Scholarship Overview

We are proud to offer this opportunity for professional development.  Lean Six Sigma provides tangible outcomes that impact our campus community.  Although we have fewer scholarships than in previous years, we firmly believe in this as an investment in our staff and community.

The LSS Green Belt course includes hands-on, instructor-led training at UC San Diego Extension. Training entails six full days of instruction over a three month period. Green Belt candidates will also complete a process improvement project that results in a minimum of $40K hard or soft savings for campus and present their project work for evaluation approximately 6 weeks after the last day of instruction.  Instruction will be provided online.

For more information, please review the course details. 

Application Information

The application window for FY 20/21 will open on August 3rd and close on August 21st.

Awardees will be selected in early September at which point they may indicate a preference for the fall or winter course sessions. Please note, this scholarship can only be applied to the project-focused LSS Green or Black Belt courses (the case-study format is not eligible). Incomplete applications and applications received after the deadline will not be considered during this review period but can be updated in IdeaWave if an additional review period becomes possible later in the year.

Click here to submit your application in IdeaWave.

Live Information Session!

Guidelines for Selecting Your LSS Project

The following attributes should be considered when identifying possible Lean Six Sigma Green Belt projects:

1. Project results in an expected impact of at least $40K hard or soft savings for UC San Diego
2. Your project should focus on an existing problem or opportunity that has the greatest potential to improve customer satisfaction or enhance long-term performance
3. Your project addresses quality and waste issues such as defects, cycle time, over-processing, excess motion/transportation, wait time, variability, etc.
4. The project falls within your job scope, is both quantifiable and measurable, and can be completed within 12 weeks (3 months)
5. Sufficient data can be obtained within a reasonable amount of time
6. Project objectives have been reviewed and endorsed by your supervisor and other critical stakeholders prior to applying for this scholarship
7. The improved process can be managed by the process owner using the control systems you implement

The following scenarios should be avoided:

1. Sufficient data to evaluate process performance is not easily attainable
2. Implementation of already-established solutions such as software systems
3. Designing a new process, product or service from scratch
4. Projects that will not make a significant difference to your organization
5. Projects that do not have measurable goals
6. Projects that require more than 12 weeks (3 months) to complete

Selection Criteria

The LSS Green Belt program is best suited for staff members who are highly involved in business process activities.  Applicants should have knowledge of basic statistics, project management, and team leadership skills. Familiarity with Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint is strongly recommended.

Applicants must have at least one year of service at UC and be career status. Supervisor support is essential to the success of LSS candidates. Highest priority will be granted to applicants with:

• Demonstrated experience and/or education with process improvement methodologies (as indicated in your resume and/or personal statement). For example, previous formal training, being part of the process improvement project team, implementing process improvements at work, reading books, etc.
• One to five years of experience in business analysis and/or project management
• One to five years in current job position
• Professional Level 2 equivalent or above. Exceptions may be granted on a case by case basis.
• A viable process improvement project (see “Guidelines for Selecting Your LSS Project” section above)
• Demonstrated supervisor support

If you are awarded a scholarship, be advised that you may be asked to partner with a classmate on the project. By accepting this scholarship, you authorize UC San Diego Extension to release your final project presentation to the Office of Operational Strategic Initiatives for reporting purposes. Candidates will have the opportunity to request confidentiality for sensitive information. Additionally, we will require that you attend a cohort launch discussion in advance of your course. Once awardees are selected, OSI will coordinate with you to select an appropriate date and time. This session is intended to build your support network and to provide any additional resources you may need to be successful in your project.

Current Green Belt practitioners may apply scholarship credit towards the cost of the LSS Black Belt (or accelerated Black Belt Course). You will be responsible for any costs beyond what the scholarship covers for the Green Belt level course.

Additional resources

We are here to support you. Please reach us at OSI@ucsd.edu for questions regarding application submission or UC San Diego Extension at processprograms@ucsd.edu for questions regarding the program curriculum and schedule.

Please also review the resources below for more information:

• Frequently Asked Questions
• Scholarship Process Map
• Fictitious Example Project
• White Belt and other resources

Scholarship Awardees

The 2019 submissions have resulted in a total of 30 scholarship awards. In total, 122 scholarships have been awarded. Click on the link below to view previous awardees and their project goals. OSI and the selection committee would like to express our gratitude to all who have applied. We greatly appreciate your time and commitment to continuous improvement at UC San Diego.

• 2018 OSI LSS Scholarship Awardees