International Student Resources

International students face additional challenges during their academic experience including a new culture, possible language differences, and developing new support networks. 

The International Student Support Officer is here to help international students with the transition to UCI (focus on cultural support), finding appropriate resources, and connecting with other current students through GIC.

Current Fellowships

Overview

The Gordon Hein Scholarship provides financial support to graduate students who demonstrate outstanding past academic achievement as well as future promise, have financial need, and are blind or legally blind. Certification by the Disability Services Center is required.

Call for nominationsOctober 19, 2021
Application Deadline:
November 23, 2021

For more information contact: Sonia Lepe 

Award Amount

This award provides resident fees and a stipend of $7,000 during Spring Quarter of the academic year of the award. Nonresident supplemental tuition and professional degree supplemental tuition are not included.

Eligibility

Students must be pursuing a Ph.D. or master’s degree. Students enrolled in self-supporting programs are not eligible.

  • Must be in good academic standing
  • Must demonstrate financial need
  • Must be blind or legally blind APPLICATION PROCESS Complete the application form, obtain the signature of the Graduate Associate Dean in your school and send to ganzivin@uci.edu with the following:
  • Gordon Hein Scholarship Application Form – with all signatures
  • U.S. citizens apply for FAFSA – attach a copy of confirmation. International students – statement of financial need from faculty advisor or department chair.
  • Recommendation letter from faculty advisor or department chair
  • Statement of research, written for reviewers in other fields – approximately one page
  • Current Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Unofficial transcripts through Spring Quarter
  • Certification (signature on form) from Disability Services Center

Overview

The UCI Graduate Division is pleased to announce a fellowship for students nearing completion of their dissertations/thesis. The Graduate Dean’s Dissertation Fellowship aims to increase dissertation and thesis completion amongst doctoral and MFA students. This award is intended for students in their final year of graduate study who have a realistic expectation of degree completion during the 2022-2023 academic year. The award will allow students to forgo their non-research related employment obligations to concentrate on completing their degree.

Deadline

  • Call for nominations: Monday, February 7, 2022
  • Nomination Deadline: Check with your department for their internal deadline
  • Complete application due to Graduate Division Tuesday, March 22, 2022 @ 12 PM (Noon)

Forms 

Award Info

In an effort to maximize the number of students that can be supported by this fellowship, awards will be made for summer quarters only. The Graduate Dean’s Dissertation Fellowship provides a $5,000 stipend during summer 2022 for students nearing completion of their dissertation or thesis during the 2022-2023 academic year. Graduate Division will cover the cost of the stipend.

Qualifications

  • Full-time Ph.D./MFA students nearing the completion of their dissertation or thesis
  • Nominees must provide evidence in their application that the timeframe to file their degree is reasonable 
  • Academic merit
  • Need for release from non-research related employment
  • Realistic expectation that the student is near degree completion
  • Nominees may not be past their academic program’s maximum time-to-degree

Stipulations

  • GDDF fellows are required to file their dissertation during the 2022-2023 academic year and must file their degree no later than summer 2023.  
  • Department/Schools/Colleges will be required to re-pay the awarded funds to the Graduate Division if the filing requirement is not met. 
  • GDDF fellows cannot hold any university employment including but not limited to TA/Associate/Reader/Tutor or GSR/GSAR/ positions during the summer fellowship term but may hold employment during the 2022-2023 academic year. 
  • GDDF fellows are no longer eligible for Graduate Division fellowship funding after the end of the summer fellowship term. 
  • If students have applied for and accepted Financial Aid loans or Work-Study awards and subsequently receive any fellowships, the additional support may affect their eligibility for need-based financial aid. Students should contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships to determine if their eligibility will be affected.
  • Students should review the terms of any funding that they have accepted for the 2022-2023 academic year to ensure that they are eligible to receive additional fellowship funding.

Application Process

Schools are asked to set internal deadlines and collect the student applications accordingly.  Based on merit, schools will then forward nominations of the students to the Graduate Division by Tuesday, March 22, 2022 at 12pm. 

