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Scholarships

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Alumni Support for Your Highlander Journey

The UCR Alumni Association (UCRAA) is here to help you achieve a world-class education and success in your career. We are proud to offer a diverse range of scholarships and initiatives that lighten the load of education expenses for the next generation of Highlanders.

Thanks to the support of generous donors and a strong network of alumni who are dedicated to giving back, the UCRAA scholarship program has awarded more than $2.7 million to over 1,250 students.

For additional UCR scholarship and financial aid information, visit UCR Financial Aid.

Apply for a Scholarship

In partnership with generous alumni and donors, the UCR Alumni Association recognizes and rewards students for academic achievements and leadership promise through a diverse range of merit-based scholarships.

The association awards scholarships to incoming freshmen, transfer students, and current students each year. Click on the scholarships below for criteria information and application details. Award disbursements will only be made to students who are enrolled at UCR during the period indicated on the application.

Once students log in and build their profiles by answering questions, the personalized portal continually searches its database for relevant funding sources, saving students time and energy. The tool also gives metrics to determine a student’s chances of obtaining the award and the effort required to apply. Users even get a personalized snapshot of their dashboard emailed every week, which breaks down new opportunities, application status, pending tasks, deadlines, and more.

 

Prospective and Current Students

Chicano Latino Alumni Scholarship

The mission of Chicano Latino Alumni (CLA) is to build a community that advocates and creates opportunities for the academic excellence, professional growth, and advancement of Chicano Latino students, alumni, staff, faculty, and our community at large.

CLA’s scholarship program recognizes academic achievement and community service of exceptional students at UCR.

Criteria for Selection:
  • All CLA Scholarship applicants must reside in California.
  • Demonstrate a commitment to the betterment of the Chicano Latino community.
  • Full-time UCR student during the year of award and quarter when funds will be disbursed.
Undergraduate Student Applicants must be:
  • A high school senior or community college transfer enrolling at UCR with a minimum 3.0 GPA in their last year and an overall minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA.
  • 1st and 2nd year UCR undergraduate students must maintain a minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.
  • +3rd year UCR undergraduate students must maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA 
Graduate/Professional Student Applicants must be:
  • An incoming UCR graduate students enrolling at UCR with a minimum 3.0 GPA in their last year and an overall minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA.
  • Continuing UCR graduate students (not on “Filing Fee” status) and must maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA. 

$1,000 Scholarship Award
Number of awards depends upon available funds.

HOW DO I APPLY?

Students that meet the eligibility criteria listed can apply through Scholarship Universe. Visit Scholarship Universe today to create your account and begin your profile. Logging in is easy – you just need your UCR NetID and password. The more questions you answer on your profile, the more scholarships you’ll be matched with, including ours! If you have any questions, please email Alumni Scholars today!

Dr. Manuela and Randy Sosa Endowed Scholarship Fund

Since its founding in 1998, the Inland Empire Scholarship Fund (IESF) has awarded scholarships to hundreds of low-income, high-achieving students from Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. This extraordinary accomplishment is the result of a focused vision and tireless year-round volunteer effort put forth by Dr. Manuela Granado Sosa, a retired dentist, and Espartago (Randy) Sosa, a retired engineer.

Criteria for Selection:
  • Minimum GPA of 3.0
  • Entering, transferring, continuing undergraduates
  • Pursuing a Bachelor's degree at UCR in fall and attending all three quarters in 2024-2025
  • Resident of Riverside County or San Bernardino County 
  • Interest in working in the Inland Empire using skills and resources to give back and help the Latino community
Additional consideration will be given to candidates that meet the following:
  • Fluent in Spanish

Number of Scholarships: Varies
Award Amount: $1,000

HOW DO I APPLY?

Students that meet the eligibility criteria listed can apply through Scholarship Universe. Visit Scholarship Universe today to create your account and begin your profile. Logging in is easy – you just need your UCR NetID and password. The more questions you answer on your profile, the more scholarships you’ll be matched with, including ours! If you have any questions, please email Alumni Scholars today!

First-Year Scholars

UCR Alumni Association (UCRAA) First-Year Scholarship

The UCRAA First-Year Scholarship is the largest scholarship the association awards. Ten incoming first-year's are selected each year from a pool of eligible applicants. After applications are read by alumni volunteers and virtual interviews are conducted with top candidates, awardees are selected and receive a scholarship in the amount of $5,000 for the 2025-26 academic year.

Criteria for Selection:
  • Incoming first-year; attended high school in California
  • Must be enrolled full-time at UCR for the 2025-26 school year (if chosen for the award)
  • Minimum GPA of 3.8
  • California resident
  • Essay

HOW DO I APPLY?

Students that meet the eligibility criteria listed can apply through Scholarship Universe. Visit Scholarship Universe today to create your account and begin your profile. Logging in is easy – you just need your UCR NetID and password. The more questions you answer on your profile, the more scholarships you’ll be matched with, including ours! If you have any questions, please email Alumni Scholars today!

Alumni by region

Beyond the First Year

Continuing students also have an opportunity to apply for support through various alumni scholarships.

Additional Resources

 

Henry Ramsey, Jr. Revolving Emergency Loan fund (RELF)

Designed to assist students with short-term financial emergencies. Each loan application is reviewed on a case-by-case basis and available anytime during the year, as long as the student is enrolled full time. For more information, please contact (951) 827-2586.

  • Loan amounts are available up to $1,000. Approval of all loans is subject to the availability of funds. (a typical loan averages $500).
  • The Office of Alumni Engagement may reduce the loan amount or decline to approve the loan if information indicates your unwillingness or inability to repay the loan.
  • Only one outstanding RELF is allowed per quarter.

Apply Now