Friends of International Center Fellowship
The FIC was a non-profit, all-volunteer organization founded in 1961 (dissolved September 2021) whose mission statement was to support international education, to foster friendship, understanding, and cooperation within the international community, and to create a meeting place on the UC San Diego campus for people who share these aims. This mission may not seem novel in present times, but, at the time, the concept of global citizenship did not exist and the very word “foreign” often engendered fear rather than igniting curiosity. The FIC operated a variety of programs, building cross-national community while supporting international scholars and their families at UC San Diego, as well as funding an academic student support program for both undergraduate students studying abroad and graduate students whose work had an international component and/or global relevance.
The FIC student support program began with a single award in 1975 and at its peak, before the pandemic of 2020, awarded 41 scholarships to undergraduate students and 32 fellowships to graduate students. Over the life of the FIC student support program, it has awarded over $1 million to UC San Diego scholars.
Learn more about the award and how to apply here.
Donors who give to FIC-related gift funds do so because they believe in the importance of FIC’s mission statement that transcends space and time. Donors to FIC student support funds are members of the community committed to international education for students enrolled at UC San Diego. These community members identify with:
- the desire to recognize and reward academic excellence in graduate students; demonstrating a commitment to advancing understanding of topics with an international component and/or global relevance;
- the desire to recognize and reward students whose efforts have promoted cross-cultural understanding and/or fostered an inclusive international community;
- the intention of providing a tangible expression of confidence in the student’s goals to bolster the student’s drive to degree completion;
- the recognition that even a small amount of unrestricted funding can provide critical support to enable a student’s ability to realize their dreams; and
- the belief in the power of UC San Diego students to build community and change the world for the betterment of all humanity.
Important Information
The Graduate Division does not assume responsibility for errors or omissions in the applicant's submission. We will do our best to review the format of the proposal; however final responsibility for format, content, and completeness always rests with the applicant. Please proofread the application fully and connect with both the graduate fellowship advisor and departmental fund manager for additional guidance prior to submission.