Academic Scholarships

Applying for academic scholarships is a great way to help offset your cost of attending college. The best thing about scholarships? They’re essentially “free money” meaning you don’t pay them back! The College offers scholarships through the Southwestern Oregon Community College Foundation specifically for students planning to attend Southwestern in the upcoming academic year.

Timing

Apply

Tips for Applying

FAQs

Ongoing Scholarships

CONTACT US
SWOCC Foundation
Tioga Hall, #503
(Closed on Fridays during Summer)
Phone: 541-888-7209
Email

Congrats to our 2025-26 Scholarship Recipients!

The Southwestern Foundation congratulates our 2025-26 Scholarship recipients and wishes them all the best in achieving their academic goals!

2025-26 Scholarship Recipients

Annual Southwestern Foundation Scholarships

THE APPLICATION CYCLE IS NOW CLOSED. Scholarship applications are available annually January 1 – March 1. Students who missed this deadline and plan to attend Southwestern in the 2026-27 academic year (which starts Summer 2026) are encouraged to review other types of Financial Aid Awards.

Starting January 2027, students may follow the instructions below to apply online.

Why Apply? The Southwestern Foundation awards nearly $300,000 in scholarships each year through approximately 200 scholarships. By completing just one application, you’ll automatically be considered for every scholarship you qualify for. Applying is quick and straightforward. Many awards only require you to be a credit-seeking student at Southwestern.

Scholarship Listing

Timing

Apply

Tips for Applying

FAQs

Ongoing Scholarships

PAY FOR COLLEGE
TUITION AND FEES
FINANCIAL AID
SCHOLARSHIPS
PAYMENTS AND REFUNDS

CONTACT US
SWOCC Foundation
Tioga Hall, #503
(Closed on Fridays during Summer)
Phone: 541-888-7209
Email

Timing

THE APPLICATION CYCLE IS NOW CLOSED. Applications are accepted January 1 – March 1 annually.

Due Date: All applications are DUE MARCH 1 by 11:59 p.m. Pacific. No exceptions.
Early Bird Deadline: Applications submitted before 11:59 p.m. on February 1 are entered to win a $1,000 “early bird” scholarship.
Don’t wait, apply now! It is highly recommended all applicants read the instructions below and try accessing the application website before February 15 to ensure they are able to login and complete their application on time. This is especially important for new/incoming students because they must complete an “application for admission” to the college to access the scholarship application.

January 1
Cycle Opens
Apply Online at
socc.edu/scholarships

February 1
Early Bird Deadline
Applications submitted before 11:59 p.m. will be entered to win a $1,000 “early bird” scholarship

February 15
Recommended Login
Deadline
All applicants should read the “how to apply” instructions and try accessing socc.awardspring.com. New/incoming students should complete the “application for admission” by this date.

Scholarship Applications Due
All applicaitons must be submitted before 11:59 p.m. No exceptions.

Award Notifications Sent
Applicants will receive an email about whether or not they received a Foundation scholarship(s).

Award Acceptance Deadline
Scholarship recipients must complete all acceptance requirements. Failure to meet this deadline may result in loss of scholarship funding.

Cycle Opens
Apply Online at
socc.edu/scholarships

Early Bird Deadline
Applications submitted before 11:59 p.m. will be entered to win a $1,000 “early bird” scholarship

Recommended Login
Deadline
All applicants should read the “how to apply” instructions and try accessing socc.awardspring.com. New/incoming students should complete the “application for admission” by this date.

Scholarship Applications Due
All applicaitons must be submitted before 11:59 p.m. No exceptions.

Award Notifications Sent
Applicants will receive an email about whether or not they received a Foundation scholarship(s).

Award Acceptance Deadline
Scholarship recipients must complete all acceptance requirements. Failure to meet this deadline may result in loss of scholarship funding.

How to Apply

THE APPLICATION CYCLE IS NOW CLOSED. Applications are accepted January 1 – March 1 annually.

Any credit-seeking student planning to attend Southwestern for the 2025-26 academic year is encouraged to apply. This includes both part-time and full-time students.

