Funding Sources

Internal & External Graduate Funding

Securing funding is a vital part of your graduate school journey. Below you will find internal opportunities available directly through UAF, alongside highly competitive external fellowships and grants to support your academic and research pursuits.

Internal Funding Opportunities

Assistantships

The University of �Ӱ�ԭ�� Fairbanks offers three main types of graduate assistantships. These positions provide paid professional experience working alongside faculty, compensated through a regular stipend, graduate health insurance, and tuition support.

Research Assistantship (RAship)

RAships focus directly on assisting faculty members with designated research projects. Positions include a stipend, graduate student health insurance, and tuition support (and may cover mandatory student fees in select cases). Because RAships are frequently funded via external faculty research grants, additional eligibility criteria or expectations may vary depending on the specific project and advisor.

Teaching Assistantship (TAship)

TAship appointments typically require up to 20 hours of service per week and include a stipend, health insurance, and tuition support. Responsibilities generally include:

Teaching undergraduate courses or laboratory sections
Leading classroom discussion groups
Grading and supervising instructional spaces
Holding student office hours

Engagement Assistantship (EAship)

Engagement positions offer a stipend, graduate student health insurance, and tuition support while partnering you with a campus service unit closely tied to your academic goals. EAships provide valuable administrative and programmatic support to university initiatives, including:

Academic program support
University library services
Athletic and student recreation services

Want to dive deeper into assistantships?

Review our breakdown of rules, workloads, and benefits.

All-Things-Assistantships

Fellowships & Awards

Mellon Foundation Troth Yeddha' Collective Fellowship

Currently Closed

Katherine Schexneider Arctic Climate Science Award

Temporarily Closed for Application Review - This award supports graduate students and early-career researchers (who graduated within the last 5 years) conducting research projects in Arctic or sub-Arctic climate science at UAF. Awards up to $5,000.

Entrepreneurial & Innovation Fellowships

Offered through the RISE-UP Program, these two unique fellowships provide a 20-hour stipend, tuition, and insurance during the academic year, expanding to a full 40-hour support framework during the summer term.

Enhancing Marine Ecosystem Research and Graduate Education (EMERGE)

Provides three full years of financial support to applicants who received an NSF GRFP Honorable Mention on or after Spring 2022. The program will award 12 PhD fellowships. Applicants must apply through the NSF ETAP portal prior to UAF graduate submission.

Departmental & Institutional Scholarships

Many academic departments manage dedicated scholarship opportunities. Explore program-specific portals below or log into the central UA Foundation system.

Arctic & Northern Studies Scholarships

Lists specialized program scholarships that students can apply for directly through the main UA Foundation portal.

Biology & Wildlife Scholarships

Provides access to specific biological sciences funding opportunities you can apply to directly.

College of Business & Security Management Scholarships

Highlights a hybrid of internal direct-apply scholarships and general awards managed via the UA Foundation portal.

College of Engineering & Mines

Compiles engineering-focused awards and discipline-specific donor scholarships hosted on the foundation network.

College of Fisheries & Ocean Sciences Scholarships

Lists specialized marine science and fisheries funding tracks accessible via direct application or the UA portal.

Degree Completion Scholarship

Open for Summer! Financial support intended to help graduate students clear their final thesis or project milestones.

Travel Grants

�Ӱ�ԭ�� Quaternary Center

Travel support for students presenting or conducting research linked directly to Quaternary science themes.

Associated Students of UAF (ASUAF)

Student government funding allocations meant to offset professional travel and conference attendance costs.

Graduate School Travel Award

Currently Open Direct funding awards managed by the Graduate School to support student presentations at national conferences.

External Funding Resources

We highly encourage graduate students to explore competitive national programs. These fellowships look exceptional on a CV and offer robust financial pathways.

Explore External Funding Sources