The Luskin School of Public Affairs offers scholarships for undergraduate students pursuing the B.A. in Public Affairs and Luskin minors. These scholarships are intended to support students’ participation in experiential learning, internships, and departmental honors.

Scholarship applications open twice a year during the winter and spring quarters. Public Affairs pre-majors and majors, and Luskin minors (when applicable), are encouraged to apply to the Luskin scholarships. Students can access and submit their scholarship applications through the UCLA scholarship portal here.

The Luskin School of Public Affairs offers the following undergraduate scholarships:

> LLEWELLYN EUGENE DUDLEY CENTENNIAL UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP

> SHELL FAMILY CENTENNIAL SCHOLARSHIP

> MICHAEL S. DUKAKIS INTERNSHIP IN PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD

> EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING INTERNSHIP SUPPORT

> PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENTAL HONORS FUNDING

> UCLA INTERNSHIP ALUMNI NETWORK ALEX WHITE SCHOLARSHIP

> CONGRESSWOMAN LYNN SCHENK CAPSTONE SCHOLARSHIP

> H. PIKE OLIVER SCHOLARSHIP

> LUSKIN STUDENT DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITY FUND  (formerly, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Scholarship)

For questions about the Luskin Undergraduate Scholarships, contact the Director of Student Services for the Public Affairs Undergraduate Program via MyUCLA Message Center.

Llewellyn Eugene Dudley Centennial Undergraduate Scholarship

The Llewellyn Eugene Dudley Centennial Undergraduate Scholarship was established to honor Eugene ‘Gene’ Dudley who “spent his life making the world a better place.” Mr. Dudley dedicated his life to public service, including a 25-year career with the City of Los Angeles, where he worked with the Aging, Community Development and Housing departments.

ELIGIBILITY: 

  • Must be a current Public Affairs major. Continuing and incoming Transfer Students are eligible to apply.
  • Demonstrate financial need based on FAFSA and UCLA Financial Aid Office.
  • Transfer, CA Dream Act, and Visa students are eligible.

AWARD AMOUNT:

  • Up to $2,000

IMPORTANT POLICIES:

  • Priority will be given to new applicants, but past awardees are welcome to apply.
  • In some cases, final award amounts may be adjusted for indirect costs and/or taxes. Awards may also affect the students’ financial aid packages. In all cases, students who are awarded are strongly encouraged to discuss possible financial aid impact with UCLA Financial Aid Office.
  • Note: UCLA administers all Identity-Conscious Financial Aid in compliance with federal, state, and university regulations by using “Pool and Match” applications for unrestricted awards, identity conscious awards, and other restricted awards (major, need, community service, etc.). Identity conscious awards may include a preference for a student’s race, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation for purposes of this policy), color, ethnicity, or national origin. These pooled applications allow students to submit a single “Luskin” application to be considered for multiple scholarships, and are used in determining the source of a recipient’s aid, but not their eligibility, receipt, and amount of financial aid.

APPLICATION:

  • To apply to the Luskin scholarship, write an essay (300-500 words) addressing the following prompt: Please discuss how your Public Affairs coursework, professional or volunteer work, or personal experiences have prepared you to work in the field of Public Affairs. How will your community-based internship support your career readiness? What skills do you hope to develop in a community-based internship? Internship experiences include the public affairs experiential learning capstone, UC Center Sacramento, Quarter in Washington (UCDC) Program, UCLA Global Internship Program, Summer DC Fellows Program, and other public affairs related internship opportunities.
  • To access the Luskin scholarship application you must complete these steps:
    • STEP 1: Complete and submit the UCLA Scholarship General Application on the UCLA scholarship portal.
    • STEP 2: After you complete the UCLA scholarship general application search for the Public Affairs scholarships in the UCLA scholarship portal (enter “Public Affairs” in the search bar) and apply to the Luskin scholarships for which you are eligible.
  • It is recommended that students complete the UCLA Scholarship General Application every year to view and access all UCLA awards they are eligible for.

