Graduate Student Research
The RCA supports graduate students at UC Santa Cruz via our research grants, the Lionel Cantú Memorial Award, and our Professional Development Award.
If a graduate student falls out of good academic standing and/or takes a leave of absence, they are required to notify the RCA about their change of status and return any unused funds to the RCA.
About the Budget
RCA awards for graduate students follow these budget guidelines:
Allowable expenses include miscellaneous research services (e.g., manuscript preparation, translation, videographer, website designer); software packages, books, and other research supplies; and travel for research and to present work at professional meetings (economy-class airfare only, following UC travel guidelines).
Non-allowable expenses include general overhead and computer hardware
Please notify the RCA in advance by email if there are significant changes to your proposed budget. An example of a significant change is if you've proposed to use your funds for a research trip, but are no longer able to do so. Any significant changes must be pre-approved.
Graduate Student Research Grants
Eligibility: Graduate students in good academic standing at UC Santa Cruz.
Lionel Cantú Memorial Award
Professional Development Award
While we encourage UC Santa Cruz graduate students to apply for our research grants during the fall and for the Lionel Cantú Memorial Award in the spring, we recognize that professional development opportunities (such as attending a conference or symposium) sometimes arise at other times of the year. The RCA director maintains a modest fund that supports graduate students' professional development. Recipients may use the award to present work or to interview for an academic job at a professional meeting.Tip Sheet for Endorsement Letter Writers
Feel free to share the "Tip Sheet for Endorsement Letter Writers" by Dr. Ben V. Olguín (Robert and Liisa Erickson Presidential Chair in English, University of California, Santa Barbara) with your faculty letter writers.