Postdoctoral Funding Resources

Postdoctoral Funding Resources

Postdoctoral Funding Resources

Preeminent Postdoctoral Program

The UCF Preeminent Postdoctoral Program, also known as P3, targets outstanding scholars beginning their postdoctoral training at UCF. In coordination with principal investigators seeking postdoctoral scholars, the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs provides $20,000 in support for the salary (minimum annual salary of $57,000) and benefits for two years, as well as an additional allowance of up to $5,000 for each scholar to advance their professional development.

The College of Graduate Studies began accepting applications for P3 in November 2016 and has since supported PIs to hire hundreds of new Postdoctoral Scholars across UCF colleges, institutes, and centers.

Beginning in fall 2023, the Short-Term Postdoc Support program, otherwise known as STePS, began accepting applications. Since then, the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs has awarded nearly 100 STePS awards and counting. The award is for a 6-month time frame and is only awardable to UCF doctoral graduates. The faculty mentor contributes to the first two months of salary, and the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs supports up to the latter four months.

PLEASE NOTE: P3 and STePS are mutually exclusive. (A postdoctoral scholar can only receive the benefits of one program during their time at UCF.) We are happy to go over the differences and costs with any potential faculty applicant so they can choose the right program for their needs.

Please see below for the applications to both funding programs.

Preeminent Postdoctoral Program Application – Funding for December 2026 and beyond

UCF Faculty interested in this program may submit the Preeminent Postdoctoral Program Application to the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs at postdoc@ucf.edu as soon as you know you would like to take advantage of the program. We do not advise waiting to apply.

Short-Term Postdoc Support (STePS) Application – Funding available for 2026/27

UCF Faculty interested in mentoring a short-term postdoctoral scholar may apply using the STePS Program Application. Please submit applications to postdoc@ucf.edu as soon as you know you would like to take advantage of the program. We do not advise waiting to apply.

PLEASE NOTE: STePS and P3 are mutually exclusive, and a postdoc can only receive funding from one of these programs in their time at UCF. Please apply for the funding opportunity that suits your funding situation and your postdoc’s needs.

P3 Match Request

Faculty submitting proposals that require match may fill out this Match Request form to request P3 to supplement your award, where match is required.

PLEASE NOTE: The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs can only promise support if the match is required. If the match is not required, PIs should budget the entire postdoc salary in their proposals, and upon notification of your award, apply for P3 using the application above.

Faculty Support Request

Please use the Support for Faculty Job Offers form to request the addition of a P3 award to a startup package. (Approval is based on available resources.) Be sure to inform the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs when the offer is accepted or declined.

UCF Open Access Publishing Fund

The College of Graduate Studies will provide annual support of up to $1,500/year for article processing charges (APCs) for current and recent (within one year of graduation or employment) graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. View the application for more details on the requirements and submission process.

Funding Resources and Assistance

Several funding opportunities exist for postdoctoral scholars, including awards offered through the American Association of University Women (AAUW), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institute of Health (NIH), the Ford Foundation, the Graduate Women in Science, the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program, and others.

The Research Development team helps scholars develop research opportunities and find funding for their projects. They offer training in using various funding tools, assist with internal program submissions, conduct workshops related to proposal development, and provide pre-award advisement and proposal development assistance. More specifically, they:

Help identify funding sources

Aid with proposal preparation

Assist with searchable databases