Extramural fellowships foster successful scientific careers by distinguishing the most meritorious research projects and demonstrating the recipient's skill and resourcefulness in securing support. The Graduate Division strongly encourages you to apply for these prestigious awards.
Eligibility, support, and application procedures vary by fellowship. Consult with UCSF graduate program directors, administrators, graduate advisers, and the Graduate Division as you prepare applications. Extramural fellowships that provide a stipend and/or tuition and requires the institution (UCSF) to accept the funding on the student's behalf, are sometimes administered through the Graduate Division. If the fellowship provides research funding only, it will be administered through the student's graduate program or their department. Before you begin applying for any external funding opportunities, please take a moment to review the application steps. If awarded, extramural fellowships require the student to verify all expenses quarterly through the Award Verification System.
Identifying Sources and Types of Funding
- Read the frequent fellowship opportunity emails sent to the UCSF Graduate Student listserv
- Searchable Databases
- Government Agencies and Charitable Foundations
- Professional Associations
- Your own professional network (PI, colleagues here and at other institutions)
Fellowship Search Databases
Usually free to use, these online databases offer various ways to search for appropriate fellowships. For the best results, search more than one database using several parameters. Here are some good places to start.
- Pivot
- UCLA Graduate and Postdoctoral Extramural Support (GRAPES) Database
- Guide to Free Scholarship Searches
- Candid.org (formerly The Foundation Center)
- Grants.gov, from the US Department of Health and Human Services
- Grant Forward (requires paid subscription, but offers a free trial)
- International Study Abroad Programs
Major Funders
Some of the largest fellowship programs are run by government agencies (such as NSF and the Department of Homeland Security) and charitable foundations. Here is a partial list of some of the foundations and government agencies that have provided funding for UCSF students in the past.
- American Cancer Society
- American Heart Association Western States Affiliate Predoctoral Fellowship
- American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education
- Autism Speaks
- The Epilepsy Foundation, Predoctoral Research Training Fellowship
- Ford Foundation Fellowships
- The Hertz Foundation Graduate Fellowship Award
- National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowships
- NIH Predoctoral Awards (See also the Guidance Advisory on F30, F31, F32 Institutional Allowance.)
- National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP)
- Porter Physiology Fellowships for Minorities
- The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans
Search online, but also talk with your faculty mentor about sources of support for your field of research; mentors can be a great source of information about funding agencies and professional associations that support research in your area. Some of the major professional associations are:
