Scholarships for students California. Some scholarships specifically open to California students, and others give preference to students in California.

CRAEF Scholarship
Sponsor: California Restaurant Association
Amount: Up to $4,000
Closing Date: May 1, 2026
Description: Scholarship is open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are California residents. Applicant must be a high school senior or current college student enrolled in a minimum of nine credit hours at an accredited post secondary school in a foodservice related program. Applicant must have a minimum number of hours of industry-related work experience. Applicant can attend a school out-of-state.

San Diego County Citizens’ Scholarship Foundation Grants
Sponsor: San Diego County Citizens’ Scholarship Foundation
Amount: Varies
Closing Date: May 1, 2026
Description: Scholarships are open to graduating high school seniors in San Diego County who plan to attend an accredited college in San Diego County.

LPA Diversity in Design Scholarship
Sponsor: LPA, Inc.
Amount: $5,000.00
Closing Date: May 7, 2026
Description: Scholarship is open to high school seniors, graduates, and current college undergraduates who live in California or Texas. Applicant must be pursuing a bachelor’s degree in one of the following majors associated with the building and design industry: Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Interior Architecture/Design, Architectural Engineering, Structural Engineering, Building Science, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related degree.

Race for Education Scholarships
Sponsor: The Race for Education
Amount: Up to $5,000
Closing Date: May 8, 2026
Description: Scholarships are open to students pursuing a field of study within the equine, animal science or agricultural industry and/or whose family is employed in the equine industry. Applicant must be 24 years old or younger and have at least a 2.85 GPA. In addition to the general scholarships, there are scholarships open specifically to students in California, Kentucky, New York, and Washington state.

Christopher Mark Pitkin Memorial Scholarship
Sponsor: Hemophilia Foundation of Southern California
Amount: $1,000.00
Closing Date: May 30, 2026
Description: Scholarship is open to incoming and current college students from Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Ventura, Kern, and Santa Barbara Counties, California. Applicant must have a bleeding disorder or must have an immediate family member with a bleed disorder.

Dr. Earl James Fahringer Performing Arts Scholarship
Sponsor: Hemophilia Foundation of Southern California
Amount: $1,000.00
Closing Date: May 30, 2026
Description: Scholarship is open to residents of the following Southern California counties: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Ventura, Kern, Inyo, or Santa Barbara. Applicant must be a person with a bleeding disorder OR have an immediate family member with a bleeding disorder. Applicant must be accepted into an educational/vocational institution and plan to be studying education in the performing arts: music, art, drama, film, or dance.

Fishing Heritage Scholarship
Sponsor: Central Coast Women for Fisheries, Inc.
Amount: Varies
Closing Date: May 31, 2026
Description: Scholarship is open to descendants of a licensed California commercial fisherman, descendants of the current spouse of a licensed California commercial fisherman, or holder of a valid California commercial fishing license or worked on a vessel licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game for at least the past five years. San Luis Obispo County qualified applicants will have priority of the available scholarship funds.

We Rise LGBTQ Scholarship
Sponsor: Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation
Amount: $2,500.00
Closing Date: May 31, 2026
Description: Scholarship is open to LGBTQ+ students for post-high school education (including but not limited to trade and technical degrees or certificates, and Associate and Bachelor’s degrees). Applicant must be from the San Francisco Bay Area.

Macy’s Emergency Scholarship Fund
Sponsor: Macy’s | LULAC National Educational Services Center, Inc.
Amount: Up to $500
Closing Date: Rolling
Description: Scholarship is open to deserving students facing economic hardship and immediate monetary need that, if not met, could result in an inability to complete classes or a degree program. Emergency financial need resulting from the following will qualify students from funding: change in family income/support, loss of job, death of an immediate family member, natural disaster, pending eviction or home foreclosure, burglary, or fire. Applicant must be a resident of California, Florida, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Puerto Rico, or Texas.

CalCPA Scholarship
Sponsor: CalCPA Education Foundation
Amount: Varies
Closing Date: Varies
Description: Scholarships are open to students with an interest in pursing professional careers in the accounting field. Applicant must be enrolled at an institution of higher learning in the state of California and must be a member of CalCPA (student membership is free). CalCPA chapters have different deadlines for scholarship – see website for details.