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The application program will be live on or after March 28, 2025. Please return then and navigate to the Scholarship America Hub to register your account and begin your application process!

Margaret E. Oser Scholarship Fund
Live application window: March 28, 2025 through May 1, 2025 3:00 pm CT/1:00 pm PT

The Orange County Community Foundation has established the Margaret E. Oser Scholarship Fund to assist females currently enrolled at a Southern California – Orange County community college who are planning to transfer to a four-year college or university for the upcoming academic year.

The program is administered by Scholarship America®, the nation’s largest designer and manager of scholarships and other education support programs for corporations, foundations, associations, and individuals. Eligibility for individual programs is determined at the sole discretion of the sponsor, and eligible applications are reviewed by Scholarship America’s evaluation team.

Applicants to the Margaret E. Oser Scholarship Fund must meet all of the following criteria:

    • Identify as female.
    • Be currently enrolled at one of the following Orange County community colleges (or had attended one of these schools and were previously awarded the Margaret E. Oser scholarship):
  • Cypress College
  • Fullerton College
  • Santiago Canyon College
  • Santa Ana College
  • Saddleback College
  • Golden West College
  • Coastline Community College
  • Orange Coast College
  • Irvine Valley College
  • Be planning to transfer to a four-year college or university (or have already transferred and were selected as a previous recipient) and will be enrolled full-time for the entire upcoming academic year.
  • Must have completed at least two full-time enrollment semesters with 24 transferable credits to a four-year college or university.
  • Have a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale.
  • Declared a Major.

Award Information:

If selected as a recipient, the student will receive an award ranging from $2,500-$5,000.

Awards are not renewable; however, students may reapply to the program each year they meet eligibility requirements. Preference will be given to previous award recipients.

Awards are for undergraduate study only.

Notification

Applicants will be notified in July. Not all applicants to the program will be selected as recipients.

Payment of Scholarships

Scholarship America processes scholarship payments on behalf of The Orange County Community Foundation. Payments are made in one installment in early August.

Scholarship finalists are selected on the basis of:

  • Academic record
  • Demonstrated leadership and participation in school and community activities
  • Work experience
  • Statement of educational and career goals and objectives
  • Unusual personal or family circumstances
  • An online recommendation from an educational instructor

Financial need will be considered. Recipients must demonstrate need.

Scholarship America will select ten finalists and the Orange County Community Foundation will select recipients. All applicants agree to accept the decision as final.

As part of your application, you must upload the following document:

  • A current, complete transcript of grades. Grade reports are not accepted. Transcripts must display:
    • Student name
    • School name
    • Grades
    • Credit hours for each course and term in which each course was taken.

    NOTE: If you are providing SAT or ACT test scores, and those scores are not listed on your high school transcript, you will need to upload a copy of your test score report(s) separately. If you are uploading a college transcript, those scores are not required.

    Also as part of your application, one online recommendation form from an educational instructor must be submitted on your behalf by May 6, 2025 3:00 pm Central Time/1:00 pm Pacific Time.

    Your application is not complete unless all required documents are submitted electronically through the Scholarship America Student Hub.

    The Orange County Community Foundation has partnered with Scholarship America. Selecting the button below will redirect you to the Scholarship America Student Hub!

    Please make sure to add studentsupport@scholarshipamerica.org as well as the program email address provided below in the footer as safe senders in your email contact list.