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SDSU Scholarships FAQ

Aztec Scholarship Application Process

The SDSU Aztec Scholarships application is will open on March 10, 2025, for awards in the 2025-26 academic year. 
  1. Scholarships are awarded during specific review periods within our yearly application cycle and are strategically placed based on eligibility requirements. Deadlines are posted under the "Actions" column of the "Ours" section and within each scholarship's description. Regardless of the deadline, all scholarships are awarded for the 2025-26 academic year.
  2. Students may apply at any time between March 10, 2025, and September 5, 2025; however, to match to the highest of scholarships possible, is is highly recommended that students submit their application by the appropriate early action deadline listed below:
    1. April 4, 2025: continuing students and incoming students who have submitted intent to enroll
    2. August 1, 2025: incoming students who submitted intent after April 4, 2025
  3. Remember, if an above early action deadline is not met, there is still ample time to apply. All students may submit applications until the final deadline on September 5, 2025, as a large number of scholarships are awarded after this date.
  • Auto-Match: In Aztec Scholarships, auto-match scholarships are opportunities that students are automatically applied to based on their general application answers, financial aid, and student information system data, including major, GPA, class level, and special programs. These scholarships do not require additional steps from the students to apply, as the system matches them with eligible opportunities seamlessly. As a result, auto-match scholarships are not visible to applicants.
  • Recommended/Apply-To Scholarships: Recommended opportunities are scholarships the system suggests to students after they submit their general application. Unlike auto-match scholarships, recommended opportunities require students to submit additional materials to be in the applicant pool. Recommended opportunities streamline the scholarship application process by excluding any options for which the basic eligibility criteria has not been met.
    • Applicants need to review the criteria carefully and, if eligible, submit the necessary documents by the specified deadline for their application to be complete. Students should only apply for the scholarships for which all eligibility requirements are met.
    • Students should not be concerned if they do not receive a list of recommended scholarships or if their list is short, as most of the scholarships in Aztec Scholarships are auto-match.
Questions on the general application are asked to match applicants to specific accounts in the system; therefore, the selection lists students see are not all-inclusive. Because these questions are asked for scholarship matching purposes specifically, it is important to make your selections accurately and honestly.
  • Although we have a number of scholarships that are available only to students who have financial need as determined by the SDSU Financial Aid Office, the majority of Aztec Scholarships do not have a need component.
  • If you wish to be considered for any scholarships that do require financial need, you are required to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act Application and have a complete financial aid file on record by the scholarship's posted deadline.
  • If the scholarship you are applying to requires a letter of recommendation or reference, please give your recommenders ample time (two weeks or more) to complete this task. Remember, the deadline to submit a letter of recommendation or reference letter is the same as the scholarship deadline, and late submissions will not be considered.
  • Please note that references cannot log into Aztec Scholarships until you submit your application. However, you can continue to make edits and adjustments to your application even after submission up until the: scholarship's posted deadline.
  • Yes, students planning to study abroad at any point between summer 2025 and spring 2026 can apply for Aztec Scholarships, and should indicate so on questions related to study abroad of the general application. The SDSU Global Education Office can help you choose a study abroad program that is eligible for financial aid and scholarship consideration.
  • You will still need to follow the same requirements and deadlines as students studying at SDSU main campus. Please click on “SDSU Scholarships and Study Abroad” to be directed to more information.
  • If you are using Safari, please sign in using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.
  • If you need help with your SDSU email address or password, please contact SDSU Information Technology: https://it.sdsu.edu/get-help.
  • If you are experiencing technical issues not related to your SDSU email address, please reach out to the Scholarship Office at [email protected].
  • If you didn't find the answer to your question on our website, we're here to lend a hand. Please reach out to us at [email protected]. Include your full name and RedID on all correspondence to ensure a personalized response.

Aztec Scholarship Awarding Timeline

  • An email confirmation sent to your SDSU email verifying that your application was successfully submitted and received.
  • If selected for an award, a notification to your SDSU email with a link to Aztec Scholarships to review and agree to understanding the scholarship's requirements, accept the scholarship offer, and complete a thank you note.
  • Once the thank you note is completed and approved, the scholarship will be posted in your my.SDSU account.
  • Scholarship notifications will generally occur between mid-April through November. A large number of scholarship awards are announced between mid-September to mid-October.
  • Incoming students will generally hear about the status of award decisions during the fall semester.
  • Study abroad and internship scholarship awards are announced between mid-November to early-December.
  • If you are not selected for an award, regret notifications are sent to SDSU emails typically in mid - late November.

