Thank you for your interest in the VCCF Scholarship Program. To successfully complete the application process, please review all the information below.

Click HERE to watch our VCCF scholarship application overview presentation. This short video will touch on specific sections of the application, tips, and important dates. This is a great resource for first time applicants!

October 19, 2026: Applications open online
January 29, 2027: FINAL DEADLINE for student submissions
February 5, 2027: FINAL DEADLINE for reference submissions
April 2027: E-mail message of award/denial and information on scholarship orientation sent to applicants, schools, and donors.

Eligibility: Applicants must be current high school seniors or students at a higher level of education. High school juniors and younger students are not eligible to apply.

1. When creating your account to complete your scholarship application, DO NOT use your school email address. Please use a personal e-mail address so we can stay in touch with you after your graduation.

2. TRANSCRIPT REQUIREMENT: Your most recent transcript or student profile must be uploaded and your full name, school name, and unweighted GPA must be visible on the uploaded document.

A. Request your most recent transcript from your academic advisor/school counselor.
B. Please upload a copy of the transcript or student profile as a PDF file. No other formats accepted. Please ensure the title of the transcript is short and has no special characters.(for example: kvtranscript) The system will not accept long titles or special characters.
Screenshots or any other portals are not accepted. If you are a freshman in college, please also submit your high school transcripts for a more complete academic history.

3. REFERENCE REQUIREMENT: Two references are required. One of the references must be a teacher or school counselor. The second reference can be a coach, pastor, employer, or someone who is not a friend or family member. References from peers are not accepted. Enter the reference’s name and email address into the application and they will receive a link to the reference questionnaire to complete. For teacher and counselor references: Please ask these references for a personal e-mail address, as their school e-mail addresses sometimes block reference e-mails. Please give your recommenders as much advance notice as possible when requesting a reference. IT IS THE APPLICANT’S RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT TWO REFERENCES ARE SUBMITTED ON THEIR BEHALF BY THE REFERENCE DEADLINE. Applications that do not include two references will not be considered. The final deadline to add or change reference names and e-mail contact is January 29, 2027.

4. FINANCIAL DOCUMENTATION/PROOF OF INCOME REQUIREMENT: When filling out the application, you will need to know you or your family’s most recent financial information. If you are a dependent, you will need your parents’/guardian’s total income from the most recent filing tax year. If you are an independent, you will need your total income for the most recent filing tax year. Many of our scholarships require applicants to demonstrate financial need. Click HERE to access 2027 financial need guidelines. You will need access to this document as you fill out the scholarship application.

5. REVIEW SCHOLARSHIP GUIDELINES: Please review the 2027 guidelines and apply only for the opportunities you qualify. Even if you are a prior recipient, it is still important to review eligibility guidelines as criteria may have changed. Scholarship guidelines can be found HERE. You can search scholarships by a keyword (major, population served, etc.) by using the Search by Keyword field located below. For example, if you are looking for scholarships in the STEM category, type STEM in the search box, and a list of STEM scholarships will be pulled for your review.

6. ESSAYS AND AI USE There are three required essays in the general application. VCCF and our scholarship readers value your authentic voice. Your essays help us understand your experiences, goals, and potential. it is extremely important that your essays reflect reflect your thoughts, individuality, and writing skills. Should you choose to use AI tools, please only use AI to check for spelling, grammar, and clarity. The ideas and examples in your essays should be your own. By submitting your application, you confirm that the essays represent your own voice, experiences, and ideas. VCCF reserves the right to deny an application based on the suspected use of AI in essay submissions.

7. TWO PART APPLICATION PROCESS: VCCF offers two types of scholarships: “Automatch” and “Apply To”. “Automatch” scholarships require that you complete and submit only the general scholarship application. “Apply To” scholarships require an additional essay. “Apply To” scholarships require applicants to click on the “Apply To” opportunities tab and complete the required additional essay. Once you submit your general application, you will be able to access the “Apply To” tab to see the “Apply To” scholarship opportunities.

8. NEED HELP? If you need assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us at: email scholarships@vccf.org, or call (805) 330-6615. If you reach voicemail, please leave your full name, phone number, and question. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.