Crankstart Transfer Scholars Scholarship

Scholarships Update

The 2025-26 scholarship application will open on June 5th! The deadline for submissions will be June 30th. The scholarship application will be available on  the Scholarships Manager Website to apply in June..

Both continuing and incoming transfer and reentry students are encouraged to apply.  Students will be notified of award decisions in late August.  For scholarship questions, email tarc-scholarships@ucdavis.edu. 

Crankstart Foundation

The Crankstart Foundation is the charitable outfit of Michael Moritz and his wife Harriet. The couple's philanthropy in the Bay Area is mainly focused on education, and arts and culture, but support has also gone to parks and human services. The Crankstart Foundation typically awards a grant of over $50,000 to UC Davis to support ten transfer scholarships of $5,000 each for the academic year. 

Minimum Qualifications

  • Transferred from a community college or university
  • Undergraduate, enrolled for the entire upcoming academic year (Fall, Winter, Spring quarters)
  • Pursuing first baccalaureate degree
  • Cumulative 3.25 GPA
    • UC Davis cumulative GPA for current UC Davis students
    • Community college/university cumulative GPA for incoming UC Davis students
  • One recommendation form
  • Personal essay

Transcript Requirement

The Transfer and Reentry Center will obtain your UC Davis and other official transcripts to evaluate your academic progress. By submitting this application you understand and agree with this procedure.

Recommendation Form

One recommendation form is required to complete your application. New UC Davis students may have the form completed by their community college faculty, community college staff or supervisor; continuing UC Davis students should have the form completed by a UC Davis faculty member, TA, UC Davis Staff or supervisor. As soon as you submit your scholarship application an email will be sent to your recommender with information and instructions for them to complete and submit the recommendation form in support of your application. Please be sure to allow your recommender ample time to complete your request. Each year many students are not evaluated because of missing documents; it is your responsibility to verify receipt of all supplemental documents.

Crankstart Transfer Scholars Scholarship Application Instructions

  • Beginning June 5, students can access the application through the UC Davis Scholarship Manager.  
    • Applicants need to have set up their UC Davis Computing Account and DUO in order to access the application.  Students who cannot remember their login ID can contact IET Express for assistance.
    • Applicants need to have their student ID number to complete the application.  Note that incoming students receive their student ID number in the email from Undergraduate Admissions acknowledging receipt of their application.
  • On the Scholarship Manager website, applicants can log in by clicking on the "Students" button and selecting the Crankstart Transfer Scholarship application.
  • A link to the recommendation form will be sent to the designated individual once the application is submitted.  Applicants need to make sure to give the recommender plenty of time to submit the form before the deadline.

Deadline for both application and recommendation form submission

  • June 30 by 11:59 p.m.
  • Only completed applications will be considered. Completed applications means that both the application and recommendation form are all submitted by the deadline. Start reaching out to potential individuals who will complete your recommendation form now.

Other Resources