Summer Springboard at Cal Poly Dean's Merit Scholarship Application

Thank you for your interest in applying for a Summer Springboard at Cal Poly Scholarship. We have two different application types available. The Needs-Based Scholarship, and the Dean's Merit Scholarship. Please select which scholarship you would like to apply for.

Scholarship Selection

Dean's Merit ScholarshipNeeds-Based ScholarshipBoth

Dean's Merit Scholarship

Eligibility:

To be eligible to apply, you must:

Be a current 8th - 11th grade student (entering 9th-12th grades in fall 2026)
Able to reside on campus for the duration of the program

Other factors taken into consideration:

First-Generation College-Bound student
Demonstrated financial need
African-American, Latinx, South-East Asian (API), Native American, and other underrepresented ethnicities

Selection Process:

The Dean’s Merit Scholarships recipients will be selected by a committee of Cal Poly’s College of Liberal of Arts faculty. The selection committee will consider every part of the application and make a recommendation based on academic potential. The selection committee may request to interview an applicant.

The dates for the 2026 selection process are as follows:

Application opens: February 2, 2026
Letter of Recommendation Deadline: March 20, 2026
Application and Transcript Deadline: March 31, 2026
Notification of Decision: April 14, 2026

Summer Springboard @ Cal Poly Program Dates:

Residential Dates

Session 1: Sunday, July 5 - Friday, July 17, 2026
Session 2: Sunday, July 19 - Friday, July 31, 2026

Cost:

Dean’s Merit Scholars will receive a full program tuition waiver including: costs of residential housing, campus dining, program activities, and transportation to/from field trips and excursions. Transportation to/from the program is not included.

Dean's Merit Scholarship Application

Eligibility:

To be eligible to apply, you must:

Be a current 8th - 11th grade student (entering 9th-12th grades in fall 2026)
Able to reside on campus for the duration of the program

Other factors taken into consideration:

First-Generation College-Bound student
Demonstrated financial need
African-American, Latinx, South-East Asian (API), Native American, and other underrepresented ethnicities and races

Application Information:

A complete application will include the following materials. It is preferred that the application be completed online.

Online student application
One completed essay (maximum 500 words):

Prompt: Tell us why you are interested in participating in the Summer Springboard @ Cal Poly program and in what way would it make a difference in your scholastic career. Note: Please refer specifically to the course/program (e.g. Marketing Bootcamp) you desire to attend in your essay.

Transcript of current academic year

Official copy is preferred, but not required
May be emailed by applicant or counselor (cpscholarship@summerspringboard.com)
When emailed, include in subject line: FirstName_LastName_HighSchool_SSB@CPTranscript

Two Recommendation Forms

One must be completed by a core subject teacher (Math, History, English, Science)
The other may be completed by a teacher, counselor, coach, community leader, etc.
Please have your recommender complete this form: https://forms.gle/WXdQFWEQK8Ht5Wye9

Photo/Visual Release

By submitting your application you agree to a visual release of any photos and videos to be used for program related publications.

For questions, please contact Summer Springboard at (805) 439-6699 or by email at: cpscholarship@summerspringboard.com.

Essay Question (Maximum 500 words): Tell us why you are interested in participating in the Summer Springboard @ Cal Poly program and in what way would it make a difference in your scholastic career. Note: Please refer specifically to the course/program (e.g. Marketing Bootcamp) you desire to attend in your essay.

Needs-Based Scholarship Application

Scholarships for students with demonstrated need:
Need-based scholarship applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. (Please allow 3-5 business days for a response.)

After completing this application, if you are awarded a scholarship, follow these steps to redeem:

You have 7 days to accept your scholarship award
Start your application: summerspringboard.com/apply
Submit $600 deposit and $99 non-refundable application fee for the awarded program & sessions.
Your award will be added to your tuition balance upon acceptance into the program.
If you are already enrolled, the award will be applied to your tuition.

Contact Information

Student First Name

Student Last Name

Student Email

Student Phone

Parent/Guardian First Name

Parent/ Guardian Last Name

Parent/Guardian Email

Parent/Guardian Phone

Parent/Guardian Financial Information (Completed by Parent)

Parent/Guardian Full Name

Relation to Student

Phone Number

How do you identify your race and/or ethnicity (Select all that apply)

What Country do you live in?

What state do you live in?

Which course and session are you interested in?

Household adjusted gross income, as reported on your most recent tax filings:

$

USD / year

Does the student qualify for any government assistance program?

How many dependents under the age of 18 are currently in your care?

How many other dependents are currently attending college or university, if any?

What is the highest educational level achieved by each parent/guardian?

Approximately how much money has been spent on educational tuition, room, or board for all the dependents under your care in the most recent year?

$

USD / year

Please list the amount you receive in alimony or child support, if any

$

USD / year

Income Verification

Upload the first page of your family's most recent income tax filings, removing any private/personal data

Student Transcripts

Please upload a copy of the student's most recent transcripts (unofficial is OK).

Sign and Complete Application

Scholarships for students with demonstrated need:

Need-based scholarship applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. (Please allow 3-5 business days for a response.)

By signing below, I certify that the information reported in this form is accurate and truthful.