The UCLA Medical Scientist Training Program

Financial Support

Students are eligible to receive up to seven years of stipend support and payment of educational fees and health insurance. The stipend for 2009 entering students is $27,500. Stipend support can come from NIH grant funds and/or institutional support.

Resident fees are approximately $26,176 for the 2009-2010 academic year. Out-of-state applicants admitted to the program are strongly advised to establish intent to become California residents in their first year. The MSTP will pay the first year non-resident fee assessment, approximately $12,245. After the first year, the student is responsible for the non-resident tuition assessment if the requirements for California residency are not met (non-resident tuition is assessed separately from other educational fees). For inquiries regarding residence requirements, please contact the Residence Deputy at (310) 825-3447.

During the graduate years, MSTP students are supplemented from a variety of departmental sources including research grants, other federal training grants, or special fellowships and awards. Trainees in the Ph.D. phase are strongly encouraged to apply for alternative sources of funding to supplement their support while in the MSTP. Information regarding eligibility for financial assistance may be obtained from the individual graduate departments or the UCLA Graduate Division at (310) 825-7290.

Students selected to do their Ph.D. research at Caltech will be supported by Caltech during the graduate years. During the M.D. years, support will be provided by both institutions. Besides tuition and stipend support, students who attend Caltech may receive a yearly allowance for research supplies. All students in the program receive a travel allowance to defray the costs of attending scientific meetings.

 

Stipend Policy (UCLA trainees)

For the entering class of 2009, the stipend rate is $27,500 for the fiscal year beginning July 1 through June 30 based upon a 12-month enrollment. Stipends cannot be paid to trainees earlier than July 1st because allocations for new trainees are made on a fiscal year basis.

All students in the program receive a $500 travel allowance to defray the costs of attending scientific meetings. Trainees may use this $500 allowance for research-related travel, research-related journal subscriptions, and/or memberships in professional societies.

Stipend awards are electronically deposited monthly into the trainee's designated bank account by signing up for Bruin Direct deposit. The Bruin Direct authorization form will be provided to trainees at the New Trainee Orientation, prior to the Fall Quarter. Please complete the Bruin Direct authorization form indicating the bank and account number to which the stipend should be deposited.  A voided check is also required.

During the PhD phase, trainees receive their base stipend and fees from the MSTP for the first year of the graduate program. The thesis advisor or graduate department is responsible for providing a supplement to meet the stipend level of departmental graduate students during the first year. Thesis advisors are responsible for the full support of trainees during the second and third years of PhD work, and any subsequent years it takes to complete the degree. The funding structure is as follows:

PhD year

MSTP

advisor/dept.
first

base stipend + fees

supplement
second

-0-

full stipend + fees
third and beyond

-0-

full stipend + fees

 

Caltech Trainees

During the Ph.D. years, trainees selected for the Caltech program receive all funding from Caltech sources. UCLA program funding resumes once the trainee has returned to medical school.

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