OSAC, the Office of Student Access and Completion, administers state financial aid and a large catalog of scholarships for Oregon students. A single OSAC application can make you eligible for many awards at once, filtered by criteria like county of residence, high school, major, and financial need.

Scholarship Guide

Oregon Scholarships for High School Seniors

Q: What scholarships are available for Oregon students?

Oregon students can access state-funded programs like the Oregon Promise Grant and the Oregon Opportunity Grant, hundreds of awards through the OSAC scholarship catalog, community foundation scholarships, and local awards from civic groups, credit unions, and employers. State grants and the OSAC catalog are the largest starting points.

Q: What is the Oregon Promise Grant?

The Oregon Promise is a state grant that helps cover tuition costs at any Oregon community college for eligible recent high school graduates and GED recipients. Eligibility and deadlines are set by the state, so check the official Oregon Student Aid site for current requirements.

Q: How do I find local scholarships in Oregon?

Start with your high school counseling office, the Oregon Community Foundation, local credit unions, civic organizations like Rotary and Kiwanis, and your parents' employers. These local awards have less competition