2025 CVS Scholarship Application Logo
  • Central Valley Scholars Scholarship Application

    Central Valley Scholars Scholarship Application

    By Central Valley Scholars

  • Eligibility

    Let's ensure you meet the scholarship requirements.

  • About Our Scholarships: 

    We are proud to offer $25,000 in scholarships for Central Valley students during the 2025-2026 academic year! Our scholarships recognize exemplary students in the Central Valley who, despite facing various obstacles, find the will to continue with their educational journey. We lead with the core belief that all students are worth investing in and we use non-traditional markers of success to reward students others often dismiss. Our scholarships invite vulnerability, encourage empowerment, and provide students in the Central Valley the space to validate their stories and find the beauty in their struggles. 

    Applications are due by Sunday, January 11th, 2026 at 11:45pm.


    Award Amounts: 

    This year, we are offering $1,500 scholarships to students in the following categories: 

    • First Generation
    • Mariposa Student 
    • LGBTQIA+
    • Black Students
    • Student Parents 
    • Woman of Color 
    • Students with Disabilities
    • Justice Impacted

    One student will be selected for each scholarship. 

     

    Requirements:

    In order to qualify for our scholarships, students must be:

    • Be currently enrolled at a community college, vocational school, or undergraduate university or will be in the Spring/Fall semester 2026.

    • Have graduated from a high school, continuation school, or G.E.D school in the San Joaquin Valley by August 31st, 2026.

    • If not a Central Valley High School alumni must be attending a Community College, College, Univeristy, or Vocational Education program location in our service area (Kern, Kings, Tulare, Frenso, Madera, Merced, Stanislaus, and San Joaquin Counties).

     

    If you have any questions, please email us at contact@centralvalleyscholars.org. 

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  • Your Information

  • LGBTQIA+ SCHOLARSHIP

    LGBTQIA+ students, especially those in rural and underserved communities, are some of the most forgotten and discriminated students in the Central Valley. From tolerating homo/transphobic practices and sentiments in educational spaces and in the community, to the little to no resources available to Queer identifying students, to the lack of education and understanding of Queer identities by school administrators; Queer students are often undervalued, unheard, and misunderstood. The Central Valley Scholars LGBTQIA+ Scholarship aims to tackle this issue by recognizing exemplary Queer students in the Central Valley who have faced numerous obstacles in their journey to understand their Queer identity while pursuing an education. Our scholarships are created with the central belief that every student is worth investing in and aim to choose recipients based on their identity, need, and potential for growth; aspects often overlooked by other educational institutions. The LGBTQIA+ Scholarship invites vulnerability, encourages empowerment, and gives Queer students in the Central Valley the space to validate their stories and find the beauty in their struggles.
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  • BLACK STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP

    Across the country and in the Central Valley, we have witnessed a series of events exposing the institutionalized violence and devaluation of life that this country and our communities has leveraged against Black people for hundreds of years. In response, we have witnessed not only vibrant and courageous shows of action in the form of protests and grassroots organizing, but also regrettable truths about racial injustice and anti-blackness that continue to plague all facets of our community - our homes, our schools, our economy, our healthcare, and our safety. These injustices are not new. They exist and have become normalized in American culture through bias, microaggressions, and more. They exist in the unjust killing of Black people by law enforcement, and they also exist in the absence of Black voices and leadership in education. Inclusivity is a paramount value within our organization, and our Black Student Scholarship is one example of how we are committed to supporting and creating spaces for Black students in the Central Valley. The Central Valley Scholars Black Student Scholarship recognizes exemplary Black students in the Central Valley who have faced obstacles due to biases, microaggressions, and systemic forms of oppression held against Black people in our education systems. Our scholarships are created with the central belief that every student is worth investing in and aim to choose recipients based on their identity, need, and potential for growth; aspects often overlooked by other educational institutions. The Black Student Scholarship invites vulnerability, encourages empowerment, and gives Black students in the Central Valley the space to validate their stories and find the beauty in their struggles.
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  • MARIPOSA STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP

    Mariposa Student Scholarship is named for the butterfly, a symbol of transformation, resilience, and migration. This scholarship uplifts exemplary students in the Central Valley who, despite numerous barriers, continue to pursue their academic goals. Our scholarships are built on the belief that all students are worth investing in, and we select awardees based on identity, need, and demonstrated potential for growth, especially those whom traditional educational institutions often overlook.This scholarship invites vulnerability, nurtures empowerment, and provides migrant students in the Central Valley a safe and supportive space to share their stories.
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  • STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES SCHOLARSHIP

    There is an undeniable lack of representation and accessible resources for students with disabilities in the Central Valley. Despite national and state efforts for disability accessibility, there lies a huge gap for resources and advancements to support students with disabilities, especially in the Central Valley, in their trajectories towards higher education. In addition to this, students with disabilities are often subjected to ableist practices and norms in their schools and communities due to failures to educate themselves on disability justice and accessibility. Inclusivity and accessibility are paramount values within our organization, and the Student with Disabilities Scholarship is one method we use to advance disability inclusion and justice in our organization and within education systems. The Central Valley Scholars Student with Disabilities Scholarship recognizes exemplary students with disabilities (physical and/or mental disabilities) in the Central Valley who, despite facing various obstacles, continue to pursue their educational journey. Our scholarships are developed with the core belief that all students are worth investing in and we select recipients on a basis of identity, need, and potential for growth; rewarding those who other educational organizations often dismiss. The Student with Disabilities Scholarship invites vulnerability, encourages empowerment, and gives students with disabilities the space to validate their stories and find the beauty in their struggles.For purposes of this application, we define a disability as any condition that places the body and/or mind outside of the societal “norm” that leads to difficulty in participating in everyday life (Senior & Disability Action). For example, any physical and/or mental condition that makes it more difficult to study, work, walk, and many other required tasks of day to day life. Such conditions might include, but are not limited to, physical disabilities, mental health and psychiatric disabilities, d/Deafness, blindness and low vision, learning disabilities, autism and aspergers, invisible disabilities (including pre-existing conditions such as diabetes), and many more.
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  • FIRST GENERATION SCHOLARSHIP

    We understand that first-generation students grapple with a myriad of challenges in their pursuit to higher education. From having to learn new and rigorous college application processes, and having no one at home to turn to for support in their day to day academics; being a first-generation college student creates obstacles that students otherwise do not have to grapple with. At Central Valley Scholars, part of our mission is to create accessible pathways towards higher education, and given that the Central Valley is home to the least educated congressional district in the nation (Daily Kos), our First-Generation Scholarship is one method in providing financial and celebratory support to first-gen college students in the Central Valley. The Central Valley Scholars First-Generation Scholarship recognizes exemplary first-gen college students in the Central Valley who, despite facing various obstacles, continue to pursue their educational journey. Our scholarships are developed with the core belief that all students are worth investing in and we select recipients on a basis of identity, need, and potential for growth; rewarding those who other educational organizations often dismiss. The First-Generation Scholarship invites vulnerability, encourages empowerment, and gives students in the Central Valley the space to validate their stories and find the beauty in their struggles. For purposes of this application, we define a first-generation college student as someone whose parent(s) or legal guardian(s) did not complete a Bachelor's degree in the United States.
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  • WOMAN OF COLOR SCHOLARSHIP

