Academic Advancement Program (AAP) Scholarships

The Academic Advancement Program (AAP) will be awarding scholarships to AAP students for the 2026-2027 academic year. The average scholarship award ranges from $2,500 to $5,000.

ELIGIBILITY
All AAP students who have completed at least 12 units, have not exceed 150 units at the college or university level, and who have a minimum cumulative UCLA GPA of 2.75 or better by the end of the 2025 Fall Quarter are eligible to apply. To receive the scholarship, you must be enrolled as a full-time undergraduate during the entire 2026-2027 academic year and apply for financial aid by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the CA Dream Act Application (CADAA).

INSTRUCTIONS
Your application and all supporting materials must be submitted by 11:59PM on Friday, March 6th, 2026. No late or incomplete applications will be accepted.
A complete application includes:

  1. Career Goals/Interest: Select at least one item from the list of career goals/interests on the general application.
  2. Personal Statement: Describe in 350-500 words (maximum of 4,000 characters) why you should be chosen for an AAP Scholarship and include any personal challenges, obstacles, or major event(s) in your life you’ve overcome, if any.
  3. Essay: Answer one of the two questions in a 500–600-word (maximum of 4,800 characters) essay. Failure to limit the length of your essay will result in a lower score on your application. Note: The essay question counts for over half of your final score. Be sure to proofread, use spell check, and edit your work carefully before adding your essay to the application. You can add your essay to your application at any point before the submission deadline. Remember: the application will not be considered complete until the essay is submitted.
  4. Letter of Recommendation: The letter must be from a UCLA instructor (faculty or TA) who appears as the “instructor of record” for a class on your study list (current or past).

Award
up to $5,000
Deadline
03/06/2026
Supplemental Questions
  1. Please confirm you are currently participating in AAP.
  2. AAP Personal Statement
  3. AAP Essay Choice 2026-2027 -Choose One
    • Question 1 – Current Events: Across higher education, budget shortfalls and shifting priorities threaten programs that advance equity, student support, and research. Discuss how these financial challenges affect students and communities. What do you believe it will take to sustain equity and opportunity in times of scarcity?
    • Question 2 – UCLA Common Experience: The FX Television Series, Reservation Dogs, has been selected as the UCLA Common Experience title for the 2025-2026 academic year. Remapping Identity Through Narrative: Reservation Dogs illustrates that stories can challenge stereotypes and reclaim under represented voices. Reflect on a time you used narrative—spoken, written, visual, or digital—to push back against an assumption about who you are or where you come from. What did you learn about yourself and others, and how will you use storytelling to promote understanding and social change during your UCLA journey?
  4. AAP LETTER OF REFERENCE: Please provide the name and e-mail of a UCLA instructor (faculty or TA) who will provide a letter of reference