Diversity-Enhancement Programs
The Eugene Cota-Robles Fellowship and the Dissertation-Year Fellowship are part of the University of California’s Academic Career Development Program.
The Eugene Cota-Robles Fellowship is a merit-based diversity-enhancement program that provides financial support for students from diverse backgrounds to pursue and successfully complete a graduate degree. This fellowship is awarded to entering doctoral students who have overcome significant obstacles to achieve a baccalaureate-level degree, and whose economic, educational, or social background contributes to intellectual diversity of the graduate student population. Departments identify applicants from among their pool of admissions applications. Applicants should refer to the information under Financial Support in the application to gain a better understanding of this fellowship. Fellowship recipients must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
The Dissertation-Year Fellowship is available to continuing students who are advanced to candidacy. Enrolled students are assisted through formal and informal group orientations, individual advice about academic matters, financial aid, postdoctoral opportunities, and the provision of information about career planning, health care, and housing.
Departments nominate applicants for this fellowship from among their qualified students. For information, see the Division of Graduate Studies website.
Student Life
The campus offers a variety of programs to enhance the quality of student life, all of which are available to graduate students. These include child care, sports and recreation, health services, cultural events, transportation services, and the UCSC Women’s Center. See undergraduate Student Life for information on these services and a description of the local community. See Disability Resource Center for services available to students with disabilities.
Graduate Student Association
The Graduate Student Association (GSA) is an organization of all graduate students at UCSC.
The GSA advocates for graduate student interests with regard to tuition and fees, health insurance, transportation, housing, graduate student well-being, support for marginalized grad students, and other important issues. The GSA ensures graduate student representation on campus committees and works with the campus and UC administration to implement GSA goals. The GSA also works with statewide and UC-wide bodies to represent the UCSC graduate community beyond our campus.
The GSA awards research and travel grants to graduate students and also organizes and co-sponsors events for graduate students, including international graduate students and grads from historically marginalized communities.
The GSA is funded by student fees and operated by an executive board. Graduate students elect representatives from departments which offer graduate degrees to participate on the GSA Council. The council meets three times per quarter to strategize around and discuss issues that impact graduate students. For more information, contact the GSA website or email gsainfo@ucsc.edu.
Graduate Student Commons
Located in the Quarry Plaza, the Graduate Student Commons (GSC) serves the needs and interests of graduate students at UCSC. The GSC is open 24 hours a day and is accessible by student ID card.
The Graduate Student Commons offers a wide range of professional development workshops, health and wellness, and social activities each quarter to support graduate students at UCSC. Visit the Graduate Student Commons website to learn about upcoming programming.
Housing
As at all UC campuses, finding housing may be a challenge. Students who wish to reside on campus should submit their application as soon as possible. Likewise, students who wish to live off campus should start looking at available rentals as soon as possible.
On-campus Graduate Student Housing is available for 82 graduate students. Visit the Grad Housing website, or email gradhsg@ucsc.edu.
Students with families may apply to live in Family Student Housing, a complex of two-bedroom unfurnished apartments. Refer to the Family Student Housing website, or email fsh@ucsc.edu.
To assist students in locating living accommodations in the surrounding communities, the Community Rentals Office maintains a list of available rentals.
Global Engagement
The Global Engagement Office facilitates the exchange of people, ideas, and knowledge to support and promote the internationalization of the teaching, learning, and research at UC Santa Cruz. Global Engagement oversees UCSC Study Abroad, International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS), Global Programming, and Global Initiatives. For further information, contact the Global Engagement Office: 103 Classroom Unit Building, (831) 459-2858, email: global@ucsc.edu.
International Student Scholar Services
International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) provides immigration advising and advocacy as well as cultural and academic programming for UCSC's growing global community. ISSS assists students, scholars, researchers, and faculty members in maintaining their legal status while in the United States, serving as UCSC's official liaison to U.S. government agencies related to immigration matters. For information, see the ISSS website.
Fulbright Grants for Graduate Study and Research Abroad
The Global Engagement Office facilitates the Fulbright annual awards competition for the Graduate Study and Research Abroad Program for currently enrolled UCSC students.
Study Abroad
UCSC Study Abroad offers undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to study through the University of California Education Abroad Program (UCEAP) as part of their regular UCSC academic program, with more than 400 programs in more than 40 countries. UCEAP serves students at all UC campuses. Study Abroad also assists students participating in study-abroad opportunities through UCSC directly, through other UC campuses, and through privately sponsored organizations. Study Abroad seeks to bring these programs within reach of all students.