Scholarships
There are thousands of private scholarship foundations - some are listed below - while there are also a number of trusted, centralized search engines, including:
* FastWeb
* Niche
* Unigo
* UC Berkeley BRRC (Black Recruitment & Retention Center). Dozens of scholarships primarily for Black students, though many others too.
* Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Note, you should never pay a fee to apply for scholarships, or to be part of a scholarship search engine/company!
Also, always double-check deadlines, especially if it requires a hard copy to be mailed: is the deadline the received-by date, or the sent/submitted-by date?
Lastly, know that scholarships are not just free money given out to any student who asks. They will have certain requirements, such evidence of substantial community service and volunteering; hardships ojack kvercome; leadership; excellence in an academic subject; a proven track record of academic success which demonstrates your potential to succeed in college; letters of recommendation from teachers or adult supervisors that testify to your personal qualities and strengths; or one or more essays. Many also have minimum GPA's. As such, prepare for this as early as 9th grade, so that when you apply for scholarships as a senior, you have those factors in hand and are a strong applicant!
Scholarships: with a brief description/keywords; amount; who is eligible; what's required; and the application deadline
Seniors/Class of 2024Taco Bell Live Más. Maximum: undisclosed, but $10,000,000 total. Who: students 16+ passionate about creating a better future and making a positive impact on their community. Factors: Submit an original video between 30-120 seconds that tells us the story of your real, driving passion. It could be a short film, animation or just a simple testimonial…no larger than 500 MB. Deadline: January 3, 2024.
GE-Reagan. Maximum: $40,000. Who: seniors who demonstrate the attributes of leadership, integrity, drive, and citizenship within their communities, schools, and workplaces. Factors: minimum 3.0 GPA. Deadline: January 4, 2024
Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Award. Maximum: $36,000. Who: Teens who self-identify as Jewish, who have demonstrated remarkable leadership and initiative in projects that embody the values of tikkun olam , “repairing the world." Deadline: January 5, 2024
Ron Brown. Maximum: $40,000. Who: Black, socioeconomically disadvantaged, intellectually gifted, community-minded seniors. Deadline: ~January 9, 2024
Jackie Robinson. Maximum: $30,000 over 4 years. Who: minority seniors. Factors: need-based, academic excellent, leadership potential & dedication to community service. Deadline: ~January 11, 2024
PFLAG (Parents, Families, Friends, and Allies United with LGBTQ People). Maximum: $6,000. Who: Seniors whose history, activities, & personal plans demonstrate activism and support for justice and equality for LGBTQ+ persons. Factors: undisclosed. Deadline: ~January 31, 2024.
Scottish Rite Foundation. Maximum: Undisclosed. Who: seniors, minimum GPA 3.2, demonstrated financial need; student does not need to be Scottish. Factors: several short essays. Deadline: February 15, 2024. Pick up paper application in CCC! (sorry, no website version is available)
CCS Scholar-Athlete. Maximum: $1,500. Who: student-athletes. Deadline: ~February 11, 2024
Hispanic Scholarship Fund. Maximum: $5,000. Who: Hispanic/Latinx heritage, minimum 3.0 GPA. Factors: essays, for finalists. Deadline: ~February 15, 2024
PG&E Asian ERG/Energy Resource Group. Maximum: $2,500. Who: seniors, minimum 3.0 GPA, engaged in their communities and working selflessly to promote diversity and inclusion; founding and/or holding leadership positions in clubs and organizations that promote diversity and empower communities; all races, ethnicities, and genders are encouraged to apply. Factors: n/a. Deadline: ~February 24, 2024
Chi Am Circle/general. Maximum: $5,000. Who: Seniors, Asian-American, minimum GPA of 3.3, demonstrated academic achievement, as well as noteworthy extracurricular activities such as community service, performing arts, work, and athletics. All students will be considered for merit-based scholarships. Factors: n/a. Deadline: ~March 1, 2024
Chi Am Circle Outreach. Maximum: $1,000. Who: Asian-American students with Autism Spectrum Disorder; applicants are evaluated based on students’ talents, skills, and achievements. Factors: n/a. Deadline: ~March 1, 2024
Asian Commercial Professionals. Maximum: $2,500. Who: Asian heritage, pursuing a career in architecture, construction, engineering, facility management, real estate. Deadline: ~March 1, 2024
Silicon Valley Realtors. Maximum: $1,500. Who: seniors, superior academic achievement, exemplary record, well-rounded, involved in broader community. Factors: 300-word essay. Deadline: ~March 3, 2024
California Wine Grape Growers Foundation. Maximum: $8,000. Who: students whose parents or legal guardians are employees of a California wine-grape grower; demonstrated scholastic ability, community involvement and leadership and/or work employment. Factors: 500-word essay. Deadline: ~March 4, 2024
National League of American Pen Women. Maximum: $ 1,000. Who: Female students talented in art, writing, and music. Factors: short essay, and samples of art, music, and/or writing/letters. Deadline: ~March 13, 2024
PG&E Better Together STEM. Maximum: $10,000. Who: seniors interested in studying Engineering (electrical, mechanical, industrial, environmental, power and/or energy); Computer Science/Information Systems; Cyber Security; Environmental Sciences; Math; or Physics at a college in California. Preference given to groups underrepresented in STEM fields. Deadline: March 14, 2024
Lillian Gong-Guy. Maximum: $2,000. Who: exemplary college-bound seniors, of Chinese descent (Chinese race/ethnicity in combination with other ethnicities), who have demonstrated academic achievement balanced with strong community service involvement; minimum 3.25 GPA. Factors: n/a. Deadline: ~March 20, 2024
Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group. Maximum: $30,000 over 5 years (4 undergrad, year 1 of medical school). Who: seniors, 3.5 GPA, financial need, pursuing career as a doctor of medicine. Factors: 1000-word essay. Deadline: ~March 30, 2024
Italian-American Heritage Foundation. Maximum: $2,500. Who: Italian descent, or members of IAHF, or child/grandchild of IAHF member, with strong academic achievement, extracurriculars and community service, and leadership. Factors: essay. Deadline: ~March 31, 2024
Pedro Zamora Young Leaders. Maximum: undisclosed. Who: seniors involved in social justice activism, particularly with regards to LGBTQIA+ rights, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, peer education programs, immigrant rights, homelessness, etc. Factors: personal statement up to 250 words, essay up to 1,500 words. Deadline: ~April 2024, TBA
Italian Catholic Federation. Maximum: $400 for first year, increasing to $1,000 for senior year of college. Who: Either 1) must be both Roman Catholic and also Italian descent; or 2) if Roman Catholic parent, guardian, or grandparent is a member of the Italian Catholic Federation, student must be Roman Catholic but need not be of Italian descent. Factors: cumulative GPA of 3.2. Deadline: ~April 1, 2024
Ayn Rand/Atlas Shrugged Scholarship. Maximum: $10,000. Who: seniors. Factors: interested students must contact the organization. Deadline: April 2024, TBA.
