The 2025 Scholarship Application
Is Now Open!

APPLY HERE

2025 Application

Dear Applicant,

The Catalino Tapia Scholarship Foundation (CTSF) is a non-profit organization based in San Carlos, California. For 19 years, it has supported the higher education of first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students. CTSF empowers students to achieve their academic goals through scholarships, workshops, and mentorship programs.

Application Period:

The CTSF scholarship application period will be open from February 4, 2025, to May 16, 2025.

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

Who can apply:

  • High school seniors.
  • General Educational Diploma holders (GED).
  • Undergraduate students (all years).
  • Community college students who are transferring to four-year universities.
  • Graduate students.
  • Undocumented, AB 540, DACA holders, U-Visa, and TPS holders.
  • Students of color (BIPOC).

Eligibility:

  • Applicants MUST live in Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco, or Alameda County. For scholars who are dependent students, your parents must reside within the four eligible counties
  • First-generation, this means neither parent has a 4-year US university degree.
  • Low-Income: (Financial information required)
  • Minimum GPA of 2.5.
  • Full-time enrollment: Recipients must maintain full-time enrollment status (as defined by your institution) throughout the scholarship cycle. This applies to undergraduate and graduate students.
  • Applicants must have been accepted to an undergraduate or graduate program for the 2025-2026 academic year.
  • Former CTSF scholarship recipients: Must follow the same process as new applicants, and meet the same requirements and criteria.\Participate in the CTSF Award Presentation, Seeds to Degrees workshops, and Mentorship Program.
  • Participate in the CTSF Award Presentation, Seeds to Degrees workshops, and Mentorship Program.
  • Participate in foundation activities and requests as outlined below:
  • Minimum of 10 hours of volunteer service with the foundation throughout the year. Scholarship recipients can volunteer on CTSF committees(Fundraising & Communication, Award & Scholarship, or Finance &Governance Committees)
  • Submit updates on your school progress every six months from receiving the scholarship award.

About the Award

  • The award ranges from $2,500 to $3,000 for tuition expenses.
  • A $250 stipend for technology or school supplies.
  • Scholars whose parents are gardeners, field workers (trabajadores del campo), landscapers, janitors, or housekeepers may be selected to receive an additional $1,000 under the Family Tapia Award of Excellence.
  • Awards will be based on available dollars and may be stand-alone scholarships.

Scholarship Disbursement Process

If selected, the scholarship award will be disbursed in two installments:

    -June 30, 2025: before the first installment is issued.

          -Students who are in their first year of attendance must provide a Statement of Intent to register for their chosen institution.

          -For continuously enrolled students, must provide a letter of continuous enrollment for the 2025-2026 academic year.  (this document can be requested via Clearinghouse).

    -January 23, 2026: All recipients must provide proof of continuous enrollment as full-time students before the second disbursement is issued.

All scholarship recipients are expected to be actively engaged and fully participate in CTSF programs, respond to emails, and fulfill requests made by CTSF.

Scholarship awardees will be required to participate in the following mandatory events:

We highly recommend marking these dates on your calendar.

  • From Seeds to Degrees Workshops Part I and II are mandatory.
  • Part I - This will be a full-day, in-person event combined with CTSF 19th Award Recognition Event.
    • Date: Saturday, June 28, 2025
    • Location: Mitchell Park Community Center
    • 3700 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94303
  • Part II - This will be a virtual. This online event will take place on January 17,  2026, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.

Need help with your application?

We can assist with the following:
  • Application and eligibility questions.
  • Questions about writing your personal statement.

Days: Monday through Friday

Times: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Schedule help here

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

Required Documentation

  • Financial Information – All applicants must submit proof of financial income tax filing (1040 form).
  • 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.
  • Proof of Address: (e.g., utility bill, school mail) showing an address in an eligible county.
  • Personal Essay –  Preset questions and instructions can be found in the application.
  • Minimum of 2.5 unweighted GPA.
  • The following documents are required from all applicants, and submission requirements vary by educational level:
    • GED and high school applicants: official or unofficial transcripts, an acceptance letter, and proof of intent to enroll in the Fall of 2025.
    • Continuing Students: official or unofficial transcripts, proof of continued enrollment
    • Transfer Students: official or unofficial transcripts, proof of continued enrollment, a college acceptance letter, and proof of intent to enroll for Fall 2025.
    • Graduate students: official or unofficial transcripts, an acceptance letter, and proof of intent to enroll in the Fall of 2025.