Nominations are limited to 3 per school for 2022-2023. At this time, College of Health Sciences are limited to 2 nominations per school/program.

Students should check with their academic program for internal deadlines and submit a complete GDDF application form as a Microsoft Word document via e-mail to their department. 

Students: complete and submit the GDDF application form electronically to their academic department, along with the following:

  • Student Statement (500 words max)
    • Brief description of status of research and progress to date 
    • Detailed plan & timeline for completion
    • Explanation of how fellowship will help complete degree within timeframe. Review the application for additional details.
    • Description of past employment while a graduate student
    • Listing of all extramural, departmental, and Graduate Division fellowships or other financial support received, including pending applications with year and amount
  •  Supplemental Documents 
    • Confirm internal deadlines with your academic department
    • Current version of the student’s Curriculum Vitae (CV)
    • UCI unofficial academic transcript
    • Letter of recommendation from student’s dissertation committee chair
    • Save the GDDF Fellowship Student Application form
    • Combine all documents as “GDDFApp_Last Name_SID#.pdf”, e.g. “GDDFApp_Gilman_12345678.pdf”

NOTE: Please review the student application and nomination forms for all of the required documents.

Departments: complete the GDDF Department Nomination Form for each student the department is nominating.

Save the GDDF nomination form as a single PDF file named “GDDFNOM_Last Name_SID#.pdf”, e.g. “GDDFNOM_Gilman_12345678.pdf”

In addition, departments should complete the following:

  • Combine files to a single PDF file for each nominee in this order:
    • GDDF Department Nomination Form
    • GDDF Student Application Form
      • Student Statement
      • Letter of recommendation from the dissertation/thesis advisor 
      • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
      • UCI unofficial academic transcript (Note: Winter 2022 grades will be reviewed by committee prior to providing funding)
    • Save this PDF file as “GDDF_Last Name_SID#.pdf”, e.g. “GDDF_Gilman_12345678.pdf”
    • Forward nomination packages to your school/college.

      How to create PDF Portfolio: https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/create-customize-pdf-portfolios.html

Schools/College: submit completed documentation for the top 3 for their school and top 2 for each school/program in Public Health in the College of Health Sciences to fellowships@exchange.uci.edu and include the following:

  • PDF nomination packet for each student the school/college is nominating

Deadline

  • Call for nominations: Monday, February 7, 2022
  • Nomination Deadline: Check with your department for their internal deadline
  • Complete application due to Graduate Division Tuesday, March 22, 2022 by 12:00 PM (NOON)

Forms 

Contact Info

E-Mail: Fellowships@exchange.uci.edu

Before this fellowship is awarded, we will be checking Winter grades to make sure the awardee(s) is/are in good academic standing. Prospective awardees not in good academic standing risk being removed from consideration of fellowship disbursement

Overview

The Miguel Velez Scholarship provides financial support to graduate students who demonstrate outstanding past academic achievement as well as future promise, have financial need, and are citizens and residents of a Latin American country. Preference is given to citizens of Colombia.

Call for nominationsOctober 19, 2021
Application
Deadline: November 23, 2021

For more information contact: Sonia Lepe at slepe1@uci.edu

Award Amount

This award provides resident fees and a stipend of $7,000 during Spring Quarter of the academic year of the award. Nonresident supplemental tuition and professional degree supplemental tuition are not included.

Eligibility

  • Students must be citizens of a Latin American country and pursuing a Ph.D. or master’s degree. Students enrolled in self-supporting programs are not eligible. 
  • Must be in good academic standing and demonstrate financial need. 
  • Students who are citizens of Colombia or who can prove descent from the donor, Miguel Velez, will be given preference. 
  • Students from a Latin American country who have AB 540 status are also eligible to apply.

Application Process 

Complete the application form, obtain the signature of the Graduate Associate Dean in your school and send to slepe1@uci.edu with the following:

  • Miguel Velez Scholarship Application Form – with all signatures
  • Statement of financial need from faculty advisor or department chair
  • Recommendation letter from faculty advisor or department chair
  • Statement of research, written for reviewers in other fields – approximately one page
  • Current Curriculum Vitae (CV) 
  • Unofficial transcripts through Spring Quarter
  • Copy of passport page showing citizenship in a Latin American country. Residency will be verified via the student information system. 

