Wildcat Scholarships
Don't Miss Out!
Wildcat Scholarship Portal(opens in new window)
Wildcat Scholarships are available to all incoming and continuing Chico State students. Each year, Chico State provides over $1.6 million in scholarship awards to more than 1,000 students. These are criteria we look for:
- Full-time enrollment and 2.0 GPA
- Educational and career objectives
- Scholastic achievements
- Financial need (requires FAFSA or CADAA to be submitted by March 2, 2026)
- Involvement in school or community service
- Active affiliation with clubs and organizations
- Special qualifications (talent, obstacles overcome, relationships)
2026-27 Application is Now Open!
Application Link and Deadline
2026-27 Wildcat Scholarship Application Now Open - Click Here to Apply(opens in new window)
- Opens: January 2, 2026
- Closes: February 15, 2026 by midnight
View our How to Apply Step by Step Guide (PDF)!
Questions? Email scholarships@csuchico.edu
Wildcat Scholarship Virtual Q&A Workshops
Apply for Wildcat Scholarships between January 2 and February 15. Over 1.5 million awarded each year! Join us for a live Q&A session (PDF) to learn more and get your questions answered!
Mondays 5 PM - 5:30 PM: Zoom Link(opens in new window); Meeting ID: 821 4372 8182, Passcode: 625261
- Jan. 26
- Feb. 2
- Feb. 9
Thursdays 11 AM - 11:30 AM: Zoom Link(opens in new window); Meeting ID: 851 2866 5612, Passcode: 963916
- Jan. 29
- Feb. 5
- Feb. 12
Wildcat Scholarship Process
Application
- Sign in to the Wildcat Scholarship Portal(opens in new window)
- Enter all information requested in online application
- Complete any additional supplemental questionnaires
- Review application before submitting (changes cannot be made once application has been submitted)
- Submit application by February 15 deadline
- If required, confirm receipt of letter of recommendation February 20
- Also, be sure to file your FAFSA or CADAA by March 2 to be eligible for need-based Wildcat Scholarships
Essay Questions
As you complete the application, you'll be asked to respond to three essay questions, each limited to 300 words or less. Here are some tips:
- draft your answers in a Word document or similar program
- proofread and edit
- copy and past your final responses into the application
You will be asked to answer answer the following essay questions:
- What are your educational and career goals, and why?
- Have you participated in campus or school sponsored activities during the past three years? What campus or school sponsored activities have you participated in during the past three years?
- Explain how a scholarship will help you to fund your education.
Letter of Recommendation
- A letter of recommendation is no longer required for all scholarships. You will ONLY be prompted to add recommender contact information on the application if you meet the general criteria for the few scholarships that require a letter of recommendation.
- Please check the Scholarship Library for each scholarship's requirement.
- For scholarships that do require a letter of recommendation, read Online Letter of Recommendation Guidelines for instructions.
Selection
- Scholarship review committees will review eligible scholarship applicants
- Late July: Scholarships will be offered in students' financial aid packages and if awarded to you, your financial aid award will be adjusted to include scholarship award
- Mid-August: Regret email sent to students who didn't receive a Wildcat Scholarship
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
Maintaining Wildcat Scholarships
- It is possible to lose a Wildcat Scholarship (GPA issues, less than full-time enrollment, and possibly a change of major)
- See important information in FAQ below
| Department | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Music and Theatre | Requires an audition or interview and should contact the Music and Theatre Department office. |
| Art and Art History | The Dept requests a portfolio. Contact the department office for details |
| Floyd L. English Natural Sciences | Requires two letters of recommendation. |
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 Wildcat Scholarship Portal.
- Agriculture major
- Construction Management major
- Music, Musical Theatre or Theatre Art major
- History major
- Multicultural & Gender Studies major
- Nursing major
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who is eligible for Wildcat Scholarships?
- Incoming high school students, transfer students and graduate 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.
- When will I know if I received a Wildcat Scholarship? Wildcat Scholarship recipients will receive a notification to their student center by mid-July alerting them they received a Wildcat Scholarship.
- Where can I check the status of my application?Students can check the status of their application by logging into the application portal. On the Home page, look for the Completed Tasks section.
- I have submitted my Wildcat Scholarships Application but I want to make changes to the information I submitted, how do I do this?For the 2026–2027 Wildcat Scholarship academic year, students will NOT be able to make changes or modify their application after submission. Please carefully review and confirm your answers and responses before submitting to avoid any issues.
- 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.
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.