 TIMELINE:

  • The scholarship application opens June 25, 2025 and closes July 18, 2025.
  • To apply, students must submit both the UCLA scholarship general application and the Luskin scholarship application via the UCLA Scholarship Portal at https://ucla.academicworks.com (search “Public Affairs”).
  • Applicants will be notified of the award status by August 1, 2025.
  • Scholarship recipients will be invited to participate in donor events in the fall and winter quarters and in social media campaigns throughout the year. Details will be provided to scholarship recipients after receiving the award.
  • For questions, contact the Public Affairs Undergraduate Program via MyUCLA Message Center.

Shell Family Centennial Scholarship

The Shell Family Centennial Scholarship was established in 2019 to support undergraduate students in the Luskin School of Public Affairs that have declared the Public Affairs major and have demonstrated financial need. Students admitted into the Public Affairs major, including incoming transfer students, may apply.

ELIGIBILITY: 

To be eligible to apply to the Shell Family Centennial Scholarship students must meet the following criteria:

  • Must be a current Public Affairs major. Continuing and incoming Transfer Students are eligible to apply.
  • Demonstrate financial need based on FAFSA and UCLA Financial Aid Office.
  • Transfer, CA Dream Act, and Visa students are eligible.

AWARD AMOUNT:

  • Up to $6,000

IMPORTANT POLICIES:

  • Priority will be given to new applicants, but past awardees are welcome to apply.
  • In some cases, final award amounts may be adjusted for indirect costs and/or taxes. Awards may also affect the students’ financial aid packages. In all cases, students who are awarded are strongly encouraged to discuss possible financial aid impact with UCLA Financial Aid Office.
  • Note: UCLA administers all Identity-Conscious Financial Aid in compliance with federal, state, and university regulations by using “Pool and Match” applications for unrestricted awards, identity conscious awards, and other restricted awards (major, need, community service, etc.). Identity conscious awards may include a preference for a student’s race, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation for purposes of this policy), color, ethnicity, or national origin. These pooled applications allow students to submit a single “Luskin” application to be considered for multiple scholarships, and are used in determining the source of a recipient’s aid, but not their eligibility, receipt, and amount of financial aid.

APPLICATION:

  • To apply to the Luskin scholarship, write an essay (300-500 words) addressing the following prompt: Please discuss how your Public Affairs coursework, professional or volunteer work, or personal experiences have prepared you to work in the field of Public Affairs. How will your community-based internship support your career readiness? What skills do you hope to develop in a community-based internship? Internship experiences include the public affairs experiential learning capstone, UC Center Sacramento, Quarter in Washington (UCDC) Program, UCLA Global Internship Program, Summer DC Fellows Program, and other public affairs related internship opportunities.
  • To access the Luskin scholarship application you must complete these steps:
    • STEP 1: Complete and submit the UCLA Scholarship General Application on the UCLA scholarship portal.
    • STEP 2: After you complete the UCLA scholarship general application search for the Public Affairs scholarships in the UCLA scholarship portal (enter “Public Affairs” in the search bar) and apply to the Luskin scholarships for which you are eligible.
  • It is recommended that students complete the UCLA Scholarship General Application every year to view and access all UCLA awards they are eligible for.

 TIMELINE:

  • The scholarship application opens June 25, 2025 and closes July 18, 2025.
  • To apply, students must submit both the UCLA scholarship general application and the Luskin scholarship application via the UCLA Scholarship Portal at https://ucla.academicworks.com (search “Public Affairs”).
  • Applicants will be notified of the award status by August 1, 2025.
  • Scholarship recipients will be invited to participate in donor events in the fall and winter quarters and in social media campaigns throughout the year. Details will be provided to scholarship recipients after receiving the award.
  • For questions, contact the Public Affairs Undergraduate Program via MyUCLA Message Center.

