Since 2004, the Federation’s College Scholarship Program has awarded more than $7M in scholarship funding, supporting thousands of students pursuing higher education at accredited nonprofit colleges and universities. Each year, the Federation awards approximately 70 scholarships, totaling close to $400,000.

The program offers 16 scholarship opportunities based on merit and financial need. Most of the scholarship opportunities are for Jewish students who are permanent residents of the nine Bay Area counties, including San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, Marin, Napa, and Sonoma. Most of these scholarships are available for renewal. Awards are available to graduating high school seniors, currently enrolled undergraduates, re-entry students, and graduate students. Scholarships are for full-time students only, enrolled in 12-plus units per quarter/semester.

 

Applications

Thank you for your interest in the Federation’s College Scholarship Program. Applications for the 2026-27 academic year are now closed.

Please note an important update: beginning with the 2026-27 cycle, there will be one application for all applicants, whether you are seeking a new award or renewing a past scholarship.

How the Application Works

The application includes questions aligned with the eligibility criteria for each of the 16 scholarship opportunities. Based on your responses, the system will identify the scholarships for which you qualify, and you may select those you wish to be considered for. 

If you are applying for a renewal of a past award, we encourage you to request consideration for other scholarships as well, in case your current award is not renewed. 

Applicants may be eligible for — and receive — more than one award through the Federation’s College Scholarship Program. 

How to Apply

Applications for the 2026-2027 school year are now closed.

To complete the application, applicants will need to upload the following:

      • Cumulative transcripts for college or high school
      • A brief resume of extracurricular activities
      • Short answer and essay responses (essay questions will not be made available prior to the application opening)
      • One letter of recommendation. You will designate your recommender in the application, and your recommender will be prompted by email to submit a recommendation letter on your behalf.
      • The first page of the most recent federal tax return — either your family’s, or your own if you are not claimed as a dependent.
      • A financial aid award letter from your college, listing all grants, loans, and outside awards you received, if you have received it by the application deadline. If this information is not available prior to the application deadline, it is your responsibility to provide this information when it is available.
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Scholarship Eligibility

  • The Federation’s College Scholarship program includes 15 different scholarships, each with its own eligibility criteria and requirements (see below).
  • Most (but not all) scholarships are for Jewish students from the Federation’s service area, which includes the counties of San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, Marin, Napa, and Sonoma, to attend an undergraduate program based on a combination of need and merit. There are exceptions, so please see the detailed eligibility requirements below.
  • Applicants may be eligible for more than one scholarship and may receive more than one award.
  • Applicants will be automatically considered for the scholarships for which they are eligible. Applicants need only to submit one application to be considered for multiple scholarships.
  • Previous recipients may apply for a renewal each year, as long as they continue to meet the eligibility criteria and the fund allows for renewals. Renewals are not guaranteed. If a student is applying for a renewal, they may not apply for a new scholarship.
  • Scholarships are for full-time students only, enrolled in 12-plus units per quarter/semester.

