Important Updates

  • The 2025-26 Continuing Undergraduate Scholarships application is now open! Get started on your application today!
  • While awaiting your 2024-25 financial aid offer, we encourage you to utilize the UC Davis Financial Aid Estimator to estimate your potential aid.
  • The 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) will open on December 1, 2024.

STEM Second Year

Second Year

Andrew Magee, 2014 Goldwater Winner, in tree

Andrew Magee, 2014 Goldwater Winner

You’ve made it through your first year, and now you have a better understanding of your aspirations and goals. It's important to continue building on the work you began in your first year and begin clarifying your goals. Now is the time to:

  • Continue to build campus involvements and develop leadership through student clubs.
  • Plan to present research findings through the Undergraduate Research Center, other conferences, or through publications.
  • Continue to update and refine your resume.
  • Schedule an appointment with the prestigious scholarships advisor to discuss career goals, identify suitable scholarships, and develop a plan to strengthen your application. 
  • Explore the Amgen, Beckman, PUF, and NSF REU programs to support your research.

Prestigious scholarships you can apply for:

Planning for next year:

Look at the Barry M. Goldwater, DAAD Rise, Udall, Donald A. Strauss scholarships and decide if you will apply as a third-year student. Goldwater scholars will have a demonstrated record of research involvement and will be working towards a solution for a problem in their field.