Michael S. Dukakis Internship in Public Service Award

Professor Michael Dukakis spearheaded this privately funded internship program to provide UCLA Luskin students with first-hand public service experience in government. As power shifts from Washington, DC to the state and local level, the need for talented public servants has never been greater. The Michael S. Dukakis Internship Program provides stipends for UCLA Luskin undergraduate students serving in non-partisan internships in government, with a special emphasis on California.

INTERNSHIP CRITERIA:

The focus for this summer internship is in a government setting, rather than in non-profits or NGOs. The internships are generally completed over ten weeks during the summer, between June and September. Students who are currently interning or have completed a government internship during the academic year are also eligible, if they meet the criteria below.

ELIGIBILITY: 

  • The internship award is limited to UCLA Luskin public affairs pre-majors, public affairs majors, or Luskin minors (Gerontology, Public Affairs, or Urban and Regional Studies).
  • The applicant must be enrolled at UCLA the academic year after the award.
  • Students must secure a government internship meeting the criteria below.
    • The internship must be in a policy related, public service function in a non-partisan government setting. Working for an elected partisan official would not qualify.  Non-partisan city council or county board of supervisors offices qualify, but state senate and assembly, or US Congress do not, nor would working for a non-profit or NGO.
    • The internship site would ideally be in local or state government in California. If the internship is in Washington, D.C. with a Federal agency, the focus of the internship must be on California.

AWARD AMOUNT:

  • Up to $1,000

IMPORTANT POLICIES:

  • Priority will be given to new applicants, but past awardees are welcome to apply.
  • In some cases, final award amounts may be adjusted for indirect costs and/or taxes. Awards may also affect the students’ financial aid packages. In all cases, students who are awarded are strongly encouraged to discuss possible financial aid impact with UCLA Financial Aid Office.

APPLICATION:

  • Complete the Academic Works General Application at UCLA’s scholarship portal (search “Public Affairs”). It is recommended that students complete the Academic Works General Application every year to see all UCLA awards they are eligible for.
  • A list of references (at least one). Include name, title, employer, email, and phone number.
  • Internship details: Site, supervisor name, title, and email address. If you have are still looking for an internship please provide the site you are considering.
  • Write a statement (300 – 500 words, double-spaced) explaining how this internship will benefit your long-term career aspirations in public service.

 TIMELINE:

  • The Public Affairs Undergraduate Program will post information about the application process and timeline, once the scholarship cycle opens. For questions, contact the Public Affairs Undergraduate Program via MyUCLA Message Center.
  • Scholarship recipients will be invited to participate in donor events in the fall and winter quarters and in social media campaigns throughout the year. Details will be provided to scholarship recipients after receiving the award.

Experiential Learning Internship Support

A limited number of stipends will be available for students participating in their required experiential learning capstone.  Awards may be used to offset unexpected costs associated with interning at an organization throughout the final year. Examples of expenses could be transportation to/from the internship site or research expenses related to the senior capstone.

ELIGIBILITY:

  • Limited to Public Affairs majors in approved experiential learning capstone internships
  • Complete the FAFSA by March
  • Demonstrate financial need based on FAFSA and UCLA Financial Aid Office
  • Transfer, CA Dream Act, and Visa students are eligible

AWARD AMOUNT:

  • Up to $200

IMPORTANT POLICIES:

  • In some cases, final award amounts may be adjusted for indirect costs and/or taxes. Awards may also affect the students’ financial aid packages. In all cases, students who are awarded are strongly encouraged to discuss possible financial aid impact with UCLA Financial Aid Office.

APPLICATION:

  • Complete the Academic Works General Application at UCLA’s scholarship portal. It is recommended that students complete the Academic Works General Application every year to see all UCLA awards they are eligible for.

 TIMELINE:

  • The Public Affairs Undergraduate Program will post information about the application process and timeline, once the scholarship cycle opens. For questions, contact the Public Affairs Undergraduate Program via MyUCLA Message Center.

