Funding and Support

Creating a Worthwhile Life: Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Alaska Native Clients psychology presentation at the 2017 UAF URSA Research and Creative Activity Day. UAF Photo by JR Ancheta

Fuel Your Curiosity with Real Support

UAF and the College of Liberal Arts offers a wide range of research and creative funding opportunities for students in the arts, languages, humanities, and social sciences. Whether you're an undergraduate exploring your first big idea or a graduate student completing a thesis, we help you find the support you need to go further.

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Explore research funding options based on your current academic path.

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Funding for Undergraduate Students

Here’s how UAF students in the arts, humanities, languages, and social sciences can turn curiosity into action—with real financial support.

The Office of Undergraduate Research & Scholarly Activity (URSA) offers funding and support for hands-on research and creative projects across all disciplines—from climate science and engineering to music, art, and anthropology. URSA helps students design original work, connect with faculty mentors, and gain experience that supports UAF’s mission as a student-focused research university. 

URSA offers several types of awards to support undergraduate research and creative activity, including project funding, travel grants, and summer research experiences. Each award has its own application process and deadlines throughout the academic year, giving students multiple opportunities to apply when they’re ready to take the next step in their work.
The Associated Students of UAF (ASUAF) offers travel grants to support student participation in activities that benefit the UAF community—academically, culturally, socially, politically, or athletically. Awards can be used for transportation and lodging, up to a maximum of $1,000 per student. Funding is limited and competitive. Applicants are encouraged to seek additional support elsewhere, especially for larger travel costs. Funding decisions are based on the impact of the travel, the student’s funding history with ASUAF, and available semester resources.
The People’s Endowment supports unique projects that make a meaningful impact at UAF—especially those that may not receive funding through traditional university channels. Grants are available to students, faculty, and staff, and are intended to support special initiatives or critical needs that improve the UAF experience. Proposals are reviewed and selected by the People’s Endowment committee, and funding is awarded on a competitive basis.
Through UAF’s Center for Innovation, Commercialization, and Entrepreneurship (Center ICE), the SEED Fund supports early‑stage, high‑potential research and creative projects led by students, faculty, and staff. Awards can provide up to $15,000–$20,000, depending on the current RFP. Selection prioritizes ideas with real-world or commercial potential and societal impact. Awardees are also invited to participate in the I‑Corps program, which includes up to $4,500 in travel funding for stakeholder discovery and prototyping. Applications are accepted on a rolling or topic‑based basis, typically tied to Center ICE’s Request for Proposals in specific innovation areas.
Talk to your faculty mentor or advisor about research and creative opportunities connected to your department. Some programs support fieldwork, internships, lab experience, or public exhibitions as part of the undergraduate experience. For example, CLA students have worked on archaeological digs through anthropology field schools, contributed to cognitive research in the FlexCog Lab, and participated in policy internships like the Ted Stevens Legislative Internship.
Art major Joel Isaak, center, get some help filling a mold with molten bronze as part of the process of creating a life-sized sculpture for his senior thesis in the UAF Fine Arts complex. UAF Photo by Todd Paris
David McCain. Photo credit: J. Jason LazarusURSA funding did more than act as a means for my [SPE National Conference] attendance, as it allowed me to grow my network with other photographers from not just the lower 48, but also internationally. Thanks to URSA, I was able to attend a pinhole camera workshop led by Martin Vanners of the Netherlands as well as discuss Japanese Art history over breakfast with author and publisher Ivan Vartanian. Moving forward, I plan to utilize my expanding network to reach my target audience while implementing the feedback from my portfolio reviews into my future work.David McCain BFA, Photography 
Cole Osowski. UAF Photo by Leif Van CiseReceiving the McLaughlin award is not only a personal honor, but also a testament to the incredible opportunities and support I've received from these professors throughout my time at UAF. The financial assistance attached to the award has allowed me to focus on continuing my academic pursuits .Cole Osowski '25 BA, Political Science

 

Want to see what’s possible?

Discover how CLA undergraduates are exploring big ideas through mycology research, handcrafted Indigenous regalia, student-run publishing, and more.

 

Explore undergraduate RCA projects

 

 

Funding for Graduate Students

Graduate students at CLA have access to financial resources that support academic progress, thesis or dissertation research, and mentorship roles.

Angela Linn, left, ethnology and history collections manager at the University of Alaska Museum of the North, catalogs donated Russian artifacts with student assistant Kirsten Olson in a museum lab.. UAF Photo by Todd Paris
The UAF Graduate School offers completion fellowships, travel awards, and small grants to help students finish advanced research or share their work at conferences. These are awarded on a competitive basis each semester.
URSA Mentor Awards provide funding for faculty, researchers, postdocs, and graduate students to involve undergraduates in their current research or creative projects. Proposals must include a mentoring plan and name at least one undergraduate participant. Funds can support student fellowships, related tuition, project travel, supplies, and more. Each mentor is eligible for one award per academic year, and may receive funding two out of every three years.
The People’s Endowment supports unique projects that make a meaningful impact at UAF—especially those that may not receive funding through traditional university channels. Grants are available to students, faculty, and staff, and are intended to support special initiatives or critical needs that improve the UAF experience. Proposals are reviewed and selected by the People’s Endowment committee, and funding is awarded on a competitive basis.
Through UAF’s Center for Innovation, Commercialization, and Entrepreneurship (Center ICE), the SEED Fund supports early‑stage, high‑potential research and creative projects led by students, faculty, and staff. Awards can provide up to $15,000–$20,000, depending on the current RFP. Selection prioritizes ideas with real-world or commercial potential and societal impact. Awardees are also invited to participate in the I‑Corps program, which includes up to $4,500 in travel funding for stakeholder discovery and prototyping. Applications are accepted on a rolling or topic‑based basis, typically tied to Center ICE’s Request for Proposals in specific innovation areas.
The RISE‑UP Fellowship supports graduate students and postdocs who want to turn their research into real-world impact. Fellows receive tuition support, a stipend or teaching assistantship, and mentorship through structured innovation training. Two tracks are available: one for students with a project ready to develop, and one for those beginning to explore the broader potential of their work.
 
Courtney Clough in a boat. Photo courtesy of CloughReceiving [the Frison Institute grant] is very meaningful for me as it highlights the significance of bioarchaeological research and the value of exploring past human experiences through innovative scientific approaches. Funding for scientific research