Undergraduate Scholarships and Grants

• Amount: A limited partial-tuition scholarship
• Eligibility: Available to first-year and transfer students

Please contact your coach for more information.

Admitted full-time undergraduate first-year students are automatically considered for a renewable Dominican merit scholarship. We’ll let you know as soon as you’re admitted if you are eligible. There are no applications required.

First-Year Merit Scholarships*

Fall 2025-Spring 2026

*Final award amount is determined by a variety of factors including GPA, coursework, application, essay, and/or RaiseMe micro-scholarships. 

Merit scholarships are awarded to new first-year students admitted for the corresponding academic years. Eligibility is based on a student's weighted high school GPA. Annual scholarship amounts are divided in half between the fall and spring semesters. Please note — scholarships are not awarded for the summer semester.

Scholarship Renewal Policy

Scholarships can be renewed for subsequent years of study as long as you’re enrolled at Dominican. First-year student scholarships are renewable for three additional academic years after the first year (maximum eligibility of eight semesters total). Renewal criteria includes full-time undergraduate enrollment (minimum 12 units per semester) and meeting Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements.

• Amount: Limited competitive awards, $3,000 per year.
• Eligibility: Available to a limited number of incoming first-year students who apply and are accepted to the Honors Program prior to matriculation.  Must be a member of the Honors Program in order to maintain eligibility in future semesters.

Our goal is to promote educational equity across Marin County and to support students who would be best served by the Dominican educational experience. Students affiliated with any of the following partner organizations enrolling in all majors except nursing can apply for the scholarship: 

• 10,000 Degrees
• Bridge the Gap
• Canal Alliance
• Felecia Gaston/Performing Stars
• Hannah Project
• Marin Academy
• Terra Linda High School

Learn more
 

Established in 2022, this scholarship expresses Dominican University of California’s gratitude and appreciation for the historical, political, and cultural legacies of the Coast Miwok communities specifically, and Indigenous communities broadly, and honors the continually growing relationship with our local Indigenous partners.

The scholarship makes the University’s rich educational experiences available to qualified Coast Miwok and other Indigenous students.

Scholarship Deadline: May 1, 2024

Download the Maria Copa Scholarship flyer.

Eligibility

• Admitted, new, or transfer degree seeking undergraduate students 
• Indigenous students who are enrolled members of a tribe that is federally or state recognized. Students must provide a letter from a tribal council including a spiritual non-profit tribal council / indigenous led council, or self identify with a letter from an indigenous community member. Federal documentation from the Bureau of Indian Affairs is also acceptable, but not required. 
• Members with Coast Miwok ancestry have priority.

To apply, please submit the following:

• A completed Application Form
• Submit the FAFSA.
• A personal statement (500 words) responding to the prompt: What would receiving this scholarship and a Dominican University of California education mean to you?
• A letter or certification showing Indigenous status.
• Please send the above items to dei@dominican.edu or stacy.poe@dominican.edu

Please note: The Maria Copa Indigenous Scholarship covers full tuition (excluding University and program fees). The Maria Copa Indigenous Scholarship applies only to fall and spring semesters. Tuition for courses taken during summer terms will not be covered.

Submit your application to dei@dominican.edu or stacy.poe@dominican.edu.

• Amount: $1,000 per year
• Eligibility: This scholarship is funded by generous donors and is available to children and/or grandchildren of Dominican graduates. The child and/or grandchild must have an incoming GPA of 3.0 or higher and be pursuing a Bachelor's Degree. This scholarship is renewable up to a total of 8 semesters for a first-year student and up to 6 semesters for a transfer student, provided the student remains enrolled, maintains a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, and continues to make Satisfactory Academic Progress towards graduation.

The Pell Cal Promise covers up to the total cost of tuition, after all other aid is applied, for entering first-year and transfer students completing a baccalaureate degree (excluding Nursing) in four or two years. Awards are limited.

Eligibility

• First-Year or Transfer student completing a baccalaureate degree (excluding Nursing) at Dominican.
• Committed to completing their bachelor's degree in four years for first-time students and two years for transfer students.
• Qualify for Cal Grant
• Full Pell-eligible 

To apply, please submit the following:

• Submit a completed application. 
• Submit the FAFSA or CA Dream Act.

For more information, contact the Office of Financial Aid.

