Scholarships

La Jolla Rotary Foundation administers two scholarship programs under which approximately $200,000 that are distributed each year to graduates of La Jolla High School, The Bishop’s School, La Jolla Country Day School & The Preuss School. These are known as: La Jolla Rotary Scholarships & Florence Riford Scholarships.

About Our Scholarship Programs

Both of these scholarship programs provide financial assistance during the first year of college, and are intended to reward achievement and enable graduating seniors of these four La Jolla area high schools to further their education. However, the criteria for considering the scholarship applicants differ somewhat and are described in sections A & B. below. Students may be eligible to receive additional scholarship assistance during their Sophomore, Junior and Senior years. (See section D. below).

La Jolla Rotary Foundation is a charitable “501(c)3” corporation, contributions to which are fully tax-deductible.

A. La Jolla Rotary Scholarships

  1. Applicant must attend a four-year college or university in the United States as a full-time student with enrollment commencing in the fall after graduating high school.
  2. Applicant must be a citizen of the United States.
  3. Applicant must have an un-weighted cumulative GPA of at least 3.5
  4. Applicant cannot be a child, grandchild, niece or nephew of a member of La Jolla Rotary.
  5. Applicant must submit a completed application (refer to section C.) before the specified deadline (refer to section E.).
  6. Evaluation criteria include academic achievement, financial need, extracurricular activities, community service, notable experiences or skills, and interview impression

Funds to support La Jolla Rotary Scholarships are derived from donations, grants, bequests and fundraising activities of the La Jolla Rotary Club. Scholarships awarded to graduating seniors tend to be in the range of $4,000 to $6,000.

B. Florence Riford Scholarships

  1. Applicant must attend a four-year college or university in California as a full-time student pursuing studies leading to a career in science, mathematics, engineering or medicine, with enrollment commencing in the fall after graduating high school.
  2. Preference will first be given to applicants enrolling at UCSD, and then to those enrolling in other California four-year colleges or universities.
  3. Applicant must be a citizen of the United States.
  4. Applicant must have an un-weighted cumulative GPA of at least 3.5
  5. Applicant cannot be a child, grandchild, niece or nephew of a member of La Jolla Rotary.
  6. Applicant must submit a completed application (refer to section C.) before the specified deadline (refer to section E.).
  7. Evaluation criteria include academic achievement, extracurricular activities, community service, notable experiences or skills, and interview impression. Financial need is not a criterion in the awarding of this scholarship.

The Florence Riford Scholarship program was established and endowed by the late Mrs. Florence Riford, who was the first female member of the La Jolla Rotary Club. Scholarships awarded to graduating seniors tend to be in the range of $4,000 to $6,000.

C. How to Apply for Scholarships

Students who might qualify are required to fully complete the application form provided as downloadable (.pdf) document. Note: The scholarship program (Riford or Rotary) that the student may be considered for will be made by the Scholarship Committee.

Download PDF Application

D. How to Reapply for Scholarships

Additional scholarship assistance may be available to college students who received either La Jolla Rotary or Florence Riford Scholarships as graduating high school seniors.

Download Reapplication Requirements for La Jolla Rotary and Florence Riford Scholarships

To reemphasize, all reapplication materials must have been received by the La Jolla Rotary Scholarship Committee on or before the deadline specified in the La Jolla Rotary Scholarships Program homepage or your scholarship reapplication will not be considered . . . no exceptions.

All scholarship reapplication materials must be emailed to:

rcljinfo@gmail.com

NOTE: All applications including requested information must be complete or they will not be accepted for review, no exceptions.

E. Important Dates and Mandatory Deadlines

  • Scholarship applications from graduating high seniors must be received by La Jolla Rotary no later than Friday, April 23rd, 2021.
  • Scholarship reapplications from college students must be received by La Jolla Rotary, no later than Friday, April 23rd, 2021.
  • Scholarship interviews for graduating high school seniors will be held Saturday, TBD, at a location to be announced.
  • La Jolla Rotary’s Scholarship Awards Lunch honoring scholarship recipients will be held Tuesday, TBD, at La Valencia Hotel, La Jolla.

F. How to Receive Disbursement of Scholarship Funds

The following procedures must be followed by scholarship recipients in order to receive disbursement of scholarship funds for the 2020 – 2021 academic year. Please note that strict compliance with these procedures is obligatory.

On or before October 15th, 2021:

  • An official certified document issued by the registrar of your college or university confirming you are a full-time student (a class schedule or a letter accepting you to your college or university is not sufficient)
  • your current email address and a phone number (in the event we need to contact you).

Upon receiving all of the foregoing in a timely manner, we will issue you a check as promptly as possible.

NOTE: If we have not received the requisite Registrar’s Certified Document and all other required information on or before October 15th, 2021, your scholarship will be forfeited.

G. How to Contact La Jolla Rotary Regarding Scholarships

For all scholarship matters, contact Rotary at: rcljinfo@gmail.com