Scholarships

Generous community members support the higher education dreams of students throughout Santa Cruz County through financial scholarships.

Start a Scholarship Fund

Help students achieve their educational goals and leave a legacy that supports local youth for generations to come! To learn more, click the link below to contact Hilary Bryant, our Donor Services Director.

Welcome Students!

Thank you for your interest in our scholarship opportunities! Please read the scholarship descriptions and eligibility criteria below to learn about the scholarships available to students in Santa Cruz County.

Anticipated Dates

November 20, 2024 – Application opens to new applicants

December 13, 2024 – Renewal application opens and CFSCC will email renewal applicants a link.

January 31, 2025 – Deadline for new applications (11:59 PM PST)

February 14, 2025 – Deadline for renewal applicants who received an award in a prior year (11:59 PM PST)

February-April 2025 – Application review period

April 22, 2025 – All applicants will be notified of their status via email and/or phone call

Early June 2025 – Scholarship Award funds disbursed

APPLYING FOR A SCHOLARSHIP

Apply Now

Applications due by January 31st, 2025, to be considered.

Complete all required fields and include any required third-party elements (FAFSA/CADAA submission summaries, letters of recommendation and official transcripts).

Click here to access our Scholarship Portal

Need help?

Contact our Scholarship Coordinator, Sarah Sondossi, at ssondossi@cfscc.org.

FAQ

What You Will Need

It can take up to 3 weeks to obtain the documents needed to complete your application so please allow plenty of time. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.

  • FAFSA Submission Summary -or- California Dream Act Application (non- citizens): All applicants
  • Official High School Transcript: All applicants
  • Official College/University Transcript: Applicants currently enrolled in Community College or Trade School
  • Letter of Recommendation: All applicants
  • Coach Letter of Recommendation: Select applicants who are eligible for sports scholarships will be prompted to submit a letter from a Coach or Athletic Director

Available Scholarships


The descriptions below provide a summary of the eligibility qualifications established by the generous donors who have provided the award opportunities. Scholarships range in award amount and include both one-time awards and renewable awards. Award amounts are subject to change from year to year.

Dates & Deadlines

November 20, 2024 – Application opens to new applicants

December 13, 2024 – Renewal application opens, CFSCC will email renewal applicants directly.

January 31, 2025 – Deadline for new applications (11:59 PM PST)

February 14, 2025 – Deadline for renewal applicants who received an award in a prior year (11:59 PM PST)

February-April 2025 – Application review period

April 22, 2025 – All applicants will be notified of their status via email and/or phone call

Early June 2025 – Scholarship Award funds disbursed

Santa Cruz County Scholarship Endowment

Thanks to community donors, one or more awards (amounts vary) are available for graduating seniors from any high school in Santa Cruz County or students enrolled at Cabrillo College who have a minimum 3.0 GPA or experience working in desired trade/career path and who demonstrate financial need. Recipients may attend any accredited community, vocational, or two or four-year college.

Barbara J. Thompson Scholarship

Multiple one-time awards of $1,000 or more are available for graduates or current graduating seniors of any accredited high school physically located within the Santa Cruz City Schools District who have a minimum 3.0 GPA, are US citizens who have resided in Santa Cruz County for three of the past four years and have participated in three of the following activities during their high school term: Employment, Family Care, Community Involvement, Volunteer Work, and Sports.

Bert and Carolyn Post Scholarship

A one-time award of $2,500 is available for a graduating senior from Watsonville High School with a minimum GPA of 3.0 who demonstrates financial need and has the intention of becoming a public school teacher. Priority will be given to applicants who are first in their family to go to college and/or are bilingual in Spanish and English.

Bob & Betsy Darrow Scholarship

Multiple one-time awards of up to $5,000 are available for current graduating seniors of any high school in Santa Cruz County who demonstrate financial need and have a minimum 2.0 GPA.

Burton Scholarship

Multiple awards of up to $5,000 (renewable annually) are available for graduates or current graduating seniors of any high school in Santa Cruz County who have maintained a minimum 3.0 GPA for two consecutive years, demonstrate financial need, and are US citizens.

Emmett & Elsie Geiser Scholarship

Multiple awards of up to $1,000 (renewable annually based on academic performance) are available for graduating seniors from Watsonville High School, Pajaro Valley High School, and Aptos High School who have earned at least one letter in an athletic program.

Ernest V. Cowell Scholarship

A one-time award of $1,000-$5,000 is available for a graduating senior or graduate of any public high school in the Santa Cruz City Schools District, who demonstrates financial need, and who will be attending a University of California campus.

Hank Garcia Jr. & Family Scholarship

Awards of $2,000 (renewable annually) are available for graduating seniors from Aptos High School, Monte Vista High School, Pajaro Valley High School, St. Francis High School, and Watsonville High School who have a minimum 3.5 GPA, demonstrate financial need, and are US citizens.

Isabel Fowler Sewell Scholarship

Multiple one-time awards of $5,000 are available to graduating seniors from Pajaro Valley High School, or any public high school in Santa Cruz County, who has a minimum 3.0 GPA, demonstrates financial need, and will be attending college at Cabrillo or an accredited 4-year college or university full-time.

John L. Turner Scholarship

A one-time award of $1,000 or more is available for a graduating senior from Watsonville High School or Pajaro Valley High School who has a minimum 2.0 GPA, demonstrates financial need, and is a US citizen.

Judy Anton Woman of Valor/Lupita Loves to Read Project Scholarship

An award of $1,000 or more (renewable annually) is available to Latina students who are graduates or current graduating seniors of any high school in Santa Cruz County, or a current student of Cabrillo College, reside in the Live Oak or Watsonville area at the time of application, and demonstrate financial need.

