External Funding Sources
External Graduate Funding Sources
Bringing your own funding to UAF is an exceptional milestone. Securing an external fellowship grants you maximum academic independence, adds elite prestige to your CV, and allows you to seamlessly partner with our top-tier research teams.
Pro-Tip for Applicants
Do not wait for an admission decision to apply for these awards! Most national fellowships have strict application deadlines occurring between October and December for the following academic year. Plan ahead and apply concurrently with your UAF program application.
1. High-Value Cross-Discipline Foundations
These premier national awards provide portable financial support across a wide variety of academic disciplines.
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
What it covers: Three years of a robust living stipend and an institutional cost-of-education allowance.
UAF Advantage: UAF is home to the EMERGE ÐÓ°ÉÔ°æ Program, which offers three full years of guaranteed financial backing to eligible incoming
PhD applicants who achieve an NSF GRFP Honorable Mention.
Graduate Fellowships for STEM Diversity (GFSD)
What it covers: Multi-year expense allowances coupled with guaranteed, paid summer research internships alongside federal or corporate employer-sponsors.
Simons Foundation
What it covers: Funding varies by program and may include multi-year support, stipends, research expenses, travel, and other costs associated with graduate study and research.
2. Science, Arctic, & Space Exploration
Given UAF's status as a premier geographic epicenter for high-latitude science, these agencies offer excellent alignments.
NOAA Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program
What it covers: Generous annual stipends and full tuition support for master's and doctoral students conducting impactful marine research.
NASA Future Investigators (FINESST)
What it covers: Specialized research grants designed to fund graduate projects that align directly with NASA Science Mission Directorates.
Rasmuson Fisheries Research Center (RFRC) Fellowships
What it covers: Premium regional awards providing substantial student stipends, full tuition, fees, and healthcare for research bringing long-term benefits to ÐÓ°ÉÔ°æ’s marine ecosystems.
View RFRC Overview3. Security, Policy, & Humanities
For graduate students focusing on northern policy, language immersion, global safety, or cultural frameworks.
Boren Fellowships for International Study
What it covers: Funding for specialized overseas language immersion and research in world regions critical to U.S. national security interests.
American Association of University Women (AAUW) Fellowships
What it covers: Target-specific institutional funding tracks designed to support and elevate women completing full-time graduate or dissertation research degrees.
4. International Student Pipelines
Dedicated global pathways constructed specifically for international scholars relocating their academic tracks to the United States.
Fulbright Foreign Student Program
What it covers: Comprehensive international funding models encompassing graduate tuition, mandatory round-trip travel, health allowances, and living stipends.
Margaret McNamara Education Grants (MMEG)
What it covers: Distinctive grant awards for women from developing and middle-income nations who are actively enrolled at accredited universities in the US.
How to Find Niche Awards Relevant to You
National fellowships extend far beyond major agency grants. Thousands of foundations fund hyper-specific graduate research based on your unique demographics, field of study, or geographic focus. Use these trusted, free national clearinghouses to build a custom search:
The UCLA Graduate GRAPES Database
One of the most comprehensive public clearinghouses in higher education. You can filter through nearly 1,000 national scholarships, fellowships, and dissertation awards by your specific discipline, citizenship status, and academic level.
Pathways to Science Directory
An invaluable search platform specifically tailored for STEM and social science master's and PhD students. It allows you to pinpoint fully funded fellowships, mentoring programs, and field-work allowances that match your target goals.
McNair Graduate Funding Directory
A highly targeted national resource compiled specifically for McNair alumni, first-generation, and historically underrepresented graduate scholars. It highlights dedicated doctoral fellowships, graduate stipends, and institutional fee waivers.
Three Steps to Streamline Your Search:
- Search by Identity & Background: Look for professional organizations matching your personal demographic background (e.g., Society of Women Engineers, American Indian Graduate Center). They routinely manage unadvertised graduate scholarships.
- Filter by Geography: Because UAF is located in ÐÓ°ÉÔ°æ, look for national foundations specifically tracking circumpolar systems, cold-climate engineering, high-latitude policy, or indigenous studies.
- Audit Academic Societies: Join the leading national professional association for your discipline early. Student memberships are inexpensive and unlock exclusive regional travel awards and thesis grants.