The Richmond Promise Scholarship

The core of the Richmond Promise model is a community-wide scholarship of $1,500 that is renewable for up to 4-6 years (depending on a student’s path and petition). The scholarship can be used at any 2-year, 4-year, or Career Technical Education (CTE) post-secondary institution (find our eligibility requirements in the FAQ section below). We are proud to support multiple pathways to higher education. There are currently over 1900 Scholars attending over 125 different colleges and universities across the country.

We work with students from all eligible schools to complete our scholarship application on time. But completing the application is just where we begin. Once a student becomes a Richmond Promise Scholar, we work with them through the transition between high school and college to make sure they enroll full-time and on time. Then we support our Scholars all the way through graduation through our college success programming.

Our goal is to ensure our Scholars not only make it to college but graduate with the tools and experience necessary to thrive in their career of choice.


*The next application period for the Richmond Promise Scholarship will open in December, 2023.*

The 2023-24 academic year scholarship application will tentatively open in December 2023 due to forthcoming changes with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The 2024-25 FAFSA application will launch December 1, 2023, and our scholarship will mirror the same timeline. We highly encourage all families to create their Federal Student Aid ID account beforehand to get a head start with the financial aid process.


Learn more about how we support our Scholars to degree completion here.

Scholarship FAQ

Wondering if you or a friend could receive the scholarship? How much the scholarship offers and what’s included? How we work with whatever school path you choose after high school/receiving your GED?

Find answers to your questions below! If you can’t find an answer to your question, let us know at info@richmondpromise.org.

Richmond Promise Scholarship Overview and General Questions

1. Am I eligible for the Richmond Promise?

To be eligible for the Richmond Promise, you must:

  1. Be a resident of the City of Richmond or North Richmond (i.e. have a Richmond home address)
  2. Graduate or have graduated from an eligible high school within the West Contra Costa Unified School District boundary area or received your GED/high school equivalency this academic year, last academic year or the year prior*
  3. Have attended an eligible high school at least 9th-12th grade consecutively
  4. Complete the FAFSA/Dream Act by the March 2 Cal Grant deadline (unless not AB 540 eligible)
  5. Submit a Richmond Promise Scholarship application by the application deadline

Additionally:

-Students can apply for the scholarship up to two years after obtaining their high school diploma/equivalency and up to the age of 24 as of the deadline in the year a student applies to the scholarship

-Students who pursue military service must apply within a year of high school graduation or receiving their equivalency but are exempt from the 24-year age limit. Students who pursue military service may defer their scholarship for up to 8 years as long as proof of service is provided.

2. Is my high school eligible?

Public, private, and charter schools within the West Contra Boundary Area are eligible. Find a list of eligible high schools here.

3. What is the scholarship award amount?

The scholarship award amount is $1,500.00 annually for 4 years ($6,000 total). It is possible to petition for up to 2 more years of scholarship funding ($3,000 total) if needed. 

All funding must be used within 6 years.

4. What if I’m a foster youth or homeless youth and have moved in and out of Richmond and between schools a lot, can I still qualify for the scholarship?

If you have extenuating and unique circumstances, such as having moved or changed schools many times due to being in foster care or homeless, we encourage you to complete a Richmond Promise Scholarship application. You will be required to also complete an Appeal Form, which will be reviewed by the Richmond Promise Appeals Committee. We strongly recommend that you contact us to find out more about whether you should complete an appeal.

5. Is the Richmond Promise available for AB 540 eligible and/or undocumented students?

Yes! The scholarship is available to any Richmond resident who graduated from an eligible school. AB 540 eligible students will need to complete the California Dream Act application by the March 2 Cal Grant deadline to qualify for the Richmond Promise Scholarship.

If you are not AB540 eligible and are undocumented, you can still complete a Richmond Promise Scholarship application. You may be required to also complete an Appeal Form to explain your extenuating circumstances, which will be reviewed by the Richmond Promise Appeals Committee. We strongly recommend that you contact us ( scholarships@richmondpromise.org ) to find out more about whether you should complete an appeal. Not sure if you’re AB540 eligible? Learn more here.

6. Where can I use my Richmond Promise Scholarship?

You can use your Richmond Promise Scholarship at any accredited, not for profit 2-year or 4-year college/university, or Career and Technical Education (CTE) program in the United States. You may not use the scholarship for fully online or at for profit institutions.

