Alumni Association First Generation Scholarships

Fall 2026: 2026–2027 Academic Year Award

The goal of the Alumni Association FIRST GENERATION Scholarship is to encourage and support first-generation families in their pursuit of higher education.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Must be the first individual/generation in your family to attend a 4-year college or university.
  • High school, community college, or CSUN GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) at the time of application and at the time funds are disbursed.
  • Must have well-balanced, meaningful involvement and leadership in community and/or extracurricular activities.
  • Must be and remain in good academic standing throughout the award year.
  • One letter of recommendation will be submitted on your behalf via the myMatadors Scholarship portal.
  • Enrollment requirement during the award year: Any change to your enrollment status resulting in less than the required enrollment for any term within the award year will result in cancellation of your award.
    • Undergraduate: 12 units or more each term
    • Graduate: 6 units or more each term
  • Must have a current FAFSA or California Dream Act Application on file for the upcoming academic year.
  • Must submit an educational resume.

Awards Available

Multiple scholarships will be awarded. All awards follow the eligibility requirements above unless additional criteria are listed.

  • Scott and Jill Feinstein First Generation Scholarship (1 award)
  • General First Generation Scholarship (5 awards)
  • Len Friedman First Generation Scholarship (1 award)
  • Project GRAD LA First Generation Scholarship (2 awards; additional criteria below)

Recipient Requirement

All recipients of these awards agree to submit a thank-you letter addressed to the Alumni Association Board of Directors Scholarship Committee in order for the award to disburse.

Questions?
Contact Melissa Dreiling at (818) 677-2000.

Writing Support

The CSUN Writing Center is available to help you write any of the essay questions listed below.

Project GRAD LA: Additional Criteria
(Applies only to the 2 Project GRAD LA awards)

Eligibility Requirement
Applicants must have graduated from one of the following high schools:

  • Arleta High School
  • Cesar Chavez Learning Academies (any of the 4)
  • San Fernando High School
  • Sylmar Charter High School

About Project GRAD LA

Project GRAD Los Angeles is a college readiness program designed to increase rates of college admission, persistence, and graduation for low-income minority students. Project GRAD LA worked consistently to address inequities in under-resourced schools in the Northeast San Fernando Valley by providing college advising and college experiences to thousands of high school students. This contributed to over 3,000 students applying to and attending CSUN during the last twenty years.

After 21 years of serving students in the Northeast San Fernando Valley, Project GRAD Los Angeles closed its doors on August 21, 2020. To continue their mission of supporting first-generation students attending and completing college, the Board of Directors pledged a portion of their organizational funds to endow first-generation student scholarships in perpetuity at California State University, Northridge.

Note:If you are receiving financial aid (including loans), your financial aid award(s) may be adjusted if you receive a scholarship that exceeds your total aid limit. Speak with a financial aid counselor during walk-in hours for a detailed overview of your individual situation.

Award
$3,000
Deadline
03/15/2026
Supplemental Questions
  1. Are you the very first individual from your immediate family to attend a four year university? (Note: Immediate family is defined as parent(s) sibling(s) and/or guardian(s).
  2. Are you majoring in Public Health, Health Administration or pursuing a career in the field of community health?
  3. For Project GRAD LA award consideration, please select the high school you graduated from:
  4. List your current employment in and/or outside of the home with an estimated number of hours you work per week.
  5. List your involvement, including approximate dates, with any school based clubs, service organizations, and/or personal volunteer time. If you were unable to be a volunteer, please provide a brief description as to why.
  6. In approximately 400 words, tell us how your family background affected how you view education and the world today. Share with us why receiving a college education is important to you. Please note, this portion of the application is weighed the most by the scoring committee.
  7. [MSP 1] Please request: A letter of recommendation from a teacher, professor, counselor, or community leader - who can attest to your meritorious performance and personal strengths and can assess your potential for academic and career success. The letter should include a signature, title, and contact information. The letter should be addressed to: *Award Selection Committee*.
  8. Please upload: Degree Progress Report or Unofficial Transcripts
  9. Please upload: A copy of your student resume/CV.
  10. Show 4 more