Eugene Cota-Robles Award
The Eugene Cota-Robles is a prestigious award designed to facilitate the career development of doctoral students who show potential to become excellent faculty or researchers in institutions of higher education.
Dr. Eugene Cota-Robles was widely recognized both for his achievements as a microbiologist and for his leadership in higher education, particularly his advocacy for minority students and faculty. He joined UC Santa Cruz in 1973, serving as vice chancellor for academic administration, director of affirmative action, and professor of biology. Before that, he chaired the Department of Microbiology at Pennsylvania State University, taught at UC Riverside, and later held administrative roles there. In honor of his significant efforts to expand opportunities for minority scholars across the University of California, the UC Regents established the Eugene Cota-Robles Awards for graduate students bearing his name.
The Eugene Cota‐Robles (ECR) Fellowship Program, initiated in 1989‐90, provides mentored fellowship support to students who are enrolled in doctoral programs at the University. A particular objective of the Eugene Cota‐Robles Fellowship Program is to release recipients from employment or loan obligations that might delay progress in graduate study during their first years of graduate study.
The 2026-2027 recipient will receive resident university tuition and fees (not including NSRT), plus a stipend of $37,500.
First-year PhD students – fellowship offered during the annual admissions cycle
Participants should demonstrate high potential and promise to contribute to the university.
Students may NOT be nominated for both the Katzin Prize and Eugene Cota Robles. Departments should select two separate nominees for these acceptance incentive awards.
Participants should be domestic students (e.g., citizens or permanent residents) or students who qualify for nonresident tuition exemptions under AB 540.1
In accordance with state law and Regental policy, preference may not be given to applicants on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, gender, or national origin.
And participants must demonstrate one or more of the following criteria:
Experience of situations or conditions that impeded advancing to graduate study
Academic research interests focusing on cultural, societal or educational problems as they affect educationally disadvantaged segments of society
A clear intent to use their doctoral degree to serve educationally underrepresented populations
Each recipient will be expected to work closely with a faculty sponsor whose role will be that of mentor, guiding the graduate student through the development of a curricular plan, and the acquisition of knowledge and skills that will permit the selection of an appropriate dissertation topic leading to the completion of a doctoral degree. Faculty guidance, counseling and orientation are encouraged at the departmental level for first‐year students. Academic departments and the graduate divisions will be responsible for assisting students in the selection of appropriate mentors and for informing mentors of their responsibilities within the Program.
The fellowship is awarded with the intention of releasing students from employment obligations, and thus recipients are highly encouraged to refrain from obtaining employment during the program.
Each eligible graduate program may nominate one (1) qualified doctoral applicant via the Slate system. If the nominee ultimately decides to not enroll at UC San Diego, the department may not nominate another applicant.
The following items are required for a complete nomination package in Slate:
Nomination of the applicant for the Eugene Cota Robles Fellowship, submitted via Slate
For more instructions on how to nominate your applicant in Slate, see Graduate Admission's Slate User Guide for Nominating Applicants in the Fellowship Workflow. Note: When nominating applicants for the Eugene Cota Robles Prize in Slate, use the Fellowship - Department Nomination Form and Letter material type.
Department Nomination Letter
May be written by any department representative such as the chair, graduate coordinator, ect
Faculty Sponsor Letter
Should demonstrate how the faculty sponsor plans to guide the graduate student through the development of a curricular plan, and the acquisition of knowledge and skills that will permit the selection of an appropriate dissertation topic leading to the completion of a doctoral degree.
There are two deadlines for each admission cycle (i.e., per academic year). Programs will be notified of selected recipients, and will be expected to proactively encourage the selected recipients to commit to attending UC San Diego in a timely fashion. Nominees not selected in (or submitted by the deadline for) the first round will be considered again in the second round. Awards will continue to be made until a cohort of at least three incoming students is identified.
Round I Deadline for Department Nominations: January 23rd, 2026
Round II Deadline for Department Nominations: March 2, 2026
Nominations for the 2026-27 academic year will open in January 2026.
Student nominees will have until April 15th to accept their award.
Q: Is there a specific time deadline on the date nominations are due? (e.g. midnight or end of business day time (5 p.m.)?)
A: The deadline at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on the listed due date. The committee will not be able to review late or incomplete submissions. Late submissions entered after the first deadline will be reviewed in the second round; late submissions after the second deadline will not be accepted.
Q: Our department has multiple majors. How many nominations do we get?
A: One.
Q: Is it OK for the department to send in two nominations, and then have the committee only consider the more competitive one of the two for the award?
A: No. Each department is allowed one nomination. Do not submit additional nominations.
Q: Can the department nominate a student that has been nominated for admission by the department, but not yet finalized/approved by GEPA Admissions?
A: Yes. If the department has nominated the applicant for admission in SLATE, the Eugene Cota-Robles nomination can be submitted before GEPA Admissions completes their review and admits the student. All required documents/letters must be included for a complete nomination.
The committee will not be able to review late or incomplete submissions. Late submissions entered after the first deadline will be reviewed in the second round; late submissions after the second deadline will not be accepted.
Note: The Graduate Fellowship & Award Review Committee determines the selectees, but the Fellowship will not be formally awarded until the GEPA Admissions completes their review and admits the applicant.