Before applying, first determine if you have ever completed an “application for admission” to Southwestern:

If you are a current student or admitted student, you are ready to apply! Skip down to Step #1 below.
If you have NEVER completed an application for application for admission, you must do so before you’ll be able to apply for scholarships. You may fall into this camp if you are attending (or have attended) Southwestern but have only ever taken dual credit, expanded options or community education classes:

a) Submit your application for admission to the College. Allow up to 5 business days to process your application.

b) You will receive an email notifying you of when your application is processed.

c) Follow the instructions for “current or admitted students” (go to Step #1 below).

Not sure if you have completed an application for admission? Check with admissions via Email or Phone: 541-888-7636.

Watch the 5-min video, and/or follow the written step-by-step instructions to learn how to apply.

Go to the application website:

socc.awardspring.com

Login to the AwardSpring Website

If you have NEVER before logged into the AwardSpring system:

Click the “Set Your Password” button under the “First time here?” prompt.
Enter the same email address you put on your application for admission to Southwestern. Most likely, this is your personal email, NOT your socc.edu email.
Click on the “Send Email” button. A link to set your password will be sent to your email.

If you have previously applied to Southwestern Foundation scholarships:

Enter the same email address you put on your application for admission to Southwestern. Most likely, this is your personal email, NOT your socc.edu email.
Use the same password you created when you previously applied.
Forgot your password? Click the “forgot password” button and be sure you’re able to access your email account.

Submit your scholarship application by March 1

Applications are due March 1 by 11:59 p.m. NO EXCEPTIONS.

The system will not allow you to “submit” your application without completing all required information.
You have until the deadline to make changes to your application.
Once submitted, you are automatically applied to all the scholarships you qualify for. To see the scholarships you applied for, click on the “scholarships” tab and look at the “status” column. The scholarships you applied to are all determined by the answers provided in your application.
You may qualify for scholarships that require additional information. These will show up on your dashboard. It is YOUR CHOICE if you want to complete these or not. You do not have to apply for these scholarships that require additional information.

Tips for Applying

Helpful tips for completing your application:

Apply as early as possible. If you encounter any technical difficulties, you’ll have time to sort them out.
Write and save your essays in a separate document. You can potentially use them for other applications and reference them later.
Proofread, proofread, proofread. Ask someone to review your essays. The more effort you put into your application, the more likely you are to receive a scholarship. PRO TIP: Use the College’s Writing Center, available both in-person and via Zoom. More info about this can be found on the tutoring page.
Read all directions and answer each question carefully! The scholarships you qualify for are determined by the answers you provide. Be as accurate as possible in each response.

Southwestern Foundation Scholarship FAQs

Below are some of the most frequently asked questions in completing the Southwestern Foundation scholarship application.

Keep Others Closed - DO NOT REMOVE

Who can apply?

Any credit-seeking student planning to attend Southwestern for the upcoming academic year. This includes both full and part-time students. (Southwestern Foundation scholarships are not available for community education, not-for-credit classes).

When can students apply?

January 1 – March 1 annually. **APPLICATIONS ARE DUE BEFORE 11:59 p.m. PACIFIC TIME MARCH 1** No exceptions.

The early bird deadline is 11:59 p.m. Pacific on Feb. 1—applications submitted by that time will automatically be entered to win a $1,000 early bird scholarship.

Is there anything I can do while I wait to be able to login to the socc.awardspring.com website?

Yes! While you continue to work on logging in to socc.awardspring.com, you can prepare answers to questions that require more than a click of a button or short phrase to answer. Also be sure to read all of the above instructions about “timing” and “how to apply.”