UCLA Internship Alumni Network Alex White Scholarship

The UCLA Internship Alumni Network (UCLA IAN) is happy to partner with the Luskin School of Public Affairs to provide support for UCLA students to gain valuable career experience through internships. The UCLA IAN is an alumni affinity network supporting students through internships and mentoring as they explore their career path. One way that IAN provides this support is through administering the Alex White Scholarship Fund to students who are doing internships.

ELIGIBILITY:

The UCLA Internship Alumni Network (“UCLA IAN”) is an alumni affinity group whose mission is to support students to gain valuable career-shaping experience through internships. The Alex White Scholarship fund supports students with financial need by granting $1,500 stipends for summer internships. Students in the following departments are eligible to apply: Center for Community Engagement, Luskin School of Public Affairs, Transfer Center, & UC Sacramento Center.

AWARD AMOUNT:

  • One (1) $1500 scholarship.

IMPORTANT POLICIES:

  • In some cases, final award amounts may be adjusted for indirect costs and/or taxes. Awards may also affect the students’ financial aid packages. In all cases, students who are awarded are strongly encouraged to discuss possible financial aid impact with UCLA Financial Aid Office.

APPLICATION:

  • Eligible students are to complete and submit the Alex White Scholarship application through the UCLA Scholarship Portal at https://ucla.academicworks.com/ (search “Alexander White, III Scholarship Fund”).

 TIMELINE:

  • The Alex White Scholarship application typically opens in early April. The Public Affairs Undergraduate Program will post information about the application process and timeline once the scholarship cycle opens. For questions, contact the Public Affairs Undergraduate Program via MyUCLA Message Center.
  • An interview is required of all students who are selected as finalists.

Congresswoman Lynn Schenk Capstone Scholarship

The Congresswoman Lynn Schenk Capstone Scholarship was established to support students completing the required B.A. in Public Affairs experiential learning capstone opportunity during their senior year.

ELIGIBILITY: 

To be eligible to apply to the Congresswoman Lynn Schenk Capstone Scholarship students must meet the following criteria:

  • Must be a declared as Public Affairs major in their junior or senior year.
  • Must be scheduled to complete the public affairs experiential learning capstone requirement through an approved capstone pathway.
  • Transfer, CA Dream Act, and Visa students are eligible.

Eligibility Criteria for Summer 2025 Applicants:

To be eligible to apply to this scholarship in Summer 2025, students must meet the following criteria:

  1. Must be a current Public Affairs major. Continuing and incoming Transfer Students are eligible to apply.
  2. Must be scheduled to complete the public affairs experiential learning capstone requirement during the 2025-2026 academic year.
  3. Demonstrate financial need based on FAFSA and UCLA Financial Aid Office
  4. Transfer, CA Dream Act, and Visa students are eligible.

AWARD AMOUNT:

  • Up to $2000 for students completing the public affairs experiential learning capstone requirement via an approved capstone pathway, including UC Center Sacramento, Quarter in Washington (UCDC) Program, UCLA Global Internship Program, or Summer DC Fellows Program.

IMPORTANT POLICIES:

  • Priority will be given to new applicants, but past awardees are welcome to apply.
  • In some cases, final award amounts may be adjusted for indirect costs and/or taxes. Awards may also affect the students’ financial aid packages. In all cases, students who are awarded are strongly encouraged to discuss possible financial aid impact with UCLA Financial Aid Office.
  • Note: UCLA administers all Identity-Conscious Financial Aid in compliance with federal, state, and university regulations by using “Pool and Match” applications for unrestricted awards, identity conscious awards, and other restricted awards (major, need, community service, etc.). Identity conscious awards may include a preference for a student’s race, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation for purposes of this policy), color, ethnicity, or national origin. These pooled applications allow students to submit a single “Luskin” application to be considered for multiple scholarships, and are used in determining the source of a recipient’s aid, but not their eligibility, receipt, and amount of financial aid.

