Staff Report
The Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara is accepting scholarship applications for the 2020-21 academic year. Eligibility requirements and application instructions are available at www.sbscholarship.org.
The Scholarship Foundation reviewed 3,479 applications during its recently concluded scholarship awards cycle. In May, the organization awarded $7.98 million in scholarships to 2,447 Santa Barbara County students. Scholarship awards for undergraduates at four-year schools averaged $3,266; graduate student awards (excluding those for medical school) averaged $4,481.
The Scholarship Foundation also supports students pursuing vocational training. Eligible students can receive five years of undergraduate funding and four years of medical or graduate-level funding. The primary criteria for award selection are financial need, academic achievement and motivation.
Deadline to apply for financial aid from the Scholarship Foundation during the 2020-21 academic year is Jan. 15, 2020.
“I strongly encourage Santa Barbara County students to begin the application process (right away), as they may have questions or otherwise require assistance. Remember, not all applicants will receive financial assistance. Earlier this year we had to turn away more than 900 eligible applicants,” said Victoria Juarez, Scholarship Foundation president and CEO.
The Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara is the nation’s largest community-based provider of college scholarships, having cumulatively awarded more than $123 million to more than 50,000 county students since its founding in 1962.
A nonprofit organization, the Scholarship Foundation also provides free financial aid advising services. For more, visit www.sbscholarship.org.