Crankstart Re-entry Scholarship

The Crankstart Foundation assists students who have had an interruption of five or more years in obtaining their first baccalaureate degree. 

• Who is it for? Undergraduate students.
• Criteria: Experienced a cumulative gap in the pursuit of a first Bachelor's degree of five or more years.
• Amount: Up to $5,000 that must be applied towards tuition and fees and/or up to $1,000 that may be used at the student’s discretion.
• How to apply: Submit a 2023-24 Re-Entry scholarship application (online form), the 2023-24 FAFSA, the 2023-24 Dominican Financial Aid Application, and maintain at least half-time enrollment (6 units per semester).
• Essay: Applicants must submit a typed essay (one page, maximum) explaining why they experienced an interruption and why resuming their undergraduate education is important to them. Please highlight any challenges and/or hardships endured as well as any academic qualifications, achievements, and your commitment towards obtaining the degree.

Osher Re-entry Scholarship

The Bernard Osher Foundation assists students who have had an interruption of five or more years in obtaining their first baccalaureate degree. 

• Who is it for? Undergraduate students.
• Criteria: Experienced a cumulative gap in the pursuit of a first Bachelor's degree of five or more years.
• Amount: Up to $5,000 that must be applied towards tuition and fees.
• How to apply: Submit a 2023-24 Re-Entry scholarship application through our online form.
• Essay: Applicants must submit a typed essay (one page maximum) explaining why they experienced an interruption and why resuming their undergraduate education is important to them. Please highlight any challenges and/or hardships endured as well as any academic qualifications, achievements, and your commitment towards obtaining the degree.

AAUW Marin Ann Ruane Lubamersky Scholarship

The AAUW Marin Ann Ruane Lubamersky Scholarship assists female students who have had an interruption of five or more years in obtaining their first baccalaureate degree.  

• Who is it for? Female, re-entry undergraduate students who live in Marin and have financial need; student must show academic excellence and be pursuing an undergraduate degree
• Criteria: Experienced a cumulative gap in the pursuit of a first Bachelor's degree of five or more years.
• Amount: Up to $6,000 scholarship that must be applied towards tuition and fees.
• How to apply: Submit a 2023-24 Re-Entry scholarship application (online form), 2023-24 FAFSA, 2023-24 Dominican Financial Aid Application, and maintain at least half-time enrollment (6 units per semester).
• Essay: Applicants must submit a typed essay (one page, maximum) explaining why they experienced an interruption and why resuming their undergraduate education is important to them. Please highlight any challenges and/or hardships endured as well as any academic qualifications, achievements, and your commitment towards obtaining the degree.

• Amount: $2,500 
• Eligibility: Available for members of Alpha Gamma Sigma or Phi Theta Kappa honor societies transferring as an undergraduate student.
• Requirements: Students must notify the Office of Admissions at the time of application, as well as show proof of honor society membership. 

Admitted full-time transfer students are automatically considered for the following renewable scholarships. A separate application is not required.

Transfer Student Merit Scholarships*

Fall 2025 - Spring 2026

*Final award amount is determined by a variety of factors including GPA, coursework, application, essay, and/or RaiseMe micro-scholarships. 

Annual scholarship amounts are divided in half between the fall and spring semesters. Please note — scholarships are not awarded for the summer semester.

Scholarship Renewal Policy

Scholarships can be renewed for subsequent years of study at Dominican. Students who transfer to the University may receive their merit scholarship for a total of 6 semesters. Renewal criteria includes full-time undergraduate enrollment (minimum 12 units per semester) and meeting Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements.

Dominican is a member of both Tuition Exchange, Inc. and The Council of Independent Colleges (CIC). As a member of these programs, we offer a limited number of competitive Tuition Exchange Scholarships to dependent students of Faculty and Staff employed at other member institutions to attend Dominican.

Note: If you are the dependent student of a Dominican Faculty or Staff, more information on the Tuition Waiver program to attend Dominican or how Tuition Exchange applies for you can be found on the Human Resources Benefits website.

Tuition Exchange Scholarships are available to incoming first-year and transfer students, and continuing students, in the Undergraduate program.

Please note: Students in the BFA in Dance program, offered in conjunction with the LINES Ballet Company of San Francisco are not eligible for the Tuition Exchange Scholarship due to the terms of those partnerships.