Civic and Community Involvement: We will continue to ask applicants to submit hours completed as volunteers. For the 2025 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.

Scholarship Application Tips

  • Meet all application deadlines. Use a calendar or planner, make a schedule, and stick to it. 
  • Gather your application materials early. Don't wait, especially when requesting letters of recommendation (LORs), as many scholarship applications open in the first quarter of the year, and recommenders are often very busy during that time.
  • Write a compelling essay. Focus on your educational journey, the challenges you have overcome, your path to success, and, most importantly, why you chose your major and how you intend to use it to support your community.
  • Treat scholarship applications like a job. Approach your scholarship application(s) with the same professionalism and dedication you would a job application. Rushing the process can increase the risk of errors, including submitting incorrect documents.
  • When saving documents to your computer for upload, use clear and consistent file names. For example, instead of "screenshot3456788756," use a descriptive name like "NameLastNameTranscript" or "NameLastNameLOR." This will help you avoid mistakes and greatly assist us during the selection process.
  • Understand application requirements: this means thoroughly familiarizing yourself with everything the scholarship provider is asking for.  It's more than just knowing the deadline.
  • Ask questions: It means don't let confusion or uncertainty prevent you from submitting your best application.

What if...? FAQ

This is my first time applying for a scholarship. I don't know what to do!

Don't worry, we've got your back!  
Applying for scholarships can seem daunting, but we're here to support you.  We offer resources to help you through the process. You can schedule a one-on-one consultation [HERE] where we can answer your questions and guide you through each step.

I'm a non-traditional student returning to school after 2 or more years. Am I eligible?

Absolutely! CTSF does not have any age requirements. We understand that each student has a unique educational path, and we welcome applications from students of all ages and backgrounds.  We value the diverse perspectives and experiences that non-traditional students bring to their education.  We encourage you to apply.

My GPA is below 2.5. Am I still eligible?

While a 2.5 GPA is preferred, CTSF considers a variety of factors in our scholarship selection process. We understand that academic performance isn't always the sole indicator of a student's potential. We encourage you to contact Yanet at info-ctsf@ctsf.org to discuss your situation. Remember, you have other strengths to highlight, such as your personal story, overcoming challenges, community involvement, or strong letters of recommendation. Don't disqualify yourself without trying first.

What if I don't receive the scholarship?

Don't be discouraged!  
Scholarships are competitive, and not everyone receives the ones they apply for.  This doesn't mean your dreams are out of reach.  Continue searching for other scholarships that fit your profile.  Scholarships are highly competitive, and unfortunately, not all applicants are successful.  
Persistence is essential in this process.  At CTSF, we are deeply committed to supporting our students. We are here to assist you. If you would like help strengthening your essays for other scholarship applications, please don't hesitate to reach out. We are happy to provide that support.

Please contact Yanet Gutierrez if you have any questions.
Phone: 650.631.1200 Email: info-ctsf@ctsf.org

CTSF Scholarship Recipients

Audrey Yingwei Xu

Stanford University

Human Biology

Brian Perez Wences

UC, Berkeley

Computer Science

Brianna Rangel Arroyo

Yale University

Biology

Daine Becerra Garcia

University of San Francisco

Computer Science

David Parsons

SF State University

Business Administration

Debora Rosas Lopez

De Anza College

Nursing

Edith Arias

University of San Francisco

Organization and Education Ed.D.

Federico Rodriguez

UC, Los Angeles

Human Biology and Society

Geraldine Urgel

UC, Santa Barbara

Marine Biology

Jessica Sierra Ornelas

San Jose State University

Master's in Education Counseling

Katiuska Pimental Vargas

USF - School of Law

Lawyer

Lizette Barragan Cervantes

UC, Berkeley

Microbial Biology

Mahnoor Wani

UC, Los Angeles

Neuroscience

Maria Casique Leon

UC Berkeley

Cell and Molecular Biology

Marta Lilian Marcos

SF State University

Early Childhood Education

Mistica Espinoza

SF State University

Spanish

Moises Correa

UC, Santa Cruz

Business Management

Nancy Moran

University of Southern California

Civil Engineering

Sandra Landa-Sanchez

University of California, Merced

Sociology

Victor Hernandez

UC, Irvine

Business Information Management

Yanet Gutierrez

San Jose State University

Political Science

Zahir Mammadzada

Goucher College

International Relations