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Fellowship and Award Opportunities

Photo contributed by Brett Winners.

History students are encouraged to apply for fellowship and scholarship opportunities that support their future and ongoing undergraduate research. Students may also apply for excellence awards that recognize achievement in completed research.

Fellowships and Scholarships

Research Awards

There are hundreds of scholarship and award opportunities available to UC Santa Cruz undergraduates. All students are encourage to be on the lookout for additional funding opportunities that support their unique personal and academic goals.

THI Undergraduate Research Fellowships

The Humanities Institute (THI) Undergraduate Research Fellowships support undergraduate research projects at UC Santa Cruz in the humanities. Up to 10 awards in the amount of $1000 each are given each year. There are no constraints on the expenditure of the stipend. The top proposal receives the Bertha N. Melkonian prize, an additional $1000.

Applications are due in late fall quarter. More information and application instructions are available on the The Humanities Institute (THI) website.


The Siobhan O’Neill Memorial Scholarship

The Siobhan O’Neill Memorial Scholarship was established by Patricia “Pat” O’Neill (Philosophy, ‘74) in memory of her sister, Siobhan O'Neill (History, '82). This scholarship supports history majors with an interest in history, art, and/or government. One or more awards are made annually, based on merit. The scholarship amount varies from year to year, but can be up to $1,000.

Applications are due mid winter quarter. Questions? Contact the History Undergraduate Program Coordinator.


History Department First Generation Student Scholarship

The First Generation Student Scholarship was established in 2021 by former History Department Chairs Matt O’Hara and Lynn Westerkamp. The scholarship supports first generation students’ pursuit of their academic goals. One or more awards are made annually, based on merit. The scholarship amount varies from year to year, but can be up to $1,000.

Applications are due mid winter quarter. Questions? Contact the History Undergraduate Program Coordinator.


See Also: UCSC College Scholars Program

The College Scholars Program offers a congenial and stimulating academic home for a select group of well-prepared students at UC Santa Cruz. Through this honors program, students can expect to challenge themselves academically, find other students who are similarly motivated, and explore undergraduate research. This enriched program of study includes special courses, seminars, colloquia, and other events during each quarter of the academic year.

Undergraduate Digital Research Fellowship

The Undergraduate Digital Research Fellowship is a two-quarter program for undergraduate students looking to build independent digital research projects. Students are introduced to Digital Scholarship methods and learn digital skills that allow them to build original digital projects. Six undergraduate students will engage with the Digital Humanities—learning digital tools, methodologies, and community practices to build a research project of their own design. Participants receive individual mentorship and training to build a project that reflects their own research interests. Each fellow will be paired with a Digital Scholarship Librarian who will guide fellows in integrating technology and research into their project. At the end of the Spring Quarter, students will present their projects at the Digital Research Symposium. Fellows are provided $500 to support their project.

Applications are due mid to late fall quarter. More information may be found on the University Library website. Questions? Email digitalscholarship@ucsc.edu.


The David A. Kadish Humanities Scholarship Award

The David A. Kadish Humanities Scholarship Award recognizes deserving students with a strong interest in the study of humanities. One scholarship in the amount of $2,000 is given each year. This scholarship is generously funded through gift funds from Cowell alumnus David Kadish (History, ‘73).

If you’re a UC Santa Cruz undergraduate student with financial need who displays a strong interest in the study of the humanities, you may be eligible for this award. You must be a registered student in good standing during the spring quarter and be declared in one of the Humanities Division majors.

Applications are due mid spring quarter.


See Also: Study Abroad Scholarships

There are many scholarships available for study abroad! Commit to spending time researching your options and submitting your applications. A list of available study abroad scholarships, including several UCEAP Scholarship opportunities and Diversity Abroad Scholarships, can be found on the UCSC Global Learning website.

Fanny Carruthers History Scholarship

Anne Jane (Fanny) Carruthers Howard died on Feb. 15, 1972 and left a portion of her estate in a trust. Her wishes were that this trust be used to fund scholarships for UC Santa Cruz history majors who are graduates of Santa Clara County high schools. One or more awards are made annually, based on financial need and academic merit. The scholarship amount varies from year to year, but can be up to $2,000.

Applications are due mid winter quarter. Questions? Contact the History Undergraduate Program Coordinator.


Koret Undergraduate Research Scholarship Award

The Koret Scholars Program provides funding for a variety of undergraduate research projects and experiences. With generous support from the Koret Foundation, 50 scholarships of $2000 are available to students in any major or discipline who propose an undergraduate research project or creative activity.

Applications are due in late fall quarter. More information and application instructions are available on the Undergraduate Honors website. Questions? Contact the Coordinator of Undergraduate Honors and Research Opportunities at ur_hnrs@ucsc.edu or (831) 459-5386.


Department of History Linda Peterson Awards

The History Department gives excellence awards at the end of each academic year to recognize undergraduate student achievement. These awards are named in honor of history alumna Linda Peterson (Stevenson, 1970), whose continued support of the History Department makes this award, the Undergraduate History Showcase, and other department events and initiatives possible.

Linda Peterson Awards may be conferred for work based on geographic distinctions (e.g., American, world, European or Asian history). Optional awards may also be awarded at the discretion of the Undergraduate Education Committee (UEC). Optional awards are available in the following categories:

  • pre-600
  • pre-1800
  • trans-regional history, for work that does not fall clearly into one geographic area of concentration
  • the Hitchcock Award, for the best project submitted

Awardees receive $100 in recognition of their achievement. The top three papers or projects, irrespective of the departmental awards, are nominated by the department for consideration in the Deans' and Chancellor's Undergraduate Research Awards competitions.

Applications are due in early spring quarter. Students may apply for these awards at the invitation of a nominating history faculty mentor. Applications are submitted by applying to the Deans', Chancellor's, and Steck Awards competitions. Questions? Contact the History Undergraduate Program Coordinator.


Deans' and Chancellor's Undergraduate Research Awards

The Deans and Chancellor wish to encourage and stimulate outstanding scholarship and creativity among undergraduate students. Dean's Awards are granted to fifty of the most excellent undergraduate research theses or projects (ten from each academic division) completed at UCSC during the academic year. Each Dean's award project will receive $100 for outstanding achievement in their division.

Fifteen Chancellor’s Awards are granted to the most outstanding top three theses or projects from each division's Deans' Awardees. Each Chancellor's Award project will recieve an additional $500.

The Steck Award recognizes the most outstanding research project chosen from the fifteen Chancellor’s Awardees. This student (or team) will receive (or share) an additional $2,000. In addition, the winning research project will be bound and copies given to the student(s), the research supervisor, the UC Santa Cruz Library, and the Steck Family whose generous contributions have made this award possible.

Applications are due in early spring quarter. More information and application instructions are available on the Deans' and Chancellor's Undergraduate Research Awards website.

See Also