Graduate Support Programs
On this page
- 5/2 Year Graduate Student Funding Packages
- EVC Housing Supplement
- Relocation Stipend
- Native American Opportunity Plan (NAOP)
5/2 Year Graduate Student Funding Packages
UC Santa Cruz offers all eligible new and continuing doctoral and MFA* students 5 year funding packages for the 3 quarter / 9-month academic year, with a minimum level of quarterly support that is equivalent to no less than the quarterly (3-month) rate associated with the applicable current Salary Point 1 of a 50% Teaching Assistant or applicable current Salary Point 1 of a 50% GSR appointment, whichever is less.
Many students may receive higher levels of support arising from appointments above TA/GSR Salary Point 1 and/or from non-employment sources. The funding sources for an eligible student’s support package may come from one or a combination of sources, depending on the available financial resources. These sources include any and all university funding, including all employment and non-employment sources, as well as any forms of external funding. UC Santa Cruz reserves the right to update these student funding packages as needed.
Who is eligible?
New and continuing doctoral and MFA* students. Students must be in residence, enrolled full-time, in good academic and disciplinary standing, and with less than 15 quarters of enrollment (*6 quarters for MFA students). Continued eligibility for funding is contingent upon students making satisfactory academic progress and remaining in good academic and disciplinary standing. Funding eligibility is also contingent upon maintaining appropriate work standards if employed as an ASE or GSR.
* 2 year for MFA
EVC Housing Supplement
The campus offers an annual housing supplement of $2,500 for eligible doctoral and MFA students who are enrolled full-time through the Office of Financial Aid until additional campus graduate student housing is available.
The annual housing supplement is allocated to PhD/MFA students in good standing, pro-rated for the number of quarters students are registered full-time (or $833/quarter). For quarters in which students are registered part-time, they are allocated 1/2 the supplement. Students on filing fee, in absentia, or are on a Leave of Absence, as well as international students who are not in the US are not eligible for the supplement. If students return to regular enrollment status mid-year, their disbursement will be determined by the prorated number of quarters that they are enrolled.
Processing of Housing Supplements will begin after the Fall Quarter Add/Drop/Swap deadline for graduate students. Dispersals to most eligible domestic graduate students will be batch-paid, approximately the first week of December. Dispersals to international graduate students are processed via a manual pay mechanism on a rolling basis. This more complex payment mechanism for international students is required by tax law, and results in longer processing times due to the individualized tax-associated paperwork. There can also be additional delays if required documentation is missing or incomplete. For students who returned to regular enrollment status mid-year, payments will be processed after the Spring Quarter Add/Drop/Swap deadline.
Reminder
PLEASE update your payment information (via payee 204 Docusign Powerform link: Payee Setup 204 Form Helper for your new address if you have recently moved and you receive a paper check. We recommend that, if possible, you sign up for direct deposit). If you are an international student, please make sure that relevant documentation (i.e., Glacier forms signed and dated with current calendar year and “Scholarship/Fellowship” tax benefit displayed on the form) are up-to-date to avoid payment delays.
Relocation Stipend
Beginning fall 2021, UC Santa Cruz offers PhD and MFA graduate students up to $1,500 to support transitioning to Santa Cruz. Eligibility is limited to new or incoming students in a doctoral or MFA program, and students must matriculate within the current academic year or have matriculated in the previous academic year. Students must be relocating from outside the Santa Cruz region to within 100 miles of the UC Santa Cruz main campus and incur expenses related to the change in housing such as transportation costs, housing deposits, loss of income, and household supplies.
Eligible students can apply, once matriculated, by selecting “New Student Relocation Suplmnt” in their To-Do List/Tasks in MyUCSC.
Native American Opportunity Plan (NAOP)
UC’s Native American Opportunity Plan ensures that in-state systemwide Tuition and Student Services Fees are fully covered for California students who are also enrolled in federally recognized Native American, American Indian, and Alaska Native tribes. This plan applies to undergraduate and graduate students. Read more at the University of California website.
IN THIS SECTION