It was an ordinary day...John and Jack got back from work/class early, so John and I headed to RiteAid to pick up some raw shea butter cream and other incidentals. On the way back, Jack texted us the following: "Hey, saving a bit of money on tuition. I got a Regents' and Chancellors scholarship for 2500$/year for two years". Not such an ordinary day after all, this is a REALLY big deal!
These scholarships are only awarded to about 200 kids every year (both freshman admission and transfer) out of a total of about 13,000 students entering Berkeley that fall. You don't apply for these scholarships, they go through the top applications after the decisions have been handed out, and then award them a few weeks later. Freshman applicants must interview, but transfer students don't, which is why we had no idea that Jack was up for this. Because Jack isn't applying for financial aid (he wouldn't get any based on our income), he gets the minimum of 2500$/year, but students with demonstrated need can get a lot more. But the money is really the least of it, the kids who are Regents scholars have access to a lot of resources (from the Cal website https://financialaid.berkeley.edu/regents-and-chancellors-scholarship):
- Priority Class Enrollment: Regents' and Chancellor's Scholars are among a very select group of students who receive priority enrollment for classes.
- Faculty Mentor: Scholars have access to UC Berkeley faculty mentors to provide guidance on academic and professional endeavors.
- Research Fellowship: The Regents' and Chancellor's Research Fellowship provides scholars an opportunity to apply for funding of up to $1,000 in support of current research projects.
- Guaranteed Housing: Scholars receive guaranteed placement in on-campus housing for the duration of their scholarship tenure.
- Regents' and Chancellor's Scholars Association: All scholars are automatic members of the Regents’ and Chancellor’s Scholars Association (RCSA). The student organization sponsors academic and professional development activities as well as social events and community service projects throughout the academic year, including TEDx Berkeley.
- Financial Aid Advising: Scholars have a dedicated scholarship coordinator in the Undergraduate Scholarships, Honors, and Prizes Office to assist with questions about the scholarship and financial aid.
- Financial Literacy Counseling: Bears for Financial Success (BFFS), UC Berkeley's peer-to-peer financial literacy program, offers special workshops and counseling to help scholars learn to manage money and expenses.
- Monetary Award and Scholarship Tenure: The Regents' and Chancellor's Scholarship includes a monetary award that is renewable annually for up to a maximum of eight semesters for incoming freshmen and a maximum of four semesters for incoming transfer students. Scholars without financial need receive a $2,500 honorary award per year. Scholars with financial need are awarded a scholarship up to their full need as assessed by the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office.
- Alumni Network: Upon graduating, scholars become part of a vibrant and world-changing group of Berkeley alumni.
It is hard to get exact numbers on how many transfer students applied and then how many of those were awarded a Regents, but in general, only 1% of the incoming students are offered this scholarship. It is safe to say that Jack rocks and we are so proud of him! Here's a quick picture I took once we got home:
- Log in to post comments