Funding Sources
Internal & External Graduate Funding
Explore assistantships, fellowships, departmental scholarships, and travel grants.
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 Alaska 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.
Fellowships & Awards
Mellon Foundation Troth Yeddha' Collective Fellowship
Currently ClosedKatherine Schexneider Arctic Climate Science Award
Open! 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 Scholarships
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
Spring 2027 Semester Only Financial support intended to help graduate students clear their final thesis or project milestones.
UA Foundation Scholarships Portal
The primary portal connecting students across the system with hundreds of collaborative institutional scholarship awards.
Enter Main UA Foundation PortalTravel Grants
Alaska 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.
EPSCoR Program
Targeted travel funding designed to bolster scientific collaboration and research development across Alaska.
Graduate School Travel Award
Currently Open! Direct funding awards managed by the Graduate School to support student presentations at national conferences.
INBRE Network
Specialized travel awards focused on supporting health, biomedical, or interface-science research trajectories.
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
Access our comprehensive portal of national fellowship programs, external research grants, and application timelines.
Explore External Funding Sources