Every spring, students at Cosumnes River College have the opportunity to apply for scholarships beginning Jan. 4 through March 4.

The main requirement in order to apply for a scholarship is that students have to be currently enrolled in six units at CRC, or have completed six units in the time they have attended the college.

Each individual college has their own scholarship program. A student attending Cosumnes River College, who attended a sister college, could still have the units apply to the CRC scholarships.

“It’s crazy the kind of debts students are carrying to get their degree,” veid Director of College Advancement, Peter F. Bostic. “And this is one way that donors can help and students can take advantage of keeping their debt at a minimum. Because they’re grants, students don’t pay back this stuff.”

Marisol Orellana, 20, undeclared major, said that the scholarships were a good thing.

“I think it’s good, because it helps you with school,” Orellana said. “And if you want to transfer, and you don’t have the money to, they can give you money to help with school supplies.”

Scholarship season begins only during the spring semesters. Students apply in the spring for the following fall and the rewards are not reimbursed until that fall.

The process of applying is mainly online. Students click on the link that says “apply for scholarships” on the website and the link takes you to the Los Rios online Scholarship Application page.

At the bottom of the page students click on their respective college out of the four listed and are taken to an information page. After creating an account, students are then asked to answer basic information such as GPA, and education goals.

“Then it asks you for your personal information, student ID, last name,” said Elizabeth Starbuck, college relations specialist for college advancement. “There are four questions you have to answer, then once you complete that click submit. The system comes back with a list of scholarships that you are qualified to apply for.”

And the scholarships you qualify for are based on the information you listed such as your major,or GPA. In addition to the minimum unit requirement, students are required to have at least one letter of recommendation.

This can come from an employer, teacher, staff member at CRC or even a church pastor, provided this person has a thorough understanding of your talents and overall work ethic. However, students are not limited to one letter of recommendation and can have multiple letters submitted.

Bostic explained that there are many different types of scholarships that students could qualify for.

“Not all of them are academic based and some of them are,” Bostic said. “There are financial need based as well.”

An awards night is held on April 29 for those who have won a scholarship. Students, whether they have won a scholarship or not, are notified through email or by letter.