Scholarship and Contest Opportunities for San Diego County Students

There are many local scholarship and contest opportunities available for students in San Diego County. New opportunities are added frequently. For more student awards and free or low-cost opportunities, visit SDCOE's What's Happening webpage.

Scholarships

Taiwanese American Foundation Scholarships

The Taiwanese American Foundation of San Diego awards nine scholarships of $2,000 each to high school seniors in San Diego County who are exemplary in academics, have a positive impact on their community, and plan to attend college in the fall. Three of the scholarships are reserved for students with financial need and three are reserved for Taiwanese-American students. View the application form for more details. The application deadline is April 15. 

Art Scholarship Program

The Pastel Society of the West Coast awards $2,000 scholarships to high school seniors who plan to pursue a career in art at a junior college or at an accredited universtiy or art school. Visit the scholarship page for more details. The application deadline is April 15. 

Cal Coast Cares Foundation 

• High School – This scholarship award program recognizes outstanding students for their dedication to academic excellence and community leadership. These scholarships are awarded to graduating high school seniors in San Diego or Riverside Counties to help further their education. View and complete the high school scholarship application. 

• Foster/Former Foster Youth – This scholarship award program is to support high school seniors and current college students who are in or have been in the foster care program in San Diego or Riverside Counties. Starting this year, after academic expenses are covered, the remaining funds may be used for housing and food. View and complete the foster student application. If you know of a returning foster student recipient, please have them reach out to Brittany Rodriguez at brodriguez@calcoastcu.org or 619-458-4605 for an application for their second-year scholarship. 

The scholarship application deadline is April 15, 2024. 

San Diego County Citizens Scholarship Foundation 

San Diego County Citizens' Scholarship Foundation (SDCCSF) grants scholarships of at least $1,000 to high school seniors planning to attend college full-time in San Diego County next school year who demonstrate financial need. Last year, SDCCSF awarded over 140 high school seniors scholarships of $1,600 to use for their first year of college. No minimum GPA is required. Visit the SDCCSF website to access the application. The application deadline is May 31.   

Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association Scholarship  

The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA) of San Diego offers three scholarship awards to eligible high school seniors in the amount of $2,000 each. Students should be planning to enroll in a college or university upon graduation and must meet certain criteria depending on the award category, but they do not have to be of Chinese heritage to be selected. Visit the scholarship page. The deadline to apply is May 15. 

Aging Matters Scholarship  

SeniorCare.com is dedicated to bringing more awareness to the key issues facing an aging population. For the ninth consecutive year, they will award a $1,500 scholarship to an incoming freshman college student who can best demonstrate why "Aging Matters" to them. The student must currently care for an aging loved one, work within the senior community, or intend to pursue a career that will have an impact on the elder population. Visit the scholarship page. The deadline to apply is May 15. 

Scholarship for International Students 

GlobalScholarships.com, an online resource with the goal of making scholarships more accessible for international students, is awarding $1,000 to eligible prospective or current international students studying abroad this fall. Visit globalscholarships.com for complete details and to access the application materials. The application deadline is May 31, and a finalist round occurs in June. 

AMN/HCC Healthcare Scholarship

Through Health Care Communicators of Southern California (HCCSC), high school seniors in San Diego County who plan to enter the health care field after college can apply to win a scholarship of at least $3,000 courtesy of AMN Healthcare. Visit the HCCSC website for more information. The application deadline is June 30. 

Contests

 Surf Photography Competition   

The California Surf Museum in Oceanside announces its second annual A.R. Gurrey Jr. Surf Photography Competition for middle and high school students. Submissions must be original photographs within one of six categories and prizes include GoPro cameras and more. Visit the museum webpage for more details. The deadline to submit is April 15. 

Law Week Poster Contest 

The San Diego County Bar Association (SDCBA) invites local K-12 students to participate in a poster contest on the theme Voices of Democracy. First-, second-, and third-place winners will be selected at the elementary, middle, and high school levels for cash awards and a pizza party for the first place class. All first place winners will be recognized at the Law Week luncheon in May. Visit the SDCBA website for complete details. The deadline for digital submission of entries is April 26. 

Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation Contests   

The Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation, in partnership with the Character Education Resource Center at the University of San Diego, present this year's art and essay contests. Students in grades 6 to 12 can submit original artwork or write about specific prompts and be eligible for cash prizes of $100 to $300.  

• Marines in Flight Student Art Contest - Art entries should be based on the subject of Marine Corps Aviation and submissions must be digital and consist of two-dimensional art. See the linked flyer for complete details. The deadline to enter is April 12 or after the first 300 submissions. 
• Honor, Courage, and Commitment Essay Contest - Students submit essays in response to a prompt about a notable American. Essay length is 600 to 1000 words depending on grade level. Additionally, teachers of winning students receive a $200 stipend. Visit the link for more information. The submission deadline is May 24.