Financial Support & Employment

There are several types of financial support available for prospective new students and continuing graduate students. The primary types of support are listed below.

Fellowships:

Fellowships are available for new and continuing students.

New Prospective Students:

For prospective students to be eligible for fellowship consideration, the online application must be submitted, the application fee paid, and all required supplemental application materials must be received by the Sociology Department - ALL by the admissions deadline on December 1st.

Domestic or permanent residents must complete the FAFSA student financial aid form by the deadline in early March (international students do not complete the FAFSA form). Applicants must have distinguished scholastic records and prospective students must be approved for admission. Notification of financial awards are sent out in March.

Continuing Graduate Students:

The Sociology Department will send out an annual call to all continuing graduate students during winter quarter (typically in late February or early March) for continuing graduate student fellowship consideration. All required fellowship materials must be received by the deadline, and domestic or permanent residents must complete the FAFSA student financial aid form by the deadline in early March (international students do not complete the FAFSA form).

The department will evaluate all complete applications received and submit a finalized list of Sociology fellowship nominees to the Graduate Division for consideration during this campus-wide competition. Additional continuing fellowship opportunities are available by-student nomination as well.

External Funding:

Applicants are strongly encouraged to seek out national, governmental, and foundation fellowships, scholarships, grants, and loans which can be used at any university. Information about these may be obtained by writing directly to individual agencies and foundations. Your university financial aid office may be able to advise you about other extramural funding sources. In addition, the UCSB Graduate Division maintains a website that contains funding sourses. Also check on the Amercian Sociological Association's website for further sociology fellowship opportunities.

ASE Representation: Teaching assistants, associates and readers, as Academic Student Employees (ASE), are covered by a bargaining agreement. For more information: ASE WEBSITE

Excellence & Diversity: Student body diversity contributes greatly to a broader education for all concerned. The Graduate Division continues to pursue the goals of increasing the excellence and diversity of the graduate training programs at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The quality of the intellectual and social experience of graduate training is enhanced by the participation of students with the widest variety of perspectives and experiences. Specific fellowships are offered to qualified individuals meeting the eligibility criteria who are from cultural, linguistic, geographic, and socioeconomic backgrounds not adequately represented in the graduate student population.

Teaching Assistantships: The department assumes that unless there is evidence to the contrary, a graduate student can perform adequately as a teaching assistant. In addition, all students must maintain a 3.0 GPA and have fewer than 12 units of incomplete grades to be eligible for teaching assistantships. In addition, all students whose native language is not English must pass an Oral English Language Exam prior to becoming a teaching assistant. Students with TA positions enroll in Soc 501.

  • Incoming Students: All incoming graduate students must enroll in Sociology 290A. The seminar is an essential part of graduate training in sociology. The seminar also offers a forum for students to learn about research in progress by faculty and students and allows advanced graduate students the opportunity to present their dissertation research as a “trial run” for job market presentations. 

Non-Resident Tuition Fellowships: All non-resident applications received by December 1 are automatically considered for the limited number of out-of-state fellowships. No separate application is required. These fellowships are awarded on the basis of exceptional academic excellence, and they may be awarded separately or occasionally in conjunction with a teaching assistantship. These are listed on the graduate division's website under the financial link

Teaching Associateships: Students who have received the MA or have advanced to PhD candidacy are eligible to apply for temporary teaching associate positions. Teaching associates are the instructor of record for their courses. Associateships (teaching a course) are considered on an individual basis with the criteria being the candidates’ teaching skills and expertise in a specialized area.

Research Assistantships: Among the faculty research projects that have employed student assistants are studies of gender segregation in the workplace; global economic restructuring and international trade; the production of culture in the television industry; politics and social revolution in developing countries; the social impact of offshore oil development; incorporation of Latino immigrants in the Isla Vista community; and changing rates of imprisonment in modern welfare states. This is a partial listing. New projects are continually being developed, and student participation is encouraged. Research Assistants are chosen directly by individual faculty members during the academic year and are not assigned by the department. Students should contact individual faculty members about these opportunities.

Readerships: Readerships are occasionally available in courses where the instructor needs assistance in grading the assignments and examinations. Readerships are considered on an individual basis, dependent upon need and other financial support.

Financial Aid, Work-Study, and Loans:

Information about need-based financial aid, work-study monies, and student loans may be obtained by contacting:

Office of Financial Aid
2103 SAASB
University of California
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-3180
(805) 893-2432

There are additional Employment Opportunities and Departmental Awards available to graduate students.