Financial Aid & Special Appointments

In addition to general UCSB fellowships and grants, the Department has a special endowment fund, the Ralph W. Church Fund, a certain amount of which can be used each year to award fellowships, teaching assistantships, and readerships. The Department also has a fund, the Fingarette Fund, which is used to support research travel for our graduate students. Contact the Director of Graduate Studies for details on how to apply for this funding.

Application Fee Waivers

Some applicants qualify for fee waivers. There are various paths to a fee waiver. First, they are available to participants in certain programs, for instance the Minority Student Enrichment Program (MSEP) and the McNair Scholars program. (The full list is available through the application portal.) Second, they are available on the basis of household income, for instance those with a gross income of under $29,685 for a family of three. Third, students who have received significant financial aid from their current university may be eligible for a fee waiver. Fee waiver requests and supporting documentation must be received by the Graduate Division two weeks prior to the application deadline.

Fellowships and Teaching Assistantships

Fellowships are awarded for the first year of study and include coverage for fees, insurance, and tuition. Teaching Assistantships provide coverage for tuition, insurance, and most fees. TAs assist in lower-division courses such as Introduction to Philosophy, Critical Thinking, Introduction to Ethics, and Biomedical Ethics, as well as occasionally in upper-division courses. Responsibilities typically include leading discussion sections and grading assignments and exams. Teaching Assistantships may also be available in other departments and programs within the University. Contact the Graduate Advisor or Chair of Admissions for details on Fellowship and Teaching Assistantship salaries.

Readerships

There is no specific number of readerships, as this depends on enrollments and the decision of the instructor whether or not to use a reader. Contact the Graduate Advisor for details on Readership salaries.

Union 

Students who are appointed as teaching assistants, tutors, readers, or teaching associates fall under an agreement between the Regents of the University of California and the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW). Information about the current contract can be found here. All University of California graduate students on every campus are eligible for membership in UAW 2865. Membership entitles one to vote in union elections, including votes on whether to ratify the contract one works under. More information on how to join can be found here.