Application Deadline: varies - OPEN EVERY SEMESTER

Receive EMT and paramedic program funding with the James Gally Margah and Michelle Margah Jones Scholarship. This scholarship recognizes CSM students who are enrolled in an EMT or paramedic degree seeking program during Fall/Spring semesters. The scholarship covers all education-related costs, including tuition, fees, and course materials.

Eligibility Requirements:

1. Be a student enrolled at the College of San Mateo.
2. Be enrolled and complete FIRE 797 Emergency Medical Technician - basic course with a passing grade.
3. If you are awarded a scholarship, complete FIRE 797 with a passing grade, AND you transfer into a paramedic program - you may qualify for additional scholarship funding. Please contact Karen Chadwick, SMCCC Foundation Donor Relations Manager, at chadwick@smccd.edu or call (650) 358-6846 for additional detials.

More information and how to apply for the Emergency Medical Technician Scholarship

Application Period: September 2, 2024 - April 30, 2025

The Foundation for California Community Colleges is pleased to announce the availability of 2025-2026 Real Estate Education Endowment Scholarships for California Community College students. These awards are available for students in good academic standing who need financial assistance to help afford enrollment costs in community college real estate education programs.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Must be pursuing either a major in Real Estate or, if a Real Estate major isn’t offered by their college, a major in Business Administration with a concentration in Real Estate.
• Must have completed at least one college-level real estate course with a grade of C or better (2.0).
• Can be full-time or part-time.
• Must demonstrate financial need.

Award Amounts:

• $600 max per semester.
• $1,200 max per academic year.

The total amount available for scholarships is limited to the amount of interest income generated by the Real Estate Education Advancement Fund. 

Distribution:
The campus Financial Aid Director or Scholarship Coordinator will determine student eligibility and initiate award funding after the student submits the Real Estate Scholarship Application.

Selection Criteria:
Scholarship selection criteria has remained unchanged and includes low- income/disadvantaged status, GPA, and declared interest in real estate as a career path. Specific eligibility criteria are delineated in the Real Estate Education Scholarship Guidelines.

Submission Process:
Students must submit their application to the Financial Aid Program and Services Coordinator. The Financial Aid Office will determine eligibility and forward the Real Estate Scholarship Invoice to the Foundation’s office. All materials must be received by May 2, 2025, however, due to the limited funding available submit your application ASAP!

More information and how to apply for the Real Estate Education Endowment Scholarship

Monterra Credit Union (Formerly San Mateo Credit Union) Educational Scholarship

Application Deadline: April 4, 2025

Monterra Credit Union believes in the transformative power of education. Since 2008, we've been dedicated to helping local students on their journey to higher education. This year, we're thrilled to continue this mission by awarding three (3) $4,000 scholarships to high school seniors, providing support for tuition, housing, books, and other college essentials. 

Eligibility Requirements: 

• Be a high school senior graduating in 2025 or a 2024 graduate who took a gap year and is enrolling in college or technical school for the first time
• Maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher and submit an official or unofficial transcript
• Provide a minimum 500 word essay answering the following prompt:
  
  We love our community. We believe in the bond of community — and here, those bonds run deep. That’s why we’re invested in making it stronger. Explain how you have helped enrich your community, and how these experiences have shaped your values and aspirations.

Additional information regarding the Monterra Credit Union Educational Scholarship

Rotary Club of San Mateo Scholarship

Application Deadline: March 31, 2025

This scholarship recognizes CSM students who will be transferring to a 4-year college/university Fall 2025 or Spring 2026. Total awards will be based on financial need, acceptance at a 4-year college, and other financial support.

Eligibility Requirements for CSM Students Transferring to a 4-year in the Fall 2025 semester:

• Be a current CSM student transferring to a four-year university for the Fall 2025 semester
• Attended high school in the city of San Mateo
• Demonstrate financial need
• Good scholastic performance
• Participate in school activities and community service
• Complete the 2025-2026 4-Year College Application

Eligibility Requirements for students planning to attend CSM in the Fall 2025 semester:

• Be a new or current CSM student planning to attend CSM in the Fall 2025 semester
• Attended high school in the city of San Mateo
• Demonstrate financial need
• Good scholastic performance
• Participate in school activities and community service
• Complete the 2025-2026 Community College Application

Please submit your completed application online no later than March 31, 2025 by 5:00 pm to be considered for this scholarship.

