Friends of the California State Fair

Scholarship Value: $5,000
Awards Available: 21

The Friends of the California State Fair Scholarship Program is a collaborative effort between the Friends of the California State Fair, the California Agricultural Advisory Council, and the State Fair Gala Committee.

Each year, the Friends of the California State Fair Student Scholarships help our state’s most promising students achieve their goals and realize their dreams by granting scholarships to a broad range of academic studies.

They are presented to college students and graduating high school seniors who exhibit academic excellence, leadership potential, civic accomplishments, and a strong sense of personal commitment to continuing their education.

What are the categories and who is eligible to apply?

The Friends of the California State Fair offers 12 categories of scholarships with varying eligibility requirements:

  • Agricultural Students (current college student)
  • Agricultural Students (high school senior)
  • Art Major
  • Business Major
  • California State Fair Exhibitors or Volunteers
  • Culinary, Hospitality, or Event Planning Major
  • International Agriculture Students (sponsored by Blue Diamond)
  • Sacramento Region Top Achiever
  • Teacher Credential Program
  • Top 10 Percent of Class
  • Trade School Program
  • Wine & Grape Growing Major

Applicants may apply for one scholarship category of their choice per year. Applicants must meet all of the criteria for a specific scholarship to be an eligible candidate. Applicants must plan to enroll for both the fall 2023 and spring 2024 semesters. Students graduating after the fall 2023 are not eligible to apply, as this scholarship is intended for the full academic year. 

Scholarship Categories and Requirements:

Agricultural Students (current college student)

  • Have successfully completed 12 units of coursework credit in Agricultural classes
  • Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Be a California resident with a valid ID
  • Be enrolled as a college sophomore, junior, senior, or graduate student in a four-year accredited college or university or an accredited community college in the state of California in the fall of 2023

Agricultural Students (high school senior)

  • Plan to be an Agricultural Student in college
  • Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Be a California resident with a valid ID
  • Be a current high school senior (or junior graduating in spring 2023) enrolling in a four-year accredited college or university, or an accredited community college in the state of California in the fall of 2023

Art Major

  • Have a declared program/major of Art. This can include, but is not limited to, visual arts, dance, music, film, etc.
  • Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Be a California resident with a valid ID
  • Be enrolled as a college freshman, sophomore, junior or senior in a four-year accredited college or university in the state of California in the fall of 2023

Business Major

  • Have a declared program/major of Business or Agricultural Business
  • Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Be a California resident with a valid ID
  • Be enrolled in a four-year accredited college or university, or an accredited community college in the state of California in the fall of 2023

California State Fair Exhibitors or Volunteers

  • Be one of the following:
    • A participant (exhibitor) in the California State Fair any year from 2019 through 2022 in the competitive programs for youth (livestock, horse, small animal, dog, and still exhibits) or,
    • A volunteer any year from 2019 through 2022 in the California State Fair Youth Task Force or the California State Fair Kaiser Permanente Farm Programs as a guide, intern, or assistant either in preparation for the Fair, during the Fair, or offseason
  • Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Be a California resident with a valid ID
  • Be enrolled at a four-year accredited college/university or community college in the state of California in the fall of 2023

Culinary, Hospitality, or Event Planning Major

  • Have a declared program/major of Culinary Cooking or Hospitality Management or Event Planning
  • Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Be a California resident with a valid ID
  • Be enrolled in a four-year accredited college or university, a California culinary specialty school, or an accredited community college in the state of California in the fall of 2023

International Agriculture Students (sponsored by Blue Diamond)

  • Have an emphasis and interest in International Agricultural Trade, with a major of agriculture, economics, business, international studies, language studies, etc.
  • Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Be a California resident with a valid ID
  • Be enrolled in a four-year accredited college or university, or an accredited community college in the state of California in the fall of 2023

Sacramento Region Top Achiever

  • Be a current high school senior
  • Be recognized as a Sacramento Region Top Achiever (defined as the top 5 (five) percent of students in your graduating class)
  • Be graduating from a school in one of these counties: Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Sutter, Yolo, or Yuba County
  • Have a cumulative GPA of 3.75 or higher
  • Be a California resident with a valid ID
  • Be enrolled at a four-year accredited college or university in the state of California in the fall of2023

Teacher Credential Program

  • Be enrolled in a Teacher Credential Program or be an undergraduate Education major
  • Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Be a California resident with a valid ID
  • Be enrolled as a college sophomore, junior, senior, or graduate student in a four-year accredited college, university, or an accredited community college in the state of California in the fall of 2023 (re-entry professionals included)