APPLICATION:

  • To apply to the Luskin scholarship, write an essay (300-500 words) addressing the following prompt: Please discuss how your Public Affairs coursework, professional or volunteer work, or personal experiences have prepared you to work in the field of Public Affairs. How will your community-based internship support your career readiness? What skills do you hope to develop in a community-based internship? Internship experiences include the public affairs experiential learning capstone, UC Center Sacramento, Quarter in Washington (UCDC) Program, UCLA Global Internship Program, Summer DC Fellows Program, and other public affairs related internship opportunities.
  • To access the Luskin scholarship application you must complete these steps:
    • STEP 1: Complete and submit the UCLA Scholarship General Application on the UCLA scholarship portal.
    • STEP 2: After you complete the UCLA scholarship general application search for the Public Affairs scholarships in the UCLA scholarship portal (enter “Public Affairs” in the search bar) and apply to the Luskin scholarships for which you are eligible.
  • It is recommended that students complete the UCLA Scholarship General Application every year to view and access all UCLA awards they are eligible for.

 TIMELINE:

  • The scholarship application opens June 25, 2025 and closes July 18, 2025.
  • To apply, students must submit both the UCLA scholarship general application and the Luskin scholarship application via the UCLA Scholarship Portal at https://ucla.academicworks.com (search “Public Affairs”).
  • Applicants will be notified of the award status by August 1, 2025.
  • Scholarship recipients will be invited to participate in donor events in the fall and winter quarters and in social media campaigns throughout the year. Details will be provided to scholarship recipients after receiving the award.
  • For questions, contact the Public Affairs Undergraduate Program via MyUCLA Message Center.

H. Pike Oliver Scholarship

The H. Pike Oliver Scholarship in Public Affairs will support underrepresented students with an interest in addressing complex cross disciplinary issues related to urban and regional development.

ELIGIBILITY: 

  • Must be a current Public Affairs major. Continuing and incoming Transfer Students are eligible to apply.
  • Demonstrate financial need based on FAFSA and UCLA Financial Aid Office.
  • Transfer, CA Dream Act, and Visa students are eligible.

AWARD AMOUNT:

  • Up to $2,000

IMPORTANT POLICIES:

  • Priority will be given to new applicants, but past awardees are welcome to apply.
  • In some cases, final award amounts may be adjusted for indirect costs and/or taxes. Awards may also affect the students’ financial aid packages. In all cases, students who are awarded are strongly encouraged to discuss possible financial aid impact with UCLA Financial Aid Office.
  • Note: UCLA administers all Identity-Conscious Financial Aid in compliance with federal, state, and university regulations by using “Pool and Match” applications for unrestricted awards, identity conscious awards, and other restricted awards (major, need, community service, etc.). Identity conscious awards may include a preference for a student’s race, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation for purposes of this policy), color, ethnicity, or national origin. These pooled applications allow students to submit a single “Luskin” application to be considered for multiple scholarships, and are used in determining the source of a recipient’s aid, but not their eligibility, receipt, and amount of financial aid.

APPLICATION:

  • To apply to the Luskin scholarship, write an essay (300-500 words) addressing the following prompt: Please discuss how your Public Affairs coursework, professional or volunteer work, or personal experiences have prepared you to work in the field of Public Affairs. How will your community-based internship support your career readiness? What skills do you hope to develop in a community-based internship? Internship experiences include the public affairs experiential learning capstone, UC Center Sacramento, Quarter in Washington (UCDC) Program, UCLA Global Internship Program, Summer DC Fellows Program, and other public affairs related internship opportunities.
  • To access the Luskin scholarship application you must complete these steps:
    • STEP 1: Complete and submit the UCLA Scholarship General Application on the UCLA scholarship portal.
    • STEP 2: After you complete the UCLA scholarship general application search for the Public Affairs scholarships in the UCLA scholarship portal (enter “Public Affairs” in the search bar) and apply to the Luskin scholarships for which you are eligible.
  • It is recommended that students complete the UCLA Scholarship General Application every year to view and access all UCLA awards they are eligible for.