Rotary Club of San Carlos Scholarship

Application Deadline: March 21, 2025

The Rotary Club of San Carlos Endowment Board annually presents scholarships to deserving High School Seniors and current post-secondary education students. Applicants must be residents of San Carlos and must complete an application and appear for an interview. Applications are judged on the basis of academic achievement and service to the community, church or school. In addition, factors to be considered are financial need and pursuit of specific vocational goals. Students who are highly motivated but may not have achieved top grades should be encouraged to apply. We also encourage students who may be considering furthering their education through junior colleges or trade schools to apply.

Eligibility Requirements:

• be a San Carlos resident.
• not be a child of member of San Carlos Rotary.
• have a personal interview.
• send a School Transcript.
• have the completed application by the yearly deadline

Apply online with the Rotary Club of San Carlos scholarship application.

Please submit your completed application no later than March 21, 2025 by 5:00 pm to be considered for this scholarship. 

The Hoffman Agency’s HBCU Scholarship

Application deadline: March 15, 2025.

The goal of offering this scholarship is to advance diversity across the overall communications profession. We view the students at California Community Colleges as an untapped talent pool. However, the challenge we’ve discovered is that the typical student doesn’t even know a career in communications exists, much less the rewards from working in the communications field.

To help create awareness for the scholarship, and to provide students with an overview of a career in communications, we are hosting an info session that will be held on Wednesday, February 26 at 1:30 pm PST.

RSVP for the Hoffman HBCU Scholarship Info Session

Korean American Community Foundation of San Francisco - The Karen Ha Scholarship

Application Deadline: March 15, 2025

KACF-SF is committed to improving the qualify of life in the Bay Area's Korean American community and empowering the next generation of Korean American leaders. The Karen Ha Scholarship program supports talented and under-resourced students going to college and becoming community-minded citizens. 

The Karen Ha Scholarship was established in 2018 by the family of Karen Ha to honor her legacy as a founding member and ignaural Board Co-Chair of KACF-SF.

KACF-SF awards two new $2,500 scholarships annually. The award is renewable up to three additional years (with renewal application and continued good academic standing). 

Eligibility Requirements: 

• Incoming freshman planning to enroll full-time at an accredited four-year public college or university in California in 2025-2026 OR
• Transfer student from a Bay Area community college planning to enroll full-time at an accredited four-year public college or university in California in 2025-2026
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
• Korean ethnicity (at least 50%)
• Student household’s pre-tax (gross) earnings are under five times the 2023 federal poverty level
• Must reside in one of the five Bay Area counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara. Transfer student applicants must currently be attending a community college in one of these five counties.
• Undocumented students with DACA status are eligible to apply
• International students are not eligible
  

More information and how to apply for the Karen Ha Scholarship

Woodside Terrace AM Kiwanis Community College Transfer Scholarship

Application Deadline: March 15, 2025

David Amann/WTAM Kiwanis Transfer Scholarship for Community College Students (3/$5,000): This scholarship is to recognize the hard work and accomplishments of a transferring community college student that has overcome personal and/or financial hardship. The scholarship will be awarded over two years ($2,500 junior year and $2,500 senior year).

Eligiblity Requirements:

• San Mateo County resident
• Transferring from Cañada College, College of San Mateo, Foothill College, or Skyline College
• Transferring to four-year university in fall 2025
• Demonstrated financial need and personal or family hardship
• Extracurricular activities including service to community, volunteerism and/or student leadership a plus
• Additional consideration given for students that must work, homeless youth and former foster youth

Completed Application Packet Includes:

• Scholarship Application Form – complete, signed and dated.
• One Letter of Recommendation – from a college instructor, counselor, coach, etc. who can speak to your academic motivation and accomplishments, involvement in college or external extra-curricular activities and/or family or other obligations that may limit your ability to participate in them, and any challenges you may have struggled through while a student.
• Transcripts – All college transcripts including in-progress work; unofficial acceptable.
• Student Personal Statement - Please discuss your commitment to attain a college education despite financial need and/or personal or family hardship. Include any other information about yourself, your family/background, service/volunteer work, career goals/educational achievement, etc. to help the Scholarship Committee evaluate your application – please limit to two (2) pages and font size no smaller than Calibri 11 point (same as this text).
• Financial Need - Financial need is a criterion for this scholarship.  You must fill out the financial need section of the application and submit a copy of your 2025-26 FAFSA or California Dream Act Application submission summary. Please make sure anything you send does not display your Social Security Number. If unable to submit the FAFSA or CADAA, please include an explanation as to why you are unable to do so.
  
