The Office of the President has allotted UCSD five (5) President's Dissertation Year Fellowships. The program is designed to identify doctoral candidates who have been educationally or economically disadvantaged or whose research or planned career direction focuses on problems related to disadvantaged segments of society. Dissertation Year Fellowships are to be awarded to promising students in the final stages of their doctoral work who demonstrate strong potential for university teaching and research. Because the President's Dissertation Year Fellowship is one of the University-wide fellowship programs for diversity, we hope to obtain a diverse pool of nominees.

Fellowships will be awarded to students:

• Who have been educationally or economically disadvantaged, or

• Whose research or planned career direction focuses on problems related to disadvantaged segments of society, and

• Who demonstrate strong potential, promise and a desire for a university teaching and research career.

1. A U.S. citizen or permanent resident, or a student who qualifies for nonresident tuition exemption under AB 540.

2. Candidate must have advanced to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree at the time of nomination.

3. Candidate must be making satisfactory progress towards completing the dissertation such that a dissertation-year award will be sufficient for the candidate to complete all Ph.D. degree requirements during the award year.

4. Acceptance that the award precludes instructional employment in graduate academic titles for recipients during their tenure as Dissertation Year Fellows (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.

5. Eligibility for student support through the award period. 

6. All doctoral degree programs under the jurisdiction of the EVC-Academic Affairs are eligible.

Five (5) candidates will be awarded the UC President’s Dissertation Year Fellowship. Each award will include:

• $31,000 stipend

• $500 travel allowance, to be used for travel to another school or campus in California

• The full cost of resident tuition** and fees must also be covered on the student’s behalf. The student’s degree-granting program is responsible for identifying the funding source and disbursing the tuition & fee payments.

This fellowship is a terminal support award. Nominated candidates must be projected to finish during the twelve-month award period (July 1 through June 30). Convincing evidence that the nominee can complete all degree requirements by June 30 will be an important consideration in the selection process. Awards will be made by the Dean of the Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs.

All items are required for Fellowship consideration: 

1. Brief autobiographical sketch by the student (half-page limit)

2. Two-page dissertation synopsis written in a non-technical format for a "lay audience." The synopsis must address the relevance of the student's research within the academic field.

3. An academic timeline for completion of the dissertation with a projected date of completion.

4. Letter of support from the student's academic advisor addressing how the student meets the program objectives and the eligibility requirements. This may include discussion of relevant non-academic activities, such as community or campus service (three-page limit).

5. A completed nomination form with the signature of the department/program chair.