**This resource is meant for Santa Barbara residents only.**
General Eligibility Requirements
- Applicant must have attended at least four* of the six years between grades 7-12 AND
graduate or receive a GED from Santa Barbara County high school** by June 2016 AND
- Applicant must be planning to attend full-time as a vocational, undergraduate, medical (M.D.), or graduate student at a Title IV-approved school AND
- Applicant must be a U.S citizen, permanent resident, or AB 540 eligible
Important Notes:
- All applicants must be planning to attend full-time at a Title IV approved college, university, vocational school, graduate school, or medical school in the 2016-2017 academic year.
- All applicants must remain in good academic standing and be making timely progress towards a degree or vocational certificate.
- Primary criteria for scholarship selection are financial need, motivation, and potential.
- Financial need is verified by providing a copy of the 2016-2017 Student Aid Report (SAR) generated by the FAFSA or Dream Act Application.
- The Foundation assists students studying in standard academic programs on a traditional academic calendar.
- The Foundation does not offer student aid for summer sessions, research, special projects, part-time study, distance learning, or executive MBA-type programs. Please note, online courses will be accepted as long as they are taken from an approved institution and do not exceed more than half of the required minimum full-time units.
Requirements and Selection:
- Application available: October 1, 2016 online at this website.
- This application is for the 2016-2017 academic year.
- Application deadline: January 31, 2017. No late submissions will be accepted.
- Read Eligibility, Requirements, and Important Information below.
- Review online application process and required application information here - Online Application Guide.
- Then click here to APPLY ONLINE for the 2016-2017 academic year. You may login using the same email & password if you registered last year. Current recipients can access 2015-16 account here.
- Submit your Student Aid Report (SAR) to the Foundation by March 8, 2016 (please note the 2016-2017 FAFSA & Dream Act Application are not available until January 1, 2016. The California Priority Deadline in March 2, 2016). Click here for instructions on how to access your FAFSA SAR. Click here for instructions on how to access your Cal SAR (for AB 540 students only).
Scholarship awards mostly range from $500 to $5,000 per academic year, with average award amounts of $2,500 at a four-year college and $1,500 at a two-year college. Recipients must maintain full-time status and a minimum 2.0 GPA to remain eligible. Recipients are eligible for 4 years of undergraduate funding and 4 years of medical/graduate level funding. Awards in subsequent years are not guaranteed; applicants must submit a complete reapplication each year to be considered for future funding.
For more information on other specialty student aid programs for high school seniors, please click here.
For more information, call our office at (805) 687-6065 or email info@sbscholarship.org.
Did you know....?
- In 2013, the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara awards totaled $8.1 million to 2,600 Santa Barbara County students.
- During its lifetime, the Scholarship Foundation has made more than 34,500 awards totaling $80 million.
- The Scholarship Foundation reaches out to 35,000 County students and parents each year with financial aid advising and presentations at school and community sites.
- The Scholarship Foundation does not charge an administrative fee to scholarship fund donors. 100% of contributions to support scholarships goes directly to deserving students.