Grants & Scholarships

Getting college scholarships involves much more than filling out applications and writing essays. There are both practical and creative steps that must be taken to help you win as many scholarships as possible. As a current or future community college student, you’re already one step ahead by choosing a far less expensive school than four-year or private school options. You can make your community college expenses even less with a little work.

It’s never too early to start searching for scholarships. As surprising as it may sound, many college scholarship programs are available for students in their freshman, sophomore, or junior years of high school, as well as for students in elementary and middle school! That being the case, waiting until your senior year to locate and apply for scholarships puts you at risk because you could miss out on all scholarship opportunities.

It’s also vital to start your scholarship search early because it’s a time-consuming process that requires a healthy commitment of time and energy. Each application will have its unique requirements, and the time it takes to gather transcripts, letters of recommendation, and other required materials can be up to several weeks. And while thousands of students receive scholarships each year, not everyone will get something in return for all their hard work on their application materials. Although it can be discouraging not to receive any award letters in the mail, you definitely won’t get any if you give up. Committing yourself

Community college students in California who are struggling to make ends meet and pay their tuition bills may get a boost this academic year. The Foundation for California Community Colleges has set up a permanent scholarship fund of nearly $68 million to provide students with the financial aid they need to continue their education. The endowment fund is a culmination of three years of fundraising work that started with a gift from the Bernard Osher Foundation.

About the Scholarship

Three years ago, the Bernard Osher Foundation gave the Foundation for California Community Colleges a gift of $25 million to begin a scholarship fund for community college students. According to a press release on the Foundation for California Community Colleges website, the Bernard Osher Foundation was founded in 1977 by Bernard Osher to support higher education and the arts. In addition to the initial gift, the foundation also promised to match the colleges' funds.

The L.A. Times reports that California’s 112 community colleges worked together for three years to raise $28.5 million for the scholarship fund. This allowed the Bernard Osher Foundation to contribute an additional $14.2 million to the endowment, which brought the grand total in the scholarship fund to $67.7 million. The scholarship fund is designed to provide financial aid to thousands of California community college students annually.

According to a San Francisco Business Times report, this fund is the biggest system-wide community college endowment in the United

Are you taking full advantage of your financial aid opportunities? If you have not yet applied for the Pell Grant, then you may be missing out on millions in federal funding that is currently being unused. In fact, in California alone, more than 500,000 community college students were eligible for the Pell Grant, but simply did not apply for it, according to the Institute for College Access and Success.

As a grant, the Pell Grant does not need to be repaid, making it one of the best financial aid opportunities. In addition, the Obama administration plans to inject another $40 billion into the program, as reported by the Washington Post.

College Scholarships explains the Pell Grant as follows:

"What we know today as the Pell Grant, began as the Higher Education Act of 1965. Proposed by then President Lyndon Johnson and passed by Congress, the HEA provided financial aid to students from low income families who would otherwise have been unable to afford a college education. In 1972 the HEA was reformed under the oversight of Senator Claiborne Pell. The Higher Education Amendments of 1972 reauthorized the original act, while further alterations and amendments made in 1978 helped to form what we now recognize as the federal Pell Grant program. During the amendments of 1978 the program was renamed to honor the dedication of Senator Claiborne Pell in his pursuit to provide access to higher education for the nation’s

If you have a passion for prose, you can earn money by putting your writing talents to good use - even while you attend community college. Whether you enjoy composing essays or creative pieces, autobiographies, or non-fiction work, community college students can participate in writing competitions to be published and earn accolades, gifts, and monetary prizes. Some national competitions exist, but many more local competitions are available nationwide at community colleges.

This video offers some tips on how to win a writing contest.

National Contest - Norman Mailer Community College Writing Award

The Norman Mailer Center, the Writers Colony, and the National Council of Teachers of English co-sponsor a national essay contest for community college students each year. The contest is specifically for authors of creative non-fiction writing. The competition is open to all full-time students at community colleges, technical schools, and junior colleges nationwide. The contest's winner receives a $2,500 cash award, as well as free travel and lodging to attend the Writers Colony award ceremony.

Contest submissions are reviewed by a panel of teachers and writers who judge the entries on the artful treatment of originality, subject matter, voice, and style. Additionally, judges examine the entry’s overall aesthetic and emotional impact. Finalists selected by the panel will review their work by a distinguished author or panel of authors who will determine the winner.

Local Contest - John F. Kennedy Profiles in

A scholarship is a great way to pay for part or all of your community college education. Whether you have a special talent, have outstanding grades, are a member of a minority group, or have a financial need, there's a good chance that you may qualify for one or more scholarships that will help you pay for your education. There are a number of different types of scholarships available. For example, some scholarships are awarded to students for volunteering and for performing community service. Other scholarships aim to help students going into specific areas of study, such as education. Still other scholarships seek to help students who have experienced some kind of hardship, such as the loss of a job.

Many scholarship sponsors look at various outstanding qualifications as their award criteria, so you don't have to be a straight-A student to qualify for some scholarships. In fact, there are a number of unconventional scholarships out there, such as ones for creativity, charity work, as well as skills in writing, photography, or dance. Exceptional scholars and average students alike should consider applying to those scholarships that best fit their grades, needs and talents.

Merit-Based Scholarships

Merit-based scholarships are awarded to students with a track record of outstanding academic performance. In order to be considered for a merit-based scholarship, a student must meet certain requirements such as a minimum GPA or minimum standardized test scores. This type of scholarship tends to be highly competitive, however, some community colleges offer