Timeline

Scholarships & Criteria

  • Eligibility: Jewish high school seniors or graduates who are planning to enroll or already enrolled in a full-time undergraduate or graduate program at an accredited college or university to pursue a degree in business or engineering.
  • Qualifications: Financial need, a minimum 3.0 cumulative high school GPA on a 4.0 scale, and demonstrated leadership in the Jewish and/or larger community.
  • Residency requirements: Applicant whose permanent residence is in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, which includes San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, Marin, Napa, and Sonoma Counties.
  • Eligibility: Jewish high school seniors or undergraduate students accepted to or currently enrolled in a course of study at an accredited four-year college or university in the United States.
  • Qualifications: Academic merit, financial need, demonstrated interest in and dedication to a specific field of study (i.e. internships, research, etc.).
  • Residency requirements: Applicant whose permanent residence is in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, which includes San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, Marin, Napa, and Sonoma Counties.
  • One scholarship of $1,000 will be awarded annually. Renewals will not be considered.
  • Eligibility: Jewish high school seniors and graduates who are enrolled in or will be enrolled in a four-year undergraduate program at an accredited college or university.
  • Qualifications: Outstanding academic record, cumulative high school GPA of 3.3 or higher on a 4.0 scale, financial need, and past participation in the Jewish community.
  • Residency requirements: Applicant whose permanent residence is in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, which includes San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, Marin, Napa, and Sonoma Counties.
  • Multiple scholarships of $1,000-5,000 each are expected to be awarded annually. Provided eligibility requirements are met, past recipients may reapply.
  • Eligibility: Jewish high school seniors or past Gilbert Scholarship recipients who are already enrolled or planned to enroll in a full-time undergraduate course of study in the University of California (UC) system, at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, or at Hillsdale College in Michigan.
  • Special consideration will be given to graduates of San Francisco’s Lowell or Washington High Schools.
  • Qualifications: Financial need, minimum cumulative high school GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale for new applicants and 3.0 out of 4.0 for renewals, except in extenuating circumstances that are addressed in the application, and demonstrated involvement in the Jewish community.
  • Residency requirements: Applicant whose permanent residence is in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, which includes San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, Marin, Napa, and Sonoma Counties.
  • Multiple scholarships between $1,000-3,000 are expected to be awarded annually. Provided eligibility requirements are met, past recipients may reapply.
  • Eligibility: Jewish high school seniors or graduates who are planning to enroll or already enrolled in a full-time undergraduate or graduate program at an accredited college or university.
  • Preference will be given to someone enrolled in a professional school such as a law school, business, or library/information science. Preference will also be given to a student who is an immigrant.
  • Qualifications: Academic merit, financial need.
  • One scholarship of up to $10,000 is expected to be awarded annually. Provided eligibility requirements are met, past recipients may reapply.
  • Eligibility: Jewish high school seniors, undergraduates, or graduate students accepted to or attending an accredited college or university program.
  • Qualifications: Financial need, major in library science, English, literature, education, or a related field with the intention of working with underserved children.
  • Residency requirements: Applicant whose permanent residence is in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, which includes San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, Marin, Napa, and Sonoma Counties.
  • One or more scholarships of $1,000-5,000 are expected to be given annually. Provided eligibility requirements are met, past recipients may reapply.
  • Eligibility: Jewish students accepted to or attending an accredited college or university undergraduate program.
  • Qualifications: Financial need.
  • Residency requirements: Applicant whose permanent residence is in Northern California, including the greater San Francisco Bay Area.
  • Eligibility: Jewish high school seniors, undergraduates, or graduate students accepted to or attending an accredited college or university program.
  • Qualifications: Financial need, involvement in Jewish life and in Israel.
  • Residency: Preference for applicants whose permanent residence is in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, which includes San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, Marin, Napa, and Sonoma Counties.
  • Eligibility: Jewish women who will be enrolled in the first year of an undergraduate program at a four-year college or university.
  • Qualifications: Financial need.
  • Residency requirements: Applicant whose permanent residence is in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, which includes San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, Marin, Napa, and Sonoma Counties.
  • Multiple full scholarships are expected to be awarded annually. Provided eligibility requirements are met, past recipients may reapply.
  • Eligibility: Jewish high school seniors and past Maisin scholarship recipients who are age 24 or younger as of the application deadline and are planning to enroll or are already enrolled in a full-time undergraduate program at an accredited college or university.
  • Qualifications: Strong academic record, minimum cumulative high school GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, leadership, and financial need. For renewal candidates, preference will be given to those maintaining at least a 3.0 GPA.
  • Residency requirements: Applicant whose permanent residence is in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, which includes San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, Marin, Napa, and Sonoma Counties.
  • Eligibility: high school seniors, undergraduates and graduate students who are preparing for careers in public service, individual and family therapy, community-based nonprofit work, the arts or cultural fields (particularly the dramatic arts or literature), or in other fields traditionally dedicated to improving individual or community well-being. Equal preference shall be given to first-generation immigrant students and international students.
  • Qualifications: Academic merit, financial need.

Multiple awards, ranging $10,000-12,000.

