External Scholarships

Scholarship Universe

There are many external scholarships available to you, in addition to those offered by UC Merced. To get started, log in to ScholarshipUniverse using your UCINetID with the link below.

When you log in, you will be prompted to answer some questions. As you answer questions about yourself, you will be automatically matched with external scholarships you are eligible for. The more questions you answer, the better matched the scholarships will be to you. Start your scholarship search today!

Apply at Scholarship Universe

Reporting External Scholarships

All external scholarships received by students need to be reported to the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships so we can make a note on your financial aid awards that funds are expected.

 You can disclose this through UC Merced Connect by clicking on the Add/View Resource button at the bottom of the Award Offer page. We will then revise your financial aid offer to include the “estimated” external scholarship. When revising your financial aid, we will reduce loans and/or work-study first. “Estimated” funds will not be used or applied to your balance until the funds are actually received by the Financial Aid Office.

Submitting an External Scholarship Check

Some scholarship agencies will mail the check directly to UC Merced and we will apply it to your award package. Some agencies will mail the check to the student. Either way you should report the funds through your portal as listed above.
If the check is made payable to:

• UC Regents: Take or mail the check to the OFAS (see address below) along with any accompanying information.
• You and the university: endorse (sign) the back of the check and take or mail it to the Cashier's Office (see address below) with a copy of the letter you received.
• Just You: You can deposit the check into your bank account and use funds for your educational related expenses.

Once Your Check is Received

Once the OFAS receives your scholarship check, it will be incorporated into your financial aid package within two weeks and an email will be sent to your UC Merced email address detailing the adjustments. The scholarship will be distributed to your UC Merced student account just like any other form of financial aid (only after all requirements are completed, only if you are enrolled, no earlier than 10 days prior to the start of instruction, etc.)

All checks will be split; half in fall and half in spring, unless otherwise specified by the donor.

Information for External Scholarship Providers

Please send scholarship checks made payable to UC Regents or Regents of the University of California to:

University of California, Merced
Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships
5200 N. Lake Road Merced, CA 95343

• Identify the student’s name and 9-digit student ID number in the memo section of the check if available.
• Let us know if the check is for one semester, if it should be divided between two semesters or if a second payment is coming next semester.
• Provide contact information in case we have questions and need to contact you.