FAQs
Qualifying for a scholarship
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What scholarships do you offer to current Cal undergraduate students?
Learn more about:
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What scholarships do you offer to community college transfer students applying to UC Berkeley (i.e. prospective junior transfer Cal students)?
Learn more about:
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What scholarships do you offer to current Cal graduate students?
Unfortunately, we only have scholarships for undergraduate students. Visit the UC Berkeley Scholarship Connection for funding resources available to graduate students.
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What does "prospective Cal student" mean?
You are a "prospective Cal student" if you are a high school senior or a junior transfer applying to UC Berkeley.
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What does "incoming Cal student" mean?
You are an "incoming Cal student" if you are a prospective Cal student who declares a Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) to UC Berkeley (e.g. incoming freshman Cal student or incoming junior transfer Cal student). You can only receive our scholarship if you enroll at UC Berkeley.
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How do I qualify for your scholarships?
Learn the eligibility requirements for:
The Achievement Award Program
The Leadership Award
The Equity Scholarship -
What scholarships do you offer to high school seniors applying to UC Berkeley (i.e. prospective freshmen Cal students)?
Learn more about:
The Achievement Award Program
The Leadership Award
The Equity Scholarship -
Do I have to be a U.S. Citizen or permanent U.S. resident to apply?
The Achievement Award Program
No. You must be a California resident as defined by the AB 540 guidelines.
The Leadership Award
No. There are no residency requirements for this award.
The Equity Scholarship
No. You must be a California resident as defined by the AB 540 guidelines.
Applying for a scholarship
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Should I include letters of recommendation?
No. We cannot consider any additional materials (e.g. letters of recommendation, transcripts, resumes, videos, etc.).
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Can I apply for more than one scholarship?
Yes. You must submit a separate application for each scholarship you qualify for.
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Can I receive more than one scholarship?
Yes, provided you meet the eligiblity and program requirements for each scholarship.
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What should I do if I submit an application with a mistake?
If you need to make corrections to your application, submit another complete application before the deadline and your previous information will be overwritten. We will not accept submissions or corrections after the deadline.
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What income should I include in the application for The Achievement Award Program?
The income you report on your application should match what you reported on your FAFSA. If you are not eligible to complete a FAFSA, please report your total income as stated on your UC application:
- If you are a dependent student, enter the sum of your gross income and that of your parent(s) gross income. Use the gross income reported for the previous tax year.
- If you are an independent student, enter the sum of your gross income and your spouse’s gross income. Use the gross income reported for the previous tax year.
- How do I determine if I'm a dependent or independent student?
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When can I apply?
Learn more about:
The Achievement Award Program
The Leadership Award
The Equity Scholarship -
How do I apply?
Applications are only available online. No post-mailed, emailed, or faxed applications will be accepted.
Learn more on how to apply for:
The Achievement Award Program
The Leadership Award
The Equity Scholarship -
When are applications due?
The following deadlines are final. There are absolutely no exceptions. See deadlines for:
The Achievement Award Program
The Leadership Award
The Equity Scholarship
Receiving a scholarship
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How are students selected for your scholarships?
Applications are anonymously read and scored multiple times by alumni volunteers. Finalists are then invited to an interview with alumni volunteers. Applicants that best fulfill the selection criteria are then selected to receive the scholarship.
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What other benefits will I get as a scholar?
Learn more about benefits of being a scholar:
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Do I need to report my scholarship to the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office?
The Achievement Award Program and The Leadership Award
No. We report your award information directly to the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office. The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office will send you an updated Financial Aid Package and you may need to “accept” the award through your online financial aid account.The Equity Scholarship
You will need to notify the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office of your award. -
How are awards paid during the year?
Your award will be disbursed in two installments - half for the fall semester and half for the spring semester through the Campus Accounts Receivable System (CARS).
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Can I apply my award to summer school tuition?
CAA Alumni Scholarship recipients do not receive funding for summer school.
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What if I plan to study abroad?
If you plan to study abroad through EAP, your award will be submitted to the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office and then be applied to your CARS account.
If you plan to study abroad through a non-EAP program, you will need to sign a consortium agreement with the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office and notify CAA Alumni Scholarships of your plans.
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What if I need to take a medical leave of absence?
You will need to notify the CAA Alumni Scholarships office of your withdrawal. Your scholarship will be deferred in accordance with the policies and expectations of the Office of the Registrar and the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office.
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What if I need to defer my award?
Duration of Scholarships: Scholarship awards received for the academic year (July through June) must be used during the academic year for which they are given. Receipt of award funds may not be deferred. If a student withdraws for a semester, the award funds for that semester can only be deferred out if the student’s withdrawal was University-approved (e.g. medical reason); in such special cases, the scholarship will be deferred in accordance with the policies and expectations of the Office of the Registrar.
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What if I graduate early? What if I am not enrolled for the full academic year?
Forfeiture of Awards: In order to receive all scholarship award funds, students must be enrolled during the applicable academic year for both semesters. If a student fails to enroll for the fall or spring semester by the first day of classes of that semester, his/her scholarship funds for that semester are forfeited and will be given to another qualifying scholarship applicant. If a student withdraws for a semester, the award funds for that semester can only be deferred if the student's withdrawal was University-approved (e.g. medical reason). If a student chooses to study abroad through the University of California Education Abroad Program (EAP), funds will be disbursed as usual through the Campus Accounts Receivable System (CARS). If a student chooses to study abroad with a non-UC-affiliated program, the terms of the scholarship are subject to the campus Consortium Study Agreement Program (see What if I plan to study abroad?).
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When will I be notified if I was selected to receive your scholarships?
Learn about the application process for:
The Achievement Award Program
The Leadership Award
The Equity Scholarship -
How much aid is awarded for a scholarship?
Learn how much aid is awarded for:
The Achievement Award Program
The Leadership Award
The Equity Scholarship -
If I am not chosen to receive your scholarship, can I re-apply next year?
The Achievement Award Program
No. The Achievement Award Program only accepts applications from incoming Cal students.
The Leadership Award
Yes. You can apply for the Leadership Award the next academic year as a current Cal student.
The Equity Scholarship
No. The Equity Scholarship only accepts applications from incoming Cal students.
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Do your scholarships renew?
The Achievement Award Program is renewable, provided recipients meet the following program requirements.
The Leadership Award is not renewable. Students must apply for the scholarship every academic year.
The Equity Scholarship is renewable, provided recipients meet the following program requirements.
Supporting a scholarship
Submitting an online application
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Why am I having trouble submitting my online application?
Many students are applying to our scholarships simultaneously. Our best advice is that you submit your application early to avoid service disruptions due to high traffic. You may consider submitting your application in the early morning or late evening to avoid periods of high web traffic. Please note that there are no exceptions to the application deadline.
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What's my UC Application ID number and how do I find it?
Your UC Application ID is a 7-digit number that uniquely identifies you within the UC applicant system. Unfortunately, Berkeley cannot provide application ID numbers. However, there are three ways for you to find your Application ID:
To find your UC Application ID
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View your PATHWAYS receipt
If you submitted your application via the University of California website, you should have seen a screen displaying this information. -
View Undergraduate Application Acknowledgment
This information can be found in the upper right-hand side of the UC acknowledgement letter you received in the mail. -
Contact UC Admissions Processing (UCAP)
In California (800) 523-2048 Outside California (925) 808-2181 Deaf and hearing impaired callers TDD (925) 521-9280 Email ucinfo@ucapplication.net
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