Financial Support

The Department of Sociology attempts to help each student obtain a full-year financial support package with the expectation that students maintain good academic standing (3.0 GPA minimum and satisfactory progress toward the degree).

Graduate Funding in Sociology

There are many sources of graduate student financial assistance available through the University and the Department of Sociology. Typically, all graduate students are guaranteed funding in the form of a Teaching Assistant position or a Graduate Student Researcher position.

Current Tuition and Fee amounts are available here.

Financial Support Sources
  • Teaching Appointments

  • Academic Student Employees (ASEs) receive full remission of tuition and partial remission of fees. Non-resident supplemental tuition (NRST) is not covered by remission.

    Remission Summary

    Paid by RemissionNot paid by Remission
    TuitionGraduate Student Association (GSA) Fee
    Student Services FeeMemorial Union Fee
    Health Insurance (UC SHIP)Facilities and Campus Enhancement Fee
     Student Facilities Safety Fee
    NRST
     

    Teaching Assistants

    PositionsDescriptionsWorkload
    Associate Instructor (AI)Students who are close to or have advanced to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree are eligible to apply for associate instructor (AI) positions. These positions are given to graduate students who have excellent scholarship and teaching promise. They are temporarily appointed as the instructor of a lower-division course, and in rare cases, of an upper division course. This position qualifies for a partial remission of in-state fees, along with a monthly stipend. There are also opportunities in the summer for appointment as an associate instructor.Workload should be consistent with the normal workload for the course (50% appointment).
    Teaching Assistant (TA)Students may apply for a teaching assistantship (TA) at any time during their studies. Awards are made each quarter for the following academic quarter and are granted for the full three quarters whenever possible. However, because of excess enrollments, resignations, and other contingencies, positions may open up for one or two quarters. TAs work half-time (20 hours a week) and must be in good academic standing to retain an appointment. This position provides a partial fee remission of in-state fees, along with a monthly stipend. It is departmental policy to attempt to provide all students in good standing with some TA experience. In addition, depending on a student's background and skills, opportunities to TA in other departments often are available. Workload should not exceed 220 hours per quarter (50% appointment).
    Reader (RDR)Many upper-division courses need readers. Duties include the grading of student papers and examinations. Students may read for more than one course at a time. This position provides a partial remission of in-state fees. An hourly salary is paid for the actual number of hours spent grading. Pay is disbursed after readers submit their hours for grading.Readers’ hours vary per week and typically correspond with busy times in the quarter such as midterms and finals. Workload should not exceed 110 hours per quarter (25% appointment).
    Interested in teaching for Sociology? The department posts any available graduate teaching positions on Handshake. 

    Resources:  
    - UC-UAW Collective Bargaining Agreement (effective 8/23/18-6/30/22)

  • Research Assistantships

  • Various faculty members have research grants that provide money for research assistants. Graduate student researcher (GSR) duties may involve tasks such as observation and interviewing, questionnaire development, computer work, and/or library research. Students most likely to become GSRs are those who are specializing in or who are interested in the faculty member's area of research, and who possess requisite skills or are willing to acquire them. Inquire about such positions by directly contacting individual faculty members. 

    Graduate student research assistants have varying terms of employment and may work a maximum of 20 hours a week. GSR appointments of 25% time or greater include full tuition and fee remission, along with a monthly stipend. GSRs are compensated according to their graduate program's compensation plan. 

    Resources
    - Sociology GSR Compensation Plan

  • Work Study and Financial Aid

  • Work Study

    Important: You must submit a FAFSA in order to be eligible for work study.

    Work study units are allocated to graduate programs; programs, in turn, award these units to their students. In order to be eligible for work study units, you must be: determined financially eligible by the Financial Aid Office, be a US Citizen or Resident, and be selected for a graduate student researcher assistantship of 25% or more by a UCD faculty member. Your major professor should make a request to the Wing Chair for these units in the spring for the following academic year, confirming that the matching funds are available. Awards will be made for either 25% or 50%.

    Financial Aid

    The UC Davis Financial Aid and Scholarships office is an excellent source of reliable, comprehensive information about work-study programs and other sources of financial aid. Visit the Graduate Financial Aid Office at 1100 Dutton Hall or call (530) 752-9246 (students with hearing impairments can dial 711 on campus to reach CRS) for information and deadlines.

    FAFSA

    The online Free Application for Financial Student Aid (FAFSA) is available by the beginning of January. We strongly encourage graduate applicants to submit a FAFSA as early as possible and not later than the March deadline. This form, submitted directly to the Federal Student Aid Program Office is used to determine eligibility for financial aid funds, including work-study and other need-based fellowships. Your eligibility will be determined and forwarded to the UC Davis Financial Aid Office. The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Information also has information about federal student assistance programs.

    UC Davis Campus Fee Grant

    The UC Davis Campus Fee Grant is the only grant administered by the Graduate Financial Aid Office. It is a need-based award for students who establish and maintain sufficient financial need. It can be used to cover the fees (i.e., Campus-Based Fees) not paid by TA remission. Note: Campus Fee Grant funding is not guaranteed. The Graduate Financial Aid Office strongly recommends that every FAFSA filing student report all anticipated external and academic funding (Grants, Fellowships, TAships, GSRs etc.) to their office so they can accurately determine your financial aid eligibility. You must file a FAFSA to be eligible to receive this grant. 

    Emergency, Short-Term, or Assistant Loans

    If you are experiencing a temporary shortage of funds, you may request an Emergency, Short-Term or Assistant loan (graduate students only). Requests are limited to costs related to educational expenses as found in the Cost of Attendance. The application is available Monday through Friday while each term is in session, excluding holidays, at the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office. Appointment times will be scheduled from 10 am through 2 pm.

  • University Fellowships

  • Fellowships provide financial support for stipends, tuition and fees, nonresident supplemental tuition, research and travel. The UC Davis Graduate Studies Internal Fellowships website identifies available scholarships and fellowships and contains a link to the fellowship application form. 

    There are a number of university fellowships you can apply for, some of which are restricted to students meeting specific criteria. The department submits nominations to Graduate Studies for these fellowships. Once nominations are submitted to Graduate Studies, selections for these fellowships are made from a campus-wide pool. Students will be notified by Graduate Studies if they are selected to receive a campus fellowship.
     

    Student TypeDeadlineApplication Requirements
    Prospective StudentsDecember 15All admission requirements (included in the online application for admission).
    Continuing StudentsJanuary 15

    Online application, which includes:

    • Statement of purpose and personal history statement
    • Three (3) letters of recommendation
    • UC Davis Transcripts (copy of unofficial transcript from SISWEB is acceptable)
  • External Fellowships

  • External Fellowships are those offered by private foundations, government agencies, and corporations. Fellowships can range from one-time to multi-year awards. The department encourages students to apply for external funding, as receipt of external funding exemplifies excellence in research, writing and scholarship. 

    The DSS Research Service Center and the Office of Graduate Studies offer assistance to Sociology graduate students applying for external funding.

    List of External Funding Databases
    - Graduate Studies A-Z Listing
    - UCLA GRAPES
    - Grants.gov
    - Immigrants Rising
    - Pivot
    - Philanthropy News Digest

  • Department Fellowships

  • The Department of Sociology has limited fellowship funds available for the recruitment of new students and to support continuing students. The philosophy of the department is to support incoming students with a combination of fellowships and teaching assistantships during their first year. In subsequent years, students are appointed as either teaching assistants, graduate student research assistants, associate instructors or a combination of these three. During the dissertation period, students may apply for fellowship support to assist them in their writing.

 

Questions?