    The Central Valley Scholars Woman of Color Scholarship recognizes exemplary Women of Color in the Central Valley who have faced numerous obstacles in their journey to understand their positionality and identity while pursuing an education. Our scholarships are created with the central belief that every student is worth investing in and aim to choose recipients based on their identity, need, and potential for growth; aspects often overlooked by other educational institutions. Our society is greatly divided across gendered and colored lines, meaning Women of Color become one of the most marginalized in our society. This scholarship was created to recognize the discrepancy in experiences to higher education many Women of Color face while also reflecting on how one’s intersectionality can be a place of empowerment and growth. Women of Color is a general term used to describe women-identifying folks who carry cultural and ethnic identities that are not solely white. For purposes of this scholarship, we define women as all who experience life through the lens of women in body, spirit, and identity, in present, future and fluid. Trans women are women, and as long as they meet our other requirements, they are eligible to apply to this scholarship. We recognize that within the term of Women of Color, there is also great variation in accessibility to institutions and upward mobility. An example of this can be seen in the gender wage gap, a data point used to show how devalued Women of Color are for their labor and showing differences of anywhere between 10-40% amongst ethnic groups (Center for American Progress). There is a need for nuance to show the complexities within blanket terminologies such as “Asian woman”, a term encompassing ethnographic groups from nearly 50 countries, or “Latinx woman”, an umbrella term for an identity that holds several different racial & ethnic groups within it. This scholarship’s questions were designed to do just that – to add complexity, identity, and stories full of soul behind a monolithic term that fails to have that.
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  • STUDENT PARENT SCHOLARSHIP

    At Central Valley Scholars, we understand that student parents face a myriad of obstacles in their trajectory towards higher education. From dealing with unaccommodating professors, to the lack of safe and accessible housing options, from having to navigate ableist practices and norms embedded in academic institutions; student parents face a unique struggle in which they’re not only focusing on supporting themselves, but also their children. As stated by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, there were over four million student parents enrolled in college between 2019 to 2020 in the United States. Of these four million, 52 percent of student parents dropped out of college before attaining their degree. Across the nation and in the Central Valley, there is a dire need to support, advocate, and accommodate student parents. The Central Valley Scholars Student Parent scholarship recognizes exemplary student parents in the Central Valley, who despite facing various challenges, continue to pursue their education. Our scholarships are created with the central belief that every student is worth investing in and aim to choose recipients based on their identity, need, and potential for growth; aspects often overlooked by other academic institutions. The Student Parent scholarship invites vulnerability, encourages empowerment, and gives student parents the space to find the beauty in their struggles. For purposes of this application, the term ‘student parent’ refers to students who have dependents while enrolled in an academic institution.
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  • JUSTICE IMPACTED STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP

    When we imagine a thriving world, we must begin with addressing the injustices casted against Black, Indigenous, People of Color, migrants, human rights protectors, LGBTQIA+ communities, working class/low income folks, and unhoused peoples. And within these injustices lies the prison industrial complex which is rampant across the nation and in the Central Valley. In the Central Valley, many experience detention facilities surrounding their communities, the policing of their neighborhoods, and racially fueled surveillance, leaving very few opportunities for individuals and communities to thrive. Justice Impacted students are systemically left out of educational opportunities, denied economic security, and are confronted with judgment. At Central Valley Scholars, we believe that carceral systems are not solutions, rather detriments to a progressing society. We understand that the decisions folks make are impacted by their environment, access or lack of resources, and narratives shaped by injustice. The Justice Impacted Student Scholarship is one action we are taking to offer support to students who have been impacted by the carceral system, and are taking steps to pursue a higher education. For purposes of this application, the term ‘justice impacted’ includes individuals who have been arrested, convicted, charged, incarcerated, or detained in a prison, local jail, juvenile detention center, immigration detention center, or any other carceral setting.
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  • Sorry! You do not qualify.

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  • Thank you for your interest in the Central Valley Scholars scholarships. Unfortunately, you are not eligible to apply. Please check out our website for more resources. 

  • Confirmations

    This is the final step!

  • FOR STUDENTS: 

    All students sumbitting a scholarship must read and sign the following information.

    By Signing Bellow You Agree To The Following: 

    • I hereby confirm and certify that all the information in this application is accurate and truthful to the best of my knowledge and has been written and submitted by me (with exception to any accomodations I require).
    • I certify that I meet all eligibility requirements as specified on this applicaiton. 
    • I release this information to Central Valley Scholars and its staff for purposes of evaluating my application. 
    • I understand that the information given may be investigated and that any false represenation and/or evidence of plagirism is sufficient to casue the rejection of this application or forefeiture of all awarded funds. 
    • I have read and agree to all the terms and conditions listed on centralvalleyscholars.org/blackyouth-terms.
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