Student Scholarships

Scholarship awards are based on financial need, personal history, academic merit, achievement, and/or specific areas of study. The annual application process for student scholarships takes place during spring quarter. A maximum of three quarters of tuition and fees (based on a 15-credit load) may be awarded and can be used as early as summer quarter of the same year. The opening date for the 2025-26 scholarship round begins March 24, 2025, and closes May 5, 2025.

The South Seattle College Foundation will be launching a new scholarship portal with one application for all scholarship opportunities. The annual scholarship program will be offered only once per academic year.  Our new scholarship portal through AwardSpring will go live on March 24, 2025.

Scholarship awards for South Seattle College students are made by the South Seattle College Foundation, based on donor specifications and preferences. Unrestricted SSCF scholarship funds are also available. In the Spring 2024 scholarship round, awards were made to 102 students for 289 quarters of scholarship for a total of $434,000 in awards. In the Spring 2023 scholarship round, awards were made to 96 students for 242 quarters of scholarship totaling $350,000.

Eligibility:

General scholarships are open to current SSC students (part-time or full-time), including international students, BAS students, undocumented students, Running Start students graduating from high school this year, as well as current ESL/ABE students transitioning to college-level or professional/technical courses in 2025-26.  All eligible students are encouraged to apply. By completing one online application , students are considered for all appropriate South Seattle College scholarships.

Note: Students currently enrolled in the Seattle Promise program are not eligible unless they will no longer be part of the program in 2025-26.

To complete an application, you will need the following:
  • Two References (at least one reference should be a South faculty or staff member)
  • Personal Statement
  • Purpose Statement
  • Statement of Financial Need
  • Unofficial college or high school transcript
  • Resume – Optional

The South Seattle College Foundation awards scholarships from money derived from three sources: Endowment Funds, Adopt-A-Student Funds, and the General Scholarship Fund. The South Seattle College Foundation is a separate and distinct entity from the South Seattle College. For further information regarding the application process and any other questions, please contact Kathie Pham.  See the section below for Kathie’s email address.

Here is the link to our new AwardSpring portal to create a login and submit a scholarship application:  southfoundationscholarships.awardspring.com

The scholarship awards pay toward tuition and fees.   These awards can be as much as $1,600 per quarter for three quarters, which is a total of $4,800 for the year.   With one simple application, you can apply to many different scholarships.  Your future is worth it!

Kathie Pham

Who to contact for information and assistance

Kathie Pham
scholarships@southseattlecollegefoundation.org

Quotes from past scholarship winners:

  • It was so nice to know that I have someone who also believes in my future academic goals. Finally a person that is generous and kind.

    Catrina Pugh

  • After living in domestic violence, you have to build yourself up again. It’s something that always stays with you. But I want to let people know they can do it. You can start over. You can build a better life. For me, I don’t think it would’ve been possible without the scholarship.

    Mary Platero

  • It was a big leap. I was afraid of not doing well, of feeling out-of-place as an older student. But that went away after my first class at SSCC. The campus is so diverse - there were plenty of older students, so that wasn’t a problem.

    Stanford Neering

  • When it felt like too much, I thought about my instructors and that I couldn’t give up. I can’t let them down. So I stay focused on the future. A degree will be worth it. And after all the help I’ve gotten from the Foundation and the instructors, I want to give that back. When I have my degree, it will be my turn to help people.

    Anna Le

  • I am raising an 8 month old daughter on my own. To continue with my education, obtain my bachelor’s degree and be able to provide my daughter with a better life, the support from the South Seattle Community College Foundation is helping me reach my goal so that I can help improve other people’s health.

    Buchheng Kak