Program Benefits

Peer Mentor Support

Each student will be paired with a peer mentor who is a current undergrad student at UCR.  They will have one-on-one meetings throughout the 7 weeks of HESA as their mentor empowers each student to explore a variety of academic, social, and personal concerns.

McCall Scholarship

The requirements for the initial selection are:

• Undergraduate students entering their second year who completed the 7-week HESA program and received the full $1,000 scholarship by maintaining GPA requirements for the three quarters immediately following program completion
• Demonstrated financial need as determined by the Office of Financial Aid

They can receive the scholarship in their junior and senior years ($2000 each year) by meeting the following criteria:

• Previous recipient of the scholarship
• Good academic standing

HESA 1st Year Scholarship

A $250 scholarship will be awarded to HESA students who receive a 2.5 GPA or higher and complete the outlined scholarship requirements* during Summer. An additional $750 scholarship will be awarded throughout the first year for those who maintain a 2.5 GPA or higher and continue to complete outlined scholarship requirement ($250 each quarter).

*Scholarship requirements for Math 3 ONLINE students will differ from IN-PERSON students.

Earn Units

Students will earn 8-10 units during HESA before Fall quarter even begins! See exact unit breakdown based on your primary course below.

Financial Aid

A majority of all HESA students qualify for FULL FINANCIAL AID.  HESA financial aid is IN ADDITION to your academic year aid and is based on your Student Aid Index (SAI). Please note a separate aid application is not required for HESA.

Community Building Activities

Students will participate in fun and engaging activities to meet new peers and get acclimated to campus such as the high ropes course and low ropes course at the Student Rec Center, First Year Career Planning workshop at the Career Center, and a finals Pizza Party Study Jam at the Academic Resource Center. 

*Not available for ONLINE HESA

Academic Support

HESA students will have access to peer tutoring and peer led Supplemental Instruction (SI) in order to understand new material, meet with classmates, discuss readings and course concepts, develop study skill strategies and prepare for exams. Students will also have access to the a specialized Academic Success Workshops.