Scholarships
Sonoma State University offers a wide range of scholarship opportunities designed to support student success, recognize academic excellence, and reduce financial barriers. Whether you are an incoming student or continuing your educational journey at SSU, our scholarship programs can help make your goals more attainable.
SSU Scholarship Program
SSU Scholarship Program Application Period:
Fall 2026 & Spring 2027
Opens: November 1, 2025
Closes: February 1, 2026
All applicants must log in using their MySSU credentials to access the SSU Scholarship Program Portal. If you are a new applicant for admission, you may obtain a MySSU account login to apply for scholarships and track your admission application.
Basic Eligibility Criteria
To be considered for SSU scholarships, applicants must:
- Be a degree-seeking student (new or continuing) planning to enroll in the upcoming academic year
- Have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA
- Enroll full-time (verified at the time scholarship funds are disbursed)
Note: Formal admission to SSU is not required at the time of application.
What the Scholarship Application Includes
The SSU Scholarship Application consists of:
- General background questions about your interests, activities, and educational goals
- Explanation of financial need (if applicable)
- Three short-answer essays addressing:
- Intellectual growth and curiosity
- Service beyond the classroom
- Future goals and values
While the SSU Scholarship Program Application includes many important questions used to match students with specific scholarships, the three short-answer essay questions are read, reviewed, and scored by a faculty committee—making it vitally important to focus your time and energy on answering them thoroughly and thoughtfully.
CSU Foundation Systemwide Scholarships
The CSU Foundation Systemwide Scholarship Program offers financial assistance to help students across the CSU reach their goals. The scholarships offered include the CSU Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement that recognizes students with financial need who epitomize superior academic performance, exemplary community service, and have achieved significant personal accomplishments.
Each year, SSU is able to nominate students for 12-15 different CSU Foundation Systemwide scholarships, each with their own specific criteria. By submitting one application, you can be considered for any of these scholarships whose criteria you meet.
Please log in to the scholarship portal to complete the application.
To view the full descriptions of available CSU Foundation Systemwide Scholarships, click on "Explore Scholarships" on the main landing page and enter "CSU" into the search bar. But, please remember, that you do not need to apply for each scholarship individually, but rather complete one application for all.
CSU Foundation Systemwide Scholarship Application Period:
Fall 2026 & Spring 2027
Opens: February 6, 2026
Closes: March 27, 2026
All applicants must log in using their MySSU credentials to access the SSU Scholarship Portal. If you are a new applicant for admission, you may obtain a MySSU account login to apply for scholarships and track your admission application.
CSU Future Scholars Program
The CSU Future Scholars program supports low-income, first-generation college students and is renewable for up to four years. Applications are typically available over the summer.
Eligibility Criteria
- Low-income status (verified through FAFSA)
- First-generation college student (parents do not hold a four-year college degree)
- Incoming first-time first-year student
- Minimum 3.0 final high school GPA
Department Scholarships
Some departments provide additional scholarships with various timelines. Please visit department websites and/or contact the departments directly for more details.