The 2023 IDEA scholarship application is now closed. Candidates will be contacted in late March for interviews. Recipients will be announced in early April.

IDEA SCHOLARSHIP FAQ

PLEASE READ BELOW FOR ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Additional questions on scholarships or financial aid? Please call the Summer Springboard Admissions team during office hours at 858-780-5660.

Q: Is this scholarship open to residents of all countries?  

A: Yes, this scholarship is open to any student who meets all of the eligibility requirements. These include:

  • Demonstrated financial need (an annual household income of less than $100,000.00 USD)
  • Completion of all components of the application (including the 1,000+ word essay)
  • Confirmed eligibility to participate in a Summer Springboard program

The goal of our scholarship is to provide inclusion, diversity, equity and access to Summer Springboard programs this summer.

For two of the three available IDEA Scholarships, applicants must identify as a student of color and provide demonstrated financial need, along with their essay submission to be considered for the scholarships. The remaining scholarship is open to any eligible student with demonstrated financial need.

Q: Will the scholarship cover any travel related expenses such as passport and/or visa?

A: Yes, if the student does not yet have a passport or a visa, and it is required for the scholarship recipient to attend the program, Summer Springboard will cover the costs to acquire a passport and/or visa.

Q: How will I get to the program?

A: Scholarship recipients will be able to book a flight from their home destination to the program destination via our flight booking partner StudentUniverse, if a flight is required, and Summer Springboard will cover the costs of this flight. Students will work with their family or guardian to make a transportation plan to and from their home airports.

Q: Which programs are open for the scholarship recipients:

A: Award winners can select from the following campus locations:

  • Boston, MA (Simmons University)
  • Chicago, IL (Loyola University)
  • Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
  • Georgetown
  • Georgia Tech
  • New York (Fordham University – Lincoln Center Campus)
  • Oxford
  • Raleigh-Durham
  • UC Berkeley
  • UCLA
  • UC San Diego
  • Yale University

We ask applicants to select their top three choices. Final program selection may be limited based on actual program and session date availability at the time of selection.

Q: Do I have to use my scholarship toward a Summer 2023 Summer Springboard program?

A: Yes, you must apply your scholarship award, should you be selected, toward tuition (and airfare, if applicable) for a Summer 2023 Summer Springboard program. This scholarship award has no cash value and cannot be transferred.

Q: Will essays shorter than 1,000 words be considered?

A: No. You must write a short essay to be considered for the IDEA scholarship, and it must be a minimum of 1,000 words long.

Q: What is the application deadline for the IDEA Scholarship?

A: Eligible students must apply by no later than Wednesday, March 1, 2023.

Q: When will Scholarship Finalists be informed?

A: Finalists will be informed if they are among the final candidates being considered for the IDEA Scholarship by no later than April 3, 2023

Q: When will the three winners of the IDEA Scholarship be announced?

A: The three winning scholarship recipients will be selected and informed in early April.

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