Overview
The Otto W. Shaler Scholarship provides financial support to international graduate students who have financial need, and who demonstrate outstanding past academic achievement as well as future promise. Each school may submit no more than two applications for this award.

For more information contact: Sonia Lepe

Call for nominationsOctober 19, 2021
Application
Deadline: November 23, 2021

Award Amount

This award provides resident fees and a stipend of $7,000 during Spring Quarter of the academic year of the award. Nonresident supplemental tuition and professional degree supplemental tuition are not included.

Eligibility

  • International students pursuing a Ph.D. or master’s degree. Students enrolled in self-supporting programs are not eligible. 
  • Must be in good academic standing and demonstrate financial need.

Application Process 

Students submit the application materials below to their school representative and should check with their school representative for internal deadlines.

  • Otto W. Shaler Scholarship Application Form – with all signatures
  • Statement of financial need from faculty advisor or department chair 
  • Recommendation letter from faculty advisor or department chair 
  • Statement of research, written for reviewers in other fields – approximately one page 
  • Current Curriculum Vitae (CV) 
  • Unofficial transcripts through Spring Quarter 
  • Copy of passport page showing country of citizenship. Residency will be verified via the student information system.
 
  • Overview

    Phi Beta Kappa Alumni Association International Scholarships are for foreign students engaged in their final year of graduate study. Visit the Phi Beta Kappa Alumni Association website for more detailed information about the program.

    For more information contact: Sonia Lepe 

    Call for nominations: February 10, 2021
    Application Deadline:
    April 16, 2021

    Award Info

    One scholarship will be awarded per academic institution, in the amount of $1,000.

    Eligibility

    • Candidates should be in their final year of study during the 2021-22 academic year. Evidence of registration for Fall 2021 is required before checks to awardees can be distributed. Students on filing fee in Fall 2021 are not eligible. 
    • Candidates are pursuing a Ph.D. or the usual terminal degree in their field. The only supported terminal Master’s degree at UCI is the MFA. Professional degrees (MBA, JD, MD) are not supported.
    • Candidates should be returning to their home country soon after earning their degree.
    • Candidates must demonstrate both academic excellence and significant need.
    • Candidates are not limited to persons who come from underdeveloped or developing countries.
    • Awards are to be made without discrimination on the basis of sex, race, age, or creed.
    • Repeat awards will not be considered.

    Application Process

    • Students must complete the PBK Application Form.
    • Faculty must complete the PBK Faculty Recommendation Form.
    • A completed application must include the following:
      • A fully completed application form
      • A short essay on scholarly and professional ambitions (not necessarily limited to the space provided)
      • Two letters of recommendation from faculty members, including the student’s dissertation chair (for doctoral candidates) 
      • A justification of need (rough estimate)
      • Current unofficial transcript

Overview

Public Impact Fellowships highlight and support PhD or MFA students whose current research has the potential for substantial impact in the public sphere. Ideal candidates will be involved in research designed to significantly improve or enrich the lives of Californians and/or national and global communities.  The final selection committee will consider several factors when choosing the awardees, including each student’s presentation, interview, ability to convey their research to a broad audience, academic record, letters of recommendation, degree progress, and potential research impact.

All Schools are eligible to nominate students to compete for a total of 14 fellowships. Four Public Impact Distinguished Fellows will each receive $12,000. Ten Public Impact Fellows will each receive $1,000. Awarded students may choose to accept their awards during Winter or Spring quarter, or over both quarters, at their discretion. 

School nominations must be submitted to the Graduate Division by Friday, October 15, 2021 . Students should consult with their program’s graduate affairs staff member before applying, as Schools and programs typically set earlier internal deadlines.