  Please read all questions carefully and answer them as completely as you can. Please email your completed application packet in PDF format only to Margie Carrington, WTAM Scholarship Committee Chair at carringtonmargie@gmail.com. If preferred, your letter of recommendation may be emailed directly by the provider.

Application Deadline: March 7, 2025

The Chime Scholarship Program is for students who are determined to reach their higher education goals. We place a greater emphasis on your drive and grit to succeed, history of personal responsibility, and overcoming challenges, than on traditional evaluation criteria like GPAs, test scores, letters of recommendation, and extracurricular activities. 

For those applying for the 2025-2026 school year, applicants must be starting their higher education journey next year, including those who (1) have taken time off after high school, (2) are completing their first year in college (36 college units or less), or (3) are completing a career and technical program. The program is also open to students in community college who intend to transfer to a bachelor’s degree program in the 2025-2026 school year. 

Eligibility Requirements:

• Minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average (HS or college, if applicable)
• U.S. Citizen, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), or eligible non-citizen (per FAFSA)
• Demonstrate need for financial assistance
• Eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant
• High school diploma or GED by the end of the current school year
• Enrolled or planning to enroll full-time in an accredited not-for-profit higher education institution in the Fall of 2025; qualifying programs include associate’s and bachelor’s degree programs, as well as career and technical education (CTE) programs

More information and how to apply for the Chime Scholarship

Application Deadline: March 4, 2025

On September 9, 2010, a high-pressure natural gas pipeline owned and operated by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) exploded in San Bruno’s Crestmoor neighborhood, resulting in a major fire and ultimately destroying 38 homes, killing eight people, and injuring 66 more. In the aftermath of the disaster, the City of San Bruno pursued a restitution settlement from PG&E, successfully obtaining a settlement of $70 million to benefit all of San Bruno. The City created the San Bruno Community Foundation to administer the restitution funds for the long-term benefit of the San Bruno community.  

The Foundation created the Crestmoor Neighborhood Memorial Scholarship in honor of the community members who most directly endured the destruction of the explosion and resulting fire and especially in memory of the eight San Bruno residents who lost their lives in the disaster. The Scholarship Program is a living tribute to the Crestmoor neighborhood through an investment in San Bruno’s next generation of leaders. As the neighborhood is reconstructed and the survivors rebuild their lives, the Scholarship Program ensures that the tragedy of September 9, 2010, is not forgotten and that the resiliency, teamwork, leadership, and commitment to community displayed throughout San Bruno in the aftermath of the explosion and fire are honored in the annual recipients of the Scholarship.

Eligibility Requirements: 

• Live in San Bruno or attend a community college located in San Bruno at the time of application
• Plan to enroll, during the fall of 2025, as a transfer student from a community college to an accredited four-year college or university
• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or, for AB 540 students, the California Dream Act Application

More information and how to apply for the Crestmoor Neighborhood Memorial Scholarship

Information about virtual scholarship workshops

Opens March 1, 2025
Application Deadline: To be determined

If you're a foster youth who's already enrolled in or planning to enroll in community college or vocational training... you're eligible to receive up to a $3,000 scholarship for each year that you're in school, for a maximum of 5 years! We'll also pair you with an amazing Pivotal coach who will stick with you throughout your college journey, connects you to free tutoring, and helps you get a job when you're done with school.  Pivotal has opened its application cycle for the Pivotal scholarship program.  

Pivotal is committed to improving the life outcomes for former and current foster youth in Silicon Valley through advancing opportunities for education and employment.  Our scholarship program began in year 2000, and we are currently serving approximately 150 students across California and the United States.  If you are interested in receiving scholarship funds for the 2025-2026 academic year, we highly encourage you to apply!  

Review eligibility guidelines and learn how to apply for the Pivotal College Scholarship

Application Deadline: February 28, 2025

Several opportunities for new, continuing and tranferring students.The Silicon Valley Community Foundation administers a variety of scholarship programs that grant up to $40,000 to high school, community college and university students. The majority of our scholarships are designated for current or former residents of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.

