Merit/Need Scholarships

A scholarship can transform a young person's life and future. Yet, UC San Diego's ability to attract students whose financial resources may not match their personal and academic talents are limited. We are only able to offer privately funded scholarships support to less than five percent of our students.

Private support is critical to providing needed scholarships to more of our deserving students. Through merit/need scholarships, we can reach the best and the brightest and ensure the socioeconomic diversity of our campus community. Merit/need scholarships include:

Alumni Leadership Scholarships
Alumni can endow scholarships to assist juniors or seniors who find it increasingly difficult to balance demanding coursework with the ability to pay for educational expenses.

Chancellor's Scholarships
These scholarships are awarded to outstanding entering freshmen based on academic achievement, financial need, extracurricular and community activities, and first-generation college attendance.

Transfer Student Scholarships
Students entering UC San Diego after attending community college are considered for the Transfer Student Scholarship Awards if they meet the highly competitive scholarship criteria.

College and Academic Funds
Targeted scholarships support students in a specific UC San Diego college or field of study.

Honoring and Memorial Funds
Scholarship funds honor previous UC San Diego faculty, staff and others, many times funding students that uphold the qualities important to the honored person.

Regents Scholars
Students with outstanding academic records and personal achievement are considered for four-year Regents Scholarships, the university's most prestigious scholarship award. To give to this fund, please contact Kim Signoret-Paar at kspaar@ucsd.edu or (858) 822-1536.

Ready to give? Please contact us at (858) 822-1536 or email kspaar@ucsd.edu. You may also give now by accessing our secure online giving page.