UC San Diego Native American Opportunity Plan Graduate Funding Support

• Please review UCOP’s NAOP eligibility requirements, including tribal affiliation and degree type, to confirm eligibility for UCSD NAOP coverage. 
• The UCSD NAOP is open to all eligible students. The UCSD NAOP does not consider race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, and/or other protected categories as part of the application and selection process.

• Applicants who wish to be considered for the UCSD NAOP must complete the standard UC San Diego application for graduate study which includes providing test scores, academic records/transcripts, and other materials.
• The application contains a section on the personal information page that asks applicants if they would like to receive consideration under the initiative. If yes, they must indicate their tribal affiliation on the application and provide the required documentation.
  • Native Americans and Alaska Natives must be able to document enrollment in a federally recognized tribe. View this website for a list of federally recognized tribes. 
  • Please refer to the UCOP’s NAOP page for the types of documentation that can be used to check eligibility for tribal enrollment 
• Applicants should submit this documentation during the online application process.
• Applicants should notify the department/program to which they have applied that they would like to be nominated for the UCSD NAOP and so that eligibility may be verified.
• Questions about the UCSD NAOP Fellowship can be directed to gepafellowshipnoms@ucsd.edu. 
• Deadline: All nominations must be submitted by July 30 in order to be awarded for the next academic year.

The Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA) will provide up to nine quarters of support in the form of resident tuition and fees, including the one-time document fee as needed.

The student’s home department will provide any additional quarters of resident tuition and fee support as needed. Departmental support may be in the form of fellowship fee payment or employment fee remission. 

In quarters of enrollment, resident tuition and fees, including the one-time document fee as needed, will be provided.  When students are working as an ASE or GSR the associated fee remission meets the requirement. 

The UCSD NAOP meets the requirements of the University of California Native American Opportunity Plan (UC NAOP).

The systemwide UC NAOP ensures that in-state systemwide Tuition and Student Services Fees are fully covered for California students who are enrolled in federally recognized Native American, American Indian, and Alaska Native tribes. Because the UCSD NAOP already covers these mandatory in-state tuition and fees, it satisfies the UC systemwide requirement. These funding programs do not "stack." Students will not receive additional or separate UC NAOP grant funds on top of their UCSD NAOP fellowship package.

As allowed by UC policy, systemwide tuition and student services fees departmental support may be in the form of fellowship fee payment or employment fee remission.