The University of California Leadership Excellence through Advanced Degrees (UC LEADS) program is designed to engage and educate California’s future leaders by preparing promising students for advanced education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

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UC LEADS is designed to identify upper-division UCSB undergraduate students with the potential to succeed in these disciplines, but who have experienced situations or conditions that have adversely impacted their advancement in their field of study

The UC LEADS program is open to any students who meets ALL of the following requirements:

• Participants should apply prior to their junior year and/or should be on track to receive the baccalaureate degree at the conclusion of the second year of the UC LEADS program

• Student must be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident
• AB540 students are eligible to apply
• Must be in a Mathematics, Science, or Engineering major
• Minimum 3.0 GPA for consideration
• Successful applicants must also demonstrate experiences, situations or conditions that have impacted their advancement in a STEM field of study, such as the absence of a role model in STEM; absence of a family member who received a four-year college degree; or graduation from a high school with poor financial or curricular support.

• Applications from individuals who are underrepresented in the graduate student and faculty populations in STEM fields of study are strongly encourage. These groups include women, African Americans, American Indians, Filipino Americans, and Chicano/Latinos. However, in accordance with state law, preference in selection may not be given to applicants on the basis of race, color, gender, or national origin.