California Pre-Doctoral Program
The California Pre-Doctoral Program (also known as the Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral Scholarship) helps CSU students turn their faculty aspirations into reality by fostering access, preparation, and success in doctoral education. The award funds are designed to enable current students to explore and prepare to succeed in doctoral programs in their chosen field of study.
Info Workshops
The College of Graduate Studies (CGS) is hosting three workshops for the California Pre-Doctoral Program 2026-2027 application. The workshops are for current master's students and any interested junior or senior undergraduate students who would like to apply for the 2026-2027 cycle, and will be held on the following days/times:
- Tuesday, December 2, 2025: 4 pm - 5pm in SSE 1410 (hybrid).
- Monday, January 12, 2026: 10 am - 11 am in SSE 1410 (hybrid).
- Friday, January 30, 2026: 10 am - 11 am in SSE 1410 (hybrid).
Students can sign up for the informational workshops via this form.
Description
The California Pre-Doctoral Program will award funds to approximately 75 juniors, seniors and graduate students in the CSU. These funds are designed to enable current students to explore and prepare to succeed in doctoral programs in their chosen field of study. Awards are based on competitive review of student applications and given to current upper-division or graduate students who, in the judgment of the review panel, demonstrate academic excellence while having experienced economic or educational disadvantage, and who are committed to a career in teaching and research at the university level. All matriculated students enrolled on a CSU campus are eligible to participate.
Students who are chosen for this prestigious award are designated Sally Casanova Scholars as a tribute to Dr. Sally Casanova, for whom the Pre-Doctoral Scholarship is named. As a Sally Casanova Scholar, students will have unique opportunities to explore and prepare to succeed in doctoral programs. Students will have the benefit of direct one-on-one guidance afforded from faculty members from within the CSU, and the opportunity to work with faculty from doctoral-granting institutions. In addition the program provides:
- Travel Funds for the student to visit U.S. doctoral-granting institutions and/or to attend professional meetings appropriate to the student's development.
- Development Funds for other related activities, such as student membership in professional organizations, subscriptions to academic journals, graduate school applications and test fees, GRE preparation, and the cost of minor research materials, for example.
- A Summer Research Experience following the award of the scholarship, recipients are given the opportunity to do research at a University of California campus or other U.S. doctoral granting university, fully funded by the Pre-Doctoral Program, so that the scholar can participate in doctoral-level research prior to enrolling in a Ph.D. program.
Eligibility
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Currently enrolled at a CSU campus (2026-27 academic year)
- Be matriculated at a CSUcampus as an upper-division undergraduate or master’s student for fall 2027
- Plan to pursue a research doctorate (Ph.D. or equivalent)
- Note: Professional programs such as law, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, or the MBA are not eligible
- Have a CSU faculty mentor to support research training and scholarship
- Note: Previous Sally Casanova Scholars are not eligible to reapply
Important Reminder
The Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities (CSRR) and the student’s home college will be consulted to ensure that the student is in compliance with the Student Code of Conduct and/or their program’s Graduate Professional Standards.
- Award nominees and current awardees: A nomination or award is subject to being deemed ineligible if (a) it is determined by CSRR that the student is in violation of the Student Code of Conduct and/or (b) if the program notifies CGS that the student has violated their program’s Graduate Professional Standards.
Application Information
The application for the 2026-2027 California Pre-Doctoral Program (Sally Casanova Scholarship) opened on December 8, 2025 and will close February 13, 2026, at 5:00 pm Pacific Time. Please visit the CSU Chancellor's Office California Pre-Doctoral Program webpage for more information.
Please contact [email protected] should you have any questions.
