Graduate Education Funding
Most biomedical research PhD programs offer competitive salary with healthcare benefits and tuition waivers through Research Assistant (RA) or Teaching Assistant (TA) positions to students in good academic standing.
Additionally, departments may nominate new or continuing students for competitive fellowships administered by the School of Medicine. Contact the graduate program directly for more information.
FEATURE STORY: Alexander Meeske selected as a Rita Allen Foundation Scholar!
Alexander Meeske, UW Assistant Professor of Microbiology, has been awarded a 2024 Rita Allen Foundation Scholarship. The Rita Allen Foundation Scholarships celebrate early-career leaders in the biomedical sciences whose research holds exceptional promise for revealing new pathways to advance human health. Selected Scholars receive grants of up to $110,000 annually for up to five years to conduct innovative research in neuroscience, cancer, immunology, and pain.
Curci Ph.D. Fellowship Program
Eligibility: Life science Ph.D. students (year 3)
Selection: Nomination by department
The Shurl and Kay Curci Foundation commenced a Ph.D. Fellowship program in 2023 to assist universities in supporting life science Ph.D. students after they have completed the first two years of their programs. Qualified candidates will be in their third year of graduate school and be eligible to continue to the fourth academic year during the calendar year in which the application will be submitted. The chosen Fellows will receive two years of funding to cover years four and five of their PhD training. This is a highly competitive Fellowship, both at the University of Washington level and then ultimately against candidates from other institutions.
Curci Ph.D. Scholarship Program
Eligibility: Life science Ph.D. students (new incoming)
Selection: Nomination by department
The Shurl and Kay Curci Foundation initiated the Curci Ph.D. Scholarship Program with the hope of increasing the percentage of women and international students at the University pursuing a Ph.D. in the life sciences in the School of Medicine. The Scholarship provides a living stipend, tuition, and benefits for six incoming graduate students in the life sciences for the first two years of their graduate careers.
Provost Graduate Fellowship Program
Eligibility: Ph.D. graduate students (prospective)
Selection: Nomination by department
Recognizing the challenge of attracting the highest level of candidates, the provost launched the PhD Fellowship Initiative in 2019. In order to incentivize PhD recruitment and retention efforts, provost provides annual fellowship funds to be used to recruit the most outstanding graduate students to UW PhD programs.
Hurd Fellowship for Graduate Students
Eligibility: Ph.D. graduate students (see below)
Selection: Nomination by department
The Hurd Fellowship is an endowed fellowship which specifies that recipients must be engaged in studies relevant to biophysics or biochemistry. The School of Medicine applies these funds to students whose work aligns with the Biological Physics Structure and Design (BPSD) program.
Richard and Anne Schneider Endowed Graduate Fellowship
Eligibility: M.S. or Ph.D. graduate students (details below)
Selection: Nomination by department
This gift from from the Donor Advised Fund of Richard and Anne Schneider provides financial assistance to graduate students who are pursuing Master’s or Ph.D. degrees. It is the donors’ intent to support graduate students studying medicine, pathology, pharmacology, biochemistry, biology, or other related fields and whose work involves the isolation, characterization, and biological activity of compounds from natural sources. In addition, the donors have an additional preference to support US citizens or permanent residents when possible. Distributions may be used for tuition, fees, educational expenses and/or stipends. The Office of Research and Graduate Education (RGA) administers this fund.
The Poncin Scholarship Fund
Eligibility: Graduate students in M.D./Ph.D. program
Selection: nomination by Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP)
The Poncin Scholarship Fund is a medical research scholarship trust created by the Will of Cora May Poncin. An excerpt from page 5 of the Poncin Will states:
“I desire to aid worthy and ambitious young people who are engaged in medical research and to that end I direct my trustee to make scholarships available to people engaged in medical research in connection with, or as a part of, any recognized institution of learning within the state of Washington. I direct that the scholarships be available to meritorious people qualifying as provided in this paragraph. My preference is to assist people who are doing advanced medical research and who have an M.D. degree.”
Dick and Julia McAbee Endowed Postdoctoral Fellowship
Eligibility: Postdoctoral scholar (M.D. or Ph.D.)
Application: through the Diabetes Research Center
In 1985 the School of Medicine created a fellowship to honor Dick and Julia McAbee for their outstanding support and leadership in the fight against diabetes. The Dick and Julia McAbee Endowed Fellowship in Diabetes Research provides funds for a scientific researcher to investigate the causes and eventual cure of diabetes.
Eligibility: Faculty, independent early career investigators in biomedical sciences
Selection: Nomination by Department
Since 1976, the Rita Allen Foundation has invested in more than 200 biomedical scientists at the early stages of their careers, enabling them to pursue research with above-average risk and promise. Scholars have gone on to make fundamental contributions to their fields of study and have won recognition including the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, the National Medal of Science, the Wolf Prize in Medicine, the Lasker-Koshland Award for Special Achievement in Medical Science, and the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences.