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Scholarships

Visit the College and Career Center for scholarship information throughout the year.
 
When applying for scholarships:
  • Apply for as many scholarships as possible.
  • Make sure you meet all eligibility requirements.
  • Follow specific directions related to the scholarship application.
  • Emphasize your  academic achievements, leadership ability, exceptional talents, and community involvement.
  • Write in your own voice.
  • Convey your character, personality, values, and experiences.
  • Ask strong writers to proofread or edit your essay for structure, grammar, redundancy and logic.
  • NEVER pay a fee to apply for a scholarship. 

Affording College

Scholarship America's Guide on "How to Afford College" in collaboration with U.S. News & World Report. For details on each step, visit: http://www.scholarshipamerica.org
  1. Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
    • Apply for a personal identification bumber (PIN).
    • Complete the FAFSA on the Web.
    • Fill out the FAFSA.
    • Find identification numbers.
    • Calculate total earnings and tax return amounts.
    • Follow directions.

  2. Search for scholarships.
    • Search engines
    • Resource sites
    • Social media
    • School
    • Community

  3.  Begin the application process early.
    • Be prepared.
    • Be complete.
    • Be careful.
    • Be on time.  

  4. Write a compelling essay.
    • Know your audience.
    • Plan far in advance.
    • Make it personal and passionate.
    • Find an editor.

  5. Ask for recommendation letters
    • Choose the right person.
    • Don't wait until the last minute. 
    • Ask nicely.
    • Say thank you.

  6. Thank everyone who gives you a scholarship.
    • Get out your stationary.
    • Properly address the letter.
    • Start simple.
    • Be personal.
    • Write legibly and spell everything correctly.
    • Allow the scholarship sponsor to share your letter, if comfortable.
    • End with a simple "thank you".
    • Sign it.
A Kid's Chance of California Scholarship
 
$10,000 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • Parent or legal guardian killed on the job or sustained serious injury that significantly reduced family's income
 
Alert 1
 
$500 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • Students interested in helping senior citizens
 
Asian Pacific Fund
 
Up to $5,000
 
Eligibility:
  • Asian Pacific Islander descent
  • Minimum 2.8 GPA
 
American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
 
$3,000 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • High school senior
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA
  • Demonstrated financial need
  • Potential service to the HVAC and/or refrigeration profession
 
Bay Area All-Star Scholarship Team
 
$5,000 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • High school senior
  • Student at Bay Area public high school
  • Display leadership qualities in and out of the classroom
  • Demonstrated commitment to extracurricular activities (e.g., athletics)
  • Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA through grades 10-12
  • Nomination by teacher, coach, or school administrator
 
Bay Area Gardeners Scholarship Foundation
 
Eligibility:
  • Current high school senior
  • First in family to attend college
  • Minimum 2.5 GPA
 
Beach Blanket Babylon Scholarship for the Arts
 
Up to $15,000
 
Eligibility:
  • High school senior
  • Plans to pursue education in the arts
  • Create a stage performance before a live audience
 
Bright Minds
 
Up to $40,000 ($10,000 a year for four years)
 
Eligibility:
  • High school senior
  • Diagnosed learning disability
 
Cabrillo Civic Clubs of California
 
$500 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • U.S. citizen or permanent resident of Portuguese descent
  • Cumulative 3.5 GPA or above through grades 9-12
  • Three (3) extracurricular activities while in high school
 
A paper application is also available at the career center.
 
Contact: Rachel Tatro at 916-396-3182 or [email protected]
 
Cal Water 
 
$2,500 to $10,000 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • Minimum 16-years-old
  • High school senior or graduate
  • Plans to attend accredited 2-year or 4-year college, university, or vocational-technical school
  • Family residence within Cal Water service area
  • Children of current or former California Water Service Group, Cal Water employee, subsidiary, or board member ineligible
 
California Armenian Legislative Caucus
 
$1,000 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • Students in grades 9-12
  • Create greater awareness of the Armenian Genocide via either an essay or visual art
 
CAP Bay Area
 
Up to $5.000 a year for five years
 
Scholarship for low-income Bay Area students. CAP is a leader in empowering low-income students to succeed in college and life through personalized coaching, financial literacy training, and scholarships. 
 