7. What is the difference between a non-profit and for profit college? [1]

Non-profit schools typically invest their revenue back into the school and provide broader student services, whereas for-profit schools are more accountable to shareholders. Additionally, the credits earned at a for-profit school may not be regionally accredited, meaning they cannot be transferred over to other regionally accredited schools.

We cannot send the Richmond Promise Scholarship to for profit colleges. Exception: Kaiser School of Allied Health

Not sure if the school you’re looking at is not-for-profit? You can look up its status here: https://collegesearch.collegeboard.org/home

[1] NACAC https://www.nacacnet.org/globalassets/documents/publications/forprofit.pdf

8. Is the Richmond Promise Scholarship just for one year?

No! The Richmond Promise Scholarship is renewable for up to a total of four years for all students. If needed, students also have the opportunity to petition for up to 2 more years of funding to complete their educational goal.

9. How long do I have to use my Richmond Promise Scholarship?

Students have up to 6 years to use 4 years’ worth of scholarship funds (8 semesters or 12 quarters).

10. What if I take a break from school after high school/GED completion?

We understand the variability of life circumstances that may cause a student to have to take a term or year off from school. Richmond Promise Scholarship recipients may take up to two academic years (or four semesters/six quarters consecutively) off from school and continue to receive their scholarship when they return. Please be in touch with us at scholarships@richmondpromise.org if you believe you will need to take time off.

Additionally, students who did not apply for the Richmond Promise Scholarship the year they graduated from high school or completed their GED/high school equivalency, may apply for the scholarship up to two years after completion of either. New scholarship applicants must be under the age of 24 when they apply (unless they are/were in the military).

11. Can the scholarship be transferred from a two-year college to a four-year college or university?

Yes! Richmond Promise will happily transfer your scholarship between eligible schools and actively encourage people to transfer from two to four-year schools if that is part of your educational goal. Please meet with your community college counselor as soon as possible to create a transfer plan.

Richmond Promise Scholarship Application Questions

1. When should I apply for the Richmond Promise Scholarship?

You should apply for the Richmond Promise Scholarship your senior year of high school or the year you are planning on completing your GED/high school equivalency. You may also apply up to two years after completing high school or a GED/high school equivalency program up to the age of 24 years old (unless you are/were in the military).

Remember you must complete your FAFSA or California Dream Act Application by the March Cal Grant Deadline to apply for the Richmond Promise.

The application opens in early October and closes in early March every year.

2. When is the application due and how can I get help with it?

You can find this year’s application deadline here. Late applications will not be accepted.

For assistance with your application, please utilize your school’s college and career center, or see if we have a workshop coming up.

3. What do I need in order to submit an application?

  1. Email: You will need an email address to create an account for the online application
  2. SAR: You must upload your SAR or CalSAR as a .pdf file. You receive your SAR or CalSAR after completing the FAFSA or Dream Act.*
  3. *Remember: You must complete your FAFSA/Dream Act application by March 2 each year as a requirement for the Richmond Promise Scholarship unless you are ineligible to complete either financial aid application (i.e. not AB 540 eligible).

4. Why do I have to fill out the FAFSA or Dream Act by March 2?

The FAFSA and the CA Dream Act application provide government financial aid to California residents. It is necessary that you apply by March 2 so you receive the maximum amount of financial support to make completing college as affordable as possible. If you are not eligible to complete the FAFSA or Dream Act (not AB 540 eligible), you will be exempt from this requirement.

Reminder: You complete either the FAFSA OR the Dream Act, not both, depending on your citizenship status.

5. How do I know whether to complete the FAFSA or the Dream Act?

You should complete the FAFSA if you are one of the following:

  • United States citizen
  • United States permanent resident with a Permanent Resident Card (Alien Registration Receipt Card, or “Green Card”)
  • Conditional permanent resident (1-551C)
  • Other eligible noncitizens with an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the Department of Homeland Security showing any one of the following designations: “Refugee,” “Asylum Granted,” “Indefinite Parole,” “Humanitarian Parole,” or “Cuban-Haitian Entrant”

You should complete the Dream Act if one of the following applies to you:

  • AB 540 or AB 2000 eligible student (Learn if you are AB 540 eligible here)
  • Reside in California with a U-Visa
  • Reside in California with a Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
  • You have a DACA Social Security Number

Reminder: You complete either the FAFSA OR the Dream Act, not both, depending on your citizenship status.

