The Oakland Promise is an initiative that aims to triple the number of college graduates from Oakland within the next decade. Students graduating from an Oakland high school may be eligible to receive funding to attend the Peralta colleges via the two options below.

Our Mission

The mission of Oakland Promise is to engage the Oakland community to advance equity and economic mobility through cradle-to-college and
career achievement.

Oakland Promise Scholarship

The Oakland Promise Scholarship is awarded to graduating high school seniors who plan to attend a post-secondary institution — 4-year college, 2-year college or CTE program– right after high school. Students awarded the Oakland Promise scholarship receive scholarship funds as well as mentoring, peer-advising, networking opportunities, and other persistence support and services to achieve college success. Our Oakland Promise scholarship is open to Oakland public and charter high school seniors who meet our eligibility requirements.

To fill financial gaps and minimize financial barriers for Oakland students, Oakland Promise will provide need-based college scholarships to all qualifying students from low-income backgrounds.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following requirements to be eligible to apply for the Oakland Promise Scholarship.

● 2.0 GPA
● Attend and graduate from an Oakland public or charter high school in Spring and start as a full-time student at an accredited, not-for-profit college in the U.S. in Fall.
● Demonstrate financial need as calculated by FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application.
● Answer Two Short Essays Responses (300-500 words)
○ Why do you want to attend college or a CTE program?
○ What is a significant challenge you have faced and how can the Oakland Promise scholarship support you in your future plans?
● Engage in service to your community.

Application Requirements

Applicants must complete the following steps for your application to be considered valid.

● Apply to at least one post-secondary institution
● Submit the FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application application by March 2nd, 2021.

Questions? Contact  scholarships@oaklandpromise.org.

Other FAQs

Am I eligible to apply for the Oakland Promise scholarship?

Eligibility requirements:
Applicants must meet the following requirements to be eligible to apply for the Oakland Promise Scholarship.

● 2.0 GPA
● Attend and graduate from an Oakland public or charter high school
● Demonstrate financial need as shown by Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
below $10,000 as determined by FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application.
● Plan to enroll as a full-time student at a 2 or 4-year accredited, not-for-profit college or university, or a CTE program in Fall 2021.

What is the deadline to apply for the Oakland Promise scholarship?
● Mid-March

How do I contact you with questions about the Oakland Promise
scholarships?
● If you have any questions or concerns regarding the Oakland Promise scholarship, please contact us at scholarships@oaklandpromise.org.