San Francisco Federal Credit Union Scholarship App

2026 San Francisco Federal

Scholarship Application

Application Window: May 18 to June 30, 2026

SCHOLARSHIP DESCRIPTION

The 2026 Scholarship Program awards four scholarships of $2,500 each to members in good standing who demonstrate academic merit, financial need, and meaningful engagement with their communities. Two awards are funded by the San Francisco Federal Credit Union and two by the San Francisco Federal Foundation. Awards are paid directly to the students to support the cost of tuition, fees, and required educational materials for the 2026-2027 academic year.

ELIGIBILTY REQUIREMENTS

To be considered, an applicant must satisfy each of the following requirements:

Be a member of San Francisco Federal Credit Union in good standing at the time of application and at the time of award. Membership status will be verified by credit union.
Be a high school senior graduating in spring 2026 or a current undergraduate student in good academic standing at an accredited two- or four-year institution.
Submit a complete application, including all required documents, by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on June 30, 2026.
Submit one letter of recommendation: academic or non-academic source (see Section IV below).
Provide consent for the San Francisco Federal Credit Union to use the applicant's name, photograph, and selected application content in promotional materials in the event of selection.

APPLICATION FORMAT

Applicants may submit their personal response in either of two formats. Both formats are evaluated against the identical rubric, and no preference is given to either.

Written format: a single document of approximately 750 words total, addressing each of the four topics in Section V. Each topic response should be approximately 150 to 200 words.
Video format: a single recording of four (4) minutes or less, addressing each of the four topics in Section V. The video must be uploaded as an unlisted link from a major hosting platform (YouTube, Vimeo) or submitted as a direct MPV3 file upload through the application portal.

Applicants may not submit responses to some topics in writing and others on video. The chosen format applies to all four topics.

REQUIRED COMPONENTS

A complete application consists of the following components, in this order:

Section I: Applicant Information.
Section II: Academic Information.
Section III: Financial Information.
Section IV: One letter of recommendation. Letter can be from an academic source (such as a teacher, professor, school counselor, or academic advisor) or from a non-academic source (such as a coach, employer, supervisor of a community organization, or faith leader). A family member may not serve as a recommender.
Section V: Personal response in written or video format addressing all four prompts.
Section VI: Most recent official or unofficial transcript.
Section VII: Signed applicant certification and media consent (form on final page).

Acceptable Sources:

Academic sources include: current or former teachers, professors, school counselors, academic advisors, or principals.
Non-academic sources include: coaches, employers or supervisors, mentors, supervisors of volunteer or community service activities, or faith leaders.
Not acceptable: family members and individuals related to the applicant by marriage or partnership.

DEADLINE
The application must be submitted via the online form by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on June 30, 2026. The transcript, letters of recommendation and W2 forms (and paper application if you wish) must be postmarked by Friday, June 26, 2026 and mailed to the below address. Late/incomplete applications will not be accepted.

Attn: San Francisco Federal Credit Union

Scholarship Department
770 Golden Gate Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94102

*If you have any questions or would like to request a PDF of the application, please feel free to contact the Scholarship Department at scholarship@sanfranciscofcu.com.

Section I. Personal Information

Name:

First NameLast Name

Preferred Name (if different):

First NameLast Name

Birth Date:

MonthDayYear

Address:

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code

Primary Phone Number:

Area CodePhone Number

E-mail Address:

example@example.com

Parent or Guardian Name (if applicant is under 18):

First NameLast Name

Parent or Guardian E-mail Address (if applicant is under 18):

example@example.com

Section II. Academic Information

Current High School or College:

Anticipated Graduation Date:

Date

Cumulative GPA

Intended College or University (high school applicates):

Intended Field of Study or Declared Major:

Section III. Letter of Recommendation (Downloadable PDF)

One (1) letter of recommendation is required. The letter may come from either an academic or a non-academic source. The recommender should be a person who knows the applicant well and can speak specifically to the applicant's character, achievements, and potential.