  • Eligibility: Jewish female high school seniors or graduates who are beginning their first year of an undergraduate program at a four-year college or university in California.
  • Qualifications: Demonstrated academic excellence with a minimum cumulative high school GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, involvement in athletics, financial need, and evidence of consistently practicing the Jewish principles of tzedakah and tikkun olam, defined here as giving of one’s time to making the world a better place.
  • Residency requirements: Applicant whose permanent residence is in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, which includes San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, Marin, Napa, and Sonoma Counties.
  • Eligibility: Jewish high school seniors or graduates who are planning to enroll or already enrolled in a full-time undergraduate or graduate program at an accredited college, university, or an art/music institution.
  • Qualifications: Financial need, students must have a proven track record of excellence in the area of fine arts.
  • Residency requirements: Applicant whose permanent residence is in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, which includes San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, Marin, Napa, and Sonoma Counties.
  • Eligibility: Jewish high school seniors who are planning to enroll in an academically selective, four-year college or university.
  • Qualifications: Academic excellence, financial need, and demonstrated involvement in the Jewish community.
  • Residency requirements: Applicant whose permanent residence is in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, which includes San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, Marin, Napa, and Sonoma Counties.
  • Eligibility: Women over the age of 35, who have not previously attended college at an accredited college or university offering bachelor’s degrees, and who will be enrolled in their first year of a four-year undergraduate program at an accredited college or university in the U.S.
  • Qualifications: Financial need.
  • Eligibility: High school seniors or graduates who are planning to enroll or already enrolled in a full-time undergraduate or graduate program at an accredited college or university who are children of a gay or lesbian parent(s).
  • Qualifications: Academic and artistic excellence, and financial need.
  • Residency requirements: Applicant whose permanent residence is in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, which includes San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, Marin, Napa, and Sonoma Counties.

College Scholarship FAQs

The number of awards varies each year and depends on the number of qualified applicants and the amount of funds available. Typically, we award approximately 70 applicants and distribute nearly $400,000 per year. Award amounts range from $1,000 to a student’s full need. Most awardees receive between $2,500 and $5,000. Some scholarships are for a specified, larger amount.

The Scholarship Committee strives to provide reliable sources of funding for returning students who continue to meet the eligibility criteria. For this reason, renewal applications receive priority consideration. However, renewal awards — and the amounts awarded — cannot be guaranteed from year to year. Decisions may vary based on factors such as the size and financial need of the applicant pool and the funding available in a given year. Applicants are strongly encouraged to seek multiple sources of financial support.

Unfortunately, we do not allow applicants to appeal award decisions. Scholarship Committee deliberations are exhaustive. Each eligible application is reviewed multiple times before a decision is reached. Although it is understandable that an applicant might want to understand the Scholarship Committee’s decision-making, these details are confidential.

Yes, although most scholarships are for permanent residents of the nine Bay Area counties. Please review the Federation’s scholarship offerings to determine which scholarship you may be eligible to receive.

Scholarship awards can be applied to an applicant’s cost of attendance, including tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, transportation to/from work, school, and program-related activities. If you have questions about this, please contact the Federation.

If you decide to change schools mid-year, you should contact the Federation as soon as possible. Your original school will refund the remaining scholarship to the Federation, and the Scholarship Committee may consider transferring the funds to your new school if you still meet eligibility criteria.

It is generally acceptable to defer your award to a future year or to spread your award over multiple years; however, please contact the Federation with the specifics of your request.

You must enroll as a full-time undergraduate or graduate in the fall of the year in which the scholarships are awarded (12+ units per quarter/semester).

You must continue in school for the entire academic year without interruption unless approved by the Federation.

Certain awardees may be invited to an informal virtual meeting with the donor(s) to describe the impact of the award on the awardee’s educational journey.

The Federation uses a third-party vendor, Kaleidoscope, to handle award disbursements. Kaleidoscope will mail checks to your school’s financial aid office using the mailing address entered by the awardee on the award claim form.

Checks are made payable to the institution only.

It is the awardee’s responsibility to notify Kaleidoscope should the check not arrive in time to be counted toward fall expenses.

Our Review Committee conducts a holistic assessment of each applicant’s financial circumstances. In evaluating need, the Committee considers a range of factors, including:

  • Adjusted gross income (AGI) as reported on the most recently filed federal income tax return
  • The student’s cost of attendance at their institution
  • Financial aid awards and other scholarships received
  • Household size and other relevant financial obligations

We recognize that a family’s financial picture is not always fully reflected in tax documents. Applicants are encouraged to use the application to explain any significant or special circumstances that may impact their ability to contribute toward educational expenses.

Please note that the program is designed to serve students from households with an adjusted gross income below $300,000 on the most recently filed federal income tax return. If your family’s financial situation is not accurately reflected in your tax return due to special circumstances, you will have an opportunity to provide additional context for the Committee’s consideration.

Questions?

For application-related questions, please contact Kaleidoscope support.

For all other questions, please email us.
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