Financial Support for PhD Students & Postdoctoral Scholars

Doctoral students in the School of Medicine are eligible to apply for travel support to help with costs associated with attending in-person conferences where students will be presenting their research.

Travel Support Application

Individual fellowship application incentive: PhD students who submit an individual fellowship application can apply for a $250 award from the School of Medicine Office of Graduate Studies. See instructions & complete form for consideration.

Individual Fellowships

Individual fellowship bonus: PhD students who apply for and receive an individual fellowship can apply for an Individual Fellowship Bonus of $1,000 a year for the duration of the fellowship from the School of Medicine Office of Graduate Studies.

Individual Fellowship Bonus

We offer three donor-funded opportunities. Fellowships are announced by the School of Medicine Office of Graduate Studies.

The Stanley Behrens Fellows in Medicine (SBFM) Program supports one or more outstanding UCI School of Medicine doctoral students engaged in novel translational research with the potential to advance human well-being or otherwise make a significant impact in the community. Students are nominated for consideration by their home department. Graduate Studies will circulate Behrens Fellows in Medicine call for nominations.

The Gazzaniga Family Medical Research Award represents a commitment by retired UCI cardio-thoracic surgeon Dr. Alan Gazzaniga to fund graduate student research. The merit-based award supports a UCI School of Medicine PhD student with outstanding academic credentials and a promising biomedical study underway.

The Dr. Lorna Carlin Scholar Award is given to an exceptional UCI School of Medicine PhD student conducting a study with an emphasis on translational science. Preference is given to research in the areas of ALS, epigenetics, traumatic brain injury/chronic traumatic encephalopathy, as well as the relationship of brain degeneration to inflammation. Graduate Studies will circulate Carlin Scholar Award call for nominations.

Campuswide internal and diversity fellowships are competitions administered by the university's Graduate Division. These awards have specific eligibility requirements. Qualified students are encouraged to apply. Typically students are nominated for consideration by the home department and submitted for consideration by SOM Graduate Studies. Calls will be circulated to students.

Internal Fellowships

Predoctoral fellowships — Merit-based support mechanisms provided by public and private entities. Graduate Studies will occasionally circulate announcements. 

External Fellowships

Postdoctoral scholars in the School of Medicine are eligible to apply for Postdoctoral Travel Support to help with the registration and travel costs associated with attending a conference related to their research or for professional development opportunities. With the support of the Dean of the School of Medicine, the Office of Graduate Studies now offers travel and professional development support to postdoctoral scholars at a level of up to $500 per academic year. This support is intended to give postdoctoral scholars greater opportunities to enhance their professional development experiences while at UCI. Support will be provided as long as funds are available.

School of Medicine postdoctoral scholars are eligible for travel and professional development support if they meet the following applicable criteria:

• If attending a scientific meeting, the postdoc is the lead author on an abstract that is presented as an oral or poster presentation.
• If attending a scientific meeting, the postdoc's presentation is on research performed at UCI.
• If attending a professional development seminar, the seminar must focus on an area deemed necessary and relevant for the postdoc by the Principle Investigator, such as writing and communication skills, resume development or networking opportunities.
• The postdoc must be hired in one of the following employment title code series: 3252, 3253 or 3254.

Postdoctoral scholars are eligible to receive this support once per academic year. All travel must be in person.

To request travel or professional development support, please complete and submit the Postdoctoral Travel/Professional Development Support Request form at least three weeks before the proposed travel dates.

Postdoctoral Travel/Professional Development Support Request Form

Postdoctoral scholars are eligible to apply for Individual Fellowship Incentives, including:

• Postdoctoral scholars who submit an individual fellowship application can apply for a $250 research award from the School of Medicine Office of Graduate Studies.

Upon submission of an outside fellowship application, the postdoc is eligible to apply for a Postdoctoral Individual Fellowship Incentive. As part of this application, the postdoc will need to include:

• A PDF of the completed outside fellowship application
• Evidence that the application has been received by the granting agency
• A letter from the postdoc’s faculty advisor verifying that the fellowship application is competitive.

If approved, the Office of Graduate Studies will provide the administrator of the awardee’s department instructions on how to access the $250 research award on behalf of the postdoctoral fellow.

The $250 incentive is given for first submissions only. 

Postdoctoral Individual Fellowship Incentive Application form

Postdoctoral scholars who apply for and receive a K Award from the National Institutes of Health can apply for a $1,000 research award from the School of Medicine Office of Graduate Studies. If approved, the Office of Graduate Studies will provide the administrator of the awardee’s department instructions on how to access the $1,000 research award on behalf of the postdoc. 

Postdoctoral K Award Bonus form