Funding and Financial Support

All students admitted to the Ph.D. program receive a competitive stipend, tuition and fees** paid for, and comprehensive health insurance. Financial support packages typically come from being employed as a Teaching Assistant (TA) or Graduate Student Researcher (GSR), but students may also be funded entirely by a fellowship or training grant.

Please note that students in the M.S. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry program are not offered financial support with admission; however, you may apply to be a TA in the department on a quarterly basis if positions are available.

"In sports, a coach analyzes what will make a player reach their highest potential. I view myself a coach for my students: developing their skills, cheering them on and celebrating their wins."

- Annaliese Franz, Associate Professor

Teaching Assistantships

As a new Ph.D. graduate student, you will likely be a TA for at least your first three quarters in the program. This gives you the opportunity to gain teaching experience at the University level and to sharpen your understanding of general chemistry, which will prepare you for your Qualifying Examination (QE) in your second year.

**TAs are responsible for paying the campus-based portion of their fees, which is approximately $188 per quarter.

Graduate Student Researcher Positions

Research appointments are funded by grants from a faculty adviser, after being formally accepted into a research group. Graduate students are supported as GSRs in the summer following the first academic year and usually more often after you have passed your QE and Advanced to Candidacy.

Internal and External Fellowships

Entering and continuing graduate students are eligible to apply annually for Graduate Studies Internal Fellowships, which are awarded competitively based on outstanding scholarship. Be sure to also browse their External Fellowships and Grants listings and utilize the recommended fellowship search engines.

Highly qualified undergraduate students are encouraged to apply for pre-doctoral fellowships as early as the Fall of your senior year of college. Such fellowships include those from the National Science Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the Hertz Foundation.

The following are fellowships specific to our program that all eligible domestic incoming students are considered for:

  • The Bradford Borge Fellowship
  • The Borge Fellowship was a bequest to the program in 1988 from Louis Borge and his wife, Mamie H. Borge, in memory of their son Bradford who was a graduate student in our program. The fellowship is awarded to domestic applicants who demonstrate high promise for excellence in chemical research.
  • The Fred P. Corson/Dow Chemical Company Fellowship
  • Fred ’64, Ph.D., ’67, and Mary Jane Corson established the Corson/Dow Graduate Fellowship in in 1998. This endowed fellowship supports high-achieving graduate students in our program.  Fred Corson earned both his UC Davis degrees in chemistry. When he retired from a successful career with Dow Chemical, the endowment was established with contributions from the Corsons and Dow. Over the years, the couple has generously contributed nearly $250,000 to the fellowship fund.

Training Grants

A training grant is an agreement that provides funding intended to pay stipends to, and provide a coordinated training program for, students who are selected by the institution to be a part of the training program. Training grants are different from fellowships, which generally provide stipends for individuals who are selected by the agency. 

Predoctoral students in Chemistry may be eligible to apply for training grants in:

For more potential training grant opportunities, see Research Training Grant Programs from the Office of Graduate Studies.