Acceptable Sources

Academic sources include: current or former teachers, professors, school counselors, academic advisors, or principals.
Non-academic sources include: coaches, employers or supervisors, mentors, supervisors of volunteer or community service activities, or faith leaders.
Not acceptable: family members and individuals related to the applicant by marriage or partnership.

Submission Process

The applicant is responsible for providing the Letter of Recommendation form to their chosen recommender. The applicant may forward the document to the recommender by email or print and deliver it in person.

The recommender shall complete the document and return it directly to scholarship@sanfranciscofcu.com. The completed letter must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on June 30, 2026, the same deadline that applies to the application itself.

The applicant shall not submit, forward, or upload the recommender’s completed letter. The credit union does not disclose the contents of completed letters to applicants. Applications submitted without a corresponding letter of recommendation on file by the deadline will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed.

Confidentiality Waiver

It is standard practice in scholarship and academic admissions for the applicant to waive the right to view the contents of the letter of recommendation, so that the recommender may speak candidly. The applicant may indicate the waiver below. Letters submitted under a confidentiality waiver carry greater weight in the review process, as they are understood to be the recommender's most candid assessment.

Confidentiality Waiver

Section IV. Personal Response Prompts

Respond to each of the four prompts below in your chosen format. The selection committee uses these responses, together with the rest of your application, to assess academic preparation, financial literacy, community engagement, and personal voice. Responses should be specific, reflective, and your own work.

1. Describe your academic journey to this point and the field of study you intend to pursue. What has shaped your academic interests, and what do you hope to accomplish at the post-secondary level?

2. Describe your understanding of personal financial responsibility. How have your experiences as a member of San Francisco Federal Credit Union, or your experiences with money more generally, influenced the way you think about saving, borrowing, and planning for your future?

3. Describe a sustained engagement with your school, neighborhood, family, or community that has been meaningful to you. What did you contribute, what did you learn, and how will the experience inform your work as a college student?

4. Describe one specific goal, project, or commitment that you intend to pursue during your time as a college student and explain why a scholarship from San Francisco Federal Credit Union would help make it possible.

Essay Submission:

UPLOAD FILES

Or copy and paste your essay here:

Video Submission

UPLOAD FILES

Section V. Transcript

Attach a copy of your most recent official or unofficial transcript. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable at the application stage; official transcripts maybe requested from finalists prior to disbursement.

UPLOAD FILES

Section VI. Applicant Certification and Media Consent

By signing below, I certify that the information provided in this application is true, complete, and my own work. I understand that submission of false or misleading information may result in disqualification or the withdrawal of an awarded scholarship.

Social Media Consent / Release Form

Consent to Use Media

I hereby authorize San Francisco Federal Credit Union to use my name, image and / or information related to my experiences with the 2026 Youth Scholarship.

I understand that these materials may be used for promotional, educational, or informational purposes on social media platforms including but not limited to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and the organization’s website or newsletters.

I understand and agree that:

My participation is voluntary, and I will not receive financial compensation and waive any claim to inspect or approve the finished use.
Such photographs, video, audio recordings, and digital files, including my name, image, likeness, and voice, may be edited, cropped, adapted, duplicated, reproduced, and otherwise used may be edited, copied, exhibited, published, or distributed.
This consent is perpetual and does not require prior approval for each use.
I may revoke this consent at any time in writing, but revocation will not affect any prior use.

By signing below, I certify that I am the participant named above, or the parent/legal guardian of the participant, and I freely sign this release, which I have read and understood.

Printed Name:
blank

Signature

Application Submission

You have reached the end of the San Francisco Federal Credit Union and San Francisco Federal Foundation Scholarship Application for 2026! Please review all of your answers for accuracy and submit when completed.

You will receive a confirmation email when we have received your application and we will be in touch if you are selected. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please feel free to email us at scholarship@sanfranciscofcu.com.

The Scholarship Committee