Financial Aid/Scholarships

UC Merced is one of the country’s best four-year universities for quality, affordability and alumni outcomes, according to Money’s 2020 Best Colleges rankings by value.

In its first year on the annual list, UC Merced is No. 76 out of 739 schools that met Money’s criteria for evaluation.

The Bobcat culture of giving will be celebrated with cookies and fun on Thursday, as the campus marks UC Merced Philanthropy Day hosted by the Student Alumni Association.

UC Merced students who are active in the community are encouraged to apply for the University Friends Circle Distinguished Volunteer Scholarship for the upcoming 2020-2021 academic year.

Jose Nava-Mejia hopes to work in renewable energy after he graduates from UC Merced. That means every moment spent on his environmental energy courses is a moment invested in the planet’s future.

Kelsey Duggin hopes to use her microbiology and immunology studies to become a virologist and work with stem cells. Vania Huaranga plans to become a neuropsychologist.

The three are among the scores of UC Merced undergraduates whose studies are backed by the Build the Future Scholarship Fund, which is supported by donations collected during Give Tue UC Merced.

Behind every Bobcat goal, basket, spike and race, there is a student-athlete who is dedicated to success on and off the court.

The drive to be the best they can be is supported by the Merced community, and nothing encapsulates the support more than the Ma Kelley events every spring.

When UC Merced senior Kevin Citalan thought about what he was thankful for as the Thanksgiving holiday grew near, he instantly thought of a turbulent time during the summer.

In August, Citalan, a Los Angeles native, was trying to complete paperwork to apply for a double major in cognitive science and management and business economics. Citalan, a former foster youth who is part of the university’s Guardian Scholars program, says it was the hardest three weeks of his academic career.

In creating scholarships to help future generations of Bobcats succeed, UC Merced staff members and alumnae Monique de Villa (’16) and Danielle Armedilla (’12) are cementing the legacy they are leaving for campus.  

De Villa and Armedilla were honored for their generous contributions at last month’s scholarship signing ceremony on Bobcat Day — a thank-you tradition that began a few years ago.

More than 3,700 individuals visited UC Merced last Saturday during the campus’s annual Bobcat Day — a 26 percent increase over 2017 and more than any previous year.

The UC Merced Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships is committed to ensuring a world-class education remains within reach for all eligible students who need financial assistance to achieve their educational goals. The office focuses on student success by providing financial aid and advising services that support student recruitment, retention and timely degree completion.

If this year’s Giving Tuesday was a success — and by every measure, it was — that success was due in large part to the generosity of UC Merced students.

The day-long fundraiser surpassed its goal of 1,000 donors in a day, with $280,000 contributed in just 24 hours. Over its four-year history, Giving Tuesday has helped UC Merced raise more than $1.3 million. For those familiar with UC Merced’s engaged student body, it’s no surprise that students were instrumental in making it all happen.