The scholarships we most recommend applying to are local scholarships, which are mostly available during Winter and Spring of a student's senior year, and which students have a greater likelihood of winning due to a smaller pool of applicants in their high school, town, or region.  However, it is never too early to start your search!  We are including several national scholarship search databases as well.  These are very competitive, but you'll never know unless you apply!  Additionally, we recommend that all families check with parents' workplaces - many companies have scholarship programs available to dependents of their employees.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA):  Whether your plans are to apply to a 2 year community college, vocational/trade school,

or 4 year university or college, we encourage every student to apply for financial aid using their 2024 tax information. This is the first step and a one-stop-shop to apply for a Cal Grant, Middle Class Scholarship, and campus-specific scholarships.

**The 2026-2027 FAFSA will be available for graduating seniors at www.studentaid.gov. Deadline to apply for the Cal Grant is TBD.

California Dream Act Application (CADAA): Students who are undocumented or have a valid or expired DACA should complete this application instead of the FAFSA. The deadline is the same: TBD. If you are unsure which application to complete, please click here to learn more.

FSA ID: Students and at least one parent should create an FSA ID prior to completing the FAFSA.  It will serve as your signature.  Student/parent will need a social security number and email address to create the FSA ID.