Please use the following forms in preparing nominations:

Call for nominations: September 2, 2021
Application/Nomination Deadline: October 15, 2021

Details

Award Info

Graduate Division Public Impact Distinguished Fellowships: $12,000 to be used as a stipend

Graduate Division Public Impact Fellowships: $1,000 to be used as a stipend

Students who receive full $12,000 awards may not be appointed as ASEs during the award period, but may be appointed as GSRs. Students who receive $1,000 honorable mention awards may be appointed as ASEs or GSRs.

Eligibility

For UC Irvine Public Impact Fellowships, nominees must, at minimum, meet the following criteria:

  1. Have a minimum graduate-level UCI GPA of 3.7
  2. Be a current, full-time doctoral or MFA student 
  3. If a PhD student, be advanced to candidacy by October 15, 2021
  4. Conduct research that has critical public impact. (Examples of relevant research include studies that aim to improve economic opportunity and well-being, health care, social justice, political participation, cultural engagement, and scientific or technical solutions to pressing social issues.)
  5. Be willing to have research spotlighted/featured on both the Graduate Division’s and UCI’s website, brochures and social networks, and be able and available to effectively communicate and discuss their research in lay terms with prospective donors, legislators and/or their staff, and the media during winter and spring quarters.
  6. If selected as a finalist, students must be available to give a brief remote presentation to the selection committee, with no visual aids, immediately followed by a brief interview, on Wednesday, November 15, 2021

Application Process

Schools are asked to collect nominations from each department and forward the most promising nominees, based on merit and the potential public impact of the student’s research. There is no limit to the number of nominations. The final selection committee will consider several factors when choosing the awardees, including each student’s presentation, interview, ability to convey their research to a broad audience, academic record, letters of recommendation, degree progress, and potential research impact.

Instructions for Students

  • Complete the Student Information Form and save it as a Microsoft Word document (please save as “IMPACT APP – SID#.doc”, e.g. “IMPACT APP – 12345678.doc”)
  • Please email the following materials to your program’s graduate affairs staff member:
  1. Completed Student Information Form saved as a Microsoft Word document using the naming convention described above
  2. PDF of the completed Student Information Form with your signature.
  3. Your current CV
  4. Letter of recommendation from your primary faculty advisor/PI

Instructions for Programs/Departments

  • Complete the Nomination Form (please save as “IMPACT NOM – SID#.doc”, e.g. “IMPACT NOM – 12345678.doc”)
  • Complete the Nomination Form and obtain the Program Graduate Advisor’s and Associate Dean’s signatures.
  • Please create a single PDF file for each nominee in this order:
  1. Nomination Form (signed by the Program Graduate Advisor and Associate Dean)
  2. Student Information Form (signed by the student)
  3. CV
  4. Letter of Recommendation from the student’s primary faculty advisor/PI
  • Please save this new PDF file as “IMPACT – SID#.pdf”, e.g. “IMPACT – 12345678.pdf”
  • When all documentation is complete, please send an email to Turner Dahl containing the following documents for each nominated student:
  1. The completed Microsoft Word (.doc) Nomination Form
  2. The completed Microsoft Word (.doc) Student Information Form
  3. PDF of the complete nomination packet (to include all bold items listed above)

Contact Information

Please direct any questions to Turner Dahl at tdahl@uci.edu or (949) 824-0490.

Deadline

School nominations must be submitted to the Graduate Division by Friday, October 15, 2021. Students should consult with their program’s graduate affairs staff member before applying, as Schools and programs typically set earlier internal deadlines.

Notes

  • Students who receive full $12,000 awards may not be appointed as ASEs during the award period, but may be appointed as GSRs. Students who receive $1,000 honorable mention awards may be appointed as ASEs or GSRs.
  • For students already receiving financial aid, acceptance of a Public Impact Fellowship may affect their overall financial need-based support package. In such cases, students are encouraged to consult with the UCI Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. 
  • Students should review the terms of any funding that they have accepted for AY 2021-2022 to ensure that they are eligible to receive additional fellowship funding before applying.
  • Previous winners (full awardees and honorable mentions) are not eligible for this year’s competition.

Click here for current honorees.

