on funding allocation. Several unions - including Student Researchers United and United Auto Workers 2865 and 5810 - are negotiating their contracts with the UC and aiming for improved wages and benefits.

Financial Support Based on Need and Merit

Graduate financial support based solely on financial need is provided, in the form of loans, grants, and-on a limited basis-work-study employment, from the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office. This support is typically available to U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Graduate financial support based on merit is available in the form of fellowships, traineeships, teaching assistantships, and graduate student researcher positions. This support may be available to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, students granted deferred action under the government’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, and international students-who have demonstrated high academic achievement.

Important Deadlines

The deadline for graduate loans and work-study funding available through the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office is March 2. The deadline for entering graduate students to apply for other forms of support is December 15. Departments should be consulted for exceptions. The campus deadlines for enrolled graduate students to apply for fellowships vary by program. View the Graduate Student Financial Support booklet for specific dates.

Award Disbursement

The Division of Graduate Education allocates funding directly to graduate programs, which in turn select fellowship recipients through their faculty fellowship selection committees based on academic merit. Departments inform the Division of Graduate Education of those students who have been chosen to receive awards for the next academic year, and the Division of Graduate Education sends offers of support to those recipients. Graduate tuition, fee and nonresident tuition fellowships are credited directly to students’ BAR accounts, and graduate fellowship living allowances (stipends) are issued as direct deposits if the student is enrolled in Bruin Direct. Extramural graduate funding originates from non-UCLA sources, such as federal agencies and private organizations. Most extramural graduate fellowships require an application submitted directly to the sponsoring organization. The Division of Graduate Education publishes an online database called Graduate and Postdoctoral Educational Support (GRAPES), which lists the more commonly sought graduate fellowships that are available from non-UCLA sources. Extramural awards with eligibility restrictions based on sex, gender, or sexual orientation have been removed from GRAPES to be compliance with Title IX regulations. Graduate students may not hold two major awards at the same time. When a student receives extramural funding, the amount of supplementary UCLA support is usually subject to limits. Graduate student fee and tuition awards will automatically apply toward registration and tuition fees. Winter funds are disbursed on January 1, and may take about one week to be reimbursed. Monthly payments should arrive by the first day of the month. Graduate students need to be enrolled in a minimum of 4 units to receive award disbursement in Bruin Financial Aid. However, many awards have additional requirements that if not met will result in a reversal of funding (and potentially a balance owed on your BruinBill). You must be enrolled in at least 4 units (half-time) on the census date (end of Week 3) to remain eligible for financial aid (federal loans and/or federal work-study). For most departmental awards, graduate students must be enrolled in 12 units. In some cases the unit requirement may be less. Always check with your program or funding source to confirm. If you have an ASE or GSR appointment, you must be enrolled in 12 units. Graduate Fellowships & Financial Services at 1228 Murphy Hall will answer questions relating to disbursement of graduate award payments.

Accessing Financial Information

Using MyUCLA, you can review your BruinBill; your scheduled graduate financial aid, fellowships, remissions, and other awards; and the actual dates and amounts of your checks and direct deposits.

Taxation of Fellowship Stipend Income

Graduate fellowship stipend income is taxed differently than most other types of income you may have encountered in the past. Amounts spent on fees, tuition, or required course expenses are not taxable. However, the portion of graduate fellowship stipend income you spend on items other than fees, tuition, and required course expenses will likely be considered taxable by the IRS. U.S. citizens and permanent residents and who are also California residents (for tax purposes) do not have taxes withheld from their fellowship stipend checks.

Apprentice Fee Remissions

Academic apprentice appointees are eligible for fee deferrals, medical insurance, fee remissions and TA Advance Loan checks. The following standards must be met in order for graduate students to receive apprentice fee remissions: (1) Students must register and enroll by the third week of the quarter (registration and enrollment must also be maintained throughout the quarter); (2) appointment(s) must total 25% time or more for the quarter; (3) students must work hours equivalent to 25% time in apprentice titles in a given quarter (usually 106-110 hours); (4) graduate students are expected to enroll in at least 12 units to receive health insurance and fee remissions.

Non-Discrimination Policy

The University of California does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, disability, age, medical condition (cancer-related), ancestry, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, or status as a Vietnam-era veteran or special disabled veteran. See the University of California Nondiscrimination Statement.

Department-Specific Funding

The Department of Spanish & Portuguese provides multi-year packages of support to all admitted students. All packages involve a combination of awards and teaching assistantships over the course of 5-6 years. Details of individual funding packages may vary. Support packages include the cost of non-resident tuition, fees, and an award or teaching salary. After the first year, PhD students are funded through graduate student academic appointments (Teaching Assistantships), and/or a variety of internal awards for up to four years (12 quarters). In the summers, students are funded either through summer teaching assistantships from our department (on-campus or study-abroad programs) or a variety of internal awards. Writing and applying for awards and grants are tasks integral to the academic and professional formation of our graduate students.

