University of California, Irvine, or more commonly known as, UC Irvine is an excellent public university in California. The university was started in 1965 and become a large research institution. In fact, the university spends hundreds of millions of dollars each year on R&D. In this article, we will be discussing UC Irvine scholarships as well as financial aid that is available for incoming freshmen.
Currently, there are approximately 30,000 undergraduate students and 5,000 graduate students who are studying at UC Irvine. These students study in various majors that are offered by the university. The faculty there are one of the best in the world, and seven professors are Nobel Prize Winners and many others have won other prestigious academic awards as well as are distinguished in their field.
So, do you want to study at this university? If so, let’s talk about scholarships!
UC Irvine Scholarships
UC Irvine offers a significantly large number of scholarships to incoming freshmen. They can be broadly divided into two categories: merit-based and need-based. Just like their name, one is awarded based on merit and once is awarded based on financial need.
Merit-Based Scholarships
1. Regent’s Scholarships
Regent’s scholarship is one of the most competitive scholarships that are offered at UC Irvine. The scholarship award is determined each year depending on the funds, so there’s not a set amount that is given. However, you can be sure that the scholarship amount will be significant.
Benefits other than the monetary award include guaranteed on-campus housing and priority class registration. These two benefits are rather significant on a large campus because the vast majority of students do not have those privileges. If space runs out on the UC Irvine dormitories, then students without those privileges will need to find off-campus housing, which is more of a hassle and very likely more expensive than the dormitories. Also, they will need to commute to and from campus, which takes time and gas money. Priority class registration is also important because you can take classes that you need to take when you need to take them.
To apply for this UC Irvine scholarship, you will need to submit your application to the university by November 30. Please note that this is a much earlier deadline than regular decision’s. Other than that, there is no separate application. The scholarship committee will go through applicants’ information and select a certain number of students for this scholarship! You can go to the Regent’s Scholarships Page for more information.
2. UCI Alumni Scholarships
This scholarship is awarded by the alumni association at UC Irvine. The scholarship award is for $10,000 over four years for freshman and $5,000 over two years for transfer students. There is also $500 book stipend associated with the scholarship as well.
To apply, you will need to notify UC Irvine that you will be attending the university next year. Then, students who meet certain academic criteria such as SAT/ACT and GPA cutoff will be invited to apply for this scholarship. Then, you will need to apply using the application form.
Please note that this is an invite-only scholarship. The deadline for the application is early August, and you will be notified in September. For more information about this scholarship, visit the UCI Alumni Scholarships Page!
2. Need-Based Scholarships
There are multiple need-based scholarships that are available for prospective students. The award is smaller than the merit scholarships mentioned above. To apply, you will need to fill out FAFSA, and if the scholarship that you are looking at requires an additional application, you need to fill those out as well. To view these UC Irvine scholarships, visit the scholarships page!
How to Apply to UC Irvine Scholarships
Applying to scholarships at UC Irvine is pretty straightforward. You will need to submit your application to UC Irvine, and if you want to be considered for Regents Scholarships, you need to submit the application by November 30th. For scholarships that need an additional application such as some need-based scholarships and alumni scholarship, you’ll need to submit the application as well.
UC Irvine Grants
Now, we will be talking about grants, which are similar to scholarships in that you don’t need to repay the award. There are four major types of grants that are awarded at UC Irvine, which are Cal Grant, Pell Grant, and UC Irvine Grant.
1. Cal Grants
Cal Grants are awarded to students from California who demonstrate financial need. The maximum award is approximately $12,000 per year. Cal Grant is divided into Cal Grant A or Cal Grant B based on your circumstances. To apply, you will need to file FAFSA and submit your GPA verification by March 2. You can view more details at Cal Grants Page.
2. Federal Pell Grants
Federal Pell Grants are awarded by the US Government to US Citizens and Residents who file the FAFSA. The maximum award is approximately $5,500 a year. If you are interested in applying, you need to file FAFSA by March 2.
3. UC Irvine Grants
This grant is awarded by UC Irvine, and this grant’s purpose is to meet the unmet need. The unmet need is the cost of attendance minus UC Irvine financial aid and $9,000 a year expected self-contribution. You should note that they do not guarantee that they will meet the need of every student. To apply, simply file FAFSA by March 2.
How to Apply for Grants
You can apply by just filing FAFSA by the March 2 deadline. The form is available on October 1, so you should finish it as soon as possible to get it out of the way. After you have finished with the application, you can use the code 001314 to submit the application to UC Irvine.
FAFSA asks you questions about your financial situation such as family income, assets, number of siblings, etc. So, make sure to have the exact figures when you apply!
I hope that this article on UC Irvine Scholarships and Financial Aid was helpful. It’s sometimes difficult to figure out which university will offer you the best financial package, and that’s where this site comes in. If you are a California Resident, I highly recommend going to California Scholarships Category first. If you are not from California, you should go to Authority Scholarships Website and check out scholarships available in your state first. After you have checked those universities, you should look into out-of-state schools to see which scholarships are available for you.