Top 10 Percent of Class

  • Be a current high school senior in the top 10 percent of your graduating class
  • Have a cumulative GPA of 3.75 or higher
  • Be a California resident with a valid ID
  • Be enrolled at a four-year accredited college or university in the state of California in the fall of2023

Trade School Program

  • Be a current high school senior with a plan to enter an accredited trade school program in California in Fall 2023 or currently be enrolled in an accredited trade school program in California.
  • Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Be a California resident with a valid ID

Wine Making or Grape Growing Major

  • Have a declared program/major of Viticulture or Enology
  • Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Be a California resident with a valid ID
  • Be enrolled as a college sophomore, junior, senior or graduate student in a four-year accredited college or university, or as a student in a community college in the state of California in the fall of 2023
View Scholarship

Sallie Mae "No Essay" Scholarship

Deadline: Mar 31, 2024
$2,000
The $2,000 Sallie Mae Scholarship is only open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and any US Territory age 17 or older at the time of entry, and who meet one (1) of the four (4) following eligibility requirements at the time of entry:A parent who currently has a child enrolled in an accredited...

Be Bold Scholarship

Deadline: Apr 01, 2024
$25,000
The "Be Bold" Scholarship is a no-essay scholarship that will be awarded to the applicant with the boldest profile. It takes less than 2 minutes to apply.To us, boldest does not mean "best", or "most accomplished". Being bold means being:A) EarnestB) DeterminedC) MovingThe scholarship will be awarded to the student whose profile is most bold, according to these characteristics.Furthermore, the...

Niche Scholarship

Deadline: Mar 31, 2024
$10,000
Covering the cost of college expenses for four years without writing a single essay? Sounds too good to be true.It isn't with Niche. We are giving one student $10,000 to help pay for tuition, living expenses, books, and other educational expenses.Who Can ApplyAll high school and college students, as well as anyone looking to attend college or graduate school in...

ScholarshipOwl No Essay Scholarship

Deadline: Mar 29, 2024
$1,000
ScholarshipOwl is your source of relief from the dreaded application process. We put students on the fast-track to success by providing direct access to the scholarships they need the most. Take the hassle out of financial aid and maximize your chance at a free ride in college. No matter how much funding you need for school, we have the opportunities...

SP Scholarship

Deadline: Mar 31, 2024
$2,500
The SP College Scholarship program was created to help students win scholarships without the hassle of filling out paper applications and writing dozens of essays.To be eligible for the Scholarship you must be:A) At least 13 years old and enrolled or will enroll in a college or university in the US.B) A legal resident of the U.S. or Puerto Rico.Thus...

10 Words or Less Scholarship

Deadline: Apr 15, 2024
$1,000
Scholarship Eligibility:A) Anyone who is between the ages of 14-25 who will be attending school in the Fall of 2024.B) This scholarship is provided by StudentScholarships.org. In order to apply for our scholarship follow these instructions:1. Go to www.facebook.com/myscholarships and place a comment on any post you see answering the question:In 10 words or less, tell us why you deserve...

National Dairy Shrine Scholarships

Deadline: Apr 15, 2024
$3,000
Tomorrow’s dairy leaders are here today, in classrooms, dairy youth organizations, at dairy competitions and on dairy farms across the country. The Dairy Shrine’s task is to encourage, stimulate and inspire them. Since its inception, Dairy Shrine has recognized the importance of laying a foundation for the future, and has constantly expanded its youth programs to capture and challenge the...

$15,000
The U.S. Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP) was founded in 1997 by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) to complement the Stockholm Water Prize. The SJWP is the world's most prestigious award presented to a high school student for a water-research project.PRIZEThe Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP) was founded in 1997 by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) to complement...

Shawn Carter Scholarship

Deadline: Apr 30, 2024
$2,500
The Shawn Carter Scholarship Fund (SCSF) was founded on the belief that any motivated individual in need should have the opportunity to further his or her education. By removing some of the financial burdens associated with going to, surviving in, and graduating from college, the SCSF plays a vital role in increasing college access and success for many motivated yet...

Nurse Corps Scholarship Program

Deadline: May 02, 2024
$10,000
The Health Resources and Services Administration is accepting applications for the Nurse Corps Scholarship Program. The Health Resources and Services Administration improves the health of underserved and vulnerable populations by strengthening the health workforce and connecting skilled professionals to communities in need.The Nurse Corps Scholarship Program provides scholarships to nursing students in exchange for a minimum two-year, full-time service commitment...