The Scholarship Foundation has received 3,594 applications for financial aid in the 2024-25 academic year – an increase of 3.3 percent or 117 applicants over 2023’s total. The applications are currently under review, and awardees will be announced in April and May. Last year the Scholarship Foundation awarded nearly $7.2 million to 1,864 students throughout Santa Barbara County.

“Applications for financial assistance from the Scholarship Foundation are up some 30 percent over the last two years, underscoring a growing desire for access to postsecondary education in our community,” said Foundation President and CEO Melinda Cabrera. “We remain committed to helping deserving students and their families countywide surmount the financial barriers to pursuing college and vocational training.”

The Scholarship Foundation provides scholarships to Santa Barbara County students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, or vocational studies. For more information, call 805-687-6065 or visit www.sbscholarship.org.

“We invite the community to help us in our important work. Each dollar donated to the Scholarship Foundation benefits local students in their pursuit of higher education,” said Ms. Cabrera.