SDSU Scholarships FAQs

You will find SDSU scholarships using our Scholarship Search Web site. In addition, check with your academic department for other scholarships that may be offered exclusively through the department.

How do I apply for an SDSU scholarship?

Apply for SDSU scholarships through our Scholarship Search Web site. To apply, select the "Apply Online" button at the end of each scholarship's application requirements.

Can I apply for a scholarship if…?

I didn’t file a FAFSA
I have a low or average GPA
I am an international student
I don’t have financial need
I am a freshman (transfer, sophomore, etc.)

Yes! SDSU scholarships have different requirements. Read the scholarships that are listed for your major and class level through the Scholarship Search Web site to find those with requirements that match your qualifications.

When you find scholarships that meet your qualifications, apply for as many as possible in the time you have before the deadlines.

You may have to read through several scholarships before you find those you are eligible to apply for, but it's well worth your time and effort if you are selected to receive one or more of the scholarships.

Can I apply for an SDSU scholarship before I am admitted to SDSU?

You can apply for an SDSU scholarship once you have your RedID (your student identification number). You receive a RedID number within five days of when you complete your application for admission.

Important: You must be admitted and enrolled to receive the scholarship funds.

How is my overall cumulative GPA calculated?

The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships uses your "cumulative GPA" as calculated by the Office of the Registrar when determining your eligibility for scholarships that have a minimum GPA requirement. You must have an overall cumulative GPA that meets or exceeds the specified minimum GPA at each of three points in the scholarship process to be eligible for the scholarship —

When your application is released to the scholarship committee for review,
When the scholarship committee recommends you for a scholarship award, and
When the scholarship funds are disbursed.

If your overall cumulative GPA is less than the minimum required by the scholarship at any one of those points, you are ineligible for the scholarship award and it will be canceled.

How many units is considered full-time enrollment?

The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships applies the university's policy of enrollment standards which states —

Full-time enrollment for undergraduate students is a minimum of 12 units of coursework.
Full-time enrollment for graduate students is a minimum of 9 units of coursework numbered 500 through 999.
Enrollment in Thesis 799A is considered full-time for master's degree candidates.
Enrollment in Thesis Extension 799B or Comprehensive Examination Extension 799C is considered half-time for master's degree candidates.
Enrollment in Doctoral Research 897, Doctoral Dissertation 899, or Clinical Internship (Psychology 894) is considered full-time.

If you are awarded a scholarship that requires full-time enrollment, you must be enrolled in the minimum number of required units for your class level to receive the scholarship funds. If you are enrolled in fewer units than the scholarship requires at census, the scholarship award will be canceled, and you will be billed for any scholarship funds already disbursed to you.

Are race, gender and ethnicity used in determining who is selected to receive an SDSU scholarship?

Race, gender, and/or ethnicity NEVER influence who is selected to receive an SDSU scholarship.

In addition to the federal protections against discrimination, the California Civil Rights Initiative is simple and clear:

“The state shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting.”

As a state university, SDSU cannot discriminate against nor grant preference to any applicant using any of these factors in selecting a scholarship recipient.

When will I find out the results of my SDSU scholarship application(s)?

After the application deadlines, the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships (OFAS) verifies that your application is complete, and that you meet initial eligibility requirements, the OFAS then sends it to the appropriate scholarship committee.

Next, the scholarship committee makes their recommendations. The OFAS then verifies that the recommended recipients meet all the eligibility requirements.

Your status will be posted to your AidLink account. We cannot predict how long it may take the scholarship committee to act, so please check your AidLink account frequently for the status of you application(s).

Who selects the recipients for an SDSU scholarship?

A scholarship committee typically composed of university faculty and/or staff from the academic program or campus organization most closely affiliated with the scholarship makes the selections. For example, applications submitted for a biology scholarship will be reviewed by biology faculty members.

The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships’ staff members are not a part of any scholarship committee.

Who funds SDSU scholarships?