Eligibility:
  • Graduating high school senior
  • Resident of San Mateo County or attending high school in San Mateo County
  • Plans to attend accredited 4-year college or university
  • Expected family contribution (EFC) below $5.000 (i.e., submission of FAFSA or Dream Act Application)
Application: tinyurl.com/capbayarea
 
 
Coca Cola Scholars Foundation
 
Up to $20,000
Eligibility:
  • High school senior
  • Actively involved, service-oriented students
  • Minimum, unweighted 3.0 cumulative GPA
 
CodeWizards HQ
 
$2,500 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • High school senior
  • Minimum 3.5 GPA
  • Plans to pursue STEM education
 
Coolidge Scholarship
 
Full cost of college for 4 years
 
Eligibility:
  • U.S. citizens or legal permanent resident
  • High school junior
  • Academic excellence
  • Interest in public policy
  • Alignment with values of President Calvin Coolidge
  • Requires that applicants read President Coolidge’s Autobiography and complete a few other reading assignments
 
Dell Scholars
 
Up to $20,000
 
Eligibility:
  • High school senior
  • Demonstrated financial need
  • Pell Grant eligible
  • Participation in college-prep program such as AVID in 11th and 12th grades
  • Minimum 2.4 GPA
 
Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Award
 
Up to $36,000
 
Eligibility:
  • Jewish faith
  • 13-19 years of age
  • Demonstrated leadership and initiative in projects embodying "tikkun olam" (repairing the world) values
 
 EEqual
 
$2,000 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • Students experiencing homelessness, housing insecurity, or extreme poverty
  • Minimum 2.0 GPA
 
eQuality Collaborative
 
$6,000 scholarships
 
Eligibility:
  • High school senior in Northern and Central California
  • Recent high school graduate in Northern and Central California
  • Demonstrated service to LGBT+ community
Filipino Advocates for Justice
 
Up to $5,000 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • Filipino descent (full to 50% Filipino)
  • Cumulative 3.0 GPA or higher
  • High school transcript to be mailed directly by school to the address below
  • Completion of Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or parent/guardian's tax return
  • Letter of admission to accredited college or university 
Contact:
Filipino Advocates for Justice
Attention: Scholarship 
310 8th St., suite 309
Oakland, CA 94607
 
Gates Millennium Scholarship
 
Full cost of college for 4 years
 
Eligibility:
  • High school senior
  • African-American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian Pacific Islander, or Latinx descent
  • Demonstrated leadership abilities through community service, extracurricular, or other activities
  • Pell Grant eligible
  • Unweighted 3.3 cumulative GPA 
 
GE-Reagan Foundation
 
Up to $40,000
 
Eligibility:
  • U.S. citizen
  • Plans to enroll in full-time, four-year college
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA
  • Leadership, drive, integrity, citizenship
 
Genentech Futurelab Scholarship
 
Two $50,000 scholarships distributed over 4 years
 
Eligibility:
  • High school senior at El Camino or South San Francisco High School since 9th grade
  • Plans to enroll in full-time undergraduate study in accredited two- or four-year college or university
  • Plans to pursue STEM-related education
  • Minimum weighted 3.0 GPA 
 
Good Tidings Foundation
 
$10,000 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • High school senior
  • Resident of Alameda, Contra Costa, Lake, Marin, Monterey, Napa, Sacramento, San Benito, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Yolo Counties
  • Willing to volunteer (2-4 hours) for Good Tidings' Winter Wonderland Toy Giveaway Program between December 1-20
  • Plans to attend accredited 2-year or 4-year college, university, community college, or vocational-technical school   
 
Growing Up Asian in America Art Contest
 
$1,000 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • Create a work of art about the experience of Asian Pacific Islanders in America
 
Hamilton Relay
 
$500 scholarship
 
Eligibiility:
  • High school senior
  • Deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind, or difficulty speaking
 
Hispanic Heritage Foundation
 
$1,000 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • U.S. citizen, permanent legal resident, or DACA
  • High school senior
  • Latinx descent
  • Proven excellence in classroom and community
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA 
 
Hispanic Scholarship Fund
 
$5,000 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • U.S. citizen, permanent legal resident, or DACA
  • Current high school senior
  • Current college student
  • Current graduate student
  • Plans to enroll in full-time,  accredited, 4-year university or graduate school
  • Hispanic descent
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA for high school students
  • Minimum 2.5 GPA for college and graduate students
  • Submission of Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or state-based financial aid forms, if applicable
 
Horatio Alger Association
 
$25,000 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • High school senior
  • Minimum 2.0 GPA
  • U.S. citizen
  • Plans to attend accredited 2-year or 4-year college or university no later than fall semester following graduation
  • Critical financial need ($55,000 or lower adjusted gross family income required)
  • Demonstrated co-curricular or community service
  • Integrity and perseverance in overcoming adversity.
 
