Financial Details

Please note: some or all instruction for part or all of the 20-21 Academic Year may be delivered remotely. Tuition and mandatory fees have been set regardless of the method of instruction and will not be refunded in the event instruction occurs remotely for any part of the Academic Year.

Market surveys show that investing in a master’s degree will pay off over time with increased income. A 2019 survey revealed that Clinical Research Managers and Clinical Data Managers with a master’s degree earned a mean salary of $97,000.

The cost of the Clinical Research master’s degree program is approximately $34,000, which includes all program instruction and administrative fees. Program fees do not include books for elective courses, software, parking, or incidentals.

We understand that funding your education is an important consideration when applying to the program. Through grant-writing and scholarship opportunities, the Clinical Research program managers strive to make the program affordable and accessible. There are a number of financial resources available to students:

•          A Merit-Based Scholarship is available for incoming students with a minimum of a 3.0 GPA from their previous institution of study (U.S. citizens and permanent residents only)
•         Scholarships to offset the expenses for the Independent Research Project
•         A variety of core course textbooks are made available for free supported by program grants
•         Commercial bank loans are available for full and part-time students
•         Government loans are available for participants taking six (6) or more units per quarter
•         Veterans and Financial Aid: click here to learn more.

Because the master's degree in Clinical Research is entirely self-supporting and receives no state funding, California residents and non-residents, as well as international students pay the same per-unit fees. All fees are subject to change.

Scholarship Opportunities

A Merit-Based Scholarship is available for incoming students with a minimum of a 3.0 GPA from their previous institution of study (U.S. citizens and permanent residents only).

You may qualify for a merit-based scholarship based on your work experience, research experience, and overall admissions profile.  Each year the admissions committee awards scholarships to select students that may cover up to 25% of their tuition expenses.

To apply for a scholarship, please submit a succinct description of your career and personal accomplishments and why you feel you are deserving of such an award. This can include academic successes, professional successes, and personal achievements. Please include information about how you plan to use the degree to further your career and your vision of where you will be in the next five years with the help of the Clinical Research masters degree. Essays that copy text directly from your admissions application will not be considered. (Max 500 words – one page).

You may qualify for a merit-based scholarship based on the quality of your scholarship application essay. Each year the program awards scholarships to select students that may cover up to 25% of their tuition expenses. The amount awarded will depend upon merit-based achievements included in admissions files, including but not limited to past academic performance, work experience, and research experience.

The deadline for the scholarship submission is the same as the application deadline.  Please include your essay when submitting your documents into the application portal.

Please note: Any students who receive the award and choose to spread it out over multiple quarters of study must maintain a 3.0 GPA to keep the funding.

Independent Study Project (ISP) Scholarship Available to Current Students

Two $1,000 Reimbursement Awards are awarded annually.

Any Clinical Research student enrolled in the ISP may apply for up to $1,000 to help offset the cost of conducting the required ISP. This award applies only to ISP-related expenses incurred as part of ISP research and producing the final project, and cannot be applied to Clinical Research course or registration fees. (Receipts are required for reimbursement.)

Students must apply for the ISP Scholarship award by submitting a 500-word essay that briefly describes their ISP, how the reimbursement would assist them with their ISP expenses, and why she/he should receive the financial support.

Please email your essay to our program coordinator at clre@ucsd.edu