Scholarships are established as a way for donors to express their support for higher education. Funding for scholarships comes from various sources, including private individuals, businesses, professional and trade associations, community organizations, university support groups, and SDSU alumni. Each scholarship opportunity is dependent upon the availability of sufficient funding. If funding is not available, the scholarship will not be awarded.

What is the difference between grants, work study, loans, and scholarships?

A student who receives a loan must repay this money to the lender. Grants and scholarships do not have to be repaid. Income from a work study job is earned by students hired to work and is taxable.

I received a letter/flyer/e-mail offering me a scholarship search and guaranteeing a scholarship for a small fee. Should I take advantage of this?

There are a number of free scholarship search services on the Internet that you can use to locate scholarships. Some of these are listed on the Scholarship Resources section of this Web site.

Important: We do NOT recommend that you pay a membership fee or application processing charge to search or apply for any scholarship.

Be careful while searching. If a scholarship asks for a fee or asks for your social security number, you may want to research the scholarship more before applying. Most donors provide free scholarship information and application materials.

The U.S. Department of Education offers good information and tips on how to spot a scholarship scam.

Does receiving a scholarship affect other financial aid?

Receiving a scholarship may result in a reduction of other financial aid. That is because your total financial aid award from scholarships, grants, work study, and/or loans cannot exceed the cost of attending SDSU for the academic year, minus your Expected Family Contribution (EFC).

Your cost of attendance is the estimated amount that it will cost you to attend SDSU during the nine-month academic year. Costs include fees, books and supplies, food and housing, transportation, and miscellaneous expenses.

Do I have to report receiving a scholarship to anyone?

Yes!

You must report any scholarship information to the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships. If you do not, you might have to repay federal and state aid in the future.

You may need to report it to the IRS on your income tax filing for the year in which you receive the award. Please refer to the IRS Web site for more information.

How do I request verification of enrollment for an outside scholarship?

If you receive an outside scholarship and your donor requires official proof of enrollment, you may obtain verification through your WebPortal account or contact the Office of the Registrar, at (619) 594-6871.

My donor needs to know where to send my scholarship check. What do I tell the donor?

Refer your donor to the Instructions for Donors link at the top of the page, for detailed instructions on the correct procedure.

I received a check from my donor, how do I deposit it into my SDSU account?

Bring in or mail your check to the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships (OFAS). Please include your name and your SDSU RedID in the memo area of the check.

After the OFAS verifies you are enrolled and eligible to receive the funds, we forward the check to Student Account Services.

Student Account Services will use the funds to pay outstanding tuition and fees and on-campus housing charges and release the balance to you (called a "refund") by direct deposit.

Student Account Services will send you an e-mail message when they release your funds to pay university charges or directly deposit funds to your bank account.

Note: Direct deposit is the only way to receive financial aid and scholarship funds that are available to you after your awarded funds have paid your university charges of tuition, fees, nonresident tuition and on-campus housing.

Can I postpone paying my tuition and fees?

Payment of your tuition and fees may have been postponed already because of federal or state financial aid you are scheduled to receive. Check your Tuition and Fee Payment Postponement status on AidLink.

If you are receiving an SDSU scholarship of an amount sufficient to cover tuition and fees, you may be eligible to postpone the payment until the funds are disbursed when classes begin.

If your scholarship is from an outside donor and the amount is sufficient to cover tuition fees, the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships may be able to authorize a payment postponement once we receive your check from the donor.

What does “financial need” mean?

Financial need is the gap between the cost of attending SDSU and the contribution expected from the family and student’s resources. The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is determined by the federal government based on the information you provide when you complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Can I receive a SDSU scholarship while I am studying abroad?

Usually yes, but not all programs are eligible. The SDSU International Student Center can help you choose a study abroad program that is eligible for financial aid and scholarship consideration. You will still have to follow the same requirements and deadlines as students studying on campus.

The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships will not grant extensions on due dates just because you are studying abroad.

Once you have submitted your application online and delivered or mailed all additional materials (if required) by the scholarship’s deadline, continuously check your AidLink account for updates regarding your scholarship application.

If you receive a scholarship, you are still required to submit an online Thank You Letter by its due date, either before you leave or from your destination.