Scholarships

SMCCCD Scholarships

Each year, the three colleges of the San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD) -- Cañada College, College of San Mateo, and Skyline College -- award institutional scholarships to new, continuing, and transfer students. The scholarship awards are based on academic achievement, financial need or specific interests such as clubs, athletics, and service.

Funding for our scholarships comes from contributions to San Mateo County Community Colleges Foundation which ensures that quality, affordable higher education is available to every member of our community. Visit the San Mateo County Community Colleges Foundation website to learn more.

 

Experiencing difficulities with your submission? email Henry Fan at fanh@smccd.edu.

What are Scholarships?

Scholarships are cash from private/public, corporate, community, or institutional donors who want to invest in student learning and education. Scholarships are typically awarded to students who understand how to apply and can show promise in certain fields of study in their application.

If you look closely enough, you can find a scholarship that you are eligible for. Financial Aid is here to help you see what's available and how to apply.

San Mateo Community College District which Skyline is apart of uses a system called AcademicWorks that lets you apply for a wide range of scholarships offered to students enrolled at our district.

Why Apply?

• Scholarships are not loans,
• They do not need to be paid back,
• They can be used for your cost of attendance, not just tuition,
• The odds of earning a scholarship here at Skyline are much higher than an external scholarship

There are students who routinely earn hundreds and thousands of dollars in scholarship earnings to reduce their financial stress and be able to focus on the learning and projects that matter to them. Completing your financial aid application may be viewed as you first form of "scholarship" and that truly is just the beginning.

How to Apply?

1. Create an San Mateo County College Foundation Account
2. Draft your General Application
   1. Draft your Academic Statement, Extra Curricular, Supplemental Info in a Google Document or equivalent platform, so you can build off your writing
3. Request and Upload Unofficial Transcript
4. "Finish and Submit" your general application
5. Look at what specific scholarship applications you qualify for and also "Finish and Submit" those applications
   1. It's not until you do this step will you have applied for a scholarship using AcademicWorks, so do not stop at step 4.
6. Research external scholarships, internships and fellowships and create a plan of action

Facts about Scholarships

• You are eligible and encouraged to apply to as many scholarships as you can!
  • As long as you meet eligibility and minimum requirements
  • Do not get discouraged about not hearing back or not being awarded
• Many scholarships do not have unattainable GPA requirements
• Many scholarships are not contingent upon financial need
  
• Application for our SMCCD internal scholarships are due Mon. 3/3/2025 at 4:30PM
  
  • Awardees get paid out in May 2025
• Scholarships pay for more than just tuition
• While most scholarships require full time enrollment status, not all of them do
• Incoming high school students are eligible to many internal scholarships here at Skyline College
  

Tips for Applying

• Applying for financial aid (FAFSA / CADAA) will make you eligible for more scholarships, and may be thought of a scholarship in itself
  
  • Applying for financial aid also makes students eligible for various other programs and communities on campus!
  • Unsure which application to do? Check out FAFSA's FAQ   and CADAA's FAQ  .
• Get writing support on your personal statements / supplemental questions
• Navigate student services and instructor's office hours so scholarships lead into internships and fellowships
• Focus on effective and efficient learning techniques in class; this will allow you to spend more time applying for scholarships and leave you more time for high quality leisure 

Scholarship Opportunities: view open scholarships and apply!

Scholarship Award Ceremony: See past recordings and photos.

 

Please Note: External scholarships have their own terms and conditions. The donor determines which academic costs are covered by their scholarship. For example, some scholarships require the cost of books and supplies appear on a student's college invoice and they don't cover items purchased outside of the bookstore. It's important that you review the Terms and Conditions of your scholarship. The Financial Aid Office is a third party, we assist with the disbursement of these funds and follow the requirements set by the donor. We don't have the authority to override these requirements.  

Please Note: Awarding notification of Scholarship Recipients have been sent to students directly via their @my.smccd.edu accounts.On behalf of Skyline College's Scholarship Committee, we thank you for applying and wish you continued success in your educational goals!

**If you are a Transfer Student, who received a scholarship for 2024-2025, do not forgot to submit proof of your Enrollment Status of your new school. The proof must contain a class summary, total enrolled units and your name.  Submit enrollment verification via DropBox with your G#. 

Need help on writing your Thank You Letter? Check out our helpful tips and advice  .

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Skyline College Scholarships

View the wide variety of scholarship you can apply for as a Skyline College student! Use filters or search by keyword to find scholarships that are relevant to you. You can apply for multiple scholarships.

Scholarship Opportunities →

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UCSC Pister Scholarship now due 1/24/2025

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2025 Crestmoor Scholarship

The application for the 2025 Crestmoor Neighborhood Memorial Scholarship will be available online in early December. This program honors the community members who most directly endured the destruction of the 2010 gas pipeline explosion in San Bruno's Crestmoor neighborhood by investing in San Bruno students headed to college. The application deadline is March 4, 2025.

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Cooke Campus Transfer Scholarship 

The Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship is a highly selective scholarship for the nation’s top community college students seeking to complete their bachelor’s degrees at four-year colleges or universities. Each Cooke Scholar has access to generous financial support for two to three years, college planning support, ongoing advising, and the opportunity to connect with the thriving community of fellow Scholars.

 

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California Student Aid Commision CAL - HBCU Transfer Grant

Students who transfer from California Community Colleges to eligible, partnered Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) can receive up to $5,000 in one-time grant funds. For more information, check out the California Student Aid Commission website. 

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Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship

To qualify for the scholarship, students must be:

• Pell-eligible
• Have a Pell-eligible EFC or SAI
• Must be less than 24 years of age
• Or enrolled at an institution of higher education at the time of his or her parents or guardians death

Check out the Children and Fallen Heros Scholarship Act for more information regarding this scholarship and to view definitions.

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External Scholarship Opportunities

There are plenty of scholarships available to apply for outside of the district. See a list of scholarships we recommend looking into based on your personal background, interests, and goals.

External Scholarship Opportunities

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Additional Scholarship Resources