Presidential Graduate Research Fellowship
The Presidential Graduate Research Fellowship (PGRF) is a university-wide competition designed to recruit nonresident graduate students who demonstrate outstanding potential for achievement in research or creative activity.
The PGRF provides a non-resident tuition waiver (NRTW) in the amount of $396 per unit charge to nonresidents. This PGRF NRTW is awarded for one year of a graduate program at SDSU. This PGRF NRTW may be extended based on the outlined instructions below.
Domestic nonresident students
For domestic students (out of state) and nonresident students with an eligible immigration status, the PGRF is intended to serve as a stopgap until the students can establish California residency for tuition purposes. For those nonresident students who apply for California residency but are not yet approved, the NRTW will be extended for a third semester.
For more information about seeking California residency, click here and scroll to the Residence Reclassification (Continuing Students Only) section.
International students
For international students, extended NRTWs will remain with the student for the maximum period of time* during their matriculation in a graduate program.
*The maximum number of waivers allowed per student: 5 total semesters for master’s students and 10 total semesters for doctoral students
Graduate Program Advisors/Directors
Please note that, while the PGRF first year NRTWs will not count towards any graduate program NRTW caps, the extended NRTWs will count.
Review Process
PGRF recipients shall be selected according to the following criteria:
- Nonresident or international residency status
- Nomination from graduate program
- Baccalaureate and post-bacc (if applicable) GPA and other observable indicators of academic achievement
- Additional evidence of merit, including awards, achievements, departmental recommendation, as provided in the nomination
Nomination Instructions
Nominations for the PGRF must be made by the graduate program advisor/director of the program in which the nominee will be enrolled during the subsequent academic year. Any nominations received that are not from the student's graduate program advisor/director will not be considered.
Nominations for the 2023-2024 PGRF are open and are being accepted through March 31, 2023.
AY 2023-2024 PGRF awards were distributed on March 10, 2023 and April 14, 2023 to the students, their graduate advisor or doctoral director, their department chair or school director, their college resource manager, their associate dean, and their dean.
2023-2024 PGRF Nomination Google Form
2023-2024 PGRF Nomination Form pdf (for reference only)
Questions? Please reach out to [email protected] for more information.