Prepare and save answers to the following:

PERSONAL STATEMENTS:
1. What are your specific educational plans and career goals and why? What inspires you to achieve them? (300 word maximum)
2. What have you done for your family or community that you care about the most and why? (300 word maximum)
3. Describe a personal accomplishment and the strengths and skills you used to achieve it. (300 word maximum)
4. Describe a significant change or experience that has occurred in your life. How did you respond and what did you learn about yourself? (300 word maximum)
TRANSCRIPTS: Secure a digital copy of your most current unofficial transcripts. The preferred file upload is a .pdf document if possible–photos of transcripts (.jpg) sometimes do not upload well and can be hard to read.
ORGANIZATIONS/ACTIVITIES/WORK/COMMUNITY SERVICE: List any you are involved with. These could be school activities, volunteer activities (community/family) and/or paid work experience.
AWARDS/HONORS/DISTINCTIONS: List any awards, honors or distinctions you have earned and the year they were earned (300 words maximum)

Do I have to complete a FAFSA to apply?

No. Although it is not required, it is highly recommended applicants complete their FAFSA when you apply for Southwestern Foundation scholarships. The FAFSA may be completed online at HERE.

Can I apply if I already have a degree?

Yes. Any student planning to attend Southwestern for the upcoming academic year may apply. This includes both full and part-time students and students. The Foundation recognizes students may return to college to pursue different career paths and they are eligible for scholarship funding.

Can I apply if I will be dual-enrolled at SWOCC and another college/university?

It depends on where your student financial aid resides. SWOCC Foundation scholarships are intended for students specifically attending Southwestern Oregon Community College. In most cases, dual-enrolled students’ financial aid will reside with the non-SWOCC college/university. If your financial aid resides with another institution, it is not a good fit nor would it meet criteria for you to apply for SWOCC Foundation scholarships.

Not sure where your financial aid will reside as a dual-enrolled student? Email fao@socc.edu.

Can I apply if I only plan to attend part of the academic year?

Yes. Scholarship awards more than $500 are typically disbursed across Fall, Winter and Spring terms of each academic year. Scholarships $500 or less are applied in full Fall term. With adequate notice and reasonable justification, the Foundation may be able to customize student awards.

Can I apply if I am already getting my college paid for?

Yes. Even if you are getting college paid for by a tuition waiver, Oregon Promise, Oregon Opportunity Grant, Federal Grant, or other financial means, you can still apply for SWOCC Foundation scholarships.

The Foundation recognizes college expenses go beyond tuition and fees. Foundation scholarships are applied to the individual student’s account. If the expenses owed to the college are covered, scholarship money can help cover additional expenses associated with attending college.

Do dual-enrolled high school students (or others who already have a SWOCC student ID #) have to complete the application for admission?

If you have already completed an application for admission, please do not do so again.

If you have NEVER completed the application for admission you must do so before you will be able to apply for Southwestern Foundation scholarships. Students should do this no later than Feb. 15, because they will need to allow up to 5 business days for their application to be processed before being able to login and apply for scholarships.

Not sure if you have completed an application for admission? Check with admissions via Email or Phone: 541-888-7636.

Did I submit my application? Which scholarships did I apply for? What if I don't want to do the follow-up work it's asking me to do?

When you hit “Submit Application” you are automatically applied for the scholarships you qualify for that don’t require any extra information. You will be able to see what scholarships you applied for by clicking on the “scholarships” tab and looking in the “status” section.

Some scholarships you qualify for may require you to provide extra information (e.g. they require a very specific essay or a letter of recommendation), before you’re able to apply for them. In this instance:

You will be prompted to complete additional information for these specific scholarships.
Your dashboard will note you have items “requiring completion.” Simply click on the link to see what they are.
IT IS YOUR CHOICE on whether or not you wish to provide the additional information necessary to apply for these scholarships:
- If you wish to apply to them, you must have all information submitted no later than March 1.
- If you do not want to apply for those scholarships, simply ignore them.

I already submitted my application, but need to fix something. Can I change it?

Applicants may login to update their application until the final deadline – 11:59 p.m. PST on March 1. After the deadline, no changes or submissions will be accepted. No exceptions.

When and how are students notified?

All student communications will take place via email, at the same email address used to login and apply for scholarships. Students receiving awards will be notified by early May. See the timeline above for additional details.

Ongoing Scholarships

Applications listed below fall outside the annual Foundation Scholarship application process and are only available to students currently enrolled in classes at Southwestern.

