Acknowledge your understanding that you must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) by the scholarship's deadline to be considered for need-based scholarships.

For the question related to your eligibility for loans and grants, if you have submitted a FAFSA or CADAA:

• Answer "Yes" only if you have been offered a Federal Direct Subsidized Loan or Dream Loan, but you are not eligible for any grant aid, including any one of the following--Pell Grant, State University Grant, or Cal Grant.
• Answer “No” if you did not submit a financial aid application for
  the 2025-26 academic year.
• Answer “No” if you were awarded ANY grant aid, including Pell
  Grant, State University Grant, or Cal Grant.
• Answer “No” if you were only offered Federal Unsubsidized Loans
  • Review your my.SDSU account to determine your aid eligibility. If you have filed your FAFSA or CADAA for the 2025-26 academic year but have not yet been awarded financial aid, you can answer based on your 2024-25 FAFSA/CADAA or to the best of your ability and return to your application after you are awarded for the 2025-26 academic year.

• Read each option carefully and only select those that you are actively participating in and not those you are planning to join in the future.
• Avoid selecting past activities or those for which verification cannot be provided.
• If you selected a club or activity, please provide the start and end dates (if applicable) of your participation, along with the name and contact information of the best person to verify your involvement. If not applicable, enter “N/A.”

Read each option carefully and only select those that apply specifically to you.

• Your permanent resident address is where your home address is located. Your permanent resident address is not the local address you are using for the sole purpose of attending San Diego State University.
• If you are a dependent student and your parents live out-of-state, your permanent resident address is your parent’s home address.

• First-time freshmen are defined as students who have not previously attended any college after high school graduation or who have a General Education Development test (GED) certification.
• CSU GPA Calculator

• Incoming transfer students are defined as undergraduate students in their first
  year at SDSU who previously started their college academic journey at a different
  higher education institution, completed 60 or more transferable semester units,
  and then transferred to SDSU to complete their degree.

• Incoming graduate students are individuals admitted to a program of study leading to an advanced degree, such as a master's or doctoral degree.
• Do not answer “Yes” if you are an incoming post baccalaureate student who is in your first year pursuing a credential, advanced certificate, or second bachelor’s degree in nursing, and who has already completed an undergraduate degree.

• If you are currently employed at least 20 hours per week and your position is expected to continue through the upcoming academic year, answer “Yes.”
• Read additional options carefully and only select those that apply to your current employment status

• Include up to five activities from the past three years only.
  • Focus on activities that are related to your major.
  • If you have activities that are not related to your major but are still important, highlight the transferable skills you learned such as teamwork, communication, technology adaptability, etc.
• Provide the accurate number of hours per week and explain the focus of the organization and your duties.
• Provide accurate start and end dates. If you are still participating, enter “Present” for the End Date.

• Do not rush; give yourself time to develop your responses. The responses to these prompts will likely serve as the deciding factor when comparing equally accomplished and deserving applicants.
• This is your opportunity to help committee members learn more about you, what makes you unique, and why they should select you as the recipient.
• Our committee members are made up of faculty and staff closely related to the scholarship, and they are your audience.
• Don’t rely on artificial intelligence (AI) to respond. By responding in your voice, you are able to create a connection between you and the reader.
  • It is very apparent when students use artificial intelligence to respond to the prompts on the general application. Don’t be tempted to rely on AI to answer on your behalf.
• Scholarship committees don’t expect you to be perfect. They like to see how you’ve grown as a person or handled the obstacles that life has thrown your way.
• Complete your responses in a word processing application or Google doc first and then copy and paste the responses into Aztec Scholarships.
  • Question #1: In 200 words or less, if someone were to ask a family member, friend, colleague, teacher, or mentor to describe why you chose your major and what motivates you to be a successful student at SDSU, what would they say?
    
    • Since the question asks what others would say about you, consider reaching out to a family member, friend, colleague, teacher, or mentor to gain their perspective on what drives your genuine passion for your major or program of study. Oftentimes, those who are close to us and have heard us speak about our passion for a specific field can offer insights that go beyond our usual way of thinking. Explain how your major aligns with your career goals, and share specific experiences or interests that sparked your enthusiasm for the field, demonstrating a deep understanding and commitment to your chosen path. 
    • If you are undeclared, it is perfectly fine to say just that. Since you don’t have a major to write about, you can discuss your interests in two or three potential majors. You can explain how these interests developed, and what experience, if any, you have with them already. You can also explain how these areas are related, and, if applicable, how your potential majors will prepare you for a career. Again, you don’t need to have a specific plan, but provide some general ideas of what you’d like to do professionally. 
  • Question #2: In 200 words or less, describe your past week. Include the activities you participated in, work hours, studies, and other obligations. Indicate if this is typical, or if you foresee your schedule changing significantly in the upcoming year. 
    
    • The first step is to structure your response clearly by breaking it down into key areas: academics, work, extracurricular activities, and personal responsibilities. This question allows reviewers to understand what a typical week in your life as a student looks like and gain insight into what sets you apart from other students.
    • Emphasize your ability to balance multiple responsibilities. If you juggle school, work, extracurricular activities, and other commitments, highlight how you stay organized and dedicated.
    • Use the “show, don’t tell” writing strategy to convey information through details and actions, rather than stating something outright.
  • Question #3: Explain the importance a scholarship would have on your academic journey.
    
    • Clearly define your short and long term goals and explain how the scholarship funds would contribute to reaching those goals.
    • Avoid generalizations--instead of simply saying, “a scholarship would help me pay for tuition,” be more specific by explaining how the scholarship will directly enhance your ability to pursue your academic and professional aspirations and/or relieve financial stress. 
    • Explain any relevant family circumstances and how you are currently paying for college. Include financial challenges or difficulties your family is facing. 

• Alternate Email Address: please list an alternative to your SDSU email address should we need to contact you regarding application or awarding matters
• Opt-In/Out of Texting: it is highly recommended that you do not opt out, as we will only use text messages if we have been unable to reach you regarding a scholarship offer. We do not text students for any other purposes related to Aztec Scholarships.
• FAFSA/California Dream Act Data: indicate your understanding that Aztec Scholarships collects and uses your filing status, Student Aid Index (SAI), and calculated financial need data to determine your eligibility for scholarships that require recipients to have financial need.
• Scholarship Requirements: if offered and awarded a scholarship, it is vital that you understand the requirements of the scholarship so that you maintain eligibility throughout the award year. If you fail to meet all requirements in a given term, you will lose scholarship eligibility and your scholarship may be canceled. Please review our Application and Awarding Policies for further information prior to agreement.
• Thank You Note Policy: if offered a scholarship, you must submit a thank you note electronically in Aztec Scholarships within 14 calendar days of the date the email was sent to you at your SDSU email address. Indicate your understanding of this policy.
• Certification/Release Statement: affirm all points and digitally sign and date your application.