UCF Graduate Fellowships

UCF Awards Over $2 Million in Fellowship Funding Each Year

College of Graduate Studies Fellowships

The College of Graduate Studies at UCF awards over $2 million annually in fellowship funding. These fellowships are awarded to students in acknowledgment of their impressive past achievements and anticipation of their future successes at UCF and beyond. Students can receive fellowships from the UCF College of Graduate Studies, their specific college or department, or from external agencies and organizations.

Graduate fellowship funds are awarded to enhance a fellow’s scholarly and educational endeavors. There are no specific assignments associated with the award; instead, fellows are expected to participate fully in their program and the university’s intellectual community, thereby enriching the overall experience for everyone involved.

Eligibility for University Fellowships

Most university fellowships are reserved for incoming degree-seeking graduate students and require full-time enrollment. Graduate students enrolled in non-standard tuition programs or fully online programs that exempt them from paying campus-based fees are not eligible for university fellowships offered through the College of Graduate Studies. Students who have received a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security can be considered for scholarships from private donors or for private loans but are not eligible for institutional aid. Additional fellowships may be available in your academic college or department. You may also wish to search for external fellowship programs that support graduate students.

To be considered for a UCF fellowship, students must submit a complete application for admission, including all supporting documentation (e.g., test scores, letters of recommendation, transcripts) by the Fall Priority Deadline for the program. Visit www.graduate.ucf.edu for admission requirements and guidance as well as the online graduate application.

If you have questions about the eligibility of your prospective program or any of the fellowships listed below, please email gradfellowship@ucf.edu.

Program or College Nomination Required
The fellowships listed directly below require students to be nominated by their graduate program or college to be considered for the award. Speak with your Graduate Program Director if you have questions about being nominated for one of the following fellowships. If you are a Graduate Program Director, visit our Fellowships Guide for the nomination processes and forms.

New Students

Trustees Doctoral Fellowship

UCF offers the Trustees Doctoral Fellowship to superior graduate students who are newly enrolling at UCF in one of its eligible doctoral programs. These awards provide multi-year support to the most qualified applicants to the institution. All new students entering standard research doctoral degrees as full-time students are eligible to be nominated by their program for this award. Stipend payments will begin in the Fall semester.

Nomination Deadline: February 3.

Duration of Award: Maximum of four years of support.

Fellowship Stipend: $25,000 per year for up to four years.

Tuition Support: UCF College of Graduate Studies pays the standard tuition for your required course hours during each year of the award. This does not include the payment of local fees (health fee, athletic fee, building fee, etc.).

Health Insurance: A UCF Student Health Insurance Policy will be provided for your individual coverage for the duration of the award.

Criteria for Fellowship Selection:

Submission of a completed admission application and all test scores (including TOEFL for international students) by January 15 or earlier if required by your prospective program.
Admission to a UCF doctoral program for the Summer or Fall 2025 term.
Evidence of awards, recognition, or honors.
Evidence of experience in the field.
Research experience and statement of research interest in the discipline.

Fellowship Obligations:

Maintain good academic standing and acceptable progress to degree.
Participate in UCF graduate fellowship community activities.
Maintain full-time enrollment in an eligible doctoral program (9 credit hours are required during the fall and spring terms). Summer enrollment is optional; fellowship recipients receive tuition support for 6 credit hours during the summer terms but do not receive a stipend.

Presidential Doctoral Fellowship

UCF offers the Presidential Doctoral Fellowship to superior graduate students who are newly enrolling at UCF in one of its eligible doctoral programs. These awards provide multi-year support to the most qualified applicants to the institution. All new students who are U.S. Citizens or permanent residents entering standard research doctoral degrees as full-time students are eligible to be nominated by their program for this award. Stipend payments will begin in the Fall semester.

Nomination Deadline: February 3.

Duration of Award: Maximum of four years of support.

Fellowship Stipend: $20,000 per year for up to four years.

