Are you excited about getting admitted to the Bren School but unsure how you're going to pay for your degree?
Not to worry! There are plenty of options for financial aid, fellowships, academic appointments, and employment for Bren School students.
The Bren School MESM program is among the most affordable graduate programs in environmental science and management in the United States. California residents have the benefit of in-state tuition/fees; non-residents who are US citizens may
establish California residency
after one year to gain the same benefits.
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1.
Recruitment Fellowships.
If you were selected to receive a general recruitment fellowship award from the Bren School, you would have been notified in your Bren School admission letter. Our recruitment fellowships are based primarily from donor support; therefore, the number of prizes and the individual award amounts vary from year to year. This year, about 20% of MESM admits were offered recruitment prizes.
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2.
Financial Aid.
The
Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships (FinAid)
distributes financial aid, work-study, and other FAFSA-related support to UCSB students independently of the Bren School. Last year, they informed us that students can expect to receive up to $35,000/year in financial support. The FinAid page also includes a
"
Cost of Living Calculator"
on its website
that may give you a better sense of the total costs of enrolling at UC Santa Barbara once you factor in rent, books, food, and other personal expenses. UCSB graduate students are notified of eligibility for student loans by the Financial Aid Office during the summer, typically in early July.
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4. Academic Student Employment.
Many Bren students obtain
TA positions*
(see important note below)
for UC
SB undergraduate courses. Last year, approximately 60% of MESM students had a TA position for all or a portion of the academic year. Because the Bren School doesn’t offer undergraduate courses, Bren students find TA positions through other UCSB departments by contacting departments or faculty members directly for opportunities. Environmental Studies, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics departments often hire Bren students, and are good places to start the TA search. You can also see academic employment opportunities
here
and
here.
Departments will often post the application on their website, usually during May.
Admitted students can secure a
Graduate Student Researcher (GSR)
positions with Bren faculty members or private researchers. To obtain an GSR position, students should inquire about opportunities directly with individual faculty members. GSR positions include salary and partial fee remission (in-state tuition/fees and health insurance) at 25% or higher or full fee remission (in-state tuition/fees, non-resident supplemental tuition, and health insurance) at >35% time.
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5. On-campus employment.
Many MESM students work as Student Assistants in administrative capacities at Bren (e.g. Event Planning, Career Development Office.) While these positions aren't always directly related to our students' professional interests, they pay a decent hourly wage, are convenient opportunities for students, and are less demanding than a TA position which can easily take up to 20 hours of a students time in a week. Student Assistant positions vary but are typically 5-15 hours a week and are advertised by Bren School staff at the beginning of each quarter.
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6. Off-campus employment.
Off-campus internships and job opportunities, along with those mentioned above, are regularly circulated to students through Bren email lists. In addition, the
Bren Career Development team
circulates job and internship announcements through BrenConnect, an online networking platform for Bren School students and alumni. Currently, 70% of Bren alumni have active use accounts and many alumni like to employ current students for part-time jobs, internships, and contract work. Read more about
BrenConnect here
.
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*
An important note about TA positions:
If financially feasible, the Bren School recommends not taking a TA position in your first quarter so you can focus on getting acclimated, meeting your cohort, and doing well in your core courses. Each UCSB department has their own timeline and application process so please contact the department you're interested in working for to inquire about open positions. More information can be found
here
and
here
.
Additionally, TA sections may conflict with the Bren School's professional development and networking activities on weekdays at 11 am - 12 pm, including Bren Seminars on Mondays, academic workshops on Wednesdays, and Career Development workshops on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Please keep these events in mind while you consider your options.
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