Help Applying For Scholarships
February 1st marks the start of Black History Month. To all Black students paving the way, you’re doing a great job! The Let’s Go team has compiled a list of resources catered for you and your college success, you can learn more below:
Scholarships For You
Black Students of California United Scholarship
The BSCU is offering scholarships ranging from $500 to $1,000 to dedicated and committed youth leaders currently in the 12th grade. All applications must be received by 11:59 pm on Monday, February 20, 2023. All required documents must be submitted via the designated Google portal to be considered.
Study.com Scholarship for Black Students
This opportunity provides a $2,000 academic award to a Black student who is pursuing their undergraduate college degree. All applications must be received by Monday, May 1, 2023. All applicants must meet the eligibility requirements listed.
Resources For You
Black Students of California United
If you’re ever in search of additional scholarship opportunities, the BSCU is an excellent source to tap into.
Go For Yours
Go For Yours is an amazing initiative dedicated to celebrating the academic accomplishments of Black students all across the world. Check out their website to learn more about the programs, scholarships, and additional funding opportunities that they offer.
On-Campus Resources
Currently a student at a CSU campus?
The CSU website has compiled a list of resources for Black students to access during their college careers. Visit their website to learn how you can connect with other Black students on campus!
To learn more visit: https://www.calstate.edu/impact-of-the-csu/community/Pages/african-american-communities-resources.aspx
Currently at a Community College?
Did you know that CA Community Colleges currently partner with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to offer guaranteed transfer to students who receive at least a 2.0 GPA and 30 transferable units.
To learn more visit: https://icangotocollege.com/student-support-services/black-african-american-student-success
Our Voices
By Changemakers Student Advocacy Fellow Veronica Liu
College: University of California, San Diego
For California Community College students, community college is a time to explore passions and potentially save money compared to immediately attending a 4-year university. For those hoping to transfer into 4-year colleges, the challenges of paying application fees, writing essays, and applying without support can be daunting as they navigate the application process. But, for the nearly 69,000 California community college students enrolled in Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS), matriculating at a community college and applying to 4-years is not a challenge they must face alone.
Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) is a state-funded opportunity program at California Community Colleges aimed at supporting low-income and educationally-disadvantaged students to enroll in and graduate from community colleges and transfer into 4-year institutions. Established in 1969, the California Education Code states that EOPS “encourage[s] local community colleges to establish and implement programs directed to identifying those students affected by language, social, and economic handicaps, to increase the number of eligible EOPS students served, and to assist those students to achieve their educational objectives and goals, including, but not necessarily limited to, obtaining job skills, occupational certificates, or associate degrees, and transferring to four-year institutions.” EOPS was designed with disadvantaged students’ successes in mind.
My fellow Changemakers student advocate, Jessica Hernandez-Beltran, expands on her experience as a community college student in EOPS. She credits EOPS for her successful transfer path, thanks to the program’s financial assistance for textbooks and support with transfer applications.
Through providing resources like textbook reimbursements/free textbooks, advising, and more, EOPS has provided students with the support and guidance needed to excel in community college, empowering students to transfer. Although EOPS students are more likely to complete transfer-level Math and English, earn higher GPAs, stay in school, and earn college credentials, EOPS only supports around 3.71% of the total community college student population–a discrepancy that does not mirror the demographics and eligibility of community college students state-wide. Think about it: how many people do you know qualify for EOPS? Who identifies as low-income, underrepresented, California resident, with Pell Grant eligibility? California is the top state in the U.S. for the most Pell Grant recipients–938,931 college students in CA qualify for the Pell Grant, including around 420,000 students across the 116 CCC campuses, a drastic contrast to the nearly 69,000 students enrolled in EOPS in Community College. Think how many folks you may know that qualify–only around 3-4% of them may be in EOPS, while others are shut out due to insufficient funding.
Funding has always been key in allowing more students to enroll in EOPS and set themselves up for success in college. In 2015, Assembly Bill 490, which increased funding for EOPS, stated that “inadequate state funding in recent years has caused many EOPS and CARE programs to reduce the amount of financial aid, textbook support, and child care grants provided to eligible students in need, to prematurely close the application deadline for acceptance to the program, to deny program services to eligible EOPS and CARE students, or to do a combination of these.” Seven years later, it seems that much still has to be improved upon, especially in regard to funding.
If you would like to show your support, please sign our letter (Deadline to sign on: November 30, 2022) and learn more about our advocacy through the link below:
Sign on here!: https://tinyurl.com/EOPSFunding22
HS & First Year Students
Summer is just around the corner and for some that may mean relaxing and recharging by going on camping trips or just hanging out with family and friends. But for others, summer break is a chance to catch up or get ahead in classes. Taking a summer class at a community college allows students to narrow their focus on a single subject – rather than your typical four, five or even six classes during the longer semesters. Although taking a summer class may not sound like a fun way to spend your summer break, taking these classes offer several major benefits. Here are some benefits if you are considering taking a summer class:
Benefit 1: You save money
Whether you are a high school or college student, taking summer classes at a community college can save you money in the long run. Community college course credits are typically more affordable than those offered at universities. At a CC you may pay only a few hundred dollars or even less than that if you qualify for fee waivers. At a four year university, you may end up paying a few thousand dollars for the same course credit at a CC. Saving money is important even if you are still in high school.
Additionally if you are a high school student and you want to get ahead in your coursework for college, taking summer classes at a CC may put you ahead of the curve when you apply to college. When you first start college, you will be placed at different levels of mathematics or english classes. To be placed in the correct level course, you need to take a placement test. If you took advanced placement or even college courses, these may count towards your college credits and you will be placed in more advanced courses. This is a benefit as you won’t waste time taking placement tests and in classes you already passed.