Laura Segura Scholarship

Three one-time awards of $3,000 are available to a student who attended a Pajaro Valley private or public school and/or Cabrillo College. This scholarship is intended to support an applicant who has been involved with the juvenile justice system (including being on probation, in foster care or otherwise involved).

Louis J. & Mary Ellen Schultz Scholarship

Multiple awards of $2,000 or more (renewable annually) are available for graduates or current graduating seniors of any high school in Santa Cruz County who demonstrate financial need and are enrolled as full-time students.

R.H. Beel Memorial Scholarship

Multiple awards of $1,000 or more (renewable annually) are available for graduating seniors from Santa Cruz High School who show academic achievement and a history of service activities or volunteer work, will personally contribute to their educational costs, demonstrate financial need, and are US citizens.

Richard and Theresa Crocker Scholarship

One or more awards of $5,000 (renewable annually) are available for graduating seniors from any high school in Santa Cruz County or student enrolled at Cabrillo College who have a minimum 3.0 GPA or experience working in desired trade/career path and who demonstrate financial need. Recipients may attend any accredited community, vocational, or two or four-year college.

Simunovich Family Agricultural Scholarship

One or more awards of $1,000 or more (renewable annually based on continued study in Agriculture) are available for graduating seniors of any high school in Santa Cruz County or the Pajaro Valley, or a student of Cabrillo College or Hartnell Community College who were residents of Santa Cruz County or the Pajaro Valley for at least two years prior to registration, and will be attending a 4-year university to study Agriculture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Get answers to frequently asked questions about our scholarships.

Congrats 2024 Winners!

2024-2025 Scholarship Recipients

Meet the local students who received scholarships through Community Foundation Santa Cruz County.

JUDY ANTON WOMAN OF VALOR / LUPITA LOVES TO READ PROJECT SCHOLARSHIP

Natalie Martinez, Watsonville High School (Cabrillo College)

R.H. BEEL MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

Zena Reyes Lopez, Santa Cruz High School (San José State University)

Alicia Guzmán Serriteño, Santa Cruz High School (UC Santa Cruz)

BURTON SCHOLARSHIP

Miguel Martinez-Villalobos, Watsonville High School (CSU Long Beach)

Derick Freitas, Harbor High School (UC Davis)

BOB AND BETSY DARROW SCHOLARSHIP

Emerson Portillo Rodas, Santa Cruz High School (San José State University)

Itzel Vega Andrade, Watsonville High School (Cabrillo College)

RICHARD AND THERESA CROCKER SCHOLARSHIP

Jaime Lopez, Costanoa High School (Cabrillo College)

Dasia Amick, Watsonville High School (San José State University)

Olivia Robinson, Harbor High School (San Diego State University)

JACK DEBORD MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

Aliyah Bowers, San Lorenzo Valley High School (De Anza College)

Alyssa Struthers, San Lorenzo Valley High School (Concordia University)

HANK GARCIA JR. AND FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP

Sydney Roth Bensusan, Aptos High School (Chapman University)

Matthew Enright, St. Francis High School (Cabrillo College)

Makayla Rader, Monte Vista Christian School (University of Mount Saint Vincent)

Kimberly Aguirre, Pajaro Valley High School (UCLA)

Damian Vazquez-Guevara, Watsonville High School (Cabrillo College)

EMMETT AND ELSIE GEISER SCHOLARSHIP

Alexa Flores, Aptos High School (Texas Christian University)

Kimberly Aguirre, Pajaro Valley High School (UCLA)

Yaretzi Arias-Luna, Watsonville High School (UC Davis)

LAURA SEGURA MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

Freddie Lopez, Pajaro Valley High School (CSU Monterey Bay)

Kyndra Imperial, Cabrillo College (Cabrillo College)

ISABEL FOWLER SEWELL SCHOLARSHIP

Aidaleydi Hernandez, Pajaro Valley High School (Cabrillo College)

Angel Soliven, Pajaro Valley High School (Cabrillo College)

Cynthia Pina-Corpus, Pajaro Valley High School (Cabrillo College)

Mireya Zamora Garcia, Pajaro Valley High School (UC Berkeley)

Natalia Garcia-Lazaro, Pajaro Valley High School (CSU Monterey Bay)

Nicole Alfaro Magana, Pajaro Valley High School (UC Santa Cruz)

BERT AND CAROLYN POST SCHOLARSHIP

Valeria Lopez, Watsonville High School (CSU Fresno)

Jennifer Gonzalez Huerta, Watsonville High School (UC Berkeley)

LOUIS J. AND MARY ELLEN SCHULTZ SCHOLARSHIP

Alma Leonor-Sanchez, Cabrillo College (UC Santa Cruz)

SIMUNOVICH FAMILY AGRICULTURE SCHOLARSHIP

Jaciel Luna Farfan, Watsonville High School (CSU Monterey Bay)

BARBARA J. THOMPSON SCHOLARSHIP

Chanya Nguyen, Santa Cruz High School (UC Berkeley)

Vanessa Marroquin-Guzman, Santa Cruz High School (San Diego State University)

Cecilia Peralta, Delta Charter High School (Cabrillo College)

Ashley Arriaga Sanchez, Harbor High School (Cabrillo College)

ERNEST V. COWELL SCHOLARSHIP

Victoria Choi, Santa Cruz High School (UC Santa Cruz)

JOHN L. TURNER SCHOLARSHIP

Sindy Hernandez-Villanueva, Watsonville High School (UC Santa Barbara)