Scholarships
If you’re interested in pursuing a post-secondary education, we probably have a scholarship that can help you realize your dream.
OCF manages one of the largest scholarship programs of its kind in the country, awarding thousands of scholarships each year.
Our scholarships support a wide variety of majors, interests and passions. We have scholarships for graduates of specific high schools, current college students and graduate students. Other scholarships support students returning to their educations after time away, for workforce retraining or career advancement.
Underlying every OCF scholarship fund is the belief that post-secondary education is a vital investment in Oregon’s future.
In 2023 OCF awarded
scholarships totaling
First Generation Students
Scholarship Seekers, Please Note!
You can find and apply to scholarships two ways:
1. Scholarships Through the Office of Student Access and Completion (OSAC)
OCF partners with the Office of Student Access and Completion (OSAC), a state agency, to administer over 500 of our scholarship funds. This makes your application process easier by letting you complete one common application through OSAC to access numerous scholarships from OCF's portfolio, in addition to other public and private funding sources. Here is OSAC's catalog of scholarships, which is searchable as well as downloadable.
Learn about the OCF administered scholarships
For Black women graduates of Oregon high schools to pursue and complete a degree in postsecondary education in Oregon, or at one of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities of the United States. Download the application.
For graduates or graduating seniors of Cottage Grove or Al Kennedy Alternative High Schools to attend an institution of higher education anywhere in the United States. The scholarship is intended for students who have shown the ability to overcome barriers, with special consideration given to those seeking to help others or better their environment. Download the application.
For Black/African American graduates or graduating seniors of a high school in Oregon. Preference is given to students passionate about giving back to their community and uplifting the next generation. Download the application.
For graduates of Klamath County high schools, who plan to attend an institution of higher education anywhere in the United States. Download the application.
For underrepresented and diverse Oregon residents pursuing their first year of enrollment at an institution of higher education in Oregon. Download the application.
For bi-lingual (Spanish/English) Latino students pursuing education at Oregon community colleges. Download the application.
For graduates of McKenzie High School in Finn Rock, Oregon to attend public institutions of higher education in Oregon with programs in natural resource-related fields. Preference will be given to applicants attending the College of Forestry at Oregon State University. Download the application.
For Black or African American student athletes from Deschutes County attending a community college in Oregon who show academic or vocational potential and due to their economic circumstances are not able to pay their total college costs from personal or family resources. Download the application.
For underrepresented students to major in construction engineering at an institution of postsecondary education in Oregon or aspiring to careers in that field, with preference for Multnomah County residents. Download the application.
For graduating seniors in Oregon or Clark County, WA to enroll at an institution of higher education anywhere in the United States. Applicants must (a) be born in Scotland, (b) have a parent or grandparent who was born in Scotland, or (c) have demonstrated a significant commitment to Scottish dancing, piping, drumming, Celtic harp or Highland fiddle. Download the application and the recommendation form.
For economically disadvantaged Black male graduates of Portland-area high schools who are enrolling at an institution of higher education anywhere in the United States. Download the application.
Also see our scholarships resources page.
Scholarship Assistance
For scholarship applicants
If you have inquiries about applications, awards, and distributions or would like to update your contact and school information, please contact:
- For the scholarships listed above and general inquiries
- Email: scholarships@oregoncf.org
- Phone: (503) 227-6846
- OSAC for scholarships you apply to through the OSAC portal
For prospective scholarship fund donations, please refer to the information here and call (503) 227-6846 to connect with an OCF Philanthropic Advisor.
Scholarship Advisory Committee Members
Are you interested in serving on a scholarship selection committee? OCF manages one of the largest scholarship programs of its kind in the country, awarding thousands of scholarships each year. Over 1,300 volunteers serve on scholarship advisory committees throughout Oregon helping us to make these awards.
Responsibilities include:
- Reading and discussing applications
- Selecting awardees as a committee in a fair and impartial manner according to OCF Scholarship Program guidelines
- Communicating promptly with committee chair
- Protecting the privacy of students by keeping their information confidential
- Declaring any conflicts of interest that arise when an applicant under consideration is someone well known or related to you
Time Commitment
The effort of a typical committee is spread over two to four weeks in the spring or early summer. The time commitment can vary depending on the size of the applicant pool:
- Read and analyze applications: average of 5-6 hours over 2 to 4 weeks, depending on the number of applications
- Attend committee meeting to discuss applications and award scholarships: 1-2 hours
The Scholarship Volunteer Handbook provides OCF scholarship program and general selection information to OCF scholarship volunteers.
If you are interested in the scholarship committee member role, please contact the scholarships team at scholarships@oregoncf.org.
