Financial Aid Scholarships

It takes time and energy to conduct a successful scholarship search, but it is well worth the effort when you are awarded a scholarship to help fund your higher education.

The best ways to find scholarships:

• Check with your high school counselor
• Check with your parent’s employer or organizations with which they are affiliated
• Check with organizations and businesses within your community
• Check with your college or university financial aid and/or scholarship office
• Surf the web

Types of Scholarships

Merit Based Scholarships: Awards based on academic performance and personal achievement.

Merit plus Need Scholarships: Awards based on academic performance, personal achievement, and financial need.

Private Scholarships: Awards based on criteria set by a private, non-affiliated organization or individual.

Institutional Scholarships: Awards based on criteria set by the college or university. These awards can be merit based or plus need based.

Be Cautious of Scholarship Scams

The following are signs of a possible scholarship scam:

• If you are required to pay money to get a scholarship
• If you are guaranteed win a scholarship
• If they say, “everyone is eligible” or “free money”
• If you are contacted for a scholarship you never applied for
• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Scholarship Application Timelines

Applying for many scholarships can be done during any time of the year. However, different awards have different deadlines. For institutional awards, the deadlines are typically early Spring. You should check with your college or university to see what their established deadline is. Regardless, if you are late applying for an award one year, you should note the award and make every effort to reapply next year.

Tips for marketing yourself for a scholarship

Develop a great personal statement or essay

The essay is your ultimate communication tool-make a great impression. Think about this question: What makes you worthy of an investment as a student? Proofread, rewrite, and seek peer reviewers (writing is a process).

Develop a great academic transcript

Consistent academic performance is a good sign. A solid GPA is desirable for most scholarships. A bad semester or year is not the end of the world—If you have overcome challenges, explain that in your personal statement. Otherwise, your application will be confusing to the evaluator.

Demonstrate evidence of leadership or service

Submit documentation of leadership, service, or character. Explain your situation and add flavor as to who you are as a person and aspiring student. Connect your personal story with your career or educational goal.

• CFF Foundation Education Award ($1,500 one-time)
  Deadline: applications accepted year-round, 1 student awarded each quarter
  • Cocodrie Fly Fishing (CFF) aims to give advice and tips on how you can have the ultimate fly fishing experience. Whether you are a beginner or pro, our courses and tips can help you hone your skills. CFF is proud to offer quarterly awards to university and college students!
  • To participate, applicants should:
    • be currently enrolled in a college or university.
    • students of all majors are encouraged to apply!
    • submit an essay and submit application on the website.
  • For more detailed information, please visit the scholarship link.
• LA Tutors 123 Innovation in Education Scholarship ($500 one-time)
  Deadline: 20th of each month
  • We at LA Tutors are passionate about sparking the creative genius in students and would love to commend those outstanding students who have a made a difference in the lives of others in some innovative or technological fashion. In order to achieve this, we have established a scholarship for students who meet certain criteria.
  • The application opens the 1st of each month, and closes at 11:59 p.m. on the 20th of each month.
  • To participate, applicants should:
    • be enrolled as a high school or college/university student.
    • have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 (or the equivalent).
    • have designed an innovative project that makes a difference in the lives of others (This could be a website, series of blogs, an app, fundraising event, etc.)
    • submit an essay describing the goal of the particular project and provide supporting documentation.
• Google Career Certificate Scholarship Program (monetary value = $300 (no funds exchanged))
  Deadline: Rolling dependent on openings
  • Google has granted 500 Career Certificate Scholarships for HACU to disperse to its students attending Hispanic Serving Member Institutions. Gain the job-ready skills you need to launch or advance your career with a certificate in Google IT Support, Google IT Automation with Python, Google Data Analytics, Google Project Management or Google UX Design. See below for information about certificates offered through this initiative.
  • Career Certificate Scholarship Program applicants must also meet the following scholarship criteria to qualify.
    • Open to ALL majors
    • Must be attending a 2- or 4-year HACU Member institution
    • Open to undergraduate and graduate students
    • Must complete the program within 6 months
  • Scholarship specific essay question:
    • Please briefly share how you think the Grow with Google Career Certificate you are interested in will benefit your career and/or professional development goals.
  • How to Apply:
    • Fill out the Career Certificate Scholarship Application Form. Your application will be reviewed and upon selection, you will receive an invitation from Coursera learning platform to join and select the certificate you chose. You will receive automated reminders and completion emails from Coursera throughout the program. Please ensure you are reading them for updates and important information.
  • Application Dates:
    • Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until all scholarships are filled. Applicants are placed on a wait list if all spots are occupied. As certificates are completed, students on the wait list will be invited to join.

Doyle Foundation, Inc. Scholarship 2025-26

The mission of The Doyle Foundation, Inc. is to promote communities of productivity and prosperity with access to education and advancement. To fulfill this mission, the foundation offers scholarships to enable students at qualifying schools to pursue further education and training at universities, career technical education and trade schools, and community colleges.