Students Awarded an Aztec Scholarship

  • Yes, scholarship recipients must submit a thank you note for each scholarship awarded by San Diego State University. The thank you note must be submitted within 14 calendar days from the day of official award notification. The note is submitted electronically in Aztec Scholarships.
  • Deadlines are strictly enforced. If the thank you note is not received by the deadline, the scholarship award is at risk of being rescinded and awarded to an alternate. Please click on the “thank you note” link above to be directed to more information about thank you notes and examples.

Login to the Aztec Scholarships Portal, click on “My Applications,” scroll down to the section titled “Current,” then click on the name of the scholarship (which has a link that will take you to a new page), select the scholarship name a second time to be presented with the scholarship requirements.

  • Yes, scholarship offers and disbursements are contingent upon the recipient meeting all eligibility and enrollment requirements throughout the academic year. If all requirements are not met, a scholarship may be canceled. Be sure to review the eligibility requirements for the scholarship(s) you are receiving.
  • The SDSU Scholarship Office tracks changes to recipients' major, GPA, and class level throughout the award year. Any change to academic or other qualifications may result in cancelation if scholarship requirements are no longer met.
  • The SDSU Scholarship Office follows official University Policy to confirm scholarship enrollment requirements are met. For graduate students, policy states full-time enrollment is nine units of coursework per semester or enrollment in 799A, 897, 899, or 894; part-time enrollment is five units of coursework per semester or enrollment in 799B or 799C. For undergraduates, full-time enrollment is 12 units per semester; part-time enrollment is six units per semester.
  • Please note that departmental policies related to enrollment are not followed when determining eligibility.
  • Please refer to the "Application and Awarding Policies" document available in the SDSU Aztec Scholarships tab located above regarding policies related to eligibility and enrollment requirements. 

Enrollment Requirements

Undergraduates and 2nd Bachelor's students, Full-time

12 units

Undergraduates and 2nd Bachelor's students, Part-time

6 units

Postbaccalaureate students (credential, graduate, and doctoral students), Full-time

9 units OR enrolled in of the following courses: 799A, 897, 899, Psychology 894 (Clinical Internship)

Postbaccalaureate students (credential, graduate, and doctoral students), Part-time

5 units OR enrolled in one of the following courses: 799B, 799C

 

For all students who have applied for, or have been awarded financial aid, receiving additional financial resources like scholarships can affect financial aid eligibility. Federal and state law requires that scholarships be counted when determining financial aid eligibility; therefore, we will adjust financial aid when necessary.
Send an email to [email protected] and include your full name and RedID. It can depend on the particular scholarship you were awarded, but in many cases, yes, we can move scholarship funds to fall based on early graduation.
  • Like financial aid, scholarship disbursements start one week before the first week of the semester and are applied to any outstanding direct university charges first. Any remaining funds will be sent via direct deposit or mailed to an address on file.
  • If the semester has already begun and you are awarded a scholarship, disbursement should occur within approximately two weeks of the day you submit the required thank you note. Students with outstanding financial aid documents or other holds may experience delays to this timeline.

Aztec Scholarship Selection Process

At SDSU, policy establishes a core scholarship committee within each college/division as appropriate to oversee the selection process. The responsibility for awarding scholarships rests with the core scholarship committee and their sub-committee review groups. CSU Scholarship Administration guidelines state that scholarship committee members are appointed by the University or auxiliary organization, not a donor, and no combination of donors or donor advisors (or related persons) directly or indirectly control committees.

Aztec Scholarships Awarding Data

We award approximately 2,200 scholarships each application cycle. The average award value from the last four years is $2,538. 

References in Aztec Scholarships

1. Click the following link to access Aztec Scholarships

2. Switch from the "Applicants and Administrators" tab to the "References and Reviewers" tab

3. Non-SDSU affiliates who have been selected as a reference must sign in with a Blackbaud ID (BBID). To access your Reference or Reviewer account, sign in with your BBID using the email address where you received your invitation.

  • If you don’t have a BBID, click Continue with Blackbaud ID, then select Sign Up and follow the steps to create one. Signing up is a one-time process. Once you have signed up, you will be able to sign in with your new Blackbaud ID.
  • If you need to recover your password or you have not yet received an email confirming your account, see trouble signing in.
  • If you are trying to setup multi-factor authentication, please follow these instructions.