Most graduate students and postdocs join the lab with support from external fellowships, and the lab has a strong track record of winning them — current lab members are funded by HFSP and BARD postdoctoral fellowships, among others.
If you are interested in joining us, look through the programs below and email Grey (gmonroe@ucdavis.edu ) about which might fit you. Fellowship applications from this lab are a team effort. We usually start with an email conversation about research ideas, then develop the proposal together — you are not expected to write an application on your own.
Deadlines, amounts, and eligibility change every cycle, so always confirm details on the program’s own site.
These programs bring international researchers to US labs. This is how most international postdocs join us.
| Program | Who can apply | Support | Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| HFSP Postdoctoral Fellowships | Any nationality; PhD within the last ~3 years; you must move to a new country and propose work different from your PhD | 3 years of salary and research support | One competition per year, two stages: a short letter of intent, then an invited full proposal |
| EMBO Postdoctoral Fellowships | Researchers connected to EMBC member or partner states (by nationality or PhD country); PhD within the last 2 years | Up to 2 years of stipend | Two evaluation rounds per year |
| MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships (Global) | Nationals or long-term residents of EU / Horizon-associated countries | 12–24 months in our lab plus a 12-month return phase in Europe | One call per year (the 2026 call closes September 9) |
| Life Sciences Research Foundation | Any nationality with a US host lab | 3 years | One cycle per year, historically due October 1 |
Many countries also fund their own researchers to do a postdoc abroad — check your national funder. Examples: JSPS Overseas Research Fellowships (Japan), DFG Walter Benjamin Programme (Germany), SNSF Postdoc.Mobility (Switzerland), NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowships (Canada), and BARD Postdoctoral Fellowships (Israel–US agricultural research).
| Program | Who can apply | Support | Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology | US citizens, nationals, or permanent residents | About $110,000 per year for 24 months | Annual; the current track focuses on the intersection of AI and biology (2026 deadline: September 29) |
| USDA NIFA AFRI Education & Workforce Development Fellowships | US citizens, nationals, or permanent residents; agriculture-relevant research (our work qualifies) | See the current program announcement | Annual, typically due in spring |
| Katherine Esau Postdoctoral Fellowship | Research on plant structure integrated with development, evolution, or function, with a UC Davis faculty mentor | 2 years, renewable for a third; NIH-scale salary | See the program page |
| UC President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program | Recent PhDs interested in a UC research career | Fellowship plus incentives for later UC faculty hiring | Annual |
| Program | Who can apply | Support | Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (GRFP) | US citizens, nationals, or permanent residents. As of 2026, you must apply as an undergraduate or first-year graduate student | 5-year fellowship with 3 years of stipend and tuition support | Annual, fall deadlines. Plan early — the eligibility window is narrow |
| USDA NIFA AFRI Predoctoral Fellowships | US citizens, nationals, or permanent residents in agriculture-relevant research | See the current program announcement | Annual, typically due in spring |
| FFAR Fellows | PhD students at US institutions with 3 years remaining; requires a non-federal sponsor (the Rockey FFAR Fellows track waives this) | 3-year program; sponsor and FFAR split costs | Annual |
Computationally minded students should also look at the DOE Computational Science Graduate Fellowship , DoD NDSEG , and the Hertz Fellowship .
| Program | Who can apply | Support | Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fulbright Foreign Student Program | Apply through the Fulbright commission or US embassy in your home country | Varies by country | Typically about a year before intended start |
| Schlumberger Faculty for the Future | Women from developing and emerging economies pursuing STEM PhDs or postdocs abroad | Up to $50,000 per year, renewable | Annual, applications typically September–November |
| AAUW International Fellowships | Women pursuing graduate study in the US | $18,000–30,000 per year | Annual |
| Quad Fellowship | STEM graduate students from participating countries | See site | Annual |
| Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship | Students from select countries; half grant, half loan | See site | Annual |
Check your national scholarship agency first — for many students this is the most direct route. Examples: China Scholarship Council (China), Higher Education Commission (Pakistan), NIIED / Kwanjeong / KFAS (Korea), ANID (Chile), CAPES (Brazil). Joint-PhD and visiting-student programs (such as CSC’s) can also support a 1–2 year research stay in our lab while you stay enrolled at your home institution.
Email Grey at gmonroe@ucdavis.edu with the program you have in mind and a short description of your research interests. We will talk through ideas by email and, if it looks like a good match, develop the application together.