San Francisco Bay Area scholarships & local foundations
The San Francisco Bay Area metro area covers San Francisco County, Alameda County, Contra Costa County, San Mateo County and Marin County in California, with principal cities including San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Hayward and Fremont. We found 1 open scholarship whose official rules name a place in this area; the next to close is SWE Santa Clara Valley Section Scholarships on Feb 28, 2027.
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Updated
The IRS lists 2 community foundations with at least $1 million in assets based in the area’s principal cities; the largest is East Bay Community Foundation in Oakland ($514 million in assets). Community foundations hold hundreds of small donor-funded scholarships, often limited to graduates of specific high schools or residents of one county, and many use a single shared application each winter.
Statewide, 14 more open awards are limited to California residents, and state aid includes Cal Grant. Federal Pell Grants stack on top for students who file the FAFSA.
Where local money hides: ask your school counselor for the local scholarship bulletin (many high schools keep one), check employer and union awards from your parents’ workplaces, and look at service clubs (Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions) and credit unions near you. These awards rarely appear on national sites, which is why their applicant pools are small.
Scholarships naming the San Francisco Bay Area area (1)
Varies (the section awards about $15,000 a year) · Society of Women Engineers – Santa Clara Valley Section · High school senior / undergraduate / graduate / re-entry
High school seniors, college and graduate students who identify as female, pursuing a full-time BS or MS in engineering or computer science at an ABET/CSAB-accredited school, with a permanent address or school in Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Benito, south San Mateo or south Alameda counties.
FY27 application open now; due Feb 28, 2027 via Jotform; reference forms due March 21, 2027.
$5,000 (one California award and one Nevada award) · Bonnie Fang Foundation · Undergraduate / graduate nursing student
Full-time undergraduate or graduate nursing students attending an in-person program (not online or hybrid) with at least one year left, who meet the foundation's California or Nevada residency rules.
Application open Sept 15 – Dec 15, 2026, 11:59 p.m.
Up to $10,000 (three awards) · San Diego Foundation / Kyoto Symposium Organization / Inamori Foundation · High school senior
San Diego County graduating seniors (public, private or parochial high schools) with at least a 3.0 unweighted GPA who will enroll full-time at an accredited four-year U.S. university.
Application opens Oct 28 and closes Monday, Dec 28, 2026. Top winners must attend the March 9, 2027 gala.
PTA members graduating from a California high school between Jan 1 and June 30, 2027, who are headed to an accredited college, university, trade or technical school; recognizes volunteer service in schools and communities.
2027 application opens November 2026; deadline Feb 1, 2027 at 11:59 p.m.
Varies (nearly 200 scholarships, a few multiyear) · Humboldt Area Foundation and Wild Rivers Community Foundation · High school senior / college / trade student
Students in the Humboldt Area Foundation and Wild Rivers Community Foundation service region at any education level, attending any type of school (some funds are for Cal Poly Humboldt or College of the Redwoods).
2027 Universal Application period Jan 15 – March 2, 2027. FAFSA/CADAA not required.
Varies by fund (about $1 million to 400 students last year; many awards $1,000–$3,000) · Sacramento Region Community Foundation · High school senior / college / trade student
Students in the Sacramento region (including El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento and Yolo counties) heading to college, vocational school or career training; each fund has its own criteria.
Most scholarships open Jan 4, 2027 and close March 12, 2027. One general application recommends the funds you fit.
Are there local scholarships in San Francisco Bay Area?
Yes. 1 open scholarships on this site name a city or county in the San Francisco Bay Area area, and the IRS lists 2 community foundations based there.
How do community foundation scholarships work?
Donors set up funds with rules such as a specific high school, county, major or need. The foundation advertises them together, usually with one online application each winter or spring, and matches applicants to every fund they qualify for.
What state aid can San Francisco Bay Area students get?