By Kathy Chouteau
Two important scholarship deadlines are approaching in March for high school students in Richmond with aspirations of pursuing a post-secondary education. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)/Dream Act application is due March 2, 2021, while the Richmond Promise Scholarship application deadline follows shortly thereafter on March 14, 2021.
By applying for a Richmond Promise Scholarship, students can receive $1,500—renewable for up to four years—toward a two-year or four-year college and/or a Career Technical Education Certificate at any U.S. not-for-profit institution. As an added bonus, students can petition for an additional two years of funding.
To be eligible for the Richmond Promise Scholarship, students must: reside in the City of Richmond or North Richmond (i.e. have a Richmond home address); have graduated from an eligible high school within the West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSSD) boundaries or received a GED/high school equivalency this academic year or the previous one and be under the age of 24; and have attended an eligible high school at least 9th through 12th grade consecutively, per Richmond Promise, the organization administering the scholarship.
Other key requirements for the Richmond Promise Scholarship include completing the FAFSA/Dream Act application by the aforementioned March 2 Cal Grant deadline (unless not AB 540 eligible) and also meeting the Richmond Promise Scholarship’s own March 14 application deadline.
For its part, the FAFSA/CA Dream Act application offers government financial aid to residents of California. Richmond Promise recommends students apply for it by the deadline so that they receive the maximum amount of financial support possible toward completing college. According to the organization, students who are ineligible to complete the FAFSA or Dream Act (not AB 540 eligible), will be exempt from this requirement when applying for the Richmond Promise Scholarship.
Richmond Promise was made possible through Chevron Richmond’s commitment to invest $35 million over a ten year period to fund post-secondary education for Richmond students. Ultimately, Richmond Promise aims to promote a college-going culture among the city’s youth.
To apply for the Richmond Promise Scholarship by March 14 in English, click here. For an application in Spanish, click here. Need help with your application? Email [email protected] or text the Student Hotline at 510-230-0422. For more info, visit Richmond Promise.
Click to complete the FAFSA Â or the CA Dream Act application by March 2.
