Berkeley Student Foundation Scholarship

The Berkeley Student Foundation is a California non-profit public benefit corporation. The organization was formed by students who attend the University of California at Berkeley and who are members of the student government on the campus known as the Associated Students of the University of California. The organization was formed in March 1999. It achieved 501 C (3) status on July 15, 1999.

The Board of Directors of the organization is made up of nine students. Three of the eight members are the elected Student Body President and the elected Executive and Academic Affairs Vice Presidents. The other six board members are also students at the University who are members of the ASUC Senate. Each of the board members serves for the year of their election to student government on the Berkeley campus.

The Berkeley Student Foundation was formed in response to the enactment of Proposition 209 by the electorate in California in 1997, which effectively ended consideration of race and ethnicity in determining admission to any public university in the state. With the passage of Proposition 209, there has been a sharp reduction in the numbers of students who are members of underrepresented minorities on the University of California, Berkeley, campus.

The Berkeley Student Foundation awards scholarships to students who are members of underrepresented minority groups in order to encourage diversity on the Berkeley campus. Underrepresented minority groups include Native American, African-American, Chican@/Latin@, Pacific Islander, Southeast Asian, and Multi-ethnic (at least one parent must be a member of one of the aforementioned groups), the minority groups identified by the University as being historically underrepresented in the student body.

In 2010, the Berkeley Student Foundation added students who qualify as disabled under the University’s disabled student program as a category eligible to receive a scholarship. Students with a physical or mental disability eligible for classroom accommodation under Title II of the American for Disabilities Act and/or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, who participate in the University’s disabled student program (see University of California website for more information) are eligible to apply for a scholarship.

Any individual wishing to attend the University of California, Berkeley, who is a member of one of the aforementioned groups is eligible to apply for a scholarship award. The scholarships are $1,000 for each year of attendance at the University. So long as the recipients meet certain minimum standards, the scholarships are receivable for four years so that each award may be valued at $4,000. Up to ten scholarships are awarded for the fall semester of each academic year and up to three scholarships are awarded for the spring semester of each academic year.

The Spring semester scholarships are available to freshman, first year transfer students who attend the University and who did not apply for a scholarship before becoming a student and disabled students. These awards are for $500 for the first semester and $1,000 per year for each additional year up to a total of four years so that each of these awards may be valued at $3,500.

The Foundation makes these scholarship awards to encourage students to attend and stay at the Berkeley campus. The awards are not mailed directly to the recipients. Rather, the funds are deposited with the campus undergraduate financial aid office to be credited toward tuition or any other payments due from the recipient once he/she enrolls on the Berkeley campus.

Since the 2000-2001 academic year (the first year these scholarships were available), the Foundation has made over 100 separate awards. At present, there are 36 students on campus who are BSF scholarship recipients.

The scholarship program is named in memory of two deceased members of the Berkeley faculty who were instrumental in encouraging students of color to attend and thrive on campus, Jenny Franchot and Albert Johnson.

If you need any further information, please contact the Foundation c/o Mark Himelstein at MH@himellaw.com or call him at (510) 521-5303 x101. You may also contact Greg Brock at (510) 841-1171.


What is BSF	DSC Rules	Eligibility	Selection Criteria	How to Apply	Application
The Berkeley Student Foundation is a California non-profit public benefit corporation. The organization was formed by students who attend the University of California at Berkeley and who are members of the student government on the campus known as the Associated Students of the University of California. The organization was formed in March 1999. It achieved 501 C (3) status on July 15, 1999. The Board of Directors of the organization is made up of nine students. Three of the eight members are the elected Student Body President and the elected Executive and Academic Affairs Vice Presidents. The other six board members are also students at the University who are members of the ASUC Senate. Each of the board members serves for the year of their election to student government on the Berkeley campus. The Berkeley Student Foundation was formed in response to the enactment of Proposition 209 by the electorate in California in 1997, which effectively ended consideration of race and ethnicity in determining admission to any public university in the state. With the passage of Proposition 209, there has been a sharp reduction in the numbers of students who are members of underrepresented minorities on the University of California, Berkeley, campus. The Berkeley Student Foundation awards scholarships to students who are members of underrepresented minority groups in order to encourage diversity on the Berkeley campus. Underrepresented minority groups include Native American, African-American, Chican@/Latin@, Pacific Islander, Southeast Asian, and Multi-ethnic (at least one parent must be a member of one of the aforementioned groups), the minority groups identified by the University as being historically underrepresented in the student body. In 2010, the Berkeley Student Foundation added students who qualify as disabled under the University’s disabled student program as a category eligible to receive a scholarship. Students with a physical or mental disability eligible for classroom accommodation under Title II of the American for Disabilities Act and/or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, who participate in the University’s disabled student program (see University of California website for more information) are eligible to apply for a scholarship. Any individual wishing to attend the University of California, Berkeley, who is a member of one of the aforementioned groups is eligible to apply for a scholarship award. The scholarships are $1,000 for each year of attendance at the University. So long as the recipients meet certain minimum standards, the scholarships are receivable for four years so that each award may be valued at $4,000. Up to ten scholarships are awarded for the fall semester of each academic year and up to three scholarships are awarded for the spring semester of each academic year. The Spring semester scholarships are available to freshman, first year transfer students who attend the University and who did not apply for a scholarship before becoming a student and disabled students. These awards are for $500 for the first semester and $1,000 per year for each additional year up to a total of four years so that each of these awards may be valued at $3,500. The Foundation makes these scholarship awards to encourage students to attend and stay at the Berkeley campus. The awards are not mailed directly to the recipients. Rather, the funds are deposited with the campus undergraduate financial aid office to be credited toward tuition or any other payments due from the recipient once he/she enrolls on the Berkeley campus. Since the 2000-2001 academic year (the first year these scholarships were available), the Foundation has made over 100 separate awards. At present, there are 36 students on campus who are BSF scholarship recipients. The scholarship program is named in memory of two deceased members of the Berkeley faculty who were instrumental in encouraging students of color to attend and thrive on campus, Jenny Franchot and Albert Johnson. If you need any further information, please contact the Foundation c/o Mark Himelstein at MH@himellaw.com or call him at (510) 521-5303 x101. You may also contact Greg Brock at (510) 841-1171.