West Valley College Scholarships

To be eligible for a West Valley College scholarship, you must:

• Declare a major at West Valley College.
• Have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00.
• Have completed 12 college semester units prior to Fall 2025 and at least 6 of these units must be from West Valley College.
• Have submitted all scholarship application requirements by the stated deadline.
• Have a valid 2024-2025 FAFSA or CA Dream Act application on file with West Valley College if you want to be considered for a financial need-based scholarship. Learn more about the steps to apply for FAFSA or CA Dream Act.
• Scholarships are available for students currently enrolled at West Valley College who will continue their enrollment for the 2025-2026 academic year or who plan to transfer to a 4-year university or college for the 2025-2026 academic year.
• Recent High School Graduates are not eligible.
• Possession of a bachelor's degree or higher will disqualify you as scholarships are intended for undergraduate students.
• US Citizens, international, DACA and undocumented students are welcome to apply.

Scholarships may have additional eligibility criteria, including, but not limited to, declared major, minimum enrollment requirements, and transfer requirements. These criteria will be provided to recipients at the time of the award.

Because awards are selected based on information provided in each application, it is possible for designated scholarship recipients to become ineligible to receive their award if changes occur in their educational plans and/or financial situation, different from the information the Financial Aid Office had at the time of the application.

A committee made up of faculty members, classified staff, and administrators will select the recipients based on, but not limited to, the following criteria:

• Quality of essay and letter of recommendation.
• Level of criteria match for specific scholarships offered.
• For financial need-based scholarships, the committee will use information from the student’s 2024-2025 FAFSA or CA Dream Act application.

Awards will be paid to the recipients during the 2025-2026 academic year. Some awards will be paid in one disbursement during the Fall 2025 semester, while others will be divided into two disbursements: one during the Fall 2025 semester and the other during the Spring 2026 semester.

For students continuing at West Valley College, scholarship disbursements will be sent the first week of the semester, provided the student meets all requirements.

For students transferring to another institution, a scholarship check will be mailed directly to that institution. It is your responsibility to inform the West Valley College Financial Aid Office of any school or enrollment changes since it may affect your scholarship eligibility and disbursement method.