Health Insurance: A UCF Student Health Insurance Policy will be provided for your individual coverage for the duration of the award.

Criteria for Fellowship Selection:

Submission of a completed admission application and all test scores (including TOEFL for international students) by January 15 or earlier if required by your prospective program.
Admission to a UCF doctoral program for the Summer or Fall 2025 term.
U.S. Citizen or permanent resident.
Evidence of awards, recognition, or honors.
Evidence of experience in the field.
Research experience and statement of research interest in the discipline.

Fellowship Obligations:

Maintain good academic standing and acceptable progress to degree.
Participate in UCF graduate fellowship community activities.
Maintain full-time enrollment in an eligible doctoral program (9 credit hours are required during the fall and spring terms). Summer enrollment is optional; fellowship recipients receive tuition support for 6 credit hours during the summer terms but do not receive a stipend.

ORCGS Doctoral Fellowship

UCF offers the ORCGS Doctoral Fellowship to superior graduate students who are newly enrolling at UCF in one of its eligible doctoral programs. These awards provide multi-year support to the most qualified applicants to the institution. New students entering standard research doctoral degrees as full-time students are eligible to be nominated by their program for this award. Stipend payments will begin in the Fall semester.

Nomination Period: December through April.

Duration of Award: One year of fellowship support; three years of graduate assistantship support.

Fellowship/Assistantship Stipend: $25,000 fellowship stipend in year one; assistantship stipend in years two through four variable based on program assistantship stipend levels.

Tuition Support: UCF College of Graduate Studies pays the standard tuition for your required course hours during the first year of the award. Your nominating program or unit pays the standard tuition for your required course hours in years two through four. This does not include the payment of local fees (health fee, athletic fee, building fee, etc.).

Health Insurance: A UCF Student Health Insurance Policy will be provided for your individual coverage for the duration of the award.

Criteria for Fellowship Selection:

Submission of a completed admission application and all test scores (including TOEFL for international students) by January 15.
Admission to a UCF doctoral program for the Summer or Fall 2025 term.
Evidence of awards, recognition, or honors.
Evidence of experience in the field.
Research experience and statement of research interest in the discipline.

Fellowship Obligations:

Maintain good academic standing and acceptable progress to degree.
Participate in UCF graduate fellowship community activities.
Maintain full-time enrollment in your doctoral program (9 credit hours are required during the fall and spring terms). Summer enrollment is optional; fellowship recipients receive tuition support for 6 credit hours during the summer terms but do not receive a stipend.

Boyd Lyon Memorial Fellowship

UCF offers the Boyd Lyon Memorial Fellowship every other year to a highly qualified doctoral student admitted to the Integrative and Conservation Biology PhD program. Stipend payments begin in the Fall semester.

Nomination Deadline: March 1.

Duration of Award: Maximum of two years of support.

Fellowship Stipend: $23,000 per year for up to two years.

Health Insurance: A UCF Student Health Insurance Policy will be provided for your individual coverage for the duration of the award.

Criteria for Fellowship Selection:

Submission of a completed admission application and all test scores (including TOEFL for international students) by January 15 or earlier if required by your prospective program.
Admission to the Integrative and Conservation Biology PhD program for the Fall 2026 term.
Evidence of awards, recognition, or honors.
A strong commitment to conservation biology, particularly turtle research.

Fellowship Obligations:

Maintain good academic standing and acceptable progress to degree.
Participate in UCF graduate fellowship community activities.
Maintain full-time enrollment in your doctoral program (9 credit hours are required during the fall and spring terms). Summer enrollment is optional; fellowship recipients receive tuition support for 6 credit hours during the summer terms but do not receive a stipend.

