Online applications for the UCR Mellon Mays program open each fall and close in February. Applicants move through a three stage application process (outlined below) that assesses their eligibility, academic achievement, and research interests. Up to five finalists are admitted to the program in early April and formally join the cohort in May. New fellows attend a summer research program at UCR designed to help prepare them to begin research project.

Transfer students are awarded conditional fellowships, pending acceptance to UCR and completion of the UCR Statement of Intent to Register (SIR).

Find more information about each step by clicking on the + links below. Pay close attention to the instructions and deadlines for each step.

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NOTE: The application cycle for 2026-27 is now closed. Please contact us if you have questions.

The UC Riverside Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship application process is organized into three steps.

Step 1 is to check your eligibility for the program. If you are eligible, you will be invited to complete the full application packet.

In Step 2, you share your experience, interests and values through questions and short essays. Take your time completing the application. Feel free to save your answers and return to the application later, up until the deadline.  

In Step 3, the MMUF committee reviews the applications, supporting documentation, and letters of reference to compiles a short list of finalists to invite for interviews. Finalists meet with the committee to talk about the program, their research interests, and future goals. The committee then selects up to five finalists for admission to the program.

Check your eligibility to apply here – it’s fast and easy!

Step 1 – Eligibility Check (click here to get started!)
If you are submitting this Step 1 form after January 26, 2026, please carefully review the Step 2 information so that you will be prepared to submit the required documents and letters of recommendation.

Requirements for eligibility include

  • Major in a Mellon-eligible field or discipline (see the Eligible Majors tab for more details)
  • Minimum 3.3 GPA
  • Status as a US citizen, permanent resident (green card), or undocumented resident of California
  • Ability to commit to 2 full years in the MMUF program (includes 6 quarters and 2 summers)
  • At least 90 units/Sophomore/2nd year student status at time of application
  • Interest in pursuing graduate school in a Mellon-eligible field

Students majoring in one of the Mellon-designated fields below may apply to the program. A second major and/or minor in other fields is allowed, but applicants must intend to pursue graduate studies in one of the areas listed below. If you have questions about your major or your eligibility for the program, contact us.

Anthropology & Archaeology
Area/Cultural/Ethnic/Gender Studies
Art History
Classics
Geography & Population Studies
English
Film, Cinema & Media Studies (theoretical focus)
Musicology, Ethnomusicology & Music Theory
Foreign Languages & Literatures
History
Linguistics
Literature
Performance Studies (theoretical focus)
Philosophy & Political Theory
Religion & Theology
Sociology
Theater (theoretical focus)

All research project topics are welcome and you do not need previous research experience to apply to MMUF. We look for students with demonstrated commitment to their academic studies and strong curiosity about what they are learning. As you are developing your Mellon Mays application, think about an area of study that you would like to know more about, that stirs your curiosity, and that raises important questions in your mind. These are all signals of a topic that might serve as a topic of research for you.

Step 2 applicants will craft two (2) short essays in response to the prompts below.

Prompt #1 
In up to 500 words, describe the academic experiences , activities, and encounters that have helped to shape your intellectual development and personal values. Please use the following questions to develop your response:

      • Why do I want to participate in MMUF?
      • What courses and/or academic activities have been most influential in shaping my interests and motivating me?
      • How have my activities and achievements helped form my personal standpoint and interests? For example, have I participated in volunteer work, leadership roles, peer mentoring, community engagement, or other activities?
      • Why did I choose my major? What issues, questions and themes stimulate and sustain my intellectual curiosity?
      • Why am I interested in applying to a graduate program after I graduate from UC Riverside?

Prompt #2
During their two years in the program, Mellon Mays fellows develop an independent research project under the guidance of a faculty mentor. In up to 500 words, propose a research theme that you might be interested in developing as a Mellon Mays Fellow. 

You may not have research experience and this may be the first time you have thought about a research project of your own. That’s ok! We are interested in hearing about a topic that interests you and how you might develop a project on that topic, based on what you know right now.

Consider these questions as you prepare your response:

    • What is a research topic or theme that you might be interested in studying?
    • What draws you to this question? What would like to uncover or understand about this topic? Include a highlight of any coursework you have taken relating to the research question.
    • What other scholars have studied this topic (based on what you know so far from courses or your own reading) that is similar to what you’re proposing? How would your research do something different or add to that existing scholarship?
    • Have you been working with a professor on this research topic, or is there a faculty member you think could help you think through this project? What might you hope to gain from this mentoring relationship?

Please submit a sample of your strongest academic writing (up to 1,500 words or 5 double-spaced pages, not including references or bibliography). Make sure that this sample highlights the kind of thinker you are and/or the kind of research you want to do.

The writing may contain creative elements, as long as it also demonstrates analysis and argumentation with a thesis statement and supporting evidence. The writing sample need not be on the same topic as your proposed MMUF research, and there is no need to write anything new. Instead, you can use a clean copy (without instructor’s comments) of something you already submitted for a college class.

Please submit an unofficial copy of all undergraduate transcript(s). The transcript(s) should contain your current GPA and course list/grades for all undergraduate classes you have taken to date. UCR students can request a free copy as an e-transcript under “Transcripts and Verifications” in their R’Web account.

Applications must include TWO (2) letters of recommendation submitted by the letter writers to our office in email by the Step 2 deadline (see above). Letters from professors/faculty members at UCR (or your current institution) are preferred, since they can best comment on your academic/research skills. Advisors, mentors, and graduate student TAs may also write letters on your behalf, but at least ONE letter must be from a professor.

Share this Upload Link with your letter writers: bit.ly/UCR_MMUF_LOR 

Advice on requesting letters of recommendation:

  • Don’t wait! Faculty and mentors write stronger letters of recommendation for students they know well and who ask them early (ideally 4 weeks in advance).
  • Ask your potential letter writers early, meet with them during their office hours, and provide them with information about MMUF.
  • You should also provide them with information about yourself. This includes, but is not limited to, your academic interests, resume, and extracurricular activities.
  • Finally, it is a good idea to show your letter writers drafts of your application documents (personal essay, research statement, writing sample). They will get a better sense of how you are presenting yourself, and they will be able to provide you valuable feedback on your application documents.
  • We know it can be difficult to ask for recommendations. Feel free to get in touch! We can talk to you about how to approach your professors and help you think through your application.

After careful review of all supporting documentation and letters of recommendation, the committee selects a short list of students to interview in the final stage of the application process. The interview gives finalists the opportunity to ask questions about the program and allows the committee an opportunity to learn more about the applicant’s future plans and interests. Of those interviewed, the committee offers admittance to no more than five students per year.

Questions?

Email us at mmuf@ucr.edu and we will get in touch!