These scholarships cannot be used in combination with any other Dominican scholarship or grant, and the awarding of this scholarship supersedes any other scholarship or grant offer.

The scholarship is available for up to four years (eight semesters) of full-time undergraduate enrollment, depending on grade level at time of enrollment. To remain eligible for a Tuition Exchange Scholarship once enrolled at Dominican, a student must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) towards graduation and maintain good academic and social standing as defined in the University Catalog and Student Handbook and Code of Conduct respectively.

Eligibility is verified each year and students are reviewed for SAP along with academic and social standing each semester. If a student is found to be in violation of the eligibility requirements, they may receive a warning or their eligibility may be rescinded immediately depending on the nature of the violation.

Scholarship Amount

• Tuition Exchange, Inc. Scholarships are $39,000 for the 2023-24 academic year*
• CIC Tuition Exchange Scholarships will cover full tuition for the 2023-24 academic year*

*Tuition Exchange Scholarship amounts may be adjusted if the student is also eligible for the Cal Grant due to the regulations set by the California Student Aid Commission regarding the awarding of the Cal Grant.

Application Procedure

Please contact the Tuition Exchange Liaison Officer at the Institution where the parent is employed as Faculty or Staff for eligibility information and guidance on how to start the application process. If you are unsure as to who that person is, please review the appropriate Participating Schools website (Tuition Exchange Inc. Participating Schools and CIC Participating Schools)

Once approved by the Export (Home) School, the application will be sent to Dominican (Import School). To be considered for a Tuition Exchange Scholarship, both the Tuition Exchange Application and the Application for Admission to Dominican must be submitted and completed by February 1 for consideration. Applications submitted and/or completed after that date will only be considered only if space is available.

Dominican will review all applications received and notify students of their award status no later than April 1. The Tuition Exchange Scholarships are competitive and the University receives more applications than space available each year. The number of awards offered varies each year, but is usually between two and four per program.

The Dominican Grant is a need-based grant that students may qualify for based on their FAFSA information. All students that submit a FAFSA are automatically reviewed for Dominican Grant eligibility. There are no applications required beyond the FAFSA.

• Amount: Minimum $500 annual grant
• Eligibility: Students with financial need
• Requirements: Students must submit a FAFSA each academic year and maintain full-time enrollment (12 units per semester).
• Renewal Policy: The Dominican Grant can be renewed for a limited number of subsequent years of study as long as eligibility requirements are met.
  • Students admitted as a first-year student: Up to four academic years (eight semesters) total.
  • Students admitted as a transfer student: Up to three academic years (six semesters) total.

• Who: First-Year and Transfer Students who qualify for aid under the CA Dream Act.
• Eligibility: Students who submit a CA Dream Act Application and are eligible to receive a Cal Grant.  Renewable up to a total of 8 semesters for a first-year student and up to a total of 6 semesters for a transfer student as long as the student remains enrolled, remains eligible for the Cal Grant, and makes Satisfactory Academic Progress towards graduation.
• Amount: Students with a CA Dream Act SAI between 0 and 6000 are eligible for $10,000 per year; Students with a CADAA SAI over 6001+ are eligible for $7,500 per year.

• Amount: $2,000 annual grant 
• Eligibility: Available to non-nursing full-time undergraduate transfer students who have directly transferred from College of Marin, Diablo Valley College, Santa Rosa Junior College, Solano Community College, Napa Valley College or City College of San Francisco.

Administered by the Federal Government. 

• Amount: Varies, determined by the student’s Student Aid Index as calculated by the FAFSA.
• Eligibility: Students with exceptional financial need. 
• Requirements: Students must submit a FAFSA.

The Federal SEOG Grant is a federal grant awarded by Dominican. 

• Eligibility: Determined by financial need and Pell Grant eligibility.

The State of California awards Cal Grants to students on the basis of financial need and high school GPA. There are two types of Cal Grants: A and B.

• Cal Grant A awards $9,358 per academic year.
• Cal Grant B access awards vary based on student eligibility.

Students pursuing a career in teaching at elementary or secondary schools may receive the TEACH Grant from the Federal Government.

• Amount: Up to $4,000 per academic year
• Requirements: Must complete an Agreement to Serve and Entrance Counseling annually with the Federal Government. Students must agree to teach at a low-income school in a high need field for four years within 8 years of completing their degree for which they received the TEACH Grant.