Skip to main content
Ethnic Studies Department Ethnic Studies
  1. HOME
  2. Graduate Studies
  3. Fellowships/Grants

Fellowships and Research Grants for Graduate Students

Ethnic Studies graduate students are encouraged to apply for fellowships and grants that provide financial support for graduate students to enhance their professional development and develop into independent scholars.



UCSD Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs

Visit the Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs's website for a list of fellowships that graduate students can apply for: https://grad.ucsd.edu/financial/fellowships/index.html

Ethnic Studies Graduate Student Research and Travel Grants

The Department of Ethnic Studies is currently accepting applications for the 2026-27 Graduate Student Research and Travel Award Grants.

This grant is intended to support research-related travel to professional meetings and conferences for presenting invited and accepted papers, posters, and other scholarly work. OR the grant may be used to cover research related expenses that are not covered by other financial awards. The grant may be used to cover part of the expenses associated with travel, lodging, registration fees, and related expenses not supported by other financial awards and in accordance with university travel policies.

  • Travel grants are awarded once per academic year. Be sure to provide as many details as possible in your application regarding your travel so that our department can advise further and ensure all university and department policies are provided and followed. This includes estimations and/or bookings for travel, lodging, conference fees, etc. Travel grants will be distributed via stipend. 
  • Research grants are intended to partially offset research related costs that are not supported by other financial awards. Research support grant amounts will depend on need as outlined in your proposal for support.  Research grants will be distributed via stipend.

Students are only eligible to receive one travel or research grant per year. We encourage you to apply at least one month before the start of the conference you are planning to attend.

Application Deadlines:

For Fall 2026 (10/1-12/31): Nov 15 

For Winter 2027 (1/1-3/31): February 15 

For Spring 2027 (4/1-6/30): May 15 


A completed proposal for a travel grant should include: 

  • Your abstract for presenting at the conference 
  • Your official invitation/approval to present at the conference 
  • Budget Description: including other sources of financial support for this conference, including amounts. 
  • Rationale: How will participation in this conference better inform your research or development as an Ethnic Studies Scholar? 

A completed proposal for a research grant should include: 

  • Description of Research and Rationale: How will this research grant better support your research or development as an Ethnic Studies Scholar? 
  • Budget Description including other sources of financial support for your research needs, including amounts. 
  • Please include a statement on how you will fund the remaining balance of your research needs if you are only partially supported.

Black Studies Project Graduate Student Research and Travel Grants

The Black Studies Project accepts applications for the Graduate Student Research and Travel Grants annually during Spring quarter. The awards are intended to partially offset research and travel expenses incurred in the U.S. or abroad. Supported research must examine some element of the black experience and/or the social, political, cultural, or economic factors that have shaped conceptions of blackness in relation to racialized structures and phenomena. Although preference will be given to dissertations/final projects that center such questions and themes, applications will be accepted from any project that contains at least one chapter/a main focus in a creative project that falls under the category of Black Studies. In addition to advancing their research, BSP Graduate Fellowship grant recipients are expected to attend at least three (3) BSP events within the following academic year.

Awards are intended for research travel before December and will not exceed $2000. Funds may be used for travel, accommodations, meals, research assistance, copies, and in some cases supplies such as cameras or recording devices.

Information about the grants, including application deadlines, can be found at: https://bsp.ucsd.edu/funding/index.html 

Criteria for Selection:

  • A research project that will increase knowledge about topics and theme of importance to Black Studies

  • Intellectual originality and breadth

  • Clarity and strength of the research plan, design and methodology

Students must submit the following information in one combined pdf:

  1. One-page budget estimate

  2. Project description (no more than 1000 words), including timetable, itinerary and other sources of financial support for which applicant has applied

  3. Resume or curriculum vitae

Black Studies Project @ UCSD is a non-departmental center exploring new ways to institutionalize a dynamic and sustainable formation for collaborative cross-campus research, seminars, public programming, and student engagement in the field of Black Studies.

International Institute Graduate Student Research and Travel Grants

The International Institute is accepts applications for the Graduate Student Research and Travel Grants annually during Spring Quarter. The awards are intended to partially offset dissertation research travel expenses incurred in the U.S. or abroad. Awards are intended for research travel between June 1 and June 30, and typically range between $1,500 to $2,500. Funds may be used for travel, research assistance, and in some cases supplies such as cameras or recording devices. 

Visit the International Institute's website for application details.

Yankelovich Graduate Research Funding

Yankelovich Graduate Research Funding empowers graduate students to advance their research agendas, by providing individual graduate students with up to $3,500 each for research-related expenses. Funding will be disbursed as a stipend. Proposals can include relationship-building with the potential users of research. 

Visit the Yankelovich Center's website for more details.