Scholarships are financial aid provided to a student on the basis of academic merit or specific criteria set by the university and/or the donors. The criteria usually reflect the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award. Scholarship money is not required to be repaid.

California Maritime Foundation Scholarships for Continuing Students

The California Maritime Foundation manages all scholarship endowments on behalf of the University. Annual interest earned by the endowments provides a source for Undergraduate student scholarships. The Foundation also receives annual scholarship funds from individuals, bequests, corporations, foundations and professional associations.

Awards are based on donor agreements that set a specific minimum GPA and criteria that can vary by scholarship. The Cal Maritime Scholarship Committee will consider a well written essay, cumulative Cal Maritime GPA, major, financial need and Corp of Cadet standing (merits/demerits) when selecting recipients of the scholarships.

FILL OUT THE SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION

Eligibility

Applicants must be current Cal Maritime students returning for the Fall 2022 semester. Applications must be submitted annually in order to receive a scholarship. Funding is not guaranteed from one term to the next. Academic GPA standing must be maintained in order to qualify for second semester payments as well as eligibility for awards in following years. Failure to maintain required academic standing for any semester, submission of an application, or compliance with scholarship criteria will result in the loss of an award.

The Cal Maritime Foundation Application Web Site for Returning Students will be available December 4, 2023 through February 28, 2024.

To begin the application click on "The Application Web Site" and then click on the "Sign In" in the upper right corner. Applications submitted during this period will be for scholarships that are awarded in the 2024-25 academic year.  You do not have to apply for individual scholarships.

Thank You Letters

A requirement of being awarded Cal Maritime Foundation Scholarships is that cadets must submit a well written Thank You Letter to their donor. The scholarship will be reflected in your Finanical Aid package but will not pay to your Student Account until a Thank You Letter  is sent to the Office of Advancement. Below is a guide on how to write a Thank You Letter provided by CSU Fresno State.

The Importance Of Thanking Your Donor

Scholarship donors are generous and caring people who unselfishly give to support the educational endeavors of students like you.  They typically ask for nothing in return, but receiving a well written thank you letter from a student is always special and lets the donor know that his or her scholarship was greatly appreciated.  Your letter reminds them why they gave in the first place and often help secure continuing gifts for future students.

Writing A Well Written Letter

You are an important part of the Cal Maritime Family, and the literacy demonstrated in your letter is a reflection on all of us.

A Step-By-Step Guide:

  1. Greet the Donor
    Write to the donor or organization.  The donor's name should be listed in your award notification.
  2. Express Your Gratitude
    - Write sincerely with an active voice.
    - Mention the scholarship by name.
    - Do not directly mention money or request additional financial support.
      Examples: "Thank you so much for your generosity." "It is an honor to
      be chosen for the ABC Family Scholarship."
  3. Demonstrate the Impact
    Share how being a student at Cal Maritime is impacting your life and what you enjoy most.  Examples: Why you chose Cal Maritime. Your course of study. Community service activities. Accomplishments, awards or honors you are proud of.  Interests outside your studies.
  4. Look Forward
    Share you plans for the future: trips, activities, graduation or prospective job. Let them know how this scholarship has helped to further your education. Example: "Upon completion of my studies Iplan  to pursue a career as a third mate on this type of vessel."
  5. Grace...Thank Again
    Examples: "Thanks again for your gift."  "Thanks again. I appreciate
    the scholarship assistance."
  6. Signing Off
    Examples: "Sincerely," "Warm Regards," "Yours Truly," "With Sincere
    Thanks," etc.

Final Steps:

  • Be clear and concise. One page is more than sufficient.
  • Proofread your work. You communicate your intelligence with correct grammar and spelling.
  • Letters with errors or little content will be returned for rewrites.

Scholarships for New Students

Presidential Scholarships

Cal Maritime's Presidential Scholarships recognize the academic achievements of top California freshman enrolling in each of our seven academic degree programs (majors). The Scholarships are funded through the generous donations to the Cal Maritime Foundation by businesses and individuals. Demonstrating financial need is not required to receive these scholarships.

Western Undergraduate Exchange Scholarship (WUE)

The Western Undergraduate Exchange Scholarship (WUE) program is designed to permit students from participating states to attend Cal Maritime at reduced tuition rates.

Captain David Lyman Scholarship for Hawaii Residents

The Captain David Lyman Scholarship seeks to honor the memory of Captain David Lyman as a longtime member of Hawaii's maritime community by providing financial incentive for Hawaii students to apply to and enroll at Cal Maritime and pursue a profession in the maritime field.

Osher Foundation Scholarship for Upper-Division California Community College Transfer Students

The Bernard Osher Foundation, headquartered in San Francisco, was founded in 1977 by Bernard Osher, a respected businessman and community leader. The Foundation seeks to improve quality of life through support for higher education and the arts. The Foundation provides post-secondary scholarship funding to colleges and universities across the nation. The Osher Foundation Term Endowment was established to provide scholarships of $5,000 or less to community college transfer students.

California State University Systemwide Scholarships

The Director of Financial Aid will coordinate all required information for selected candidates. The Deadline to submit applications to the Financial Aid Office is April 29, 2022. These scholarships are for students who have matriculated at Cal Maritime and have a CSU GPA.

CSU Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement

The CSU Trustees' Awards for Outstanding Achievement recognize students who have demonstrated financial need, modeled exemplary academic performance, community service and personal accomplishments. This scholarship will be determined by the Cal Maritime Foundation Scholarship Committee based on the pool of applicants for Foundation Scholarships.

