California Scholarships

San Diego area high school seniors and graduates who participate in Del Mar Fairgrounds or San Diego County Fair activities may apply in one of four categories: 4-H, FFA, Employee, or Exhibitor/Participant. Awards are $10,000 each. Four scholarships are offered in each category. Qualifying 4-H or FFA members may also apply for additional Junior Livestock Auction scholarships. Apply in one category only by March 30. The Don Diego Scholarship Foundation recognizes students who demonstrate organization, leadership, and innovation through fairgrounds participation and community contribution.

San Diego area high school seniors or graduates who worked prior to the applying year for the Del Mar Fairgrounds, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, Premier Food Services, or a Fairgrounds contractor may apply for the Don Diego Employee Scholarship. The award is $10,000 toward education at a four-year institution or a two-year college with vocational coursework in anticipation of transferring to a four-year school. Previous Don Diego Scholarship Foundation winners are ineligible. Submit a high school transcript with your application by March 30. Semi-finalists are interviewed by Don Diego board members. The scholarship must be used within four years of receipt.

Legal residents of Santa Clara County enrolled full time or part time in an undergraduate or graduate architecture program may apply for the AIA Silicon Valley William R. Hawley Scholarship. Undergraduate applicants must have completed at least two years of college work in the architecture major by the end of the current academic year. Previous recipients may reapply. Up to two awards of up to $5,000 are given annually. Submit a portfolio, personal statement, two recommendations, and proof of enrollment through the AIA Silicon Valley scholarship application. AIA Silicon Valley established this scholarship in 2004 to support the next generation of architects in the region.

California residents who are incoming college freshmen with at least 50% Filipino heritage and a 3.0 GPA may apply. You must major in engineering, mathematics, computer science, environmental science, or physical science. Healthcare-related majors are ineligible. The award is $5,000 per year, renewable for up to four years. The number of recipients varies. Apply through the Asian Pacific Fund with required documents. Dado and Maria Banatao established the fund in 2002 to encourage Filipino American students in STEM fields.

First-generation graduate students who are permanent residents of California, Illinois, New York, or Texas and demonstrate financial need may apply for the David C. Lizárraga Fellowship from the TELACU Education Foundation, sponsored by Toyota. Priority goes to full-time Business or Engineering majors enrolled for the full academic year, though other graduate fields may be considered. Fellowships are $5,000. The number of recipients varies. Complete the online application with transcripts and financial documentation. Selected applicants participate in an interview evaluated on leadership, achievement, community commitment, and need. The fellowship supports students committed to economic empowerment in underserved communities.

Jewish high school seniors and graduates who are permanent residents of the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area, have a GPA of 3.3 or higher, demonstrate financial need, and participate actively in the Jewish community may apply through the Jewish Federation's unified college scholarship application. Multiple awards ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 are available and are renewable each year of undergraduate study. Submit the FAFSA, cumulative high school transcripts, two non-family letters of recommendation, the first page of your family's most recent tax return, and your financial aid award letter if available.

Women enrolled in a graduate degree program at an accredited institution who reside in Los Angeles County, California may apply for the Joan Johnson Graduate Fellowship from Soroptimist International of Los Angeles. Online students whose program is outside the county must still prove LA County residence. Preference goes to applicants who have overcome obstacles in pursuing education and whose career goals or volunteer experience relate to the betterment of women and girls. One fellowship is awarded for the academic year following the deadline. Structured directory amount is $3,500; some listings cite $5,000. Complete the application with an essay, proof of enrollment, and two letters of reference from professors. Finalists interview in person.

Rising freshmen of at least 50% Asian heritage with a 2.8 or higher GPA and demonstrated financial need who reside in Fairfield or Suisun, California, or graduate from a high school in those cities, may apply for the Helen and L.S. Wong Memorial Scholarship through the Asian Pacific Fund. Awards range up to $3,000 for full-time enrollment at a four-year college or community college with intent to transfer to a four-year institution. Apply through the APF scholarship portal by the posted deadline. The fund was established in honor of Helen and L.S. Wong to support Asian heritage students from the Fairfield-Suisun community.

Jewish undergraduate and graduate students who are permanent residents of Sonoma, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, or northern Santa Clara counties with a minimum 3.0 unweighted GPA, demonstrated financial need, and meaningful Jewish community involvement may apply. Educational grants range from $500 to $3,000. Qualified students are also considered for subsidized loans. You must have a FAFSA on file. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until funds are awarded. JFCS helps hundreds of Jewish students each year offset college, graduate, vocational, and other accredited program costs.

Black, Indigenous, and People of Color graduate students who are California residents enrolled in an ALA-accredited library or information studies program may apply for the CLA Scholarship in Memory of Edna Yelland. Up to three recipients each receive $2,500 and a one-year California Library Association student membership. Applicants must have completed at least one graduate course and intend to work in a California library after graduation. Submit the online application with coursework records, financial need documentation, two professional references, and an essay of 1,000 words or fewer by the July deadline.