Financial Aid at UC Merced

Internship/Scholarships Resource Sheet

These are scholarships available to fully undocumented students and students who possess DACA.

External Scholarships

• Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU)
• Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF)
• Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund
• La Unidad Latina Foundation Scholarship
• Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund (APIASF)
• Scholarship America Dream Award
• Bay Area Gardeners Fund 
• Immigrants Rising
• PepsiCo Cesar Chavez Latino Scholarship Fund
• The Chicano Organizing and Research in Education (CORE) - Que Llueva Café scholarship
• Golden Door Scholarship
• Los Hermanos de Stanford Scholarship
• Scholarships for Undocumented Scholars (Scholarship.Com)
• League of Latin American Citizens (LULAC)
• Get Schooled

Financial Aid

• California Student Aid Commission Ultimate Guide for Undocumented Students. "Welcome to your ultimate guide to navigating higher education as an undocumented student in California! We know this journey can feel overwhelming, but the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) offers the best financial aid opportunities for undocumented students in the nation, and we’re prepared to help you every step of the way! Together, we’ll navigate the resources and support systems designed just for you."  

• The UC Merced Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships will review every California Dream Act application for eligibility for institutional and state-funded aid. For more information, visit the Office of Financial Aid website. Also, undocumented students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Quick Guide to College Access for Undocumented Students in California.

• As a prospective student at UC Merced, you may be eligible for all UC Merced scholarships that are derived from private, non-state funds for the fall semester and the spring semester, and you may be eligible for all UC Merced grants and scholarships including those derived from private, non-state funds as well as those derived from state funds.

• To be eligible for grant aid, you must qualify for an AB 540 Nonresident Tuition Exemption, and you must be ineligible for federal financial aid. To be eligible for scholarship aid, you must also have an entry GPA of 3.25 or above. We encourage you to complete and submit the University of California Nonresident Tuition Exemption Form as soon as possible after you have received your offer of admission to UC Merced and accepted your admission by submitting your Statement of Intent to Register (SIR).

• You can apply for this aid by completing the California Dream Act Application. The priority deadline is March 2. Ready to fill out the application? See our tips for completing the California Dream Act application (pdf). You will need to submit the Dream Act application every year you're enrolled in school to continue receiving aid.

• The Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan is a financial aid program intended to expand access to UC for low-income students. The plan will ensure that low-income families will not have to pay systemwide tuition and fees out of pocket if an applicant’s total family income is less than $80,000 a year. AB 540 eligible students automatically will be considered for the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan if they submit the California Dream Act Application and the Cal Grant GPA Verification Form. There is no separate application for this program.