Professional Doctoral Fellowship

UCF’s College of Graduate Studies offers the Professional Doctoral Fellowship to outstanding students who are newly enrolling in one of UCF’s Professional Doctoral programs during the Summer or Fall semester. Nominations are encouraged for outstanding students in the discipline and must be submitted by the Graduate Program Director. Eligibility is restricted to U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

Qualifying disciplines include Curriculum and Instruction EdD, Educational Leadership EdD, Nursing Practice DNP, and Physical Therapy DPT. Fellowship payments, tuition support, and health insurance coverage will begin in the Fall semester.

Nomination Deadline: February 3.

Duration of Award: Maximum of three years of support.

Fellowship Stipend: $3,000 per year for up to three years.

Health Insurance: A UCF Student Health Insurance Policy will be provided for your individual coverage for the duration of the award.

Criteria for Fellowship Selection:

U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
Submission of a completed admission application and all test scores (including TOEFL for international students) by January 15 or earlier if required by your prospective program.
Admission to a UCF professional doctoral program (DNP, DPT, or EdD) for the Summer or Fall 2025 term.
Evidence of experience in the field.

Fellowship Obligations:

Maintain good academic standing and acceptable progress to degree.
Participate in UCF graduate fellowship community activities.
Maintain full-time enrollment in your professional doctoral program (9 credit hours are required during the fall and spring terms). Summer enrollment is optional; fellowship recipients receive tuition support for 6 credit hours during the summer terms but do not receive a stipend.

MFA Provost’s Graduate Fellowship

UCF offers the MFA Provost’s Fellowship to superior graduate students who are newly enrolling in one of UCF’s Master of Fine Arts programs. These awards provide two years of support to the most qualified applicants to the institution.

Nomination Deadline: March 1.

Duration of Award: Maximum of two years of support.

Fellowship Stipend: $10,000 per year for up to two years.

Health Insurance: A UCF Student Health Insurance Policy will be provided for your individual coverage for the duration of the award.

Criteria for Fellowship Selection:

Submission of a completed admission application and all test scores (including TOEFL for international students) by January 15 or earlier if required by your prospective program.
Admission to a UCF Master of Fine Arts program for the Fall 2025 term.
Each MFA program may nominate up to two new applicants in each academic year. The College of Graduate Studies will review the nominees and make the awards.

Fellowship Obligations:

Maintain good academic standing and acceptable progress to degree.
Participate in UCF graduate fellowship community activities.
Maintain full-time enrollment in your graduate program (9 credit hours are required during the fall and spring terms). Summer enrollment is optional; fellowship recipients receive tuition support for 6 credit hours during the summer terms but do not receive a stipend.

Graduate Dean’s Fellowship

UCF offers the Graduate Dean’s Fellowship to superior graduate students who are newly enrolling in one of UCF’s eligible graduate programs. This award supplements a qualifying assistantship or external fellowship for one year.

Nomination Deadline: March 15.

Duration of Award: One year of support.

Fellowship Stipend: $5,000 per year for one year.

Health Insurance: A UCF Student Health Insurance Policy will be provided for your individual coverage for the duration of the award.

Criteria for Fellowship Selection:

Submission of a completed admission application and all test scores (including TOEFL for international students) by January 15 or earlier if required by your prospective program.
Admission to an eligible UCF master’s or doctoral program for the Summer of Fall 2025 term.
Qualifications that meet or exceed the average top 25 percent for the entering class based on data for the last four years.
Requires standard assistantship stipend (20 hours/week) and accompanying tuition remission (waiver or payment) paid for by the graduate program or its faculty for all terms of the fellowship award.

Fellowship Obligations:

Meet and adhere to all requirements of the assistantship.
Maintain good academic standing and acceptable progress to degree.
Participate in UCF graduate fellowship community activities.
Maintain full-time enrollment in your graduate program (9 credit hours are required during the fall and spring terms). Summer enrollment is optional; fellowship recipients receive tuition support for 6 credit hours during the summer terms but do not receive a stipend.

