Scholarships

CSUSB Scholarships

CSUSB offers a variety of scholarship opportunities through its colleges, departments, student organizations, and external partners. These scholarships are typically awarded for the upcoming academic year.

Students must first be admitted to CSUSB to apply for scholarships through the CSUSB Scholarship Portal.

Scholarship awards are often based on one or more of the following criteria:

• Academic and career goals
• Scholastic achievements and performance
• Financial need, as determined through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act Application (CADAA)
• Involvement in school or community service
• Participation in campus clubs, organizations, or other activities
• Special qualifications such as talent, obstacles overcome, or unique experiences

Eligibility will be verified prior to the disbursement of scholarship funds.

If you need assistance with writing your personal statement or scholarship application, the CSUSB Writing Center offers appointments to help students with their writing needs. For more information and to schedule an appointment, please visit https://www.csusb.edu/writing-center.

To ensure that your scholarship funding is correctly applied to your student account, the donor or scholarship provider must send the check to the correct office.

All scholarship checks should be mailed to the following address:

California State University, San Bernardino

Student Financial Services

University Hall, Room 035

5500 University Parkway

San Bernardino, CA 92407

Ensure the scholarship check includes your full name and student ID number.

Please ensure that the check is made payable to California State University, San Bernardino and that your name and CSUSB Coyote ID number are included in the memo section. Additionally, the check should specify the semester for which the funds should be applied (e.g., Fall, Spring, or both) and any enrollment requirements (such as full-time or half-time status).

The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships at California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) is responsible for managing and coordinating all financial resources for students. Federal and state guidelines require that all financial aid, including internal and external scholarships, grants, fellowships, stipends, fee waivers, and other educational benefits, be coordinated to ensure compliance with regulations.

The student's total financial assistance from all sources must not exceed the CSUSB annual Cost of Attendance (COA). In addition, most federal and state grant programs, along with CSUSB's awards, require that there be unmet financial need. To meet these requirements, all forms of financial aid, including outside scholarships, third-party payments, and tuition fee waivers, need to be coordinated with the student's overall aid package.

When the Office of Financial Aid is informed of additional resources or aid, this funding will be reflected in the student's financial aid record, and necessary adjustments to current aid will be made. If any adjustments to aid are needed, they will be handled in a way that is most beneficial to the student.

For more information, please review the Terms and Conditions of Award on the Prospective and Current Student tab on the Financial Aid website.

No.  Scholarships do not have to be repaid.

Scholarships are granted based on factors such as academic achievement, leadership qualities, talent, and contributions to the community. Some scholarships also take financial needs into account. We recommend carefully reviewing the specific criteria outlined in the application description.

You can apply for scholarships, but your application will only be reviewed if you are accepted and meet the specific eligibility requirements. While new students don't need to be admitted to apply, you must have submitted an application and have a student ID to apply.

Yes. You may apply to as many scholarships as you are eligible for. The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships will coordinate any scholarships with grants and loans. Sometimes additional documentation may be required, and loans and grants may need to be adjusted. Please refer to Terms and Conditions of Award on our website.

No, international students and Dreamers are encouraged to apply!

You will be notified via MyCoyote email if you are selected to receive a scholarship. The email will include details about the disbursement schedule and other essential information. The timing of the notification will depend on the scholarship's application deadline and committee review timeline.

Yes, all scholarships must be reported to the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships, including those paid to you directly. Outside scholarships are considered resources that may affect your financial aid package. For additional information, please refer to the Terms and Conditions of Award.

To apply for your AmeriCorps funding, you must submit a certification request for the specific semester through AmeriCorps. CSUSB will review and certify these requests within 2-3 weeks, and once processed, the requested amount will appear as anticipated aid on your student account. AmeriCorps funding is disbursed in two payments for each term—one at the beginning of the semester and the other at the midpoint of the semester