Scholarships for Current Students
°µÍø½ûÇø Scholarships are funded by generous donors to the °µÍø½ûÇø Foundation. For information on how you can make a scholarship donation to support OCC students please contact the Foundation Office.
°µÍø½ûÇø scholarships are for current OCC students in all disciplines. Your scholarship application must be fully completed and electronically submitted by the deadline date. Be sure to read the Application Instructions below before applying.
The 2026/27 OCC Scholarship Application will be open from December 15, 2025 until the end of February 2026.
If you have any questions, please contact the Scholarship Office
(714) 432-5645 or e-mail the office at: Scholarship Office
- Fill out the online application and follow the application instructions.
- Your application will automatically be applied to qualified general scholarships. However, there may be a few additional scholarships that you may be qualified for, which require an additional essay as it pertains to that particular scholarship. Please follow the application instructions if you wish to apply for these additional scholarships. Be sure to apply every academic year from mid-December until the end of February.
- Within the application, one reference is required. OCC Faculty, Staff, or administrators is preferred.
- Once you've entered their email address, the system will automatically send them your request. They fill out the form electronically. Once they submit the form the system will upload to your scholarship application. You can log in to your application and check any time before the deadline date to see if your recommenders have completed your Reference Form. Deadline to submit is the same as the scholarship deadline. Make sure you ask them early.
- Personal Essay --REQUIRED.
- Type your Personal Essay directly onto your application. However, it would be better if you gather your thoughts then type it on a Word document and copy and paste in to the scholarship application.
- Limit your essay between 500 to 800 words using 12 pt. font.
- Do not use AI generated text or your application will be disqualified.
- The essay should include additional information that will help us understand your experiences and motivations as they relate to your education goals: “Tell us about an academic or personal hurdle that requires persistence or problem-solving. How did you navigate it, and how has it shaped your approach to your education?”
- Tip Sources for Essay:
Applying as a Continuing Students:
- Must be returning to OCC Fall of 2026.
- Completed at least 12 units with letter grades at OCC by the end of the Fall 2025.
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5, however GPA requirement varies among scholarships.
- Enrolled in a minimum of six (6) units during the Spring 2026 at OCC.
Applying as a Transfer Students:
- Have completed 42 units or more by the end of the Fall 2025, with at least 24 of those units completed at OCC
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5, however GPA requirement varies among scholarships
- Enrolled in a minimum of six (6) units during the Spring semester 2026 at OCC.
- Have not previously applied as a "Transfer" student
- Application Deadline is midnight on 3/1/2026.
- Applicants will be notified by OCC email of scholarship status in late April 2026.
- Selected recipients are invited to attend the Honors Night event and all Scholarship Recipients will receive an invitation.
- Instructions to receive the scholarship award will be emailed in June 2026.
- Disbursement starts in August 2026 for the 2026/2027 academic year.
- Disbursement of the scholarship award is contingent on fall semester enrollment.
- Classes enrolled must be within the United States.
- Deadline to claim your award is 10/31/2026. Any unclaimed award by the deadline date will be forfeited.
Department Scholarships are generally selected by faculty of the department to be awarded at Honors Night. Be sure to ask your department faculty or Division Office about Department Scholarships.
Students applying for a Department Scholarship must also fill out an OCC Scholarship Application during the application period (mid-December until the end of February).
The due dates depend on the department.
Important points to remember while reviewing these opportunities.
- 2.0 cumulative GPA required for most department scholarships
- Scholarships are awarded based on funds available and may not be awarded each year
- Selections are made via nomination, or an application process by the department.