Department Funding

Graduate Student Conference Award|Graduate Student Funding|UW Funding|External Funding 

Anthropology Department Undergraduate Funding

Internal funding refers to funding offered by the Department of Anthropology or the University of Washington. Below you will find a list of internal, departmental funding available to Anthropology undergraduate students.

External funding refers to scholarships, grants, and awards offered by organizations outside of the University of Washington. We encourage students to pursue external funding opportunities to support their academic journey. For a list of Anthropology related external funding please visit External Funding Opportunities.

Department of Anthropology's Undergraduate Award Recipients 2023-24

Best Honor's Thesis in Anthropology Ziqi Liu - “I already have this! Should I be afraid of COVID-19?”: Entanglements of COVID-19 pandemic experiences and living with HIV among Chinese Men in Qingdao, China
Archaeology: Best Anthropology Essay Award Ampawn Manohchompoo - “Salmon and the Snake River Dams: A Comparative Analysis Using The Elwha River Case”
Biological Anthropology: Best Anthropology Essay Award Kate Halverson - “Help-seeking behavior variation with age”
Sociocultural Anthropology: Best Anthropology Essay Award Emma Wong - "Mapping Silences"
Senior Distinguished Recognition  Avery McCulloch-Hutton - "The Relationship of Cortisol and Sleep in University Students"

Curtis Wienker Anthropology Awards for Undergraduate Students

The department permanently established four annual "Wienker Awards" for undergraduate distinction, through the generous donation of department alumnus, Curtis Wienker. Each year we recognize, with financial awards, the Best Undergraduate Honor's Thesis and Best Anthropology Essay - one each for archaeology, biological anthropology, and sociocultural anthropology. A faculty committee selects the papers for each award. 

Brett E. Baldwin Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship was established by Mr. & Mrs. Brooks Baldwin in memory of their son who died shortly after graduating with a BA in Anthropology in 1979. The Baldwin Scholarship is open to both current and newly admitted undergraduate and graduate students. Scholarship open to graduate & undergraduate students *

Other Undergraduate Support 

Additional support for anthropology undergraduate students comes from the Gerald G. Eck Student Fund, to help with the expenses related to honors program research, and the Senturia Family Fund, to support undergraduate students with financial need, to take part in field schools, study abroad programs, or purchases that make a difference and allow students to complete their studies. 

Graduate Student Conference Funds

The Department of Anthropology allows up to $500 per year in travel support to graduate students to support conference or other approved official travel. To apply complete the online form available here. Additional travel support may be available through the Graduate Student Conference Presentation Award managed by the Graduate School. For more information regarding funding limits and eligibility requirements visit the Graduate Student Conference Presentation Award website. Though not managed by the Department of Anthropology, to apply for a Graduate Student Conference Award one uses the Anthropology Graduate Student Conference Funds application linked above. 

Anthropology Graduate Student Funding

Internal funding is funding that stems from the Department of Anthropology or the University of Washington. Below you will find a list of internal, departmental funding available to Anthropology graduate students.

We encourage graduate students to pursue external funding opportunities to support their academic journey. At the department level, most internal funding comes in the form of Academic Student Employee (ASE) appointments or fellowships/scholarships/awards offered by the Anthropology department. For a list of Anthropology related external funding please visit External Funding Opportunities.

Academic Student Employee (ASE) Appointments 

During the admission process, newly accepted PhD students are given a funding letter which outlines how many years of funding (if any) the department will pledge to the student. This is often referring to the number of years in which the graduate student will be guaranteed a position as an Academic Student Employee (ASE) within the department. *Please read your funding letter carefully, this is not always the case and there are other forms of guaranteed funding.

Academic Student Employee (ASE) appointments refers to Teaching Assistant (TA), Research Assistant (RA), and Student Assistant (SA) appointments. Graduate students who do not receive guaranteed ASE appointments do sometimes have the ability to obtain TA/RA/SA appointments within the department if opportunities become available and all guaranteed funding commitments have been met. Students also have the option to pursue ASE appointments in other departments.

Scholarships, Fellowships, & Awards

The Anthropology Department offers several fellowships, scholarships, and awards that students have the option of pursuing. Emails with detailed information about these opportunities will be sent to students prompting them to apply. 

Brett E. Baldwin Memorial Scholarship  

This scholarship was established by Mr. & Mrs. Brooks Baldwin in memory of their son who died shortly after graduating with a BA in Anthropology in 1979. The Baldwin Scholarship is open to both current and newly admitted undergraduate and graduate students. Scholarship open to graduate & undergraduate students *

Evan David James Endowed Fellowship  

This fellowship was established by the James family to enable admitted and continuing graduate students in the Department of Anthropology to complete a graduate degree. Preference is given to students who are studying any phase of Pacific Northwest Anthropology, and selection is based on evidence of dedication to studies, ambition to engage in anthropology, and academic merit. 

Ronald Leroy Olson Fellowship 

The annual Olson Fellowship originates through the generosity of the late Ronald Leroy Olson, who reserved a portion of his estate to provide financial support for “worthy University of Washington graduate students in the field of anthropology.” Preference is given to applicants who are members of Native American or Native Alaskan Tribes recognized by the US or Canadian governments. Proof of membership is required. Secondary preference given to any student who intends to specialize in linguistic, ethnological, archaeological, or biological studies of Native American peoples, particularly those of the Pacific Northwest. 

Sam Dubal Fellowship  

This fellowship was established by the Dubal family to honor the legacy of their son and brother, Sam Dubal. Anthropologist, medical doctor, professor, Sam was a beloved member of many vibrant communities, and devoted activist in the struggle against structural violence–including the everyday violences of colonialism and racism. The Sam Dubal Fellowship seeks to inspire recipients to become activist scholars, directly addressing racism and other forms of inequities fueling health disparities. This fellowship is awarded annually to a sociocultural graduate student working on social justice and inequities related to racial justice in medicine, health, or social movements. It is intended to support the writing phase of the PhD, after fieldwork. 

Pre-dissertation Pilot Research Awards

The department helps to support pre-dissertation pilot research projects and travel to national academic conferences for graduate students. Pre-dissertation pilot research awards provide graduate students with critical support that is not typically available from any other source of funding. Each year we fund as many graduate students as possible to conduct pre-dissertation pilot research. This research is used to identify a field site, make important connections at the location, and undertake preliminary data collection. This research is funded directly by donations to several department gift accounts.

UW Funding

UW Funding Opportunities 

UW Funding Resources

  • Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships & Awards: Scholarships Search Engine 
  • Graduate Funding Information Service: The Graduate Funding Information Service (GFIS) helps current and admitted UW graduate students learn skills and tools to find funding for graduate school-related expenses.
  • How do I pay for graduate school?: Created by The Graduate School to help students understand the various types of funding opportunities, how to find funding opportunities, the application process, and tuition waivers. 
  • Funding Undergraduate Researchers: This resource from the Office of Undergraduate Research offers information about funding opportunities and the possibility of earning credit for research.
  • Undergraduate Grants: This resource from Student Financial Aid offers information about grant options available to undergraduate students. 
  • Career & Internship Center: We provide support in numerous ways, including extensive job and internship postings within the Handshake platform, opportunities, and events to connect with alumni and employers, one-on-one career coaching through scheduled appointments, graduate student specific resources on topics ranging from academic CVs to networking at events. 
  • Office of Student Financial Aid: Students from all economic backgrounds should have the opportunity to attend the University of Washington. Finances should not be a barrier to getting a world-class education. Visit the Office of Student Financial Aid to explore scholarships, grants, loans and work-study options that help make paying for college as affordable as possible.
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