Graphic with blue gradient and photo of college graduate with text for college scholarships and coaching for Bay Area students

2024 Bay Area Scholarships

Need help paying for college? You could earn up to $20,000 in scholarships.

At Making Waves Education Foundation, we are here to partner with students so college is affordable and graduation is attainable. We are supporting more San Francisco Bay Area students through a new scholarship opportunity!

Twenty eligible students will receive up to $20,000 each in scholarship funding – and be enrolled in Making Waves Education Foundation’s college and career success program.

How to apply

Among the eligibility requirements, students must sign up for the Making Waves college and career chatbot, follow Making Waves on TikTok, and complete a scholarship application.

College and Career Success Program
Bay Area Scholarship

college student wearing a UC DAVIS sweater sits with a laptop

A scholarship is just one part of our Making Waves college and career success program. We partner with first-generation students, students of color, and students from low-income backgrounds during their college journeys to support them in achieving their unique goals.

Students receive a comprehensive support system of Making Waves college coaches, financial coordinators, and career specialists. Student support covers academics, career development, financial aid and budgeting, campus community, and wellness.

Our participants graduate from college and land jobs at twice the rate of their peers – and most earn their degrees debt-free.

Applications are closed for 2024

Frequently asked questions

Who is eligible?

High school seniors who plan to attend a not-for-profit four-year college or university within the United States and currently attend high school within the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma).

Do I need to complete a FAFSA application to apply?

You do not have to complete your FAFSA application before applying to this scholarship to verify that you are Pell eligible. You may obtain this information from the Federal Student Aid Estimator

What are the scholarship amounts and how many years does the scholarship cover?

Up to $4,000 (annually) of need-based scholarship funding up to five years.

When is the scholarship application deadline?

Applications must be submitted by 11:59 PM PST on February 26, 2024.

Does this impact the scholarship and program offered to Making Waves Academy graduates?

No. The Making Waves Academy Program continues to have the same scholarship opportunities.

What can I use my scholarship funds for?

Scholarship funds can cover most costs associated with going to college including for example, tuition and fees, housing, books and required supplies, meal plans, and transportation.

What are my odds of winning?

The odds of winning are determined by the number of entries received.

Making Waves Education Foundation is a Bay Area nonprofit committed to equity. We partner with historically underrepresented and underserved students to help make college affordable and graduation attainable.​ Knowing the opportunities that come with a college degree, we lead college and career programming with more than 430 college students. Centering the journeys of our students, our personalized approach includes college and career coaching, scholarships, and financial planning.​ Our alumni network includes more than 730 college graduates, who earn their degrees and land jobs at more than twice the rate of their first-generation, low-income peers, with 85% graduating debt-free.