InspirASIAN
 
Fifteen $2,000 national scholarships and four $1,000 state scholarships
 
Eligibility:
  • High school senior
  • Minimum unweighted cumulative 3.4 GPA
  • Plans to attend accredited 2-year or 4-year college or university
  • U.S. citizen or permanent resident
Application: https://inspirasian.us/programs/scholarship-program/
 
Italian Catholic Federation (ICF)
 
$400 scholarship with chance to win $500, $600, and $1,000 in successive years
 
Eligibility:
  • High school senior of Italian descent (waived if parents are Roman Catholic and member of (ICF)
  • Of Roman Catholic faith
  • Cumulative GPA of 3.2
 
Contact: 1-888-423-1924
 
Jack Drago Cultural Arts Commission Youth Art Scholarship
 
$3,000 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • High school senior at El Camino or South San Francisco High School or Baden Continuation School
  • Plans to pursue education in the arts
 
Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) 
 
Eligibility:
  • High school senior
  • Active national JACL members (individual or Student/Youth level)
  • Involvement in Japanese/Asian American community
Application or JACL membership: https://jacl.org/scholarships
 
Jobs For Youth
 
$1,500 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • High school senior
  • High school junior
  • Minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA
 
Lapiz Family Scholarship
 
$2,000 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • Current or former farmworker or migrant farm worker or child thereof
  • High school senior
  • Plans to attend a University of California school
  • Demonstrated financial need
 
Lions Club Student Speakers Contest
 
Up to $21,000
 
Eligibility:
  • Give a speech on a specified topic
  • Access to local Lions Club
 
Mahatma Rice Scholarship Award
 
$2,000 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • High school senior
  • Student of high school located in San Francisco-San Jose
 
McKinsey Diverse Young Leaders Scholarship
 
$5,000 scholarship and possible McKinsey & Co. internship and employment
 
Eligibility:
  • African-American, Latinx, or Native American descent
  • Minimum 3.5 GPA
  • 1250 SAT or 25 ACT score
  • Demonstrated leadership ability
 
Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival
 
$2,500 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • High school senior
  • Japanese descent
  • Minimum 2.5 GPA
  • Demonstrated involvement in local community
 
OCA (Organization of Chinese Americans) San Mateo
 
$1,000 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • Asian Pacific American identity
  • Plans to attend accredited 2-year or 4-year college or university
  • Financial need 
  • Demonstrated community service or volunteerism
  • Leadership and creativity
  • SAT scores and/or GPA
 
Outstanding Filipino Youth Awards
 
Eligibility:
  • Filipino descent
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA
  • Demonstrated community leadership
 
PB&J
 
$500 to $1,000 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • Students with personal challenges who may not performed well academically but still have drive to succeed
 
PFLAG (Parents, Families, Friends, LGBTQ People and Allies United for Equality)
 
$6,000 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • High school senior
  • Resident of Santa Clara or San Mateo counties or attendee of Santa Clara or San Mateo County high school
  •  Demonstrated support for justice and equality for LGBTQ+ persons
 
Pinay Aspire Scholarship
 
$1,000 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • Female high school senior
  • Filipina descent
  • Resides or attends school in one of the 9 San Francisco Bay Area counties
 
Poetry Out Loud
 
Up to $20,000
 
Eligibility:
  • High school student grades 9-12
  • Ability to recite/perform poem from memory
 
Prudential Spirit of Community Award
 
$1,000 scholarship
Eligibility:
  • High school freshman, sophomore, junior, senior
  • Students engaged in volunteer activities
  • Nomination by SSFHS principal or Girl Scout Council, 4-H Club, American Red Cross, YMCA, or Points of Light Global Network member
 
Quest Bridge
 
Four-year scholarships worth more than $200,000 to top colleges through early admission with opportunities for financial aid
 
Eligibility:
  • High school senior
  • Rank in top 5-10% of class
  • Score >1310 on the SAT or >28 on the ACT (if taken)
  • Critical financial need ($65,000 or lower adjusted gross family income required) 
  • Among first in family to attend four-year college or university
 
Redwood Empire ASHRAE Todd Williams Memorial Scholarship
 
$2,000 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • Graduating high school senior
  • Plans to pursue education in engineering or allied science (e.g., computer science, material science, applied physics, or atmospheric science) related to American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) mission
 
Rotary Club of South San Francisco
 
Up to $10,000
 
Eligibility:
  • Minimum 2.5 GPA
  • Demonstrated community service or extracurricular activities
 
Contact: Brad Ward at [email protected].
 
