Navigating Scholarships for UCLA Students: A Comprehensive Guide

Gaining admission to UCLA is a significant achievement, but financing your education is a crucial next step. UCLA is committed to helping students and their families navigate the costs of tuition, housing, and other necessities through a combination of scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study programs. Scholarships, in particular, offer a valuable way to reduce the need for loans and work, making education more accessible. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of scholarship opportunities available to UCLA students.

Understanding Scholarships

Scholarships are monetary awards that do not need to be repaid. They are a great way to access additional funds for college, significantly reduce your student loans, or need for work. These awards are designed to reward, encourage, and assist students in pursuing academic excellence and leadership roles. Selection criteria can include academic merit, financial need, campus or community activities, volunteer work, and work experience. As a UCLA student, it is important 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, so continuous searching is key.

Types of Scholarships

Scholarships can be merit-based, need-based, or non-need-based. They may range from paying a portion of your tuition to fully funding all costs linked to your college education.

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 efforts are made to award as many scholarships as possible prior to the start of the upcoming academic year. In some cases, a student may receive an award later in the academic year, as their eligibility is identified.

Application Process

Admitted and continuing students should log into the scholarship portal and complete a profile to be considered for scholarship opportunities.

Read also: UCLA Scholarships Explained

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.

Key Steps for Continuing Students

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. Enrolling in BruinDirect is recommended for faster access to any future refunds.

Program-Specific Scholarships & Grants

UCLA offers a variety of program-specific scholarships and grants to support students in different fields of study. Here are some examples:

Accounting and Taxation Scholarship: Funding for individuals with a passion for professional development who are pursing either the Accounting or Taxation certificate.
Zappala Family Scholarship: Provides partial scholarships annually to eligible applicants pursuing studies related to Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counseling.
Dylan de Guzman Scholarship: Available to Interior Design: Foundation Level certificate students who have completed at least 12 units with a GPA of 3.0 or better.
**James R. ** Offers support to veterans, and their immediate families, who are interested in pursuing select financial management programs.
Joseph G. Devanney Scholarship: This quarterly scholarship supports students enrolling in the capstone course in the Personal Financial Planning Certificate or the Personal Financial Planning Accelerated Online Certificate.
UC Excelerator: UCLA and UC Berkeley Extensions have launched the UC Excelerator, a tuition-free program offering academic credit, career-focused coursework, and professional networking to expand university access for those who may not have previously considered continuing their education.
J. Michael Baer Horticulture Scholarship: This annual award provides current Horticulture Certificate students financial assistance in completing the Horticulture Certificate.
Michael Williams Memorial Scholarship: For current and prospective members of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI at UCLA) who demonstrate financial need, the Michael Williams Memorial Scholarship Fund provides a free year of OLLI Plus membership.
Jeff DeLarme Personal Financial Planning Scholarship: This scholarship provides funding for qualified UCLA Extension students who have a passion for continuing education and professional development and who are working toward completion of either one of the Personal Financial Planning Certificates.

Contacting the Development Office

To make a donation to an existing scholarship, or to fund a new scholarship, contact the Development Office at (310) 206-5255.

Outside Scholarships

In addition to UCLA-specific scholarships, students are encouraged to explore outside or private scholarships from foundations, organizations, groups, and individuals. These can be an excellent way to help fund your education.

Helpful Tips for Your Search

Plan Ahead: Start working on applications 6-9 MONTHS BEFORE the academic year you hope to receive the funding.
Create a Scholarship Resume: Save time and energy by creating a “scholarship resume” that you can use to quickly complete common application questions.
Consider Your Interests and Background: 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.
Be Proactive and Diligent: 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:

Read also: Camp Scholarships Guide

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.

Additional Financial Aid Resources

Besides scholarships, UCLA offers other forms of financial aid, including grants, loans, and work-study programs.

Grants

Grants are a type of financial aid that recipients do not have to repay. Sources include funding from the federal and state governments, as well as UCLA. Most are awarded based on need and require submission of the FAFSA or CA Dream Act by the priority deadline.

Loans

Students have a variety of borrowing options available and are encouraged to research their options carefully. Federal student loans are not credit-based and have terms set by the Department of Education. Interest paid on student loans is tax-deductible. There are flexible payment options, and repayment can be delayed until after the student’s graduation on federal and private loans. Parents also have the option to take out loans.

Part-Time Student Jobs

A part-time job can help pay for textbooks and day-to-day living expenses. Each year nearly 8,000 UCLA undergraduates work on campus part-time.

Important Dates and Deadlines

Staying informed about important dates and deadlines is crucial for maximizing your financial aid opportunities. Here are some key dates to keep in mind:

March 2, 2026: Priority deadline for the 2026-2027 aid application (FAFSA or CADAA).
March 4, 2026: Graduate Institutional Aid Disbursement Spring 2026.
March 16, 2026: Undergraduate Institutional Aid Disbursement Spring 2026.
March 20, 2026: State and Federal Financial Aid Disbursement Spring 2026.
March 27, 2026: Office closed in Observance of César Chávez Day Holiday.
March 31, 2026: Extended 2025-2026 Work Study hiring deadline.
April 17, 2026: Spring 2026 Financial Aid Census.
June 30: Deadline to submit required questions on the general scholarship application for continuing students.

Thanking UCLA Scholarship Donors

UCLA shows its appreciation for the generous support of 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.

Post-Acceptance Requirements

To demonstrate the impact of donor support, every recipient of a donor-funded scholarship is expected 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.

Scholar Profile Prompts

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.

Additional Tips for Affordability

Reduce Time to Degree: Reduce the time involved in earning a degree by taking more than the minimum courses required per term and/or attending summer school.
Explore Textbook Options: The UCLA Store is committed to offering the best value for students, with new, used, digital, rental, and price-matching options.
Consider Transportation Needs: Most first-year students do not need a car, especially given parking limitations on campus.
BruinPay Plan: When you enroll at UCLA, you’re eligible to apply for the BruinPay Plan.
Projected Year Income Appeal: If you or your parent/guardian’s financial situation changes after you apply or at any time during the academic year, you may submit a projected year income appeal along with supporting documentation.

Identity-Conscious Financial Aid

UCLA administers all Identity-Conscious Financial Aid in compliance with federal, state, and university regulations by using “Pool and Match” applications for unrestricted awards, identity conscious awards, and other restricted awards (major, need, community service, etc.). Identity conscious awards may include a preference for a student’s race, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation for purposes of this policy), color, ethnicity, or national origin. These pooled applications allow students to submit a single application to be considered for multiple scholarships, and are used in determining the source of a recipient’s aid, but not their eligibility, receipt, and amount of financial aid.

UCLA College Continuing Student Scholarship Program

For continuing undergraduate students who carry a minimum cumulative 2.5 GPA, the UCLA College Continuing Student Scholarship Program was established in 2022 to provide multiple scholarship awards each year. Awardees must be enrolled full-time. This is by far the largest and broadest scholarship program UCLA administers, and all UCLA students enrolled full time with at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA are eligible.

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