Cal Grants Inaugural Robinson International Scholarship

A financial aid increase of $500 for low-income students was announced this week by the university; this represents the third such boost in a row, following $200 increases the past two school years. UC Berkeley’s Financial Aid and Scholarships Office also reports that federal Pell Grants have increased $500 in value, to nearly $7,400 for the 2023 fiscal year, and support more than 9,000 Berkeley students.

A new scholarship for refugees from sub-Saharan Africa, where 44 million people have been displaced, was also announced. The Robinson scholarship is the gift of Berkeley alumna Stephanie Robinson and her husband, UC Regent and alumnus Mark Robinson, and a subprogram of the Regents’ and Chancellor’s Scholarship.

This award will cover up to eight semesters for incoming freshmen and a maximum of four for incoming transfer students. Each school year, two high-achieving student refugees will receive the same benefit through the Robinson International Scholarship, but also help securing their visas, travel expense coverage and computer support.

As an example of this new opportunity, Riak Mayar, one of this year’s awardees, fled in 2012 from South Sudan when civil war erupted and displaced thousands of people. Riak was rescued with the help of a U.N. peacekeeping troop and entered Kenya’s Kakuma refugee camp. Last year, the Red Cross brought his two brothers, ages 11 and 13, to him — they’d been in displaced persons camps in South Sudan — and they remain at Kakuma.

“The collective support from the entire higher education community, federal, state and UC advocates, donors, faculty and staff working in coordination make Berkeley more accessible and affordable for our talented low-income students.” - Cruz Grimaldo, associate vice chancellor and director of financial aid and scholarships