Yardi Scholars for Environmental Justice welcomes applications from California high school seniors who applied to UC Santa Barbara for Fall 2026 admission and demonstrate an interest in environmental justice and addressing environmental challenges.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Applied to UC Santa Barbara as an incoming freshman
- Demonstrate an interest in environmental justice and changemaking
- Must be a resident in the state of California or eligible for AB 540, as defined in the UC application
- Students who are low-income and/or first-generation are highly encouraged to apply
December 2, 2025: Yardi Scholars EJ application opens on the website
February 20, 2026 at 11:59 PM: Application Closes
Mid-March 2026: UCSB Admissions decisions released
Late March- Early April 2026: Yarsi EJ Application review; selected UCSB-admitted students will be invited for a Zoom interview.
Mid-April 2026: Yardi Scholars EJ acceptance notifications
May 1, 2026: Freshman deadline to accept UC Santa Barbara offer of admission (SIR)
To be considered, ensure you have:
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Applied to UC Santa Barbara as an incoming freshman
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Completed all sections of the online application form:
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Applicant information
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Written responses to three short prompts
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Upload unofficial high school transcripts
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Completed or be in the process of completing the 2025-2026 FAFSA/CA Dream Act application
Only complete applications will be considered.
Yardi Scholars are required to meet certain requirements throughout their undergraduate studies in order to remain in good standing with the program and be eligible for additional funding.
- Enroll in Yardi EJ-designated courses:
- First Year: First-Year Seminar (Fall)
- Third Year: Team Project Practicum (Fall, Winter, Spring)
- Fourth Year: Senior Seminar on Changemaking for Just Sustainability (Winter)
- In year two, join a campus environmental organization to support sustainability or advocacy projects.
- In year four, pursue an environmental solution specialization through a research project, internship, or other mentored experience.
- Regularly attend Yardi EJ on- and off-campus retreats, events, and workshops.
- Maintain communication with program leadership and mentors.
- Remain in good academic and financial standing.
Register for Our Virtual Information Session.
Join us to learn more about the Yardi EJ Program and hear from current Yardi EJ Scholars on January 7th, 2026, at 5:00 PM PST.
Questions?
Interested in learning more about the program or need assistance with your application? We're here to provide guidance!
Contact us at: info@yardischolarsej.ucsb.edu
To Apply:
Step One:
Submit your UC Santa Barbara application to UC Santa Barbara by December 2, 2025.
Step Two:
Complete your Yardi Scholars for Environmental Justice Application. The application opens December 2, 2025, and closes February 20, 2026.
The application form asks applicants to provide:
- Information about yourself
- Written responses to three short prompts (limit 300 words per prompt)
Tip: Draft your responses in a word processor first to save your work.
Prompt #1:
Yardi EJ application reviewers want to know more about you and your experiences. Describe in detail a specific experience or moment in your life that sparked your interest in addressing environmental problems. How did this experience shape your understanding of environmental challenges and your potential role in creating solutions?
Prompt #2:
One of the goals of Yardi EJ is to support collaborative change making. We'd like you to tell us about a time when you've worked with others to address an issue that's been important to you and others.
What was the issue and why was it important to you and others involved? Who did you work with and how did you work together to address the issue? What challenges did you encounter as a group, and how did you address them? What did this experience teach you about change making?
Prompt #3:
What are two specific goals that you have for your first two years at UCSB? What are resources that will be important for you to achieve those goals? Describe how the Yardi EJ program will support your growth as you work towards these goals.
3. Unofficial high school transcripts
Only complete applications will be considered.
Step Three:
After UCSB admission decisions are released in mid-March 2026, Yardi EJ applications from admitted students will undergo holistic review.
Step Four:
Between late March and early April, selected applicants will receive email invitations with instructions to schedule phone interviews. Final decisions will be announced by mid-April via email. Those selected and who accept a position in the Yardi EJ program will receive further instructions on next steps.
Recorded Information Sessions:
January 29, 2025
The next Virtual Information Session is on January 7th, 2026.
Join us to learn more about the Yardi EJ Program and hear from current Yardi EJ Scholars on January 7th, 2026, at 5:00 PM PST via Zoom.
