Financial Aid/Scholarships

First-generation Students Shine at UC Merced. This Week Celebrates Them

November 3, 2025

UC Merced Professor Rose Scott, student Narciso Martinez Solorio

More than six in 10 UC Merced undergraduates are the first in their families to attend a university. The national average for four-year universities is about two in 10. Opening doors to opportunity for first-generation students is infused into UC Merced’s DNA. Young people who had little...

Vice Chancellor Ed Klotzbier, Monique de Villa (’16), Danielle Armedilla (’12), and Chancellor Dorothy Leland

Alumnae Staff Members Honor Family With Endowed Scholarships

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...

About 1,200 admitted students and their family members visited campus on Bobcat Day, and many accepted their UC Merced admittance offers on the spot.

Campus’ Spring Open House Draws Record Attendance

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. About 1,200...

Ma Kelley Memorial Golf Tournament to Raise Funds for Student Athletes

The 21st annual Ma Kelley Memorial Golf Tournament will be held April 13 at the Turlock Golf and Country Club and proceeds benefit UC Merced student athletes. Tickets for the 18-hole tournament...

Governor Names Nies to California Student Aid Commission

UC Merced’s Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Charles Nies has been appointed to the California Student Aid Commission by Gov. Jerry Brown. The commission is tasked with making education...

Current and prospective students are encouraged to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) before the March 2 deadline.

Tips to Help Students Maximize Aid

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...

Hundreds of Students Already Giving Back to Campus

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...

Homecoming Oct. 20-22 is slated to be a lively weekend joining past, present and future Bobcats, families and the local community.

Campus Celebrates Community at Homecoming

UC Merced’s Homecoming Oct. 20-22 will draw students, staff, faculty, alumni, family and friends together for a weekend of activities that highlight the campus and the community. For the first...

Record-Breaking Class Pushes UC Merced Enrollment Near 8,000

The University of California, Merced, received the largest incoming class of students in its 13-year history this semester, as total enrollment neared 8,000 for the first time. The fastest-growing...

Staff Puts Students First to Promote Success and Learning

Whether staffing the front counter, answering phone calls and emails or chatting online, staff members at UC Merced’s Students First Center (SFC) pride themselves on providing excellent customer...