San Bruno Community Foundation 
 
$20,000 ($5,000 a year for four years)*
 
Eligibility:
  • High school senior
  • Plans to attend accredited 2-year or 4-year college or university
  • San Bruno resident or student of Skyline College
  • Demonstrated engagement and involvement in San Bruno community
  • Completion of Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act application for AB 540 students
*Graduating seniors who enroll at a community college will receive $5,000 ($2,500 a year for two years).
 
Contact: 650-763-0775 or [email protected]
 
San Francisco State University
 
More than 700 campus and external scholarship opportunities available. Apply to each scholarship separately based on eligibility requirements. 
 
 
SFSU Resources:
  • Fellowships Office provides assistance in applying for nationally competitive fellowships and CSU as well as systemwide awards: fellowships.sfsu.edu
  • Campus Academic Resource Program helps students write scholarship essays. Call 415-405-0316 carp.sfsu.edu 
  • Students Enrichment Opportunities Office provides funding, academic support, and research experience to students from underrepresented groups interested in biomedical careers: seo.sfsu.edu
  •  Undocumented student resources: https://immigrantsrising.org 
 
San Mateo County Farm Bureau
 
$2,000 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • San Mateo County Farm Bureau membership
  • Current college student or high school senior
  • Plans to pursue agriculture-related education
San Mateo County Trial Lawyers Association
 
$3,500, $2,500, and $1,500 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • High school senior
  • Plans to pursue legal career
  • 750 word essay with student's name, address, telephone number, and high school describing rationale for choosing this career path.
 
San Mateo Credit Union
 
Two $5,000 scholarships for high school seniors
 
Eligibility:
  • Scholarships for high school seniors and graduates who took a gap year and are enrolling in a college or technical school for the first time.
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA
  • Unofficial transcript and SAT/ACT scores (if applicable)
 
Application includes 500 word essay about a time when they helped someone in need and explain how creating a culture of giving impacts one's community, school, or family.
   
Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
 
Eligibility:
  • High school sophomore, junior, or senior
  • Female
  • Plans to study engineering or computer science in college
Online application: https://swe.org/scholarships/
 
Sons of Italy Western Foundation Scholarship
 
Academic scholarship for high school seniors and Italian language study grants for high school seniors studying in Italy for the summer
 
Eligibility:
  • Wholly or partially of Italian decent
  • Currently enrolled in accredited trade school, college, university, or community college
 
Soroptimist Club/Live Your Dreams
 
Up to $16,000
Eligibility:
  • Female high school senior
  • Students who have faced obstacles on the path to living their dreams
 
Soroptimist Club/Violet Richardson Award
 
Variable award
Eligibility:
  • Young women 14 to 18 years of age
  • Engaged in volunteer activity
 
South San Francisco Chamber of Commerce
 
$1,000 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • Community service
  • Extracurricular involvement
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA
 
Student Insights
 
Random drawing with chance to win $5,000, $1,000, or $500 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • High school senior
  • Plans to attend accredited 2-year or 4-year university, community college, or trade school
  • Complete 15-20 minute survey
  • No minimum SAT/ACT score
  • No minimum GPA
  • No essay
 
Thurgood Marshall/Visa Black Scholars Program
 
Up to $20,000
 
Eligibility:
  • High school senior
  • African-American descent
  • Plans to pursue education in technology or business (e.g., computer science, software engineering, information science, networking, cybersecurity, HR, finance, marketing, sales, international business, etc.)
 
Tri-Counties Bank
 
$1,500 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • High school senior
  • Demonstrated interest in public service, community engagement, and business entrepreneurship, especially among our economically-disadvantaged youth
 
Tzu Chi USA Scholarship
 
$1,500 scholarship
 
Eligibility:
  • High school senior
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA
  • Demonstrated financial need
 
Youth on Course
 
25 scholarships ranging from $4,000 to $20,000 distributed over four years
 
Eligibility:
  • High school senior
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA
  • Accepted for enrollment at 4-year college or university.
  • Youth on Course membership
Application and membership information: https://youthoncourse.org/scholarships/

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