More information and how to apply for Silicon Valley Community Foundation Scholarships

Application Deadline: February 28, 2025

The Dream US National Scholarships are for highly motivated DREAMers1 who want nothing more than to get a college education but are unable to afford the cost.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Have graduated or will graduate with a high school or GED diploma or a community college associate degree by the end of the 2025 Spring term;
• Have a current DACA or TPS authorization or you meet TheDream.US immigration eligibility criteria; and
• You must qualify for in-state tuition* at one of our public Partner Colleges (or are admitted to one of our private Partner Colleges).

More information and how to apply for The Dream US Scholarship for Community College Graduates

Application Deadline: February 28, 2025

The Latinos in Technology Scholarship was established by the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley, a public foundation dedicated to inspiring community philanthropy and engaging people to invest in the educational achievement and leadership development of a thriving Hispanic community in Silicon Valley. This program will give up to 100 Latino students the support they need to graduate from college; an educational opportunity they would not have access to otherwise. Additionally, scholarship recipients will be considered for summer internships with sponsoring corporate investors.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Must be of Latino or Hispanic origin (as defined by U.S. Census Bureau)
• Have a declared major in and been accepted into a STEM program
• Students with the following enrollment statuses are eligible to apply:
  • Current community college students transferring to a 4-year undergraduate college or university in the 2025- 2026 academic school year and planning to enroll on a full-time or part-time basis. Preference will be given to full-time students and students with sufficient course credits to be classified as a rising junior (60 semester units or 90 quarter units).
• Graduate of a high school in the following Northern California counties: Alameda County, Contra Costa County, Marin County, Napa County, San Francisco County, San Mateo County, Santa Clara County, Santa Cruz County, Solano County, Sonoma County and Yolo County OR
  
• Graduate of a high school not in the above counties, but enrolled at a college or university within the 11 listed counties.
• Minimum cumulative college grade point average of 3.0
• Demonstrated financial need
• United States citizen or eligible non-citizen (eligible non-citizens include United States legal residents and students who have obtained Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals)
  • Note: A.B. 540 students who are also DACA recipients are eligible to apply

More information and how to apply for the Latinos in Technology Scholarship

Application Deadline: January 24, 2025 

The Karl S. Pister Leadership Opportunity Program enables outstanding UC-qualified junior-level community college students to complete their undergraduate studies at UC Santa Cruz. The program provides a scholarship of up to $20,000 distributed over two years, mentoring and academic support, and assistance finding paid or volunteer summer work experience. Recipients will be selected by the UCSC chancellor from nominees submitted by the presidents of participating community colleges. One scholarship is available for each college.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Show exceptional achievement through academic and extracurricular accomplishments despite adverse socioeconomic conditions;
• Demonstrate an involvement in activities that assist and improve the lives of others;
• Exhibit outstanding leadership qualities that reflect the ideals of the Pister Program;
• Because of financial need, would not otherwise be able to attend UC Santa Cruz;
• Are qualified for fall 2025 admission to UCSC as a new junior-level transfer student.

Application Process (YOU MUST COMPLETE EACH STEP BELOW):

• Access the UCSC Pister Scholarship "Apply" webpage for full scholarship details, including required materials. Fill out the application completely. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
• Apply for fall 2025 admission to UC Santa Cruz by submitting the UC Application for Undergraduate Admission and Scholarships by the November 30, 2024: apply.universityofcalifornia.edu 
• Apply for financial aid by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA). Students on a non-immigrant visa (e.g., F-1, J-1, etc.) are not eligible for this award.
• Collect one (1) letter of recommendation of someone who can comment on the student's areas as extracurricular activities, leadership skills, service to their community, and/or challenges they've overcome. Upload this letter to the online application.
• Obtain transcripts from all colleges attended (unofficial copies are acceptable) and upload to the online application.

Submission Process: Submit the following items ELECTRONICALLY by January 24, 2025 no later than 11:59 pm.

1. Completed Karl S. Pister Leadership Opportunity Scholarship online application.
2. Submit digital responses to Personal Statement questions and upload to the online application.
3. Submit two (2) DIGITAL letters of recommendation and upload to the online application.
4. All college transcripts (unofficial copies are acceptable) and upload to the online application.

More information and how to apply for the Karl S. Pister Leadership Opportunity Program Award

Immigrants Rising lists scholarships that don't require proof of U.S. citizenship or legal permanent residence. This carefully researched list contains 44 pages of up-to-date information about scholarships available for immigrant students that don't have U.S. citizenship or legal permanent residency as well as advice and tips for writing winning scholarship applications. Immigrants Rising offers additional scholarship lists to use as a resource for scholarship searches.

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