6. How do I download my Student Aid Report (SAR) as a pdf?

For download instructions, click here or continue reading below.

FAFSA: Must be downloaded as one pdf file from the FAFSA website (fafsa.ed.gov)

  1. Which type of web browser are you using: Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox? Find the section for your specific browser below and follow its instructions. 
  2. You can access your SAR as a PDF by following these steps:

In Google Chrome:

  1. Log into your FAFSA
  2. Click “View or Print Student Aid Report” for your 2021-22 FAFSA
  3. Click “View as a pdf”
  4. Scroll all the way to the bottom and click “Print” or go to File > Print
  5. Change the printer to “Save as a pdf”
  6. Click save and it should save your whole Student Aid Report as one pdf file

In Internet Explorer:

  1. Log into your FAFSA
  2. Click “View or Print Student Aid Report” for your 2021-22 FAFSA
  3. Click “View Student Aid Report (PDF)”
    • The browser may block the pop-up. If this happens, select “allow once” from the bottom of the browser screen
  4. Drag the mouse to the bottom of the screen until a menu appears; select “Save a Copy,” the leftmost button
  5. Click save and it should save your whole Student Aid Report as one pdf file

In Mozilla Firefox:

  1. Log into your FAFSA
  2. Click “View or Print Student Aid Report” for your 2021-22 FAFSA
  3. Click “View Student Aid Report (PDF)”
  4. Click the “Download” button in the right hand corner
  5. Select “Save File” and it should save your whole Student Aid Report as one pdf file

California Dream Act

  • Log into your California Dream Act Application account
  • Click “View Processed Information,” enter your 4-digit federal PIN number, and then click “Next.”
  • A window will pop up showing your SAR as a PDF. Follow the above instructions that correspond with the web browser you are using to save the document.

7. Do I have to wait until my parents or I file taxes to complete my FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application?

No, you do not! You should use you and your parent’s taxes and income information from twy years ago to complete your FAFSA or Dream Act. We recommend you use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (only if you are completing a FAFSA, not a CA Dream Act Application) if you can to quickly and accurately input you and your parents’/guardians’ income information.

Still confused about which year’s taxes to use? If you are applying for financial aid for the 2019-20 academic year, you would use taxes from 2017.

8. When will I be notified if I received the Richmond Promise scholarship?

You will be notified via email in early May if you are a recipient of the Richmond Promise Scholarship.

9. I need help with the Richmond Promise Scholarship application, financial aid, and/or figuring out the college application and enrollment process in general. What do I do?

10. Where can I or my parents/guardians get help with filing taxes?

You can get free tax support at many local community sites. Visit Earn It! Keep It! Save It! to find free tax assistance near you! When you are going to get your taxes prepared, be sure to bring with you the following:

  1. Photo identification (for you and your spouse, if filing jointly)
  2. Social Security card or ITIN for each family member
  3. W-2 forms for all jobs held in previous year
  4. All 1099, 1098, or other tax forms
  5. Savings and checking account and routing numbers for Tax Refund Direct Deposit
  6. Prior year’s tax return
  7. Your household’s health coverage information (1095-A if bought through Covered CA).

I received the Richmond Promise Scholarship! Now what?

1. What do I need to do to receive my Richmond Promise scholarship?

In order to receive your Richmond Promise Scholarship, you will need to attend a College Success Workshop where required paperwork will be completed in June and July. If you are unable to attend a workshop, you must let the Richmond Promise know at scholarships@richmondpromise.org.

2. When will I receive my Richmond Promise scholarship?

If you attend a College Success Workshop, your scholarship will be received by your college at the beginning of the academic year. We will send a confirmation email/text to you once your check is sent. The amount of time it takes for colleges to process the award and apply it to your financial aid package varies, so we cannot guarantee a specific day that the money will be made available to you.

3. Will my Richmond Promise Scholarship be a direct check to me?

No. The Richmond Promise scholarship sent directly to your college. First the scholarship will be applied to your tuition, other school fees, or loans. If there is any extra award left over, it will be given to you by your school in the form of a check or directly sent to your bank account if you set up electronic funds transfer (EFT) with your school.

4. Will I receive all of my scholarship at the beginning of the school year?

No. For all scholarship recipients, your scholarship will be equally divided between your school’s two semester or three quarters (fall/spring, or fall/winter/spring).

