Common Scholarship FAQs

The Common Scholarship Application period typically occurs in winter with awards announced to students in June for the upcoming academic year.

Undergraduates, graduates, medical and professional school students and adult re-entry students who are attending community colleges, four-year universities, career/technical schools, teaching credential programs and graduate, medical or professional schools in the United States.

The number of scholarships that we award and the amount of each award varies by scholarship from year to year. Last year, we awarded more than $3.3 million to over 1,000 students.

It does not cost anything to apply for our scholarships, though we do estimate it may take up to 5 hours to complete the Common Scholarship Application.

Unfortunately, scholarship scams that cost money do exist. Beware of organizations and websites that charge a fee, guarantee that you will receive a scholarship or are sent to you through direct mail or email spam.

Most of our awards require San Diego County residency and/or school or college attendance in San Diego County. None of our scholarships are available to foreign students studying outside the United States, or for students attending an institution outside of the United States.

San Diego County residents must have lived in San Diego County for at least one full year before they can apply for our scholarships and they or their parent(s) must file federal income tax returns for the previous year in San Diego County. The only exception is for active members of the military and their dependents, who must have lived in San Diego County for at least one full year before they can apply for our scholarships but may file federal income tax returns for the previous year in another county or state.

Undocumented/CA Dream Act students are able to apply for scholarships that are not ONLY for U.S. citizens and/or permanent residents.

To determine whether you are eligible, you should carefully review the criteria for each scholarship.

Not all of our scholarships are based on financial need. As well, we may determine your financial need differently than your school’s financial aid office. Because of this, we encourage you to apply to financial need-based scholarships if you have at least some financial need.

Our scholarships are not solely based on academic merit, athletic ability or leadership experience. Some are based on these criteria, but most are geared to applicants with some financial need, participation in community service, extra-curricular activities and/or work experience, a minimum GPA of 2.0 or 2.5, attendance at particular high schools or colleges or specific majors or career goals. Please review the criteria of each fund.

You may apply for as many scholarships for which you are eligible. If you are awarded multiple scholarships, you may accept them. However, if you apply to more than five scholarships for which you are not eligible, your entire application will be disqualified. Please be sure to carefully review the criteria for each award before you apply.

The 2022-2023 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) launched on Oct. 1, 2021. On the FAFSA for the 2022-2023 academic year, students (and parents, as appropriate) will report their 2020 income information rather than their 2021 income information. The same change to the Common Scholarship Application’s guideline was made in September 2018 to coordinate with the FAFSA. If you or your parents do not file a federal income tax return, please estimate your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI).

All scholarships have different criteria and different priorities. Staff will initially check your application for basic eligibility. Then, one of our scholarship selection committees will consider the information in your application, including your activities, academics, financial need and personal statements.

The possibility of you receiving a scholarship depends on several factors, including how many applicants are eligible for the scholarship, how many scholarships will be awarded and how competitive the other applicants are. We encourage you to apply to all scholarships for which you are eligible and to be thorough and thoughtful in completing your application.

We do not conduct interviews for most scholarships, but some do require a personal interview. We will email you in March or April to schedule a 20-minute interview at our office in Point Loma, if necessary.

You will be notified whether you are awarded or declined a scholarship. If you are declined a scholarship, you may re-apply the following year. If you are awarded a scholarship, we will notify you by June and provide more details on your next steps. Please note that we communicate primarily through email, so if you have ANY email address changes, you MUST update us at scholarships@sdfoundation.org.

Awards for each scholarship vary, but they range from $1,000 to more than $5,000, with an average award of $3,000. The most common award amount is $1,000. Beginning this year, each scholarship’s “details” page on the Common Scholarship Application will include the number and value of awards, if that information is available.

Depending on the scholarship, it may pay for tuition, room and board, books, fees and/or other related educational expenses. This will be outlined in your award notification.

The Community Scholarship Program does not defer scholarships from year to year. Please notify us immediately if you are fully funded for this school year.

Scholarship checks are only paid once we have received your required award agreement and all necessary verification documents. Scholarship checks are designated for the student and are mailed directly to your school’s financial aid or scholarships office, which will deposit the check and post it to your student account. There are no exceptions to where we send the check. Scholarships are divided into two equal payments – one for the fall semester or quarter and the other for the spring semester or winter quarter.

Some of our scholarships are renewable for up to four years but others are one-year awards or require that students submit renewal applications the following year. If your scholarship is renewable, you will need to maintain your GPA, meet any other required criteria and submit required renewal materials for additional payments.

If your scholarship is NOT renewable but you remain eligible for it, you may re-apply through the Common Scholarship Application.

Some of our scholarships are limited to certain schools. If you transfer schools, please notify us immediately so we can determine whether you are still eligible for your scholarship. If you are eligible, we will transfer your award to your new school.

Your scholarship may be tax-free if you are a student pursuing a degree at an educational institution and the scholarship pays for tuition, fees, books and supplies that are required of all students in your classes. For more information, consult a tax expert or your school’s financial aid office.

No, you do not need to pay back your scholarship unless you use it for purposes other than those allowed by your scholarship agreement.