Jim Varney Scholarship

Kentucky or Tennessee entering freshmen with an interest in acting and/or the performing arts, and with demonstrable financial need, receive preference for the Jim Varney Scholarship, established in 2003 to provide scholarship support to UCLA undergraduates. The award covers the recipient’s entire out-of-state UCLA cost of attendance, as determined by the UCLA Financial Aid and Scholarships office. Eligible applicants will pursue a degree in the UCLA College of Letters and Science (https://admission.ucla.edu/apply/majors#The_College) or the School of Theater, Film and Television and carry a cumulative high school grade point average of 3.75 or higher (weighted or unweighted). Qualifying applicants must complete and submit the FAFSA for the coming academic year.

The scholarship is renewable through the recipient’s fourth year at UCLA, assuming good academic standing and compliance with the following additional scholarship requirements:

(1) signing and submitting the Statement of Intent to Register at UCLA,
(2) enrolling in a major in the UCLA College of Letters and Science (https://admission.ucla.edu/apply/majors#The_College) or the School of Theater, Film and Television,
(3) signing, submitting and abiding by the Varney Scholarship Contract not to accept any other financial aid for the regular academic year (Fall, Winter and Spring Quarters),
(4) scheduling and attending all required quarterly scholarship appointments with the Executive Director of the Center for Scholarships & Scholar Enrichment, and
(5) completing and uploading annually an updated letter of thanks for the donor.

If you have questions, please contact the UCLA Center for Scholarships & Scholar Enrichment: http://www.scholarshipcenter.ucla.edu/about/contact/.

Award
Full out-of-state UCLA cost of attendance as determined by the UCLA Financial Aid and Scholarships office; renewable through the recipient's fourth year at UCLA; notification by April 10
Deadline
04/02/2026
Supplemental Questions
  1. Relationship to Kentucky or Tennessee?
    • Are you a permanent resident of either Tennessee or Kentucky?
    • What is the nature of your residency in either Tennessee or Kentucky, particularly with regard to the length of time you have been a resident and your high school attendance there?
  2. What is the nature of your interest and involvement in acting and/or the performing arts to date? How do you plan to achieve academic excellence while pursuing these artistic endeavors and how will attending UCLA help you to accomplish your goals?
  3. Please upload a current resume that focuses on your background in acting and/or the performing arts.
  4. Please upload an official or unofficial copy of your high school transcript.
  5. Please write a 100-150 word bio that focuses on your interests in acting and/or the performing arts in general and includes a brief statement of current career goals.
  6. Please provide the name and e-mail of an individual (not a peer or family member) who will provide a letter of reference, preferably one that will speak to your interest in acting and/or the performing arts. Be sure to obtain your recommender's permission before entering their information. Your recommender will automatically receive a link prompting them to upload the recommendation via this UCLA Scholarship Application system. In case of issues, please contact Mac Harris of the UCLA Center for Scholarships & Scholar Enrichment at mharris@college.ucla.edu. Inform your recommender there should be no punctuation in the file name other than that automatically added for file extensions such as .pdf, .doc and the like. The system will not accept any upload where the file name has punctuation. It is best to use letters only.
  7. Please provide the best cell phone number (nine digits with no dashes, spaces or parentheses) for the UCLA Center for Scholarships & Scholar Enrichment to contact you regarding your scholarship if necessary.
  8. Show 2 more