Apply at Applications – The Doyle Foundation, Inc

Deadline to apply: February 1, 2025

You must meet one of the criteria below to apply for this scholarship:

• You are a graduating senior or past graduate (G.E.D. is acceptable) of the Huntington Beach Union High School District in Southern California.
• You are a graduate or student of the Huntington Beach Adult School in the Huntington Beach Union High School District in Southern California
• You are a graduating senior or past graduate (G.E.D. is acceptable) of the Washoe County School District in Northern Nevada.
• You are a graduate or student of the Washoe Adult High School in the Washoe County School District in Northern Nevada.
• You are a graduate/current or previous student of any of the following Community Colleges in Southern California: Coastline, Cypress, Fullerton, Golden West, Irvine Valley, Orange Coast, Saddleback, Santa Ana or Santiago Canyon, or Truckee Meadows Community College in Nevada.

Women at Microsoft (WAM) Scholarship 

Empowering women and non-binary high school seniors to pursue a career in the technology industry. WAM will award 26 one-time awards of $5,000 (USD). Our next scholarship cycle will open on January 22, 2025, and applications will be accepted until March 13, 2025.  

Applications will be submitted via the Scholarship America Hub. 

Deadline to apply: March 13, 2025 

Applicants to the Women at Microsoft scholarship must: 

• Be a graduating high school senior   
• Self-identify as a woman, non-binary, gender fluid or transgender woman 
• Plan to enroll full-time in a technology, engineering, math, or computer science related undergraduate study at an accredited two- or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical school, in the United States, for the entire upcoming academic year. (International applicants are welcome to apply if they will attend school in the United States.)  
• Have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent 

2025 NCJW Scholarships for Jewish College and Trade School Students & High School Seniors

NCJW – Greater Long Beach & West Orange County offers scholarships to resident area students from donations made to our Tikkun Olam Fund and the Linda Calderón Memorial Scholarship Fund. Awards this year will range from $1,000 to $3,000 depending on the number of qualified applicants.

Recipients are selected based on

• Jewish involvement
• Personal motivation
• Past achievements
• Financial need
• Academic standing

Eligibility is based on the following criteria:

• Applicants must identify as Jewish and have at least one Jewish grandparent or have formally converted to Judaism and be committed to the Jewish community, demonstrate leadership, and participate in community service
• Respond to all required scholarship application questions
• Provide evidence of financial need via the required application questions
• Be a college, university, or trade school applicant with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above as evidenced in their transcript
• Or be a high school senior applicant with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above as evidenced in their transcript
• Be a permanent resident in Greater Long Beach or West Orange County

* Financial need will be considered, but it is not a requirement.

Apply to the NCJW Scholarships for Jewish College and Trade School Students & High School Seniors.

Deadline to apply: March 17, 2025, at 11:50 p.m. PST

Over Coming Disabilities Scholarship

The Law Offices of Coats & Todd offers this $2,500 scholarship available to college students attending an accredited college while battling a disability that affects their ability to work.

To be considered for the next available award, students must apply by March 26, 2025.

Apply at https://www.getdisability.org/scholarship

Eligibility Requirements

• Attend an accredited college or university spring 2025
• Be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program when the award is received
• Is at least 17 years of age upon submitting the application
• Is a citizen or permanent resident of the United States

2025 Myrna Holmquist Communications Scholarship

Deadline to apply: April 3, 2025

From the City of Buena Park’s website:

Up to $10,000 in scholarships are available to high school seniors and current college students enrolled in or accepted to an accredited college or university.

The Myrna Holmquist Communications Scholarship is established for individuals who have a career interest in the Communications field and have a sincere desire to apply their knowledge and leadership abilities to a career within the field of Communications. It was named in honor of the City’s long-time Communications and Marketing Manager, Myrna Holmquist.

A complete application packet must include letters of recommendation, official transcripts and a written essay. For full scholarship requirements and to apply, download the application here.

Submit by email to City@buenapark.com or mail to:
City Hall – City Manager’s Office 2nd Floor, 6650 Beach Blvd., 90621, ATTN: SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE. Please call (714) 562-3550 for information.

Denny’s Hungry for Education™ Scholarship 

Applications will be submitted though the HACU Scholarship page. 

Deadline to apply: May 1, 2025 

Applicants must meet the following scholarship criteria to qualify: 

• Must be currently enrolled for spring 2025 semester and intend to enroll in the fall 2025 semester at a 2-year or 4-year HACU-member institution in the U.S. or Puerto Rico. 

• Open to Undergraduate and Graduate students 

• Must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) 

• Open to U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents 

Scholarship specific essay questions:  

Applicant must also submit a 500-word essay about, “How Denny’s can help bring communities together?” 

Breaking The Cycle Scholarship 

This scholarship will provide a $1000 award each semester to a student who has grown up in a volatile family environment and is committed to “breaking the cycle” for future generations. 

Apply here: Scholarship | Miami Family Law Group PLLC 

Deadline to apply: June 4, 2025 

Requirements to be a candidate for the Fall 2025 Miami Family Law Breaking The Cycle Scholarship include: 

• You have a minimum GPA of 3.0 

• You are or will be enrolled in an accredited U.S. college or university for the fall 2025 semester as an undergraduate or graduate student 

• You are a US citizen or permanent resident 

• You are at least 17 years of age