Domestic and International student scholarships at the California State University, USA

About the Institution

The institution has a good number of undergraduate and graduate courses and admits large number of students running in thousands yearly. The university also has some financial aid programs and scholarships for its students. And international students are encouraged to take the advantage of the various opportunities available in the institution.

The university was established in the year 1960, and has grown over the years to become one of the most sought after institutions in United States of America. The institution is a public university system located in the state of California. California State University is the largest four-year public university system in the United States.

The Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement

The CSU Trustees’ Awards recognize students who have overcome adversity, demonstrated financial need, and have attributes of merit, including superior academic performance, significant personal achievements, and exemplary community service.

The recipient who receives the highest score by the CSU Foundation scholarship selection committee is designated the Trustee Emeritus Ali C. Razi Scholar and receives a $12,000 scholarship. Also distributed will be the Galinson Scholarship ($8,000) and the Hampton Scholarship ($9,000).

The William Randolph Hearst Foundation established an endowed scholarship fund in 1984 to honor William Randolph Hearst, founder of the Hearst newspaper chain. In 1999, the William Randolph Hearst Foundation partnered with the CSU Board of Trustees to create the CSU Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement. Contributions from CSU Trustees and private donors increase the value and number of available awards. Special named scholarships are awarded by the selection committee based on criteria such as studying in the STEM or education fields, veterans, and exemplary community service.

Eligibility Requirements:

1. Demonstrate superior academic performance with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and be in good academic standing
2. Demonstrate financial need as determined by the campus financial aid office
3. Be currently enrolled as a full-time equivalent undergraduate or graduate student in any major field at a CSU campus and remain a CSU full-time equivalent student during the academic year

The Required Documents

• A completed applicant information form. Please make sure that the student’s name is spelled the way he or she wants it to appear in public biographies and photos.
• A nomination cover letter from the campus president.
• A current official college transcript including all undergraduate and graduate coursework completed.
• A brief personal statement describing the student’s background:
  1. Challenges they have encountered
  2. Personal achievements
  3. Educational pursuits
  4. Community service, reflecting a commitment to education and to the community
  5. Goals and aspirations for the future
• Two letters of reference from individuals, such as teachers/professors, counselors, or community leaders, who can attest to the candidate’s meritorious performance and personal strengths and assess the nominee’s potential for success. One of the letters of reference must be from an academic instructor.
• A completed applicant checklist

Howard C. Christiansen Endowed Scholarship for Undergraduate and graduate students

This scholarship is for students pursuing a bachelor’s or graduate degree in the study of engineering. Scholarship nominees for the CSU Trustees’ Award will be reviewed first. If there are not enough applicants nominated who are in an engineering field, the scholarship may be awarded to a second pool of engineering applicants outside the CSU Trustees’ Award.

Eligibility Requirements:

1. Demonstrate superior academic performance with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and be in good academic standing
2. Demonstrate financial need as determined by the campus financial aid office
3. Be currently enrolled as a full-time equivalent undergraduate or graduate student in any engineering major field at a CSU campus and remain a CSU full-time equivalent student during the academic year

Required Documents

• A completed applicant information form
• A current official college transcript, including all completed undergraduate and graduate coursework completed
• A brief personal statement describing the student’s
  1. Background
  2. Challenges they have encountered
  3. Personal achievements
  4. Educational pursuits
  5. Community service, which should reflect a commitment to education and to the community
  6. Goals and aspirations for the future
  7. Two letters of reference from individuals such as teachers/professors, counselors or community leaders who can attest to the candidate’s meritorious performance and personal strengths and assess the nominee’s potential for success. One of the letters of reference must be from an academic instructor.
  8. A completed application checklist

Application Link: https://www.calstate.edu/impact-of-the-csu/support-the-csu/foundation/Pages/csu-scholarships.aspx#christiansen