External Funding Sources
“External” funding refers to sources that are not affiliated with UNC, such as local, state, federal, private, and institutional sources.
If you receive outside funding, it may affect the amount of need-based financial aid that you may qualify. You must report outside scholarships and funding to The Office of Scholarships and Student Aid.
Resources
Graduate Funding Information Center (GFIC)
The UNC Graduate Funding Information Center is a resource for those seeking information on funding sources for independent research, collaborative projects, fellowships, program development, and other scholarly activities. You can email the GFIC for hands-on, individual help.
InfoEd Global SPIN Plus
InfoEd Global SPIN Plus is a large, multinational database of over 40,000 funding opportunities and is accessible to graduate students with a UNC email address.
Graduate School Funding Listserv
To receive alerts when funding opportunities are posted, subscribe to the Graduate School Funding Listserv.
Office of Distinguished Scholarships
The ODS STRIVE database allows you to search for prestigious fellowships, scholarships and awards. Some require University endorsement, which the ODS office administers.
EMBARK CAROLINA
The EMBARK CAROLINA Funding Finder allows you to filter a robust database of awards, programs and fellowships offered by UNC, government agencies and other organizations.
Your Department
We encourage you to contact your department, program, and academic advisor, as they may know of funding opportunities. This may include research and teaching assistantships, grants, and fellowships.
Graduate Tuition Incentive Scholarship (GTIS)
The Graduate Tuition Incentive Scholarship (GTIS) helps to cover the cost of tuition if you are receiving external funding that does not include tuition. You may be eligible if you are a master’s or doctoral student with external funding for your thesis or dissertation.
Pre-Selection Process for External Fellowships
There are some external fellowships for which there is a pre-selection process. You must apply through UNC by submitting a pre-selection application. These fellowships are:
- Dolores Zohrab Liebmann Fellowship
- DAAD grants
- Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Award (DDRA)
External Award Winners
View past external award winners from graduate programs at UNC.
Proposal writing resources
The Graduate Funding Information Center has a collection of:
- Proposal Writing Resources
- Awards Made by granting institutions
- Successful Proposals which you can search by award and by department
The UNC Writing Center provides Tips and Tools for proposal writing and allows you to Submit a Draft for Feedback.
Funding Alerts
Contact Us
Graduate School Fellowships Office
gradfunding@unc.edu