Northern California Scholarships Foundation

Application Process

Eligible students from public high schools in Northern California are nominated by their school, selected for an interview, interviewed by the Trustees to receive the scholarship. The number of scholarships awarded varies from year to year.

“Northern California” is defined, for the purpose of eligibility for an NCSF scholarship, as from the southern boundaries of Kern, San Luis Obispo and Inyo Counties north to the Oregon border. If you live in one of the green shaded counties shown on the map below you are within the location requirements for our scholarship.

Invitations to nominate are mailed to these public high schools in early January each year. Each school may nominate a single graduating senior based on academic achievement, community engagement and financial need. The nomination process is completed by the school online.

Students meeting the requirements for nomination are then invited by the Foundation to submit an application. A portion of the application process is completed online with required supporting documents being submitted in hard copy. No application will be considered complete until both the online information and supporting documentation are received. Students must meet all eligibility criteria in order to be considered for an interview.

Once the application period closes, the Trustees select students to be invited for an interview at the Oakland Scottish Rite. Following the interviews, students selected to receive the scholarship are informed by letter within a few weeks.

No unsolicited or outside nominations or applications are accepted.