Trustee Emerita Claudia Hampton California Academy of Math and Science Endowment

Four $4,000 scholarships are available for students who have graduated from the California Academy of Math and Science High School. See Financial Aid Office for application.

Howard C. Christiansen Trust Endowment

Four $6,000 scholarships available to students studying any major in engineering towards a bachelors or graduate degree. Scholarship applications for the CSU Trustees' Award will be selected first. If there are not enough engineering applicants, then the scholarship may be awarded to a second pool of engineering applicants outside the CSU Trustees' Award. This scholarship will be determined by the Cal Maritime Foundation Scholarship Committee based on the pool of applicants for Foundation Scholarships.

Richard Leffingwell Scholarship

Two $3,000 Scholarships will support students pursuing a course of student in business, economics or other disciplines that will serve the applicant in achieving goals related to nonprofit or public service. All else being equal, military veterans will receive favorable consideration. See Financial Aid Office for application.

 State and CSU Waivers

 

Cal Vet Tuition Fee Waiver for Veteran Dependents

This is a waiver that covers the systemwide tuition fee at Cal Maritime.  The Waiver does not cover the mandatory (auxiliary) campus fees which include student fees, student health service fees, among many others.

If you are eligible for this waiver, you will not be eligible for California State aid (Cal Grant, Middle Class Scholarships, State University Grant).

For more information, contact your local County Veterans Service Office

Alan Pattee Scholarship Act: Tuition Fee Waiver

Pursuant to the Alan Pattee Scholarship Act, Education Code 68120, Education Code 68120.5, children of deceased public law enforcement or fire suppression employees, who were California residents and who were killed in the course of law enforcement or fire suppression duties, are not charged mandatory system-wide fees or tuition of any kind at any California State University campus. Contact teh Cashiers Office regarding this waiver.

The California State University (CSU) Foster Youth Tuition Waiver

The California State University (CSU) Foster Youth Tuition Waiver is available for current and former foster care youth who are enrolled at a California State University campus in an undergraduate program.

The purpose of the CSU Foster Youth Tuition Waiver is to provide increased access for current and former foster youth to higher education by providing a tuition waiver. The waiver is open to qualified current and former foster youth enrolled as undergraduate students.

Students are exempt from paying the systemwide tuition fee (this covers only state-supported courses) at any CSU campus. The tuition fee waiver only applies to the systemwide mandatory tuition fee and application fee. It does not apply to campus-based mandatory (auxiliary) fees. The amount of the waiver may be reduced by any state or federal aid, including scholarships or grants, received by the student for the academic year or semester/quarter.

If you are already receiving a Cal Grant Tuition Grant or State University Grant, you do not need to apply for the Foster Youth Tuition Waiver.

Learn More about the CSU Foster Youth Tuition Waiver

CSU Fee Waiver and Reduction Program

The California State University (CSU) Fee Waiver and Reduction Program (Fee Waiver) is a program designed to reduce or waive state fees for eligible  employees to take classes at a CSU campus in order to improve current job skills/abilities (work-related training) or to obtain the education needed to pursue CSU career goals (career development).

Employees eligible to participate in the Employee Fee Waiver & Reduction Program may transfer their fee waiver benefit entitlement to an eligible dependent (spouse, domestic partner, or dependent child).

A Fee Waiver application must be submitted for each semester participation is requested in the program for both new and continuing participants. Applicants are responsible for reapplying each semester.

 

Student Secured Scholarships (outside scholarships)

Student secured scholarships are those students bring with them to Cal Maritime. Generally, these scholarships are given to students with special qualifications, such as academic, athletic or artistic talent. Awards are also available for students who are interested in particular fields of study, who are members of underrepresented groups, who live in certain areas of the country, or who demonstrate financial need.

All scholarships must be coordinated through the Financial Aid Office and are counted towards student financial aid eligibility. Regardless of how the scholarship is paid to the student it must be reported to the Financial Aid Office.

Students can search for and apply for scholarships throughout the year. There are several free scholarship search engines you can use to search for scholarships.

Student Secured Scholarship Provider Information:

  1. Make checks payable to Cal Maritime

  2. Identify the student's name in the memo section of the check.

  3. Provide contact information and any special instruction in a letter to accompany the check.

  4. Scholarships without special instructions are divided equally between semesters.

  5. Mail scholarship checks to:

    California State University Maritime Academy
    Attention: Cashier's Office
    200 Maritime Academy Dr.
    Vallejo, CA 94590

Preferred scholarship check schedule

August for the Fall semester or academic year
December for the Spring semester
March for the Summer semester

When Cal Maritime receives a check:

  • The Financial Aid Office will enter the scholarship amount in the student's financial aid award. If the funds are received prior to the start of the semester, it is considered "pending aid" and will defer the tuition payment until the first disbursement of the semester.

  • Cal Maritime will verify the student meets enrollment or other criteria specified prior to disbursing the scholarship check.

  • After university charges are paid, any remaining funds will be disbursed to the student.

Students who have been awarded a student secured scholarship:

  1. You are required to notify the Cal Maritime Financial Aid Office with a copy of your scholarship award.

  2. The organization that awards you the scholarship will generally mail the check to Cal Maritime. If mailed to you directly, bring it to the Financial Aid Office for processing.

  3. The Financial Aid Office will coordinate your scholarship award with your financial aid award package.