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.

Scholarship Portal:

Click Here

Need help?

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

FAQ

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 2025 – Application opens to new applicants

December 2025 – Renewal application opens, CFSCC will email renewal applicants directly.

Late January 2026 – Deadline for new applications

February 2026 – Deadline for renewal applicants who received an award in a prior year

February-April 2026 – Application review period

April 2026 – All applicants will be notified of their status via email and/or phone call

Early June 2026 – 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.

Giles Family Scholarship

Multiple awards of up to $5,000 (renewable annually) are available for current graduating seniors of any high school in Santa Cruz County who are involved in art, craft, or music programs. Students must be enrolled/admitted in Cabrillo College, San Jose State University, or the University of California at Santa Cruz, demonstrate financial need, and have a minimum 3.0 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.

Environmental Scholarship

One or more awards are available to students who have been accepted and/or are currently enrolled and in good standing as either Undergraduate or Graduate students at four-year colleges and universities in Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, San Benito, or Monterey Counties. This scholarship is intended to support those who have innovative ideas and intentions to pursue a career in a field that will make a difference in helping the human species to evolve to a more compatible existence with natural ecosystems.

Frequently Asked Questions

Get answers to frequently asked questions about our scholarships.

Congrats 2025 Winners!

2025-2026 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

Adriana Reyes, Pajaro Valley High School (Cabrillo College)

R.H. BEEL MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

Dylan Hermanson, Santa Cruz High School (UC Santa Cruz)

Mariana Orountiotis-Kelly, Santa Cruz High School (Cal Poly SLO)

BURTON SCHOLARSHIP

Daniel Esqueda, Aptos High School (University of Southern California)

Eden Hurtado, Watsonville High School (UC Davis)

Emilio Sostenes-Flores, Watsonville High School (UC San Diego)

Gabriel Hernandez, Watsonville High School (UC Davis)

Janeth Marcos, Watsonville High School (Santa Clara)

Mariza Duran-Santiago, Watsonville High School (UC Davis)

Wendy Zamora, Watsonville High School (UC Davis)

Yasmin Salas, Watsonville High School (UC Santa Barbara)

Zaida Garcia, Watsonville High School (UC Irvine)

BOB AND BETSY DARROW SCHOLARSHIP

Adriana Gonzalez-Vasquez, Watsonville High School (Cabrillo College)

Alex Hernandez, Harbor High School (San José State University)

RICHARD AND THERESA CROCKER SCHOLARSHIP

Isela Ramirez, Watsonville High School (Cabrillo)

Ruben Canchola-Jimenez, Santa Cruz High School (Cabrillo)

Yadira Melgoza, Pajaro Valley High School (Cabrillo)

HANK GARCIA JR. AND FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP

Angelica Bayuga, St. Francis High School (Loyola University Chicago)

Carlos Vega, Pajaro Valley High School (UC Berkeley)

Isabel Piccini, Monte Vista Christian School (University of San Diego)

Mayda Juarez-Ortiz, Watsonville High School (UC Santa Cruz)

Paula Rocha-Meza, Aptos High School (San José State University)

EMMETT AND ELSIE GEISER SCHOLARSHIP

Berkeley Ashby, Aptos High School (UC San Diego)

Gamble Kellermyer, Aptos High School (San José State University)

LAURA SEGURA MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

Gloria Armenta, Santa Cruz County Career Advancement (Cabrillo College)

Natasha Martinez, Watsonville High School (CSU Monterey Bay)

ISABEL FOWLER SEWELL SCHOLARSHIP

Angela Belmontes-Fernandez, Pajaro Valley High School (Santa Clara University)

Jaice Williamson, San Lorenzo Valley High School (University of Indiana, Bloomington)

Jose Lopez, Watsonville High School (CSU, Monterey Bay)

Joselyn Leon-Gonzalez, Pajaro Valley High School (Cal Poly, SLO)

Yasmin Tamayo, Watsonville High School (UC Davis)

BERT AND CAROLYN POST SCHOLARSHIP

Daniel Suarez-Alonso, Ceiba College Prep (UC Davis)

Nelsy Cruz-Hernandez, Watsonville High School (CSU, Monterey Bay)

LOUIS J. AND MARY ELLEN SCHULTZ SCHOLARSHIP

Tamanna Khatri, Harbor High School (UC Santa Barbara)

SIMUNOVICH FAMILY AGRICULTURE SCHOLARSHIP

Diego Romero-Avalos, Watsonville High School (CSU Monterey Bay)

BARBARA J. THOMPSON SCHOLARSHIP

Daniel Fernandez, Santa Cruz High, Cabrillo College (University of Southern California)

Makenna McIntyre, Delta Charter at Cabrillo (Cabrillo)

Zara Duran, Soquel High School (University of Hawaii at Manoa

ERNEST V. COWELL SCHOLARSHIP

Ramón Gimeno-Herrera, Aptos High School (UC Berkeley)

JOHN L. TURNER SCHOLARSHIP

Jennifer Fernandez-Zamora, Watsonville High School (UC Davis)