Student Support Packages:

PhD support packages:

All Doctoral students are offered support packages that provide a minimum of $35,000 annually, plus fees and tuition, composed of a combination of fellowships, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships. This support is provided for up to five years (Year 1 – Year 5, including summers in between each year), as long as the student is in good academic standing and meeting eligibility requirements for employment and/or fellowship support. If a student secures external support, it may need to be in lieu of Department support and the student should contact the EEB Graduate Office to discuss details.

MS support packages:

Master’s students may be offered support packages that provide six academic quarters (two academic years) of employment as Teaching Assistants. Students offered a support package will receive an admission funding letter outlining their support package. Teaching Assistants receive salary (currently $12,653 per quarter) and fee remissions that cover all standard tuition and fees. Non-resident supplemental tuition (NRST) is not covered by fee remissions or the Department, however, many of our Master’s students have successfully secured NRST funding from campus fellowships or home-country sponsorships. If a student secures external support, it may need to be in lieu of Department support and the student should contact the EEB Graduate Office to discuss details.

Distinguished Fellowships for Incoming Students:

Top applicants to the Doctoral program are selected by the Department receive the following fellowships:

The Vavra Fellowship is awarded to recruit an outstanding applicant in the area of organismal plant biology. It provides fellowship support for two academic quarters in the first year ($8,988 stipend plus fees per quarter) and four summers ($7,500 stipend per summer).

The Lida Scott Brown Fellowship is awarded to recruit an outstanding applicant in the area of avian biology. It provides fellowship support for two academic quarters in the first year ($8,988 stipend plus fees per quarter) and four summers ($7,500 stipend per summer).

The Josephine Reich Fellowship
The Josephine Reich Fund was established to recruit an outstanding applicant in the area of environmental research or education. It provides fellowship support for two academic  quarters in the first year ($8,988 stipend plus fees per quarter) and four summers ($7,500 stipend per summer).

UC-HBCU Initiative (UC Office of the President & UCLA Division of Graduate Education)
As part of the University of California–Historically Black Colleges and Universities (UC–HBCU) Initiative, the University of California Office of the President (UCOP), the UCLA Division of Graduate Education, and the department collaborate to offer six-year funding packages of at least $37,960 per year, plus tuition and fees for entering doctoral students. Fellows must have been participants in an eligible UC–HBCU summer program. They must also be U.S. citizens, permanent residents, international students or undocumented students who qualify for nonresident supplemental tuition exemptions under AB 540. Applicants should indicate their eligibility on the graduate application.

Dr. Ursula Mandel Scholarship (UCLA Division of Graduate Education)
This award covers $15,000 of fees for graduate students in scientific fields related, allied or of value to the medical field. Applicants should indicate their eligibility on the graduate application.

Graduate Dean’s Scholar Award (UCLA Division of Graduate Education)
This prestigious fellowship issued by the UCLA Dean of Graduate Education is awarded to the top applicant and provides $14,500 of support – a $2,500 supplemental stipend in the first academic year, and $6,000 stipends in the summers following the first and second year.

Please visit UCLA Division of Graduate Education’s Graduate Fellowships, Scholarships & Grants for Entering Students to view more funding opportunities and information for incoming MS and PhD students.

Funding for Continuing Students

For campus-wide funding opportunities, students should visit UCLA’s Division of Graduate Education Funding for Continuing Students and their list of Funding Opportunities Resources.

For Departmental funding, continuing students may apply for additional funding through a competitive application process in spring quarter. Applications normally open in April and awards are announced in early/ mid-June. However, due to financial fluctuations, the Department makes no guarantee that these sources of funding will be available each year. Students who are in good academic standing and within the normative time-to-degree are eligible to apply for the following sources of funding:

General Departmental Funding (current amounts listed for the 2025-2026 Fiscal Year: Summer 2025 – Spring 2026)

Quarter Fellowship ($8,988 stipend + fees)
The departmental quarter fellowship provides one quarter of support ($8,988 in stipend plus fees) for outstanding students who do not qualify for departmental fellowships with taxonomic restrictions.

