It is very important in your earliest years to learn about the most highly respected and prestigious award competitions that are available to you. Please read all of the descriptions below, and visit the websites to learn more. We at UC Merced are eager to provide advising and assistance with preparation for these competitions. Students who win these awards:

1. Are hard-working, creative students with top grades (usually 3.9 and above, although there are exceptions);
2. Have interests in campus or community activities and career fields or academic disciplines that naturally align with the aims of the scholarship program;
3. Begin work to position themselves competitively in their FIRST YEAR of college or prior, even if they cannot apply until the senior year.

If you would like to compete for these awards in the years to come, please visit the Student Advising and Learning Center to speak with Dr. Elizabeth Boretz learning@ucmerced.edu.

Plan to have an educational or service experience abroad, too, as part of your college education. All of these competitions demand years of dedication to making the most of your college experience. Successful competitors are those students who wish to develop their intellect, social awareness, and communication skills to their fullest potential. 

Deadlines: View the website of the program that interests you, and meet with Dr. Boretz at least 1 year in advance of your intended application date.

List of Scholarships

 

Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship

The purpose of The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans is to provide opportunities for continuing generations of able and accomplished New Americans to achieve leadership in their chosen fields. The Program is established in recognition of the contributions New Americans have made to American life and in gratitude for the opportunities the United States has afforded the donors and their family. This award provides $20,000 per year plus 50% of tuition for graduate school to immigrants, documented and undocumented, naturalized citizens and holders of a Green Card. Applications are due at the end of October; graduating seniors may apply. www.pdsoros.org                                                           

Rhodes Scholarship 

The Rhodes Scholarship funds two or three years of study at Oxford University in England. Scholars can pursue either a second bachelor’s or a higher degree. Candidates must demonstrate a record of academic excellence and leadership potential. Graduating seniors or recent graduates who are U.S. citizens, ages 18-23, in all majors are eligible to apply. A minimum 3.6 GPA is typical. http://www.rhodesscholar.org

Marshall Scholarship 

The Marshall Scholarship funds two or three years of study at any one of nearly 100 colleges and universities in the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland). Recipients can pursue either a second bachelor’s or a graduate degree. An outstanding academic record is essential. Graduating seniors or recent graduates who are U.S. citizens and have a minimum 3.7 GPA after their freshman year are eligible to apply. http://www.acu.ac.uk/marshall

Goldwater Scholarship

The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship provides up to $7,500 per year for undergraduate educational expenses. Sophomores and juniors majoring in mathematics, sciences, and engineering who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents in the upper quarter of their class (typically a minimum 3.5 GPA) are eligible to apply. The Goldwater Foundation seeks students who demonstrate a strong commitment to advanced degrees and careers in these fields, display intellectual curiosity and intensity, and possess potential for significant future contributions in their chosen fields. http://www.act.org/goldwater/

Truman Scholarship

The Harry S. Truman Scholarship awards $26,000: $2,000 for the senior year and $24,000 for graduate study for students committed to public service. U.S. citizens of any age who are in the upper quarter of their class (usually a minimum 3.5 GPA) are eligible to apply. Applicants must have outstanding academic and service records and plan to pursue graduate programs geared toward public service. Students must apply during their junior year. (Exception: students who plan to enroll as fifth-year seniors may apply during their fourth year.) http://www.truman.gov/

Strauss Scholarship

The Strauss Scholarship provides $10,000 for educational expenses during the senior year. Juniors who want to initiate a public service project during their senior year are encouraged to apply. A project proposal is a major focus of the selection process. Applicants must be in the upper third of their class (typically a minimum 3.3 GPA) and have demonstrated leadership potential and an interest in public service. http://www.straussfoundation.org

Udall Scholarship

The Morris K. Udall Scholarship provides up to $5,000 for educational expenses to sophomores and juniors who either 1) study the environment and related fields; or 2) are Native Americans or Alaska Natives in fields related to health care or tribal public policy. The Udall Foundation seeks outstanding students with a minimum 3.0 GPA who demonstrate, through their areas of study and public service activities, a commitment to and potential for making significant contributions in their fields. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. http://www.udall.gov

Cooke Scholarship  The Jack Kent Coke Graduate Scholarship Program awards up to $50,000 annually for up to six years. The scholarship seeks to support exceptional students with financial need who are enrolling graduate school. Applicants must have a cumulative 3.5 GPA or better and plan to attend graduate school in Fall 2005. Graduating seniors or college graduates who are enrolling in graduate school within five years of completing an undergraduate degree are encouraged to apply. www.jkcf.org/scholarships

Mitchell Scholarship 

The George J. Mitchell Scholarship funds one year of post-bachelor research or study in the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland. The award also includes a stipend for European travel. Candidates must have demonstrated academic excellence, a commitment to service, and leadership. Graduating seniors or graduates who are U.S. citizens, ages 18-29, are eligible to apply. http://www.us-irelandalliance.org/scholarships.html

Public Policy Leadership Conference at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University 

The conference aims to attract students from groups under-represented in public policy and international affairs in an effort to increase the diversity of students receiving these professional degrees. The conference will help prepare future leaders for study in public policy, particularly those from historically under-served communities and people of color. Participants receive paid travel, accommodations, and board. www.ksg.harvard.edu/pplc

UC LEADS

The goal of the University of California's new Leadership Excellence through Advanced Degrees (UC LEADS) program is to educate California's future leaders by preparing promising students for advanced education in science, technology, mathematics and engineering (STEM). The program is designed to identify upper-division undergraduate students with the potential to succeed in these disciplines, but who have experienced situations or conditions that have adversely impacted their advancement in their field of study. Students interested in this program should visit the Graduate Division in KL 227. www.ucop.edu/ucleads

Public Policy and International Affairs Summer Institute at Princeton

This program prepares outstanding students for leadership opportunities as future global policy leaders in both the public and nonprofit sectors.  The summer institute prepares participants for graduate school by providing tools for critical thinking, speaking, writing, and quantitative reasoning.  Students who complete the program are equipped to create, analyze, implement, evaluate, and affect policy in a multicultural, multiethnic society. www.princeton.edu/jsi