Summer Mentoring Fellowship

The Summer Mentoring Fellowship is one of several UCF graduate awards available to incoming graduate students. Qualified incoming students who are interested in doing research with a faculty mentor are encouraged to reach out to that faculty member or their graduate program director to request a nomination for the Summer Mentoring Fellowship. A nomination from the program is required after the student and faculty member have agreed upon a summer research project. See below for more details and the nomination form.

Nomination Deadline: March 15.

Duration of Award: 1 term (summer).

Fellowship Stipend: $4,500 in summer.

Tuition Support: UCF College of Graduate Studies pays the standard tuition for your required research hours (6 credit hours) during the summer term. This does not include the payment of local fees (health fee, athletic fee, building fee, etc.).

Health Insurance: A UCF Student Health Insurance Policy will be provided for your individual coverage for the duration of the award.

Eligibility:

Available to incoming graduate students who have been accepted to an eligible graduate degree program for the Summer or Fall 2025 semester. Fall admits who participate in the program will have their admission term changed to Summer.
U.S. Citizen or permanent resident.
Must have earned a bachelor’s degree before the start of the summer term.

Fellowship Requirements:

Complete the Summer Mentoring Research Agreement with a faculty mentor and adhere to the research agreement (May through early August).
Perform research-related activities for 20 hours per week during the full summer term.
Maintain enrollment in 6 graduate credit hours of Directed Research or Independent Study.
Participate in a series of graduate workshops.
Give a final research presentation in person at the end of the summer term.
Maintain satisfactory academic standing and acceptable progress to degree.

Fellowship Nomination Process:

Interested students should reach out to a prospective faculty mentor or their program director to discuss this fellowship opportunity.
Faculty submit the nomination to us by completing the 2025 Summer Mentoring Fellowship Nomination Form by the deadline. We are no longer accepting nominations for 2025.

Current Students

Graduate Dean’s Dissertation Completion Fellowship

The Graduate Dean’s Dissertation Completion Fellowship aims to increase dissertation completion among doctoral students. This award is intended for students in their final semester of graduate education who have a realistic expectation of degree completion in the Spring or Summer semester. The award will allow students to forgo their non-research-related employment obligations to concentrate on completing their dissertation.

Each college should nominate students based on their demonstrated ability to complete high-quality dissertation research and the assurance that the awarding of the fellowship will allow the student(s) to complete their dissertation and graduate at the end of the term.

Nomination Deadline: November 15 (Spring award) or April 4 (Summer award). Students should speak with their program director about the deadline to submit to their Dean’s office for nomination consideration.

Duration of Award: One semester.

Fellowship Stipend: $10,000 (Spring term) or $5,000 (Summer term).

Tuition Support: UCF College of Graduate Studies pays the charges for your required dissertation hours during the term of the award. This does not include the payment of local fees (health fee, athletic fee, building fee, etc.).

Health Insurance: A UCF Student Health Insurance Policy will be provided for your individual coverage for the duration of the award.

Eligibility Requirements:

A doctoral student in good academic standing is expected to complete their doctoral degree by the end of the spring semester for the spring award or the summer semester for the summer award.
Students supported on university fellowships or certain external fellowships are not eligible.
Students holding this award cannot have concurrent full-time on-campus or off-campus employment or be employed as a GTA/GA or adjunct instructor at UCF (employment as a GRA is acceptable if the assignment relates to the completion of the student’s dissertation research).

Fellowship Obligations:

Maintain good academic standing and acceptable progress to degree.
Maintain full-time enrollment in dissertation credit hours during the award term.

Fellowship Nomination Package: College Dean’s Offices will submit nominations electronically to gradfellowship@ucf.edu by the nomination deadline listed above. When submitting the nomination, please provide:

The student’s name and UCF ID.
A letter from the dissertation chair describing the substance of the dissertation, its significance, and anticipated completion date.
A document from the doctoral candidate including:
- One-page summary of the project written in nontechnical language.
- Detailed timeline for completion of the dissertation (including information on the most recent chapter completed).
- 250-word statement expressing why the fellowship would assist with the completion of the doctoral degree.