Quarter Fee Fellowship (up to $7,261 for fees)
This fellowship provides up to one quarter of fees (currently ~$7,261) for students who do not qualify for fee remissions through TA or GSR employment, or students who have secured extramural support that provides partial fee coverage.

(PhD Candidates only) Department Dissertation Completion Quarter Fellowship ($8,988 stipend + fees)
This fellowship provides one academic quarter of support ($8,988 in stipend plus fees) to a doctoral candidate in the final stages of their dissertation research. Eligible students must be advanced to doctoral candidacy.

Summer Fellowship ($7,500 stipend)
The departmental quarter fellowship provides one summer of support ($7,500 in stipend) for outstanding students who do not qualify for departmental fellowships with taxonomic restrictions.

Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition Fellowship ($5,034 per quarter)
This fellowship is for international students who have exceeded their allotment of non-resident supplemental tuition (NRST) support.

Research/Research Travel Grant (amounts vary)
These grant amounts vary and provided partial or full reimbursement or payment of research expenses. This may include travel expenses for research purposes.

Conference/Conference Travel Grant (amounts vary)
These grant amounts vary and provide partial or full reimbursement or payment of travel expenses to a scientific meeting in which the applicant gives a presentation.

PhD Funding with Taxonomic Requirements

Holmes O. Miller Fellowship
The Holmes O. Miller fellowship provides one $7,500 summer or quarter stipend to one outstanding doctoral student who is doing or planning to conduct field research.

Josephine Reich Fund
The Josephine Reich Fund was established to support outstanding students in the area of environmental research or education. This fund provides up to:

• • • two summer fellowships ($7,500 each).
    • two one-quarter fellowships ($8,988 stipend plus fees each) to support research or dissertation writing.
    • two research grants (maximum $1,200 stipend) to support research and/or travel expenses.

Lida Scott Brown Fund for Avian Biology
The Lida Scott Brown Fund provides support for research or dissertation writing in avian biology. This fund provides up to:

• • • two summer fellowships ($7,500 each).
    • two academic quarter fellowships ($8,988 stipend plus fees each).
    • several research grants (maximum $1,200 each) to support research and/or travel expenses for pilot studies in avian biology.

Vavra Research Fund for Organismal Plant Biology
The Vavra fund was established to support graduate education in organismal plant biology. The fund provides up to:

• • • one summer or quarter stipend ($7,500).
    • one quarter fellowship ($8,988 stipend plus fees).
    • several Vavra Research Grants (maximum $1,200 each) to support research or travel, including special workshops, courses at biological stations that are related to dissertation research in plant biology, and full or partial travel and conference expenses for students wishing to attend scientific meetings where their research results on plant biology will be presented.

(PhD candidates only) Bartholomew Fund for Field Biology
Generously endowed by Ruth and George Bartholomew, our distinguished Professor Emeritus, the Bartholomew fund provides up to:

• • • one summer fellowship of $7,500 to an outstanding doctoral candidate whose research in ecology, evolutionary biology, and/or conservation biology has a significant field component. Eligible students must have advanced to doctoral candidacy.
    • several Bartholomew Research Grants (up to $1,200 each) to support research and/or travel expenses related to field biology. Eligible students must have advanced to doctoral candidacy.

Departmental Support Application Instructions

Continuing students in good academic standing may apply for additional Departmental funding through a competitive online application. Because this application may be is available annually, it is important to project any additional funding needs for the upcoming 2026 summer and academic year (July 1, 2026– June 30, 2027). Please note, due to financial fluctuations, the Department makes no guarantee that these sources of funding be be available each year.

The departmental support application will be available in April and sent via email by the EEB Graduate Office. Applications for summer, quarter, and NRST fellowships require letters of support. Please note that all letters must be submitted by the application deadline, which is communicated in the email. Award decisions will be announced in early/ mid-June.