 TIMELINE:

  • The scholarship application opens June 25, 2025 and closes July 18, 2025.
  • To apply, students must submit both the UCLA scholarship general application and the Luskin scholarship application via the UCLA Scholarship Portal at https://ucla.academicworks.com (search “Public Affairs”).
  • Applicants will be notified of the award status by August 1, 2025.
  • Scholarship recipients will be invited to participate in donor events in the fall and winter quarters and in social media campaigns throughout the year. Details will be provided to scholarship recipients after receiving the award.
  • For questions, contact the Public Affairs Undergraduate Program via MyUCLA Message Center.

Luskin Student Development and Opportunity Fund

The Luskin Student Development and Opportunity Fund (formerly, Public Affairs Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Undergraduate Scholarship) will be awarded to Public Affairs majors who demonstrate a commitment to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion within the UCLA community and beyond. This scholarship aims to recognize and encourage students who actively engage in initiatives that foster an inclusive environment, advocate for underrepresented and marginalized groups, and contribute to social justice.

ELIGIBILITY: 

  • Must be a current Public Affairs major.
  • Demonstrate financial need as determined by the FAFSA and the UCLA Financial Aid Office.
  • Open to all students, including Transfer, CA Dream Act, and Visa students.
  • Exhibit a strong commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion through academic work, community service, or extracurricular activities.

AWARD AMOUNT:

  • Up to $2,500

IMPORTANT POLICIES:

  • In some cases, final award amounts may be adjusted for indirect costs and/or taxes. Awards may also affect the students’ financial aid packages. In all cases, students who are awarded are strongly encouraged to discuss possible financial aid impact with UCLA Financial Aid Office.
  • Note: UCLA administers all Identity-Conscious Financial Aid in compliance with federal, state, and university regulations by using “Pool and Match” applications for unrestricted awards, identity conscious awards, and other restricted awards (major, need, community service, etc.). Identity conscious awards may include a preference for a student’s race, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation for purposes of this policy), color, ethnicity, or national origin. These pooled applications allow students to submit a single “Luskin” application to be considered for multiple scholarships, and are used in determining the source of a recipient’s aid, but not their eligibility, receipt, and amount of financial aid.

APPLICATION:

  • To apply to the Luskin scholarship, write an essay (300-500 words) addressing the following prompt: Please discuss how your Public Affairs coursework, professional or volunteer work, or personal experiences have prepared you to work in the field of Public Affairs. How will your community-based internship support your career readiness? What skills do you hope to develop in a community-based internship? Internship experiences include the public affairs experiential learning capstone, UC Center Sacramento, Quarter in Washington (UCDC) Program, UCLA Global Internship Program, Summer DC Fellows Program, and other public affairs related internship opportunities.
  • To access the Luskin scholarship application you must complete these steps:
    • STEP 1: Complete and submit the UCLA Scholarship General Application on the UCLA scholarship portal.
    • STEP 2: After you complete the UCLA scholarship general application search for the Public Affairs scholarships in the UCLA scholarship portal (enter “Public Affairs” in the search bar) and apply to the Luskin scholarships for which you are eligible.
  • It is recommended that students complete the UCLA Scholarship General Application every year to view and access all UCLA awards they are eligible for.

 TIMELINE:

  • The scholarship application opens June 25, 2025 and closes July 18, 2025.
  • To apply, students must submit both the UCLA scholarship general application and the Luskin scholarship application via the UCLA Scholarship Portal at https://ucla.academicworks.com (search “Public Affairs”).
  • Applicants will be notified of the award status by August 1, 2025.
  • Scholarship recipients will be invited to participate in donor events in the fall and winter quarters and in social media campaigns throughout the year. Details will be provided to scholarship recipients after receiving the award.
  • For questions, contact the Public Affairs Undergraduate Program via MyUCLA Message Center.