**IMPORTANT: Students should speak to a SWOCC staff member prior to applying to the below! These scholarships are NOT intended to pay for tuition–they are intended to help students through unexpected emergency situations.**

Keep Others Closed - DO NOT REMOVE

Emergency Scholarship Application

IMPORTANT: Please speak with a SWOCC staff member prior to applying for this scholarship. This scholarship is NOT intended to help with tuition–it is intended to help students through unexpected emergency situations to keep them enrolled.

This emergency scholarship is for students currently registered at Southwestern Oregon Community College (either full or part-time) who need assistance with temporary and surmountable financial difficulties and/or emergencies. The goal with this assistance is to ensure students are able to remain enrolled and complete their studies.

Emergency scholarships are funded by the Richard Grossman Student Support Scholarship fund and the Olive Bridge Emergency scholarship fund.

Emergency Scholarship Application

GED Emergency Scholarship Application

IMPORTANT: Please speak with a SWOCC staff member (ideally staff in the GED/transitional education department) prior to applying for this scholarship.

This scholarship is to help with course fees/tests associated with students pursuing their GED completion at Southwestern Oregon Community College. Funding may cover transitional education course fees, GED exam fees, or a combination of the two. Students must meet all qualifications listed and receive endorsement from a Southwestern employee.

GED Emergency Scholarship Application

Columbia Pacific Maritime Application

IMPORTANT: Available only to individuals enrolling in Columbia Pacific Maritime classes. Please speak with a COLPAC representative prior to applying.

This scholarship is to help with course fees for individuals seeking professional certification through Columbia Pacific Maritime at Southwestern Oregon Community College. Awards based on financial need and available funding.

Click here to apply

“I have been an artist my whole life, and through my art I express my emotions. I am self-taught, and I love experimenting with different media. This scholarship will help me continue to develop my artistic skills in preparation for my career.”

Nicole

Nancy Douglas Memorial Scholarship

“My goal is to attend Oregon State University, but more specifically, the Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine for a doctorate. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the career I want, the requirements to get into that field, and how, or if, I could make that path accessible to me. It’s taken me a long time to confidently tell someone that I want to be a veterinarian. It means more to me than you know to be given the chance to obtain my goals and progress through life at my own pace without worrying so much about the cost of doing so.”

Kirra

Going Coastal Scholarship

“Competing in rodeo my whole life has taught me the value of consistent, hard work and how to set and attain goals. I plan on getting my degree and license as a radiology technician. I’ve always been interested in a medical career because I enjoy helping others as well as giving back to my community.”

Rank

DeArmond CTE Scholarship

“As a full-time college student, full-time worker, and full-time family man, I have such a busy schedule. It is with your generosity that keeps pushing me to go for the stars and not the moon. Not only is this award helping me financially, but it’s a great reminder that there are others who believe in the potential that I have and understand the importance of the work I aim to do. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!”

Jacob

Kyle Trust Scholarship

“The sacrifices I make for my education are not only for myself, but it is also for the younger generation of my tribe. I do my best in school to show them going to college is possible. I am majoring in Environmental Studies and Anthropology and [plan to] attend law school to help protect these young minds and our land.”

Lyndsay

SWOCC Foundation Board Scholarship Recipient

“I want to thank you for believing in me. I am extremely grateful for the financial support in my path to pursue a baking and pastries degree at SWOCC. Opening a place of my own has been a dream of mine since I was five. Little me would be jumping for joy if she knew what we have accomplished today.”

Izabella

Culinary Vision Scholarship

“My career goal is to become a CPA, I want to help people be financially successful in their life. Thank you again for this incredible gift, it has already made an impact on my life!”

Jaciel

Yellow Cab Taxi Scholarship

“After starting a family and staying home for a few years, I decided to go back to SWOCC and finish the Nursing Program. After graduation, I am going to continue to take classes through OHSU to earn my bachelors—and eventually—my master’s degree. Your contribution makes a difference in the lives of aspiring nurses like me.”

Alanna

Nursing Scholarship