UC LEADS Fellowship
Fellowship details
UC LEADS Fellowship, designed to increase the application, admission and enrollment of talented UC LEADS scholars in UC STEM Ph.D. programs.
Beginning with alumni applying to a UC STEM Ph.D. program to enroll in fall 2025, all admitted UC LEADS alumni are eligible to receive competitive funding packages. Students will be offered at least 5 years of competitive funding support, upon admission (or the equivalent of normative time for the program). This 5-year offer, the UC LEADS Fellowship, is a cost-share award package (tuition and fees and stipend/salary support at the competitive level for their respective academic programs). The funding is cost-shared by the UC Office of the President and the relevant campus and/or program. Once enrolled, these students will be considered UC LEADS Fellows.
- UCOP will provide two years of fellowship support (which includes NRST, if applicable, AND a summer stipend), and require the campus/program to provide at least three years of support.
- Enrolled UC LEADS Fellows will receive a $3,000 transition supplement, to support moving expenses and/or the transition to graduate school at a UC campus. This supplement will be distributed pre-fall so that students can use it for moving/transition expenses.
- Enrolled UC LEADS Fellows will receive a $5,000 professional development funding allocation that may be used at any time during their Ph.D. program.
- UCI UC LEADS Fellows will be guaranteed four summers of support after their first year.
- UCI UC LEADS Fellows will have the option to participate in the Competitive Edge Program and receive a summer stipend if they participate.
Students must have participated and successfully completed the UC LEADS program at their respective UC Campus. There is no application process for the UC LEADS Fellowship. UC LEADS Fellows are encouraged to self-identify as UC LEADS Alumni directly in their graduate application.
UC LEADS Scholars must apply and be admitted to a UC STEM Ph.D. program within 5 years of completing the UC LEADS program.
Students should identify as a UC LEADS Scholar in the graduate application in order to ensure your consideration.
Prospective Students: For inquiries about fellowship eligibility at UC Irvine, please reach out to Mariela Menendez at ucigradprospect@uci.edu.
Current UCI Students: If you have questions about your funding schedule, contact the fellowship team at gd-fellowship@uci.edu.