Study California Scholarship

Study California is committed to making our state a top study destination. This includes our support for talented individuals from across the globe who have demonstrated significant academic achievement and leadership skills. Each fall, Study California awards scholarships of US $1000 to up to five international students (in F-1 visa status), who are continuing their degree studies at a Study California member institution.   

Application Open: October 1 – Extended Deadline November 17, 2023.

Application Deadline: November 17, 2023, 11:59pm Pacific Time

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Applicant must be enrolled full-time in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at a Study California member institution by January 31, 2024.
  • Applicant must be in F-1 international student status.
  • Applicant may apply each year they are an active student enrolled in a degree program at a Study California member institution but may receive the scholarship only once. (Scholarship is not renewable.)
  • Applicant must have the equivalent of a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (out of 4.0 scale) from their most recent institution attended. 
  • Applicant must submit the completed application by the October 31 deadline. A completed application includes:
    • Application
    • Uploaded recommendation letter from a faculty member or advisor
    • Uploaded transcript from the most recent institution attended (in US or internationally)
    • Uploaded copy of biographical page of passport (File Size – Max 3MB)
    • Uploaded proof of admission to or enrollment in a Study California member institution on official university letterhead (File Size – Max 3MB)
    • List of outstanding academic and extracurricular achievements within the past five years, which highlight applicant’s leadership experience and abilities
    • Explanation of financial need
    • Statement of education and career goals

Award Notification and Payment:

Those submitting completed applications by the deadline will receive decisions in December 2023. Scholarship awards will be disbursed in early 2024 after scholarship winners’ updated enrollment verifications are received by Study California. All decisions made by Study California are final. Awards will be in the form of a check made payable to the scholarship recipients. Scholarships are intended to be used for educational purposes (tuition, fees, books, supplies, etc.)

Previous Study California Scholarship Recipients

Maria Mayet
Mt. San Antonio College
Major: Nursing
Home country: Myanmar

Abou Hikmat
California State University, Chico
Major: Biological Sciences: Cellular & Molecular Biology
Home country: Lebanon

Nora Arutyunyan
Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey
Major: Translation and Interpretation
Home country: Russia

Hannah Obrique
California State University, East Bay
Major: Speech Language Pathology
Home country: Philippines

Wenjin Zhao
East Los Angeles College
Major: Gender Studies and Sociology
Home country: China

Apply for the Study California Scholarship

Applications for the 2023 scholarships open from October 1, 2023 – November 17, 2023.

SC Scholarship Form
Upload your responses to each of the following short-answer prompts. Please be specific and honest in your responses. Each response must be 1500 characters (approximately 250 words) or less.

A complete application will include the following:

  • Application
  • Uploaded recommendation letter from a faculty member or advisor
  • Uploaded transcript from the most recent institution attended (in US or internationally)
  • Uploaded copy of biographical page of passport (File Size – Max 3MB)
  • Uploaded proof of admission to or enrollment in a Study California member institution on official university letterhead (File Size – Max 3MB)
  • List of outstanding academic and extracurricular achievements within the past five years, which highlight applicant’s leadership experience and abilities
  • Explanation of financial need
  • Statement of education and career goals

Incomplete applications will not be considered. If selected to receive a scholarship, you will be asked to submit verification of enrollment and a copy of your F1 student visa.