General Scholarship Information
The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships evaluates students holistically; based on academic promise and achievement, financial need, community service, leadership potential and experiences. Upon submission, applications are reviewed and evaluated by various selection committees. Scholarships awarded to students are applied to the selected scholar's student account for the upcoming academic year.
Awarding Policy: Federal regulations require that all financial aid awards a student receives cannot exceed the student budget or cost of attendance. This includes all forms of financial aid; Grants, Scholarships, Loans and Work-Study. It is possible, therefore, if a student is awarded a scholarship adjustments to their financial aid may be necessary to ensure that their total awards do not exceed the student budget or cost of attendance. In these cases, the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships will first attempt to reduce loans or work-study. Fellowships, grants or scholarships are only reduced as a last resort.
General Eligibility Requirements
- Undergraduate students enrolled full-time (minimum of 12 units in each academic semester) at UC Merced
- Minimum 3.25 undergraduate admissions GPA or UC Merced cumulative 3.0 GPA
- Applicants must have filed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), if eligible, to qualify for need-based scholarships. The FAFSA can be filed at www.studentaid.ed.gov. Students who are not eligible to file a FAFSA and qualify for the AB 540 fee exemption waiver must submit a California Dream Act application in order to qualify for need-based scholarships. The California Dream Act application can be filed at dream.csac.ca.gov.
- Eligible students are undergraduate students pursuing their first bachelor's degree who are either U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or eligible non-citizens.
Pre-selection requirements:
- Submission of complete application
- Submission of documents for verification if required
Post-selection requirements:
- Submission of a recent photo as well as a Thank You Letter that includes a brief bio and a “thank you note” for the donor
General Disclosures
Applicant Data Policy: The information provided by the applicants on this scholarship application is used strictly for the purpose of scholar selection. This data will be shared with the scholarship selection committees and donors for the sole purpose of selecting scholars for various scholarships respective verifying the eligibility requirements.
Nondiscrimination Policy: The University of California, in accordance with applicable Federal and State law and university policy, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer related or genetic characteristics), ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship, or service in the uniformed services. The university also prohibits sexual harassment, including sexual violence. This nondiscrimination policy covers admission, access, and treatment in university programs and activities. For more information, call 949-824-5594.