The Graduate Division is now accepting nominations for the Tom Angell Fellowship, which will be awarded in winter 2022. This fellowship is intended to honor Tom Angell’s contributions as our Graduate Counselor to graduate student wellness and retention. The award is open to graduate students, faculty, and postdoctoral scholars.

Award Amount

One $500 fellowship award will be made to one graduate student; one $500 award will be made to one faculty member; and one $500 award will be made to one postdoctoral scholar. The faculty award must be used as a fellowship to a student of the faculty’s choice. The student and postdoctoral scholar awards must be used to support student/postdoc professional development. 

Submission deadline: Friday, February 4, 2022

Submit a Nomination

Qualifications

Faculty Nominees

  1. Must have shown excellent mentorship of UC Irvine graduate students

 Graduate Student Nominees

  1. Must have shown excellent mentorship of fellow UC Irvine students
  2. Must be making satisfactory academic progress

 Postdoctoral Scholar Nominees

  1. Must have shown excellent mentorship of UC Irvine graduate students or fellow postdoctoral scholars. 

*Please confirm that the nominee holds a postdoctoral title with UCI before submitting a nomination.

 Evaluation Criteria

  • Nominee has been recognized for their mentorship through receipt of awards or delegation of responsibility in mentorship
  • Nominee has mentored on a consistent basis through their time at UCI
  • Nominee has gone above and beyond the normal responsibilities of their position to create new opportunities for mentorship

For more information please contact Turner Dahl

Save the Date:  Recipients will be honored at the annual Inclusive Excellence Event hosted by the Office of Inclusive Excellence on March 1, 2022, from 4:00pm – 6:00pm.  All nominees and nominators are encouraged to attend (location and additional details will be posted at: https://inclusion.uci.edu).

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Applications for the 2023 Graduate Interconnect, GIC, Peer Mentor positions are open and will close on December 19, 2022. Graduate students from all disciplines and backgrounds are encouraged to apply. We encourage all applicants who have not already completed the Mentor Excellence Certificate Program with the GPSRC to do so during the Fall, Winter, or Spring quarter as this is a requirement for all GIC Peer Mentors. Contact the International Student Support Officer for more information on this position.

Applications for the 2023 Graduate Interconnect, GIC, Peer Mentor positions are open and will close on December 19, 2022. The below application is designed for those that have already completed one year of service to GIC in any previous year. If you have any questions, please reach out to the International Student Support Officer for more information.

Applications for the 2023 Graduate Interconnect Lead Peer Mentors are open until 4 pm, November 4, 2023. This position was previously known as a Senior Peer Mentor.  All applicants must have completed one year as a Graduate Interconnect Peer Mentor to be eligible for this position. This position will begin in January 2023 and complete in December 2023. Additional information is available on the application.

Applications for the 2023 Graduate Interconnect Assistant Coordinator are open until 4 pm, November 4, 2023. All applicants must have completed one year as a Graduate Interconnect Peer Mentor and one year as a Lead Peer Mentor (previously known as a Senior Peer Mentor), to be eligible for this position. The position will begin in January 2023 and complete in December 2023. Additional information is available on the application.

Provides support and referral services to graduate students and post-doctoral scholars in personal distress or in need of academic counseling. Serves as a point of reference for faculty and staff in need of assistance in dealing with difficult student cases.

Amelle, as an experienced educator for over 10 years, has worked to support a range of students from various cultural and social-economic backgrounds from birth development to higher education in their journey to progress toward their educational goals. Her holistic counseling approach includes a focus on educational planning and goal setting, time management, study skills, professional communication, and individual and community wellness

The International Center provides immigration services, including SEVIS complinace, visa documentation and related advising for international students and scholars.They also host programs and activities to provide students, scholars, staff and faculty the opportunity to engage in intercultural learning while fostering skills and knowledge related to international education

You will find helpful information on the Graduate InterConnect Blog about graduate student life written by Graduate InterConnect Peer Mentors. Topics include transportation, things to do in the local area, campus life, and more. On and off-campus resources are highlighted to assist with your student needs. Details about upcoming Graduate InterConnect events are updated throughout the year.