Awards

Graduate Division

Eugene Cota-Robles Award (ECRA)

The Eugene Cota-Robles Award (ECRA) is funded jointly by the Office of the President of the University of California and the UCR Graduate Division. The ECRA is a prestigious fellowship intended to provide access to higher education to students who might otherwise find it difficult or impossible to successfully pursue graduate study.  The award supports a limited number, entering Ph.D. programs and showing interest in University teaching and research, from culturally, linguistically, geographically and/or socio-economically diverse backgrounds where under-representation is present in graduate education.  For the first year, the award pays a $15,000 stipend plus registration fees. Recipients receive a second year ECRA during their third, fourth or fifth year. During the years not funded by ECRA, students are supported by salaried positions as teaching assistants, graduate student research appointees, or trainees.

Objectives: The objective of ECRA is to release recipients from employment or loan obligations that might delay progress in graduate study. Another is to place students on a "fast-track" toward academic careers, thereby increasing the number of highly qualified candidates for faculty positions at the UC.

Eligibility:

The nominee/recipient must  

  • Be a citizen or permanent resident of the US.
  • Enhance the diversity of the department.
  • Be recommended for admission to the Ph.D. program; OR
  • Be recommended for admission to a masters program (e.g., in English, History, Spanish at UCR).as the requisite of the Ph.D., where the Ph.D. is the ultimate goal.
  • Have a designated faculty mentor.
  • Demonstrate high potential and indicate an interest in an academic career in teaching and research.
  • Complete the Supplemental pages 4a and 4b of the Admission Application.   

The recipient may not simultaneously hold another fellowship of a similar or greater amount.

Award Components:

  • Recipients receive multi-year funding: two years of fellowship and two years of guaranteed departmental support as a TA/GSR position.
  • Recipient receive an ECRA fellowship of a $15,000 stipend (plus fees, non-resident tuition first year only) for each "fellowship" year, beginning with Year 1.
  • TA/GSR appointments (of at least equivalent funding level) are provided for Years 2-3 or Years 2-3-4.
  • A second year of ECRA fellowship is awarded in either Year 3, 4 or 5 (the dissertation year).

During the course of the award, the recipient must work closely with a faculty mentor.  The role of the mentor is to guide the ECRA Fellow through the development of a curricular plan and the acquisition of knowledge and skills that will permit the selection of an appropriate dissertation topic leading to the completion of the doctoral degree.

Procedures: The department follows the central fellowship nomination process for prospective graduate students and submits

  • A nomination letter
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • GPA + GRE scores
  • A statement of Purpose
  • The Supplementary Fellowship Form(pp. 4a & 4b)

Note:  The Graduate Dean determines the appropriate funding source (i.e., ECRA, Dean, etc.)