Financing
UCSC Financial Aid: International students are not eligible for need-based federal aid, since it is reserved for U.S. citizens and permanent residents. However, the Financial Aid website has databases of scholarships, grants, emergency aid, and loans that may be open to international students.
NAFSA: Association of International Educators: This organization has helpful resources on how to search for financial aid for your studies in the United States.
UCSC Scholarships
The Sara Mathews Scholarship
Applications are now open.
Deadline: Monday, February 23, 2026, by 5:00 p.m. PST
Awarded by ISSP, this scholarship is granted to deserving undergraduate international students of Sophomore or Junior standing at UCSC with a 3.5 GPA or Higher. This scholarship is to help with educational costs. Selected UCSC international students will receive a scholarship ranging from $2,000–$5,000. Applications and supporting materials must be submitted electronically.
Other Scholarships
Global Citizen Scholarship | Women in STEM: The Global Citizen Scholarship scholarship offered through MPower Financing is a scholarship program, which is available to international students attending an accredited U.S. institution.
Deserve: Deserve offers one of the few dedicated scholarships for international students in the U.S. Six undergraduate and six graduate students will be selected to receive $5,000 each toward their studies. The scholarship is open to holders of the F-1, J-1, or M-1 visas.
Study California: The Study California Scholarship will be awarded each fall to three incoming (new) international students planning to enroll at a Study California member institution. The amount of each award will vary from year to year but will be no less than $1,000 per student.