Current students may also apply for the following additional funding opportunities:

Delores A. Auzenne Fellowship (See section below)
Graduate Presentation Fellowship

Fellowship Application Required
The following fellowships require a separate fellowship application submitted by the student or the use of the graduate admission application fee waiver to be considered for funding. Fellowships that require an application must be submitted by the fellowship application deadline. See below for instructions and deadlines for each fellowship.

McNair and RAMP Scholars, FAMU Feeder students, and GEM Fellowship applicants are eligible for a UCF graduate admission application fee waiver. Visit https://graduate.ucf.edu/applying-to-ucf/ for more information.

Note: Students who are eligible for and use the McNair or RAMP Scholar graduate application fee waiver will be automatically considered for the associated fellowship if all materials for the graduate admission application are submitted in the online graduate admissions portal by January 15 for the following summer or fall semester. The materials must include at least two letters of recommendation (including one from your McNair or RAMP Mentor), a resume, a personal/goal statement, and all transcripts.

Students who are eligible for and use the FAMU Feeder graduate application fee waiver will be automatically considered for the associated fellowship if all materials for the graduate admission application are submitted in the online graduate admissions portal by March 1 for the following summer or fall semester. The materials must include at least two letters of recommendation, a resume, a personal/goal statement, and all transcripts.

If you would like to submit additional materials for fellowship consideration, email those documents to gradfellowship@ucf.edu. If you did not use the application fee waiver but participated in the McNair Scholar, RAMP Scholar, or FAMU Feeder programs, notify us that you would like to be considered for the fellowship by emailing us at gradfellowship@ucf.edu no later than January 15 for the McNair and RAMP Fellowship and March 1 for the FAMU Feeder Fellowship.

Graduate McNair Fellowship

UCF offers Graduate McNair Fellowships to provide financial support to the most outstanding undergraduate McNair scholars who enroll in UCF graduate programs. In addition to tuition and health insurance coverage, this fellowship pays a yearly stipend of $10,000 for master’s students and $25,000 for doctoral students. Award recipients are selected in spring by the UCF Fellowship Committee for awards beginning the following fall term.

Application Deadline: January 15.

Duration of Award: 4 years doctoral; 2 years master’s.

Fellowship Stipend: $25,000 per year for up to four years (doctoral); $10,000 per year for up to two years (master’s).

Health Insurance: A UCF Student Health Insurance Policy will be provided for your individual coverage for the duration of the award.

Criteria for Fellowship Selection:

Submission of a completed admission application and all test scores (including TOEFL for international students) by January 15 or earlier if required by your prospective program. The application must include the following:
- Two letters of recommendation from faculty including one from your McNair mentor
- Resume
- Personal/Goal Statement
Admission to a UCF graduate program requires independent research or scholarly work. Preference will be given to those students entering UCF doctoral programs.
Successful completion of the McNair Scholars program at UCF or another participating institution.
Evidence of research experience, awards, recognition, or honors.

Fellowship Obligations:

Maintain satisfactory academic standing and acceptable progress to degree.
Participate in UCF graduate fellowship community activities.
Maintain full-time enrollment in an eligible graduate program (9 credit hours are required during the fall and spring terms). Summer enrollment is optional; fellowship recipients receive tuition support for 6 credit hours during the summer terms but do not receive a stipend.

Graduate RAMP Fellowship

UCF offers Graduate RAMP Fellowships to provide financial support to the most outstanding undergraduate RAMP scholars who enroll in UCF graduate programs. In addition to tuition and health insurance coverage, this fellowship pays a yearly stipend of $10,000 for master’s students and $12,000 for doctoral students. Award recipients are selected in spring by the UCF Fellowship Committee for awards beginning the following fall term.

Application Deadline: January 15.

Duration of Award: 4 years doctoral; 2 years master’s.

Fellowship Stipend: $12,000 per year for up to four years (doctoral); $10,000 per year for up to two years (master’s).