5. What can my Richmond Promise Scholarship be used for?

The scholarship may be used for the total cost of attendance as defined and calculated by the college and university you attend, which includes: tuition and fees, books, supplies, food and housing, transportation, and other education-related expenses.

If funds are still available after being applied to your tuition, other school fees, or loans, any extra amount may be given to you in a check from your school for books, school supplies, food and housing, transportation, or other education-related expenses.

6. What happens if I am not attending school this fall but will start this upcoming spring or next fall?

We understand that situations may come up that prevent you from attending school in the fall as you planned; however, if you need extra support getting to school in the fall, please contact us at scholarships@richmondpromise.org or (510) 230-0422.

If you still cannot attend school this fall, no worries – you can begin receiving your Richmond Promise Scholarship either in the spring or the following fall after you were awarded the scholarship. You may only take up to a year (two semesters or three quarters consecutively, not including summer) off from being full time at school to remain eligible to receive the scholarship.

7. What do I need to do once I’m in college to remain eligible for the Richmond Promise Scholarship?

Congrats on getting to college! We are here to help encourage you to take advantage of the college experience and be as successful as possible. That’s why in order to remain eligible for renewal of the Richmond Promise scholarship you must:

  1. Be enrolled full-time (12 or more units) at an accredited, not for profit 2-year or 4-year college or university, or CTE program, unless you have a registered disability or are a custodial parent
  2. Maintain at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA
  3. Participate in an academic support program (e.g. EOP, EOPS, Puente, Umoja)
  4. Complete your FAFSA/Dream Act each year by the March 2 Cal Grant deadline
  5. Renew your Richmond Promise Scholarship each year by the established deadline

Returning Applicants: Renewal Process

1. When can I renew my Richmond Promise Scholarship?

You will be notified via email in late May during each year of college on how and where to renew your Richmond Promise Scholarship. The deadline will be in July.

2. What do I need to do to remain eligible for the Richmond Promise Scholarship?

To remain eligible for the Richmond Promise scholarship, each year of college you must:

  1. Be enrolled full-time (12 or more units) at an accredited, not for profit 2-year or 4-year college or university, or CTE program, unless you have a registered disability or are a custodial parent
  2. Maintain at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA
  3. Complete your FAFSA/Dream Act each year by the March 2 Cal Grant deadline (if eligible)
  4. Renew your Richmond Promise Scholarship each year by the established deadline
  5. If recommended, participate in an academic support program (e.g. EOP, EOPS, Puente, Umoja)

3. What happens if I do not meet one of the eligibility requirements?

If you do not meet one of the above eligibility requirements, you should still complete the renewal application by the deadline! You will be required to complete an Appeal Form as a part of your application. The form will be built into the renewal application. Richmond Promise staff will review your appeal to decide whether to grant you an exception to continue receiving your scholarship that year.

4. What happens if I miss the renewal application deadline?

If you miss the deadline, you will not receive your scholarship for the upcoming school year; however, you may be eligible to complete a renewal application the following year and begin receiving your Richmond Promise Scholarship the following academic year. It is important to check your email for updates and we recommend opting in to receive SMS updates from the team as well!

5. What do I need to complete my Richmond Promise Scholarship renewal application?

In order to complete a renewal Richmond Promise application, you will need:

  1. Proof of Enrollment: Upload a screenshot of your class schedule for the upcoming term. It does not need to be finalized, but if possible, it should clearly show your name, student ID# and/or the name of your school.
  2. Unofficial Transcript: You can find this in your student portal. It will have your academic record from every term you have been at your school.
  3. FAFSA Student Aid Report (SAR) or CA Dream Act Application Student Aid Report (CalSAR): You must upload your SAR or CalSAR as a .pdf file. You receive your SAR or CalSAR after completing the FAFSA or Dream Act.*

*Remember: You must complete your FAFSA/Dream Act application by March 2 each year as a requirement for the Richmond Promise Scholarship unless you are ineligible to complete either financial aid application (i.e. not AB 540 eligible – learn more here).

For requirements to remain eligible for the Richmond Promise scholarship see above: What do I need to do to remain eligible for the Richmond Promise Scholarship?

6. What happens once I successfully renew my Richmond Promise Scholarship?

The Richmond Promise Team will review your application and let you know once it has been processed. In this time period, we will also request any incorrectly submitted or missing documents from you. The scholarship payment process will follow the same timing as the previous year it was awarded to you.