Current, future Oregon postsecondary students encouraged to apply online for scholarships and grants
SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -The Higher Education Coordinating Commission encourages all Oregonians pursuing postsecondary education in 2025-26 to apply for grants and scholarships through the state website OregonStudentAid.gov.
This month, the HECC Office of Student Access and Completion officially opened the OSAC Scholarship Application for the next academic year. The State of Oregon has made accessing scholarships easy for Oregon students with its central site for more than 600 scholarships. Through the application, students can apply for many awards at one time.
OSAC awarded more than $12 million in privately funded scholarships in the last application cycle. Private scholarship funds support students across the state — including graduating high school seniors, GED® completers, and adult learners — in many postsecondary education pathways.
Students could qualify for funds whether they are seeking degrees or certificates, whether they know their field of study or are just starting to consider their plans, and whether they are planning on attending a community college, a university, or an eligible career training program.
Those who submit their scholarship application by the early bird deadline of February 18, 2025, will have the chance to win a $1,000 scholarship, and the final deadline is March 3, 2025.
OSAC administers these funds in partnership with private donors and partner organizations that establish the funds. More than 500 of the scholarships were established through the Oregon Community Foundation, and OSAC also works with numerous other partners.
In addition to the continuing scholarships, we are pleased to report that several new scholarships were added for the 2025-26 academic year. Many are focused on supporting students from specific regions or schools across the state, while others focus on student background, experiences, or fields of study such as education, engineering, or STEM. View the full catalog here.
Also on the OregonStudentAid.gov site, students can learn about and apply for numerous state and federally funded grant programs such as the Oregon Opportunity Grant, Oregon Promise Grant, Oregon Tribal Student Grant, Oregon Student Child Care Grant, and more.
Students should plan to complete any required applications and the key forms that determine eligibility for need-based aid: the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Oregon Student Aid Application (ORSAA), which are expected to open in December.
All new and returning students should complete one of these two applications to be considered for federal and/or state financial aid such as the Federal Pell Grant, the OOG, and more. Many scholarships, if they are need-based, also require FAFSA or ORSAA completion. Students should mark their calendars for upcoming applications and deadlines:
- November: OSAC Scholarship Application Open
- December: 2025-26 FAFSA and ORSAA Open
- February 18: Early Bird Scholarship Deadline
- March 3: Scholarship Application Final Deadline
- June 2: Oregon Promise Application Deadline (Find your Promise deadline according to your graduation date here)
- Find other grant applications and deadlines here, including grants for members of Oregon's nine federally recognized Tribes, National Guard members, student parents, former foster care youth, and others
Need help with the financial aid process? The HECC Office of Student Access and Completion offers a number of resources for students, families, educators, and community members to help with the financial aid process and with college and career planning. Under the Resources section of our website, you can find videos on financial aid topics, request a live presentation, or download or order free publications about financial aid opportunities.