Benefit 2: You are able to transfer to a four year institution or graduate faster
If you started your higher education at a community college your main goal may be to transfer in two years. For some fields, like STEM fields, transferring in two years may be challenging as there are many courses to complete. But taking summer classes can help you complete your courses faster and in turn, transfer to a four year institution faster.
Since taking summer classes gives you the opportunity to earn more credits, this brings you closer to graduating faster.
Benefit 3: You complete your core courses and/or are able to catch up on credits
Summer semesters are shorter than your fall and spring semesters, this may be seen as either a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how you see this. It may be seen as a bad thing because it means you are learning a semester’s worth of material in five or six weeks. The plus side of this is that you are able to put all of your time and energy into a single subject rather than juggling multiple courses. So if you are dreading to take a challenging course during a long semester, consider taking it during the summer.
Benefit 4: Opportunity to study abroad
If summer vacation is about traveling and experiencing new things, why not do it while getting ahead in your studies? Many study abroad programs take place during the summer, and depending on that the school has to offer, it could be a great opportunity to both learn and travel.
HS & First Year Students
Applying to California State Universities is an incredible accomplishment! Congrats to you! Sometimes the process can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. There are several resources out there to help you! Including, our website! So you are in the right place. Whether you are applying to a CSU as a first time student or as a transfer student, the process can be overwhelming. Keep on reading to get started!
* This quick guide is intended to support undocumented first-time freshmen and transfer students applying to the CSUs for Fall 2022* To check which CSU’s are still accepting applications click here.
Applying to the CSU as a first-time student
Overview of Applying to the CSU (for full details and steps click here: Quick Guide for Undocumented Students Applying to the CSU as a First-time Freshmen)
- Visit the Cal State Apply page (Cal State Apply | CSU)
- Completing Your Profile
- Degree goal: Select “First Bachelor’s Degree”
- Current educational goal: As a first year applicant, you will choose “Graduating High School Senior or equivalent” with or without college credit. This is based upon classes completed and your academic transcripts.
- Previous attendance: If you have attended a CSU campus before and are returning to complete an earlier program, make that clear. Contact the campus to find out how to apply for re-admission.
- U.S. Military status: Indicate your current or anticipated U.S. Military status at the time of application.
- Residency: Indicate if you have or will need an F1 student or J1 exchange visa. Undocumented
- My Application Dashboard: Your dashboard gives you access and details to each part of the application you need to complete. The four sections you must submit are:
- Personal Information
- Academic History
- Supporting Information
- Program Materials
NOTE: In order to be officially coded as an AB540/ SB68 student and pay resident fees at the CSU, you must submit your affidavit and an official copy of your transcripts/attendance records to the Admissions offices at each of the universities where you applied. Check with each campus for their deadline.
- Choosing Your Programs
- Selecting programs: Click on the plus icon next to add programs/major. Add alternatives if desired.
- Residency: The state where you claimed residency in the profile section will already be entered. Visit your profile section to change it. Select the state you claim as your permanent home. If you qualify for AB540/SB68, choose “yes” for California residency. Enter the date your present stay began.
- Race and Ethnicity: Indicate how you identify. You may decline to answer these questions.
- Parent/Guardian Information
- Other Information
- Academic History
- High Schools Attended
- High School Coursework
- College Coursework
- Submitting Your Application
- Be sure to review each section to ensure that your information has been properly entered. Mistakes could complicate or prevent your admission to the CSU.
- When you apply through Cal State Apply, you are automatically considered for an application fee waiver based on the information you entered.
- REMEMBER: Undocumented students who will qualify for AB 540/SB 68 non-resident tuition exemption can be considered for the fee waiver.
For the full guide, go Quick Guide for Undocumented Students Applying to the CSU as a First-time Freshmen
Applying to the CSU as a transfer student
Overview of Applying to the CSU as a transfer student (for full details and steps click here: Quick Guide for Undocumented Students Applying to the CSU as a Transfer Student
- Visit the Cal State Apply page (Cal State Apply | CSU)
- Completing Your Profile
- Level of degree you’re seeking: Select “First Bachelor’s Degree”
- Entry status: As a transfer applicant, you have two options:
- If you are transferring with an Associate Degree for Transfer, select “Transferring with an Associate Degree for Transfer (AA-T, AS-T) from a California Community College.” Indicate your community college and ADT program. You may enter up to two.
- If you are transferring from a CA community college or another college, select “Transferring from a California community college or from another two-year or four-year institution.”
- Choosing Your Programs
- Selecting programs: Click on the plus icon next to add programs/major. Add alternatives if desired.
- You may be asked to select an alternate choice for certain programs that are impacted. Impacted programs are majors that receive more applicants than available spaces. You will automatically be enrolled in this alternate program should your first choice become unavailable.
- My Application Dashboard
- Personal Information
- Academic History
- Supporting Information
- Program Materials
NOTE: In order to be officially coded as an AB540/ AB2000/SB68 student and pay resident fees at the CSU, you must submit your affidavit and an official copy of your transcripts/attendance records to the Admissions offices at each of the universities where you applied. Check with each campus for their deadline.
- Submitting Your Application
- Be sure to review each section to ensure that your information has been properly entered. Mistakes could complicate or prevent your admission to the CSU.
- When you apply through Cal State Apply, you are automatically considered for an application fee waiver based on the information you entered.
- Payment: Cal State Apply charges $70 to apply to each program
- REMEMBER: Undocumented students who will qualify for AB 540/SB 68 non-resident tuition exemption can be considered for the fee waiver.
For the full guide, go Quick Guide for Undocumented Students Applying to the CSU as a Transfer Student
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