San Diego Foundation Offers $3.5M in Scholarships

San Diego students can apply for 140+ college scholarships by March 8 deadline

San Diego Foundation has opened its Common Scholarship Application with $3.5 million in scholarships available for local college students. Students can apply at SDFoundation.org/CSA through March 8, 2023.

Through one online application, students can access nearly 150 unique scholarships, including those for four-year universities, two-year colleges, graduate and vocational schools. Scholarships are available for graduating high school seniors, undergraduates, graduate, medical and professional school students, and adult re-entry students.

“When we support historically under-resourced college students, we’re fostering equity of opportunity in San Diego and supporting the local talent pipeline that builds our region’s workforce,” said Danielle Valenciano, Director of the SDF Community Scholarship Program. “Research shows that scholarships reduce students’ work and debt burden, making them more likely to graduate from college and to do so on time.”

The scholarships are made possible through the SDF Community Scholarship Program and Community Scholars Initiative. Both programs give more San Diego students the tools and financial support to continue their education. As part of its program, the Community Scholars Initiative works with local college access organizations to help hundreds more low-income and first-generation students prepare for, pay for and persist through college.



In 2022, San Diego Foundation announced the historic awarding of more than $3.5 million in college scholarships – the highest annual amount ever – to 989 local students for the 2022 – 2023 academic year.

Among the 2022 – 2023 scholarship recipients, 69% are first-generation college students, or the first in their immediate families to pursue a higher education, and 93% of students who are considered low-income, according to their Earned Family Contribution data. 

The Community Scholarship Program is made possible through the generous donor support of 146 unique charitable funds at San Diego Foundation and is the largest in the region outside of the university system. Since 1997, the program has awarded more than $46 million to more than 12,000 college students from San Diego.

If you are interested in opening a scholarship fund to support students fueling our San Diego economy, please contact Danielle Valenciano, Director of the SDF Community Scholarship Program, at DanielleV@SDFoundation.org. 

About San Diego Foundation

San Diego Foundation inspires enduring philanthropy and enables community solutions to improve the quality of life in our region. Our strategic priorities include advancing racial and social justice, fostering equity of opportunity, building resilient communities, and delivering world-class philanthropy to realize our vision of just, equitable and resilient communities. The Education Initiative supports K-12 and higher education programs to extend opportunity to San Diego students as they prepare for success in life and work. For more than 47 years, SDF and its donors have granted more than $1.4 billion to support nonprofit organizations strengthening our community. Learn more at SDFoundation.org.