The 2023 scholarship application is now closed.

CTSF Awards

If approved, each recipient will receive the following award and must participate in the following events:

• Each scholar will receive a scholarship award of up to $2,000.
• Eligible scholars will receive a $250 stipend towards electronics.
• Two scholars will be selected to receive $1000 under the Tapia Family Award of Excellence.
• Awards will be based on available dollars and may be stand-alone scholarships.
• Be enrolled in an accredited college, university, or community college in one of the following California counties: San Francisco, Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara.
• All selected scholars  MUST participate in person in the From Seeds to Degrees on May 6, 2023, in Oakland. TIME TBD
• Mandatory Award Event on May 06, 2023. Location 1955 Broadway Street in Oakland.‍
• All scholars selected scholars MUST participate in the Second Series of From Seeds to Degrees Virtual Workshop in January 2024. Date TBD
• All scholars will participate in the Mentorship Program.‍

Description

The CTSF Scholarship is designed to assist scholars of all heritage backgrounds in obtaining a college and university degree.

The CTSF is open to high school seniors expected to graduate in the spring of 2023, GED recipients, college students, students pursuing a bachelor's degree post-graduate, or professional school degree physically residing in the counties of San Francisco Alameda, Santa Clara, and San Mateo, or attending an educational institution within the four counties above.

For scholars who are dependent students, your parents must reside within the four eligible counties.

Priority will be given to first-year university students (i.e., rising freshmen or first-year community college transfer students)

Requirements

(UPDATED February 6, 2023)

• Must be a first-generation college-goer (i.e., neither parent completed a 4-year university in the United States)
  • Minimum GPA of 2.5  *given the pandemic, we can be flexible on GPA requirements.
• Physically reside and attend an educational institution within San Francisco, Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties.
  • College and Undergraduate students must be enrolled full-time.
  • Graduate students must be enrolled in graduate school.
• Former Recipients:  Must follow the same process as new applicants and meet requirements and criteria.  
  • Complete the scholarship application and submit all requested documentation.
• Participate in the CTSF Award Presentation.
• Selected recipients must participate in: From Seeds to Degrees workshops and Mentorship Programs.
• Participate in foundation activities and requests as outlined below:
  • Minimum of 10 hours of volunteer service with the foundation throughout the year.
  • Submit updates on your school progress every six months from receiving the scholarship award.

We have created a checklist to ensure you prepare the requested information and documentation before applying.

Required Documentation

1. Financial Information – All applicants must submit proof of financial income tax filing (1040 form).
2. Personal Essay –  Preset questions and instructions can be found in the application.
3. Academic Achievement – All applicants must submit a copy of their official or unofficial transcripts. To qualify for the scholarship, applicants must have a minimum of 2.5 unweighted GPA.
4. Civic and Community Involvement: Due to the current Covid-19 restrictions, we have modified the Volunteer Hours, Community, and Civic Engagement. We will continue to ask applicants to submit hours completed as volunteers. For the 2021 application, we will accept applications that have not completed the 50 hours required. To satisfy this requirement, we will ask each applicant to submit a brief paragraph (250 words) describing how they have supported their communities, family members, and/or overall personal/professional growth.
5. Letters of recommendations (2) – We recommend all applicants work on this as soon as they plan to apply. Recommenders can be mentors, professors/teachers, counselors, or employers. More details can be found in the application.

Scholarship Application Tips

• Meet all application deadlines. Use a calendar or planner, make a schedule, and stick to it. 
• Gather application materials early. 
• Request letters of recommendation early. 
• Write a great essay. 
• Treat scholarship applications like a job. 
• Submit your application and required materials on time. Do not wait until the last minute.
• Find and understand application requirements. 
• Review your application before submitting it.
• Ask questions