Ventura County Community Foundation Scholarships

Our scholarship application process is competitive, with over 100 scholarship opportunities available and several thousand applicants annually. Completing your application carefully and completely is crucial for eligibility. We advise each student to thoroughly read the following page to understand application requirements.

In order to successfully complete your application the application process, please review all the information within this page.

1. Create an account on the VCCF Academic Works portal by clicking here. Be sure to use your personal email address and check your email frequently. Do not use your school email address. Identify a password by following these guidelines. Your password must:

• Not contain your username or common words or phrases.
• Contain a minimum of 12 characters.
• Include at least 1 digit, 1 uppercase letter, 1 lowercase letter, and 1 of these special characters: # ? ! @ $ % ^ & * –

2. Reach out to two individuals who are willing to fill out a recommendation questionnaire on your behalf. One of the individuals must be a teacher or school counselor. You will be asked to list your references' names and email addresses in the application portal. If possible, please provide their personal email addresses. Other can be a coach, pastor, employer, or someone who is not a family member. Letters from peers will not be accepted.

3. After you have filled out the general application, click on other opportunities to make sure you meet the requirements for the individual opportunities you are applying to.

4. If you need assistance, please contact our scholarships department at scholarships@vccf.org

Request your most recent transcript from your academic advisor

• You must submit a transcript as a PDF file in order for your application to qualify. Please make sure file name is short and without special characters.
• Student profiles are only acceptable as long as they include your unweighted GPA.
• Your unweighted GPA must be visible.

Ask for at least two references

Please note most recommenders will need at least two (2) weeks notice to fill out the recommendation questionnaire, but it is never too early to ask. We encourage you to give your recommenders as much advance notice as possible when requesting a reference.

This year, your recommenders will be filling out a questionnaire on your behalf.

• Give your recommenders enough time to fill out the questionnaire.
• The other recommendation(s) can be from a coach, pastor, employer, mentor, or anyone who knows you well and is not a friend or family member, but at least 1 recommendation should come from a teacher or academic counselor.

Scholarship Tips

TIP #1 Do not wait until the last minute. The application takes time to fill out, be thoughtful about your answers.

TIP #2 Ensure your recommendations are submitted on your behalf. The application requires two recommendations for your application to be considered. It is your responsibility to ensure that your recommenders complete the recommendation on your behalf by the final deadline.

TIP #3 Complete the application in full. Be sure to complete the entire application. If a question does not apply, note that on the application (“n/a” for not applicable). Don’t just leave a blank. Include all required documents.

TIP #4 Follow the directions. Provide everything that is required, but do not supply things that are not requested – your application will be disqualified. If a special essay or form is required, make sure that you include it.

TIP #5 Make sure your essay makes an impression. The key to writing a strong essay is to be personal and specific. Include concrete details to make your experience come alive: the ‘who,’ ‘what,’ ‘where,’ and ‘when’ of your topic. The simplest experience can be monumental if you present honestly how you were affected. There is a specific prompt or topic for each scholarship. Be sure that you respond to that prompt. Be sure to check your spelling. Think of your essay as a narrative picture of you for our selection committee.

TIP #6 Give it a final ‘once-over.’ Proofread the entire application carefully. Be on the lookout for misspelled words or grammatical errors. Ask a friend, teacher or parent to proofread your essays.

TIP #7 Ask for help if you need it. If you have a problem with the application, please reach out to the VCCF Scholarship team at scholarships@vccf.org. If you have specific questions about the application, contact Ventura County Community Foundation.

TIP #8 Remember: your scholarship application represents you! Your ability to submit a neat, timely, complete application reflects on you. It’s your face to this organization. Take pride in yourself by submitting the best application you can.

TIP #9 Apply only if you are eligible. For the apply-to scholarships available, please make sure that you are eligible before you apply. Your application won’t be considered if you are not qualified to apply.