Scholarships are merit-based, need-based, and non-need-based monetary awards. They may range from paying a portion of your tuition to fully funding all costs linked to your college education. SCHOLARSHIPS DO NOT NEED TO BE REPAID and are a great way to access additional funds for college, significantly reduce your student loans, or need for work.
Scholarships are designed to reward, encourage, and assist students pursue academic excellence and leadership roles. Additional criteria, such as campus or community activities, volunteer work, work experience, and financial need can be considered during the selection process.
As a UCLA student, it is important for you to look for scholarships that can help reduce the amount you need to work and borrow to fund your education. New opportunities arise as you enter your major, take up new activities, or join college organizations. We encourage students to search for scholarships throughout their time at UCLA. Make sure that your scholarship search is broad, including outside or private scholarships, in addition to UCLA scholarships.
NOTE: Please reach out to UCLA's Center for Scholarships and Scholarship Enrichment, if you have a scholarship opportunity you'd like shared with UCLA Students. Our office does not consider private scholarship listings.
UCLA Scholarship Application
The UCLA Scholarship Application opens in late March each year and remains open year-round. UCLA Financial Aid & Scholarships, as well as UCLA schools and departments, use the portal to process their awards throughout the academic year, but we try to award as many scholarships prior to the start of the upcoming academic year as possible. In some cases, a student may receive an award later in the academic year, as their eligibility is identified. Admitted and continuing students should log into the scholarship portal and complete a profile to be considered for scholarship opportunities.
Admitted Students: Priority consideration is given to admitted students who complete their application(s) WITHIN TWO WEEKS of admission decisions being released. This timeline allows award offers to be made available as early as possible and assist families in deciding which school to attend before the National College Decision Day (May 1- First-Years, June 1- Transfer Students).
Continuing Students: Scholarships awarded to undergraduate students require an application through the portal each year. Required questions take under 30 minutes to complete and answers are retained for most questions from year to year.
To be considered:
- Submit the required questions on the general application by June 30.
- Submit a FAFSA or Dream Act application by the March 2 priority deadline EVERY YEAR to be considered for need-based scholarships.
- Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress in order to continue to receive scholarships.
- To maximize your opportunities, complete the optional questions on the general application and review your “Recommended” opportunities that require further information.
If you receive a scholarship, it will appear on your BRUIN FINANCIAL AID LETTER (BFAL) and/or the UCLA Scholarship Application portal, after you complete any post-acceptance tasks, such as a thank you note to the scholarship’s donor.
*We recommend enrolling in BruinDirect in order to have faster access to any future refunds.
Thanking UCLA Scholarship Donors
UCLA shows its appreciation for the generous support of our scholarship donors by sending them each a stewardship report, generally comprised of a scholar profile and thank-you letter(s). We may also provide video updates and messages from students. Donors look forward to and appreciate learning more about how their philanthropy has made an impact, and this is one way we can demonstrate how their support has helped students like you thrive at UCLA and beyond.
To demonstrate the impact of donor support, we need every recipient of a donor-funded scholarship to fill out a scholar profile and write a thank you note. LETTER SAMPLES ARE PROVIDED! These “post-acceptance” questions provide you with an opportunity to express your appreciation to the donors of your scholarship, many of whom are Alumni, and let them know more about your own experience and accomplishments at UCLA. If you receive a renewable award, you will be expected to provide them with an annual update. Our donors are proud to support you, and want to encourage you throughout your UCLA journey!
Scholarship recipients can find the post-acceptance questions in the UCLA Scholarship Application. Once you accept your scholarship award, you will receive a link to the questionnaire that our stewardship colleagues will share with your donor. In some cases, you may receive a separate link provided by UCLA staff.
UCLA scholar profiles may contain the following prompts:
- Why you chose UCLA
- Academic interests and extracurricular activities
- Career aspirations
- Scholarship impact
- Thank you note request
You may also receive a request to create a video message through ThankView.
If you have any questions about writing thank you notes, please reach out to the UCLA Office of Scholarships & Student Support Initiatives at (310) 983-3062 or UCLAscholarships@support.ucla.edu
Expanding your Scholarship Search
In addition to applying for UCLA scholarships through the Financial Aid and Scholarships office, we highly recommend that you expand your search for additional resources. The UCLA Center for Scholarships and Scholar Enrichment is a good place to start, as they provide a list of curated scholarship search engines, workshops, and individualized writing support sessions.
There is no single source that can give you a list of all the scholarships for which you may be eligible. It is best to consult several sources, such as scholarship search engines, scholarship books, your high school, and community organizations. At UCLA, your academic departments and/or College may use the UCLA Scholarship Application, but also watch for listings on bulletin boards, ask departmental counselors, and check your department’s website listings. Outside agency or private scholarships (from foundations, organizations, groups, and individuals) can also be an excellent way to help fund your education.
Helpful Tips for your search:
- Try to plan ahead when applying for scholarships. We recommend you start working on applications 6-9 MONTHS BEFORE the academic year you hope to receive the funding.
- Save time and energy by creating a “scholarship resume” that you can use to quickly complete common application questions.
- Many scholarships are based on criteria other than, or in addition to, financial need and academic achievement. Take note of your interests, hobbies, background, work experience, career goals, etc. Note: These are OPTIONAL questions on the UCLA Scholarship Application, but may be required for specific scholarships or private scholarships.
- BE PROACTIVE AND DILIGENT in applying for scholarships. It takes a lot of work, but in the end all your efforts will REALLY PAY OFF.
What to do if you receive an outside scholarship?
If you receive a private scholarship from an OUTSIDE AGENCY/DONOR, follow these 3 steps:
- Request that CHECKS ARE MADE PAYABLE to UC REGENTS or UCLA.
- Give the donor your 9-digit UID (UCLA Identification Number) and ask them to include it with your award.
- Have the donor include a letter explaining the award terms when the scholarship check/payment is sent to UCLA.
PLEASE MAIL SCHOLARSHIP CHECKS TO:
Payment Solutions & Compliance Office
University of California Los Angeles
Box 957089, 1125 Murphy Hall
405 Hilgard Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90095-7089
Giving to Scholarships & Student Support Initiatives
UCLA Scholarships creates opportunities for students from all walks of life to reach their full potential and attend the #1 public university in the nation.
If you have any questions, please visit our giving page or reach out to our development colleagues at the UCLA Office of Scholarships & Student Support Initiatives at (310) 983-3062 or UCLAscholarships@support.ucla.edu