Financing Your Future: A Guide to UCLA Scholarships for Out-of-State Students

For many bright minds across the nation, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) represents the pinnacle of academic excellence and a gateway to a world of opportunities. However, the dream of attending UCLA can be accompanied by the daunting reality of financing a college education, especially for out-of-state students who face significantly higher tuition costs. Fortunately, UCLA and various external organizations offer a multitude of scholarships designed to alleviate this financial burden and make a UCLA education accessible to talented students from all backgrounds.

Understanding the Scholarship Landscape

Scholarships are monetary awards that do not need to be repaid, making them an invaluable resource for students seeking to minimize student loans or the need to work extensively during their studies. These awards are designed to reward, encourage, and assist students in their pursuit of academic excellence and leadership roles. While merit-based scholarships recognize academic achievement, others consider factors such as campus or community involvement, volunteer work, work experience, and financial need.

As a prospective or current UCLA student, it is crucial to actively seek out scholarship opportunities to 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. It is recommended that students 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.

It is important to note that UCLA's Center for Scholarships and Scholarship Enrichment does not consider private scholarship listings. If you have a scholarship opportunity you'd like shared with UCLA Students, reach out to them directly.

Navigating the 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. However, they 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.

Important Deadlines and Requirements

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. To be considered:
- Submit the required questions on the general application by June 30. Required questions take under 30 minutes to complete and answers are retained for most questions from year to year.
- 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. It is recommended enrolling in BruinDirect in order to have faster access to any future refunds.

Showing Gratitude to UCLA Scholarship Donors

UCLA demonstrates 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). They 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 UCLA can demonstrate how their support has helped students like you thrive at UCLA and beyond.

To demonstrate the impact of donor support, UCLA needs 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. 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 stewardship colleagues will share with your donor. In some cases, you may receive a separate link provided by UCLA staff.

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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.

External Scholarship Opportunities and Search Strategies

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.

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 Scholarship 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.

Managing Outside Scholarships

If you receive a private scholarship from an OUTSIDE AGENCY/DONOR, follow these 3 steps:

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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 note that the platform has file size limits. In most cases, documents fail to upload because they exceed these limits. Review the general file upload and image upload guidelines below before submitting your documents.

Dispelling Common Scholarship Myths

It's important to approach the scholarship search with realistic expectations. One common misconception is that there are millions of dollars in unclaimed scholarship money just waiting to be claimed with little to no effort. While numerous scholarships exist, securing them requires dedication, effort, and initiative. If you’re not willing to do anything, you’re not going to win anything.

Another myth is that you can find scholarship money quickly, especially right before the May 1 deadline for submitting your Statement of Intent to Register. The scholarship process is often slow, so it's unlikely you'll find out about awards before the deadline. The Center for Scholarships & Scholar Enrichment can help you search for scholarships and apply once you're enrolled, but it can't provide fast cash.

Addressing Specific Student Situations

Out-of-State Students

There are very few UCLA scholarships that are specifically earmarked for out-of-state students. With that said, out-of-state students should apply for as many scholarships (both UCLA and non-UCLA) as they are eligible for.

International Students

A big challenge for many international students is that they are not able to file a FAFSA, which is needed to demonstrate financial need. This means that international students are often limited to applying for merit/no-need scholarships (that is, scholarships that don’t require demonstrated financial need from their applicants). Because a large number of scholarships at UCLA (though certainly not all) require some amount of demonstrated financial need, international students are not eligible for many UCLA scholarships (particularly those offered by the Financial Aid Office upon admission to the university).

AB540 Students

Yes, AB540 students are eligible for scholarships! First, make sure to file the Dream Application with the Financial Aid Office by March 2 every year. Filing the Dream Application by this date will help FAO determine if you qualify for a CAL grant. Secondly, you can find a number of other scholarships by using the Center’s search services. The key for AB540 students is to search for scholarships that do not have citizenship requirements, and there are many scholarships that fit this criterion!

Students Not Qualifying for Financial Aid

Just to be clear, not qualifying for financial aid doesn’t mean that you don’t need money for school-it simply means that you cannot demonstrate financial need through the FAFSA (or Dream Act Application). If you don’t have demonstrated financial need, you will be limited to applying for “merit” or “no-need” scholarships, which are scholarships that don’t take applicants’ financial situation into consideration. You can find merit/no-need scholarships in a variety of places.

Additional Financial Aid Options at UCLA

In addition to scholarships, UCLA offers various other forms of financial aid to help students cover the cost of attendance.

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

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 have the option to take out a low-interest educational loan from the government and a private loan from a bank or other private lenders. The terms for federal parent loans are determined by the Department of Education. Federal parent loans are not based on credit scores but adverse credit can impact eligibility. Loan payments can be postponed until after the student graduates. Interest paid on parent loans is tax-deductible.

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.

Financial Planning and Resources

UCLA is committed to helping students finance their education. Paying for your education should be a partnership between the student, your family, the government, and UCLA.

Provisional Award Letter (PAL)

After you’re admitted to UCLA, Financial Aid and Scholarships will provide you with a Provisional Award Letter (PAL) that will inform you of your eligibility for grants, scholarships, loans, and work programs. Your PAL is expected to be available at the end of April or early May due to FAFSA delays.

Cost of Attendance

Yes, your financial aid notification will offer assistance to cover your total Cost of Attendance. You must be a California resident to be assessed in-state tuition. UCLA Financial Aid and Scholarships will adjust your financial aid award to incorporate your scholarships. Typically, scholarships are used to replace federal work-study and/or need-based student loans.

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.

Specific Scholarship Examples

While a comprehensive list of all available scholarships is impossible to compile, here are a few examples of scholarships offered at UCLA:

Acacia Fraternity Frank H. Scholarship: With preference to children or grandchildren of Acacia Fraternity members or Freemasons, or to undergraduates who themselves are Freemasons or Acacia Fraternity members.
Stephen A. Arditti Esq. and Melva B. Scholarship: With preference to those pursuing a UC Center Sacramento internship or having completed one.
Cathy D. and Michael A. Scholarship: Available for entering first-year students in Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, or entering first year students with select majors within the UCLA College of Letters and Sciences or the UCLA School of Arts and Architecture, with preference to students who are high school seniors graduating from Alexander Hamilton High School.
Dr. Henry H. Chan Endowed Scholarship: Preference to full time UCLA undergraduates who are aspiring educators and/or Belmont High School graduates.
The UCLA College Continuing Student Scholarship Program: For continuing undergraduate students with a major in the UCLA College who demonstrate financial need and carry a minimum cumulative 2.5 GPA.
Thelma L. Scholarship: Entering first-year students from University High School in West Los Angeles only. Award provides full amount of California resident tuition and room and board fees at UCLA.
Mingori Climate Science Scholarship: For rising juniors (apply during sophomore year) working on topics related to climate change, majoring in either Climate Science or Environmental Science (or related field).
Don R. Scholarship: For full-time UCLA undergraduate students intending to become a teacher at any level, for any subject in any geographical area.

Avoiding Scholarship Scams

Be wary of scholarships that seem too good to be true. Red flags include scholarships with lots of typos, poor writing, etc.; scholarships that don’t offer a list of past winners; and scholarships that require an entry fee. If you have any questions about the legitimacy of a scholarship listing, feel free to bring it to the CSSE for a second opinion!

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