Travel and Research Grants (Spanish & Portuguese Department)

Joan M. Palma Travel Grants: The department will award three travel grants of up to $1,750 each to help defray the costs of traveling to an international conference to present a paper preferably related to the dissertation topic. Graduate students who have Advanced to Candidacy (ATC) have priority.
Department Travel Awards: The department provides travel awards of up to $1,200 per fiscal year (July 1-June 30) for graduate students to present a paper at one academic conference, subject to the availability of funds.
Specialized Research Expenses: The Department provides funding up to $1,000 total to one graduate student for specialized research expenses that contribute to academic progress and promote general professional growth. Strong preference is given to work directly related to the dissertation or potential publications. Program subject to the availability of funds.
Research-Related Travel to Spain, Portugal, Latin America: Every year, two to four awards of up to $4,000 are offered for research-related travel to Spain, Portugal, Latin America, or other appropriate locations, subject to the availability of funds. Applications are generally due in February of each year. Applicants submit their materials to the Department of Spanish & Portuguese first, and the Graduate Affairs Committee nominates one student for each award.
UCLA Graduate Division Awards for Research Abroad: These awards provide funds for travel and living expenses for UCLA graduate students in the Humanities to conduct research abroad. Awards typically range from $2,000 to $8,000, depending on the extent of the research proposed. These awards provide funds for travel and living expenses for UCLA graduate students in the Humanities to conduct research abroad. Awards typically range from $2,000 to $6,000, depending on the extent of the research proposed. Awards can cover a period ranging from about three months to one year. These awards support graduate students from across the humanities as they advance their research as they begin writing their dissertations. These funds may be used for award support for one academic quarter and/or may provide support for legitimate research and travel expenses. Normally, the award is taken during the regular academic year, to free the student from teaching during one quarter.
Graduate Research Mentorship (GRM): NOTE: The Spanish & Portuguese Department provided supplementary funding to recipients of the UCLA Division of Graduate Education Graduate Research Mentorship (GRM), subject to annual budgetary review. Graduate students can apply for a number of awards and mentorship opportunities to fund their education and research. Designed to assist recipients in acquiring and developing advanced research skills under faculty mentorship. Faculty mentors are expected to be in frequent contact with the student participants and to assist them with research leading to the development of a doctoral dissertation. The program is open to students who have completed at least one but no more than three years of UCLA doctoral study at the time of application and have not yet advanced to candidacy. Awardees will receive an award of $30,000, plus registration fees (excluding nonresident tuition). Applicants must be nominated by the department. To apply for nomination, students must go to the Award Application for Continuing Graduate Students.
Summer Mentorship Program: Designed to provide financial support for doctoral students during the summer months. Awardees receive a $6,000 award. The program offers students the opportunity to work closely with a faculty mentor on developing a paper for presentation at an academic conference and/or for publication. Participants are expected to complete a draft of a paper (either single-authored by the student or co-authored with the faculty mentor) by the end of the summer. The program is open to doctoral students who - by the program’s start - will have completed at least one year of graduate study but no more than three years of UCLA doctoral study. Students who have advanced to candidacy are not eligible.

Research Center Funding

Graduate students who want to broaden their cultural and educational horizons can explore a bounty of funding resources through the UCLA research centers, which offer a number of different awards and grants for global or area studies.

Center for European and Eurasian Studies: Offers summer pre-dissertation and dissertation awards to conduct research abroad in European or Eurasian (Russia and the FSU countries) studies. Priority is given to projects that focus on the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries; however, all projects of serious academic merit that focus on Europe or Eurasia will be considered.
Asia Institute: Offers awards to students whose research focuses on an Asian topic or incorporates Asia in comparative or regional perspectives or methodologies.
William Andrews Clark Memorial Library: Offers awards such as the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library Dissertation Award and Pre-doctoral Award, for doctoral candidates whose dissertation involves extensive research in the Library’s holdings.
Center for the Study of Women: Offers awards such as The Constance Coiner Graduate Fellowship. Students should be engaged in research focusing on feminist and working-class issues.
UC Humanities Research Institute: A multi-campus research unit of the UC Office of the President based on the UC Irvine campus. The institute seeks to address topics traditional to the humanities in disciplines such as literature, philosophy, classics, languages, and history, as well as the pressing human dimensions that arise in the social and natural sciences, medicine, technology, and the professions.
UCLA Program on Mexico: For dissertation research which involves collaboration with a Mexican institution and/or scholars, or which addresses issues of importance to Mexico or the Mexican-origin population in California. and Mexico.

Need-Based Loans and Work-Study

Graduate students may apply for need-based loans and work-study through the Financial Aid Office. The programs are based on demonstrated financial need and require a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens (those holding permanent resident cards) may apply for funds administered by the Financial Aid Office.

Residency Requirements

For purposes of registration, California residents are those who have been legal residents of California for more than one year immediately prior to the residence determination date (generally the first day of classes).

Faculty Fellows Program

The Faculty Fellows program is designed to provide new PhD graduates with appointments that offer mentored training and experience in conducting research and designing innovative courses.

Award Details

The award includes a salary starting at approximately $50,760 depending on field and experience.
Benefits including health insurance and paid vacation/sick leave are provided.
Up to $5,000 is available for research-related and program travel expenses.
Starting salaries begin at approximately $50,760, depending on the field of study and level of experience, plus benefits and up to $5,000 for research‐related and program travel expenses.

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