Rita L. Atkinson Graduate Fellowship

The Rita L. Atkinson Graduate Fellowship is available to continuing graduate students engaged in interdisciplinary studies in the sciences and related fields, leading to a PhD at UC San Diego. The fellowship includes a $50,000 stipend paid out over 12 months (4 consecutive quarters, including summer) plus tuition/fee payments during fall, winter, and spring quarters.

1. Each department/program can nominate one continuing doctoral student from any major code - given the interdisciplinary nature of the award, the nominating department does not need to be the degree granting department. Academic Major Codes can be found in the Student Database (SSO required).

2. For summer quarter, this fellowship can be in addition to departmental support or employment.

3. Student must not be planning to graduate before the final quarter of fellowship disbursement.

4. Receipt of these funds does not constitute an expectation of work. This award precludes instructional employment in graduate academic titles for recipients during their tenure as an Atkinson Fellow (with the exception of the time period spanning the conclusion of Spring courses to the first day of Fall courses). Additionally, supplemental Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) or research fellow appointments will be considered by exception request provided the research supports the Fellow’s dissertation work.

Nominees should be co-advised by at least two faculty from two different disciplines. (Both advisers may be in the same school but should be in different programs/departments/areas.) 

Nominations should consist of the following materials and be submitted via InfoReady.

1. One page statement of interest (typed, single spaced, 11-point font, 1-inch margin) from the student, outlining the interdisciplinary nature of their research and the project(s) they intend to focus on during the fellowship term.

2. One letter co-signed by at least two of the student’s faculty advisers and endorsed by the graduate program/department chair, addressing the following:

   1. The nominee's academic performance to date, notable publications or conference presentations, and other significant achievements in their field of study.

   2. How the nominee meets the specific eligibility requirements of the award, in particular the interdisciplinary nature of their research.

3. Copies of the nominee's current transcript (unofficial is fine).

4. Department Attestation Form

Questions can be directed to gradfellowshipnoms@ucsd.edu

The call for nominations for the 26-27 AY is open. Please submit applications via InfoReady. The deadline for submissions is November 3, 2025.

1. Question: What qualities make for a strong, competitive application?

   1. Answer: The strongest applicants will clearly demonstrate the depth and integration of their interdisciplinary research. Applicants with co-advisors from different departments whose work meaningfully bridges distinct disciplines will be considered competitive.

2. Question: One of my co-advisors has a Faculty-Affiliate in another department. Would this count towards the interdisciplinary advisor requirement?

   1. Answer: An advisor from a different department does not, by itself, demonstrate interdisciplinary research. The advisor should be actively engaged in guiding you on the interdisciplinary aspects of your work, and their expertise should be meaningfully integrated into your research.

3. Question: Is a department/program limited to one nomination per department/program, or per major code?

   1. Answer: Each department/program is currently limited to one nomination for the entirety of their department/program, regardless of numbers of major codes.

4. Question: What if my faculty co-advisors are from the same discipline but have distinct and different areas of focus?

   1. Answer: Both advisers may be in the same school at UC San Diego but should be in different programs or departments. The most competitive nominees will be those who can clearly show disciplinary diversity across their faculty advisors and articulate how their research is interdisciplinary in nature.

5. Question: What if my faculty co-advisors are from the same discipline but one is at a different institution?

   1. Answer: Because this is an interdisciplinary fellowship, the most important factor is disciplinary diversity, so as long as your co-advisor at another institution is part of a different department/program/discipline, then you would be eligible to apply for the award. For example, if your UC San Diego advisor is in Physics, your co-advisor at another institution should not also be in Physics.

6. Question: Do my faculty co-advisors have to be co-PIs/co-chairs?

   1. Answer: Although a nominee’s co-advisors do not need to be formally noted in the student’s academic record as being co-PIs/co-chairs at the time of nomination, the nomination materials should demonstrate that the student is receiving co-equal advising on their research by both faculty advisors.

7. Question: Do my co-advisors need to be on my dissertation committee?

   1. Answer: No, co-advisors do not need to be on a student’s dissertation committee. However, the nominee and co-advisors should demonstrate in the nomination materials that the interdisciplinary project for which the faculty are/will be co-advising the student is a substantial research project the student would work on for the full duration of the fellowship period, should they be selected.

8. Question: I am a first-year graduate student who started in Fall 2025; am I eligible to apply?

   1. Answer: Yes, please discuss your interest with your departmental graduate coordinator.

9. Question: I am an international student; am I eligible to apply?

   1. Answer: Yes, domestic and international students are eligible to apply.

10. Question: When does the fellowship period start?

    1. Answer: The fellowship period for 2026-27 Atkinson Fellows will begin on July 1, 2026.

11. Question: Can I defer the fellowship if I’m awarded?

    1. Answer: No, this fellowship cannot be deferred; awardees who wish to defer will need to apply again in the next application cycle.

12. Question: My research shows strong interdisciplinary qualities, but I only have one advisor? Am I still eligible?

    1. Answer: No, eligibility for this fellowship requires active research and advisement under two co-advisors from different departments. Applicants who do not provide clear evidence of advisement from co-advisors in distinct departments will not be eligible.

2025-26:

2024-25: