Our Office
Financial Aid & Scholarship Office
Student Services Center, Room 250
530-898-6451
Fax: 530-898–6883
Financial Aid Email
finaid@csuchico.edu
Scholarships Email
scholarships@csuchico.edu
Hours: Monday through Friday
M, W, F: Phone 8AM-4PM
M, W, F: Lobby open 9AM-4PM
T & Th: Phone & Lobby: 12-4PM
Mailing Address
Financial Aid & Scholarship Office
400 W. First St.
Chico, CA 95929–0705
Scholarship Giving
Giving to scholarships allows you to directly impact a student’s life.
Wildcat Scholarships
The 2023-24 Wildcat Scholarship application is now closed. Wildcat Scholarship winners will be notified during the summer.
Extended Deadline for Nursing
Extended deadlines for the following only:
- Students accepted for the RN/BSN for summer 2023
- For the Watling Family Nursing Scholarship ONLY
Application Deadline: March 30, 2023
Letters of Recommendations Deadline: April 10, 2023
Student Highlights
This could be you. Here are two examples of students who have received scholarships.
Charlie Giannini received the Alumni Association Scholarship, one of four $1,000 scholarships based on recipient being a dependent of a Chico State alum and hold a minimum 2.0 GPA
Megan Donaldson is one of the recipients of Chico State’s 2022 President’s Scholarship—one of the University’s most prestigious and one awarded to highly qualified and deserving high school seniors.
Selection Criteria
- Full-time enrollment and 2.0 GPA
- Educational and career objectives
- Scholastic achievements
- Financial need
- Involvement in school or community service
- Active affiliation with clubs and organizations
- Special qualifications (talent, obstacles overcome, relationships)
Wildcat Scholarship Process
Application Process
- Open the Wildcat Scholarships application
- Sign in with Chico State Portal Credentials
- Enter all of the information as requested on online application
- Submit application by the deadline
- Complete any additional supplemental questionnaires
- Confirm submission of recommendation letter by the deadline
Selection
- Scholarship review committees will review eligible scholarship applicants
- Late July: Scholarships will be offered in student's financial aid package assuming all final recipients are confirmed by committees by this time
- Your financial aid award will be adjusted to include scholarship awards
- Mid-August: Regret notifications sent out
Disbursement
- Disbursement of scholarships will occur weekly, but not earlier than one week prior to the start of each semester
- Must meet full-time enrollment, GPA and major eligibility according to the scholarship guideline to receive the funds
- Monitor your Student Service Center regularly for any Holds, Messages and To Do List items
Written Statements
As you're completing the application, you'll be asked to answer five questions, each in 300 words or less.
Tips
- write your answers in a word document program
- proofread and edit
- copy and paste into the application
You'll Answer These 5 Questions
- What are your educational and career goals?
- What campus or school sponsored activities have you participated in during the past three years?
- Describe your involvement, include names, dates of memberships, the number of hours involved, and offices held.
- What involvement have you had in community organizations or volunteer activities over the past three years? Include projects or events and your level of involvement.
- Explain how a scholarship will help you to fund your education. Include any information regarding exceptional hardships or obstacles you may have overcome in your pursuit of a college degree.
Describe any special talent you may possess or your proudest accomplishment.
Letter of Recommendation
Read Online Letter of Recommendation Guidelines for instructions and exceptions. Your application will be considered incomplete without a letter of recommendation.
| Department | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Music and Theatre | Requires an audition or interview and should contact the Music and Theatre Department office. |
| Art and Art History | Requests a portfolio. Contact the department office. |
| Civil Engineering | Requires a supplemental application. Contact the Civil Engineering office. |
| Floyd L. English Natural Sciences | Requires two letters of recommendations. |
Additional Conditional Application Required
After applying for the Wildcat Scholarship application, you will be prompted to also submit a Conditional Application for listed majors below. This Conditional Application will be on your dashboard when you log into the scholarship platform.
- Agriculture majors
- Business majors
- Construction Management major
- Music majors
Frequently Asked Questions
General
Who is eligible for Wildcat Scholarships?
- Incoming High School or Transfer Students
- Current continuing Undergraduate, Graduate, and Credential Students
- International Students
- Full time enrollment for the awarding year is required to receive any scholarships (12+ units for Undergraduates or Credential students, 8 units for Graduate Students)
I have applied to Chico State but have yet to be accepted, can I still apply?
Yes. If you have applied to Chico State but have yet to be admitted you are eligible to apply. Once you have completed your application to Chico State you will receive your Wildcat Credentials which you will utilize to log into the application.
Do I need to complete the FAFSA or Dream Act Application to be eligible for Wildcat Scholarships?
We highly recommend completing the FAFSA or Dream Act Application prior to the Wildcat Scholarships Application Deadline. We have over 240 scholarships that are need based. Your FAFSA information is required for to determine your eligibility for need based scholarships.
I have yet to declare my major. Am I still eligible for Wildcat Scholarships?
Yes, you are still eligible for Wildcat Scholarships that are not major based. However, you will not be eligible for any major based scholarships which will limit the number of potential scholarships you may be eligible for. We highly recommend if you know what major you would like to declare to do so before February.
Making Changes
I have submitted my Wildcat Scholarships Application but I want to make changes to the information I submitted, how do I do this?
You are able to log back into your Wildcat Scholarships application and make changes until the deadline.
Letter of Recommendation
Who should I ask to write a Letter of Recommendation for me?
Ask someone who knows you well and can write about your academic potential, your career goals, your volunteer and organizational commitments, etc. A recommender could be a faculty member or teacher, a counselor, an advisor, an employer, or an organizational leader.
They should have direct contact with you, but should not be an immediate relative. We recommend at least one Recommendation Provider be a faculty member or teacher from your major.
Why do you recommend having two (2) Letters of Recommendation when they are not required for all majors?
We recommend having two Letters of Recommendation for the following reasons:
- Gives the Scholarship Committee a greater opportunity to learn more details about you that may aid you in receiving a scholarship. Just as your faculty provider may focus on your academic potential, your advisor may write about some of your obstacles/challenges.
- Having two Recommendation Providers helps you plan ahead for any issues that may prevent one of your Recommendation Providers from submitting their Letter of Recommendation.
- Majority of our scholarships requires only one letter, we do have a few that requires two. If you provided two, this would give you more scholarship opportunities.
Remember you will need to enter in the correct Name and Email of the Recommendation Providers as you submit your application. They will not receive the link to submit their letter until you submit your application.
The Recommendation Provider writing my Letter of Recommendation hasn't received the instruction (notification) yet. What should I do?
- Ask your Recommendation Provider to check their spam or clutter folder. The email will be sent from the Wildcat Scholarships system and may go to these folders.
- Log back into your Wildcat Scholarships Application and confirm you have entered in their email correctly. Chico State staff and faculty you must use the email @csuchico.edu.
- If you need to correct their email add the individual again as a New Reference.
I have submitted my Wildcat Scholarships Application but need to change the Recommendation Provider or correct the email. What should I do?
You are able to log back into your Wildcat Scholarships application and make changes until the deadline.
How do I check if a Letter of Recommendation was submitted?
Log into your Wildcat Scholarship Application. On the Reference tab, click on "Active". Under the Status Column you will see if your letter has been "Submitted" or still in "Not Started" status. You may decide to send another request by clicking on the "Resend Request" button. If necessary, you may need to follow-up directly with your Recommender.
Losing Scholarships
Can you lose a Wildcat Scholarship due to unmet GPA requirement?
Yes. If you are awarded a scholarship with a GPA requirement you will need to maintain the minimum GPA requirement to keep the scholarship. If you fall below your required GPA requirement please email the Scholarship Office at scholarships@csuchico.edu to discuss the specific details of your situation.
Can you lose a Wildcat Scholarship if you are no longer a full-time student (Full-time: 12+ units for Undergraduates or Credential students, 8+ units for Graduate Students)?
Yes. The majority of scholarships require full time enrollment. If you drop below full-time enrollment you may lose your scholarship. If this happens please email the Scholarship Office at scholarships@csuchico.edu to discuss the specific details of your situation.
What happens if I receive a Wildcat Scholarship from my major but change my major midyear? Can I still keep my scholarship?
It depends on the scholarship guidelines and what you changed your major to. Please email the Scholarship Office at scholarships@csuchico.edu to discuss the specific details of your case.