Financial Aid

There are several opportunities for financial aid at UCI for students of Culture and Theory.

Teaching

Teaching assistantships are an important way in which financial support is available at UCI. Depending on previous training, students can work as TA’s in the participating programs in African American, Asian American, Chicano/Latino Studies and Women’s Studies. Often summer teaching is also available in these units. After completion of qualifying exams, students are eligible for teaching in the Humanities Core Course.

Doctoral students can be eligible for up to 18 quarters of total teaching support (this is a campus wide limit).  Appointments are made on the basis of academic progress and performance as well as funding. All other considerations being equal, students making normal progress toward the degree have a more compelling claim to support than those who do not. For instance, although students can receive up to 18 quarters of support, priority is normally given to those who have not yet used 12 quarters.

Renewal of an appointment is made on the basis of satisfactory teaching performance, satisfactory progress toward the degree, and funding.

The Program discourages students from assuming other jobs while holding teaching assistantships. Students who hold fellowships are not permitted to take other jobs. Only exceptionally can students enroll less than full time after advancement to candidacy.

In addition, it is NOT possible to teach (as a lecturer) at another UC campus while enrolled at UCI.

Students can expect program support to drop off after the completion of the qualifying examinations. Students at this stage become eligible for a variety of fellowships granted by outside agencies, and for TAships offered by the Humanities Core Course. The program will do its utmost to assist students in locating and applying for these awards, but students should also take the initiative to locate opportunities on their own.

Other financial support

Apart from teaching assistantships, there are a number of other awards that support the graduate program. Chancellor's Irvine, Regents', Cota Robles and Humanities Pre-Doctoral Fellowships can be awarded to entering students. Students who are advanced to candidacy and are working on their dissertations are eligible for an In-Candidacy Fee Offset Grant through their eighteenth quarter of registration. These students may also apply for one-quarter Regents’ Dissertation Fellowships, Humanities Dissertation Fellowships and Summer Dissertation Fellowships. Humanities Research Grants, which are awarded for specific research projects, are also available for continuing students. These grants are usually awarded for summer travel. Through the Diversity Fellowship Program, the University offers the Faculty Mentor Program Fellowship and the President’s Dissertation Fellowship. The Humanities Research Institute offers fellowship opportunities for advanced UC graduate students to work in collaboration on interdisciplinary topics.

Humanities Research Institute UC Graduate Student Fellowships

UCI -School of Humanities Fellowships/Awards