Ayn Rand/Fountainhead Scholarship. Maximum: $5,000. Who: seniors & juniors. Factors: essay of 800-1,200 words about The Fountainhead. Deadline: April 25, 2024
Ayn Rand/Anthem Scholarship. Maximum: $2,000. Who: seniors down to 9th grade. Factors: interested students must contact the organization. Deadline: April 25, 2024
Juniors/Class of 2025Coolidge. Maximum: full ride (tuition, room, board, and expenses for four years of undergraduate study) at the winner's college of choice. Who: juniors. Factors: Academic excellence is the primary criterion considered by the Coolidge Scholarship. Secondary criteria include an interest in public policy (though not necessarily pursuing it as a major in college), and an appreciation of the values President Coolidge championed, such as civility, enterprise, government thrift, federalism, and constitutional government; will engage in the pressing issues of their time. Other prizes are awarded to young people for accumulating leadership credentials in high school. This prize focuses rather on high school achievement that gives young people the potential to lead later in life. A young person who tends to work alone, but demonstrates potential to conduct breakthrough research, for example, is a strong candidate. Introverts can win this scholarship. Deadline: ~February 23, 2024
SLAS/NOBCChE(Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening/Nat'l Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers. Maximum: $50,000. Who: juniors and sophomores pursuing STEM after high school, specifically Black, LatinX and other racially underrepresented students interested in the STEM field (African-American, Hispanic, Native/Indigenous; Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders; Alaskan natives). Factors: must submit a STEM-related research project idea they want to pursue. Deadline: ~April 1, 2024
Heisman Scholarship. Maximum: $10,000. Who: high school seniors. Factors: requires a weighted GPA of 3.0 or better, participation in at least one sport, and demonstrated leadership at school and in the community. Deadline: ~October 18, 2024
Coca-Cola Scholarship. Maximum: $20,000. Who: high school seniors. Factors: students who are actively involved in their school, passionate and service-oriented, and demonstrate a sustained commitment to bettering their community; minimum 3.0 cumulative unweighted GPA. Deadline: ~October 31, 2024
VFW/Voice of Democracy. Maximum: $35,000. Who: Democracy-loving high school students (gr. 9-12). Factors: audio essay of 3-5 minutes (2022-23 = "Why Is the Veteran Important?; 2021-22 = "My Pledge To Our Veterans". Deadline: ~October 31, 2024
Prudential Spirit of Community Award. Maximum: $15,000. Who: seniors, juniors, sophomores, 9th graders who have excelled at volunteering. Factors: requires nomination by Saratoga HS Principal, or head of a Girl Scout Council, 4-H, American Red Cross, YMCA, or Points of Light Global Network member. Deadline: ~November 3, 2024
Good Tidings Scholarship. Maximum: $10,000. Who: high school seniors, low-income. Factors: students who have been extensively involved in community service. Agree to volunteer minimum 1 shift (2-4 hrs) at Winter Wonderland Toy Giveaway Program in December. Requires 2-page essay describing student's community service. Deadline: ~November 11, 2024
Santa Clara Elks Lodge/Most Valuable Student. Maximum: $4,000 (national finalists have won $50,000!). Who: strong academics, extracurriculars (including employment and/or community service), and leadership. Factors: essay. Deadline: ~November 14, 2024
Jack Kent Cooke. Maximum: $55,000. Who: seniors, 3.5 minimum GPA, desire to be challenged, enthusiasm for learning; motivates others, takes initiative, contributes positively to community; exhibits determination when faced with obstacles, goal-oriented, and confronts challenges with ability to adapt to change. Deadline: ~ November 15, 2024.
Chuck Geerhart Law Office. Maximum: $1,000. Who: high school seniors. Factors: requires a two-part essay, maximum 500 words: "Do you agree with the following statement: Jury Service is a fundamental right and civic responsibility that is essential to our democracy. Why or why not?" and "What does the Seventh Amendment mean to you, and how could it affect your life? Deadline: ~December 1, 2024
Soroptimist Club/Violet Richardson Award. Maximum: varies. Who: girls between 14-18, who have demonstrated initiative in both identifying a problem and trying to solve it, and/or who have had significant and noteworthy accomplishments as volunteers. Examples: fighting drugs, crime and violence, cleaning up the environment and working to end discrimination and poverty, especially actions that benefit girls or women. Factors: Write an essay of up to 750 words: "Tell us where you volunteer and why. Describe the goals of the organization and its impact on the problem(s)it addresses. What is your role in the organization? What have you accomplished as a volunteer?" Deadline: ~December 15, 2024