Health Insurance: A UCF Student Health Insurance Policy will be provided for your individual coverage for the duration of the award.

Criteria for Fellowship Selection:

Submission of a completed admission application and all test scores (including TOEFL for international students) by January 15 or earlier if required by your prospective program. The application must include the following:
- Two letters of recommendation from faculty including one from your RAMP mentor
- Resume
- Personal/Goal Statement
Admission to a UCF graduate program requires independent research or scholarly work. Preference will be given to those students entering UCF doctoral programs.
Successful completion of the RAMP Scholars program at UCF.
Evidence of research experience, awards, recognition, or honors.

Fellowship Obligations:

Maintain satisfactory academic standing and acceptable progress to degree.
Participate in UCF graduate fellowship community activities.
Maintain full-time enrollment in an eligible graduate program (9 credit hours are required during the fall and spring terms). Summer enrollment is optional; fellowship recipients receive tuition support for 6 credit hours during the summer terms but do not receive a stipend.

Graduate FAMU Feeder Fellowship

UCF offers Graduate FAMU Feeder Fellowships to provide financial support to the most outstanding undergraduate FAMU Feeder scholars who enroll in UCF graduate programs. In addition to tuition and health insurance coverage, this fellowship pays a yearly stipend of $10,000 for master’s students and $12,000 for doctoral students. Award recipients are selected in spring by the UCF Fellowship Committee for awards beginning the following fall term.

Application Deadline: March 1.

Duration of Award: 4 years doctoral; 2 years master’s.

Fellowship Stipend: $12,000 per year for up to four years (doctoral); $10,000 per year for up to two years (master’s).

Health Insurance: A UCF Student Health Insurance Policy will be provided for your individual coverage for the duration of the award.

Criteria for Fellowship Selection:

Submission of a completed admission application and all test scores (including TOEFL for international students) by January 15 or earlier if required by your prospective program. The application must include the following:
- Two letters of recommendation from faculty
- Resume
- Personal/Goal Statement
Admission to a UCF graduate program requires independent research or scholarly work. Preference will be given to those students entering UCF doctoral programs.
Successful completion of the FAMU Feeder Scholars program at FAMU.
Evidence of research experience, awards, recognition, or honors.

Fellowship Obligations:

Maintain satisfactory academic standing and acceptable progress to degree.
Participate in UCF graduate fellowship community activities.
Maintain full-time enrollment in an eligible graduate program (9 credit hours are required during the fall and spring terms). Summer enrollment is optional; fellowship recipients receive tuition support for 6 credit hours during the summer terms but do not receive a stipend.

Delores A. Auzenne Fellowship

The Delores A. Auzenne Fellowship is awarded yearly to new and continuing graduate students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Students may reapply each year.

Application Deadline: March 1.

Duration of Award: 1 year.

Fellowship Stipend: $5,000 per year for one year.

Criteria for Fellowship Selection:

Available to new and continuing graduate degree-seeking students.
Recipient must be a resident of the state of Florida for a minimum of two years.

Fellowship Obligations:

Maintain satisfactory academic standing and acceptable progress to degree.
Participate in UCF graduate fellowship community activities.
Maintain full-time enrollment in an eligible graduate program (9 credit hours are required during the fall and spring terms).

Fellowship Application:

Required materials:
- Goal Statement
- Resume
- Two Letters of Recommendation from faculty
Instructions are included in the online Delores A. Auzenne Fellowship Application. The application is currently closed for 2025-2026.

GEM Fellowship Program

The GEM fellowship program invests in a competitive American workforce by supporting high-caliber students looking to pursue Master’s and Doctoral degrees in applied science and engineering, and matches their specific skills to the technical needs of GEM employer members. Through the fellowship, students receive full financial support and a paid internship. The program has received a Presidential Award for its impact in STEM and has produced over 5000 leaders in STEM.

UCF is a GEM member institution. Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. See the GEM website for more information and application instructions.