African American Initiative Scholarship

In Partnership with the San Francisco Foundation

Funded by the San Francisco Foundation and administered by the Cal Alumni Association, the African American Initiative (AAI) Scholarship provides African American students with financial support to help make their Cal education more accessible.

This scholarship is for UC Berkeley students who demonstrate leadership potential and a genuine willingness to contribute positively to the Black community at Cal. These students have been admitted to UC Berkeley as incoming first-year students.

The AAI Scholarship supports the campus-wide African American Initiative. The African American Thriving Initiative is led by the Division of Equity and Inclusion at UC Berkeley as a comprehensive effort to address the underrepresentation of African American students, faculty, and staff at Cal.

Program Requirements

African American Initiative Scholarship recipients are expected to join the AAI Scholarship Program through the African American Student Development Office.

Program Requirements

Program Requirements	Attend the Black Student Orientation, August 2025. Attend the AAI Student Retreat, date TBD. Attend the AAI Scholarship Recipient Reception, February 2026. Maintain at least a 2.0 GPA. Be enrolled in a minimum of 12 units. Live on the Afro floor. Deadline to apply for housing is May 2 for incoming first-year students. We encourage you to apply to live on the African American Theme Program when you apply for housing since this will be a requirement once your scholarship is accepted. Meet with the African American Initiative Program Manager at least once per semester.

Award Details

Award Details

Award Recipient	Incoming first-year students
Scholarship Amount	Flexible award amounts up to $8,000
Length	8–10 semesters (Students are not required to re-apply for each subsequent year, but must maintain program requirements.)
Disbursement	All awards will be disbursed through the UC Berkeley’s Financial Aid and Scholarships Office

Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility Requirements

Student Status	Incoming UC Berkeley first years for Fall 2025
Requirements	Identify as Black/African American/African California Dream Act and AB540 students are eligible to receive the award

Application Process

Application Process

Online Application Period	March 1 – March 30
Recipient Notification	Mid-April
Deadline to Accept	May 01

Apply for the African American American Initiative Scholarship

Applications are open March 1 - March 30 2025

APPLY HERE

AAI Scholar News

Scholars

After a Year of Online Instruction, Raven Gatson Refocuses Her Goals

Raven Gatson has been living with her sorority sisters near the UC Berkeley campus since January 2021. It’s the first time she’s been on campus. The buildings are still closed, but she’s able to walk around and imagine a bustling Sproul Plaza at noon. At last, after years of planning for college, she was at the school for her.

Scholars

‘A New Day’: One Alumna Finds Cal Pride, 40 Years After Graduation

“It is refreshing and healing—liberating, actually—to see a new day, a new message to African American students, and to all of us,” Dana shares. “When I told one of the students that assisted in the interviews how much I appreciated her presence, she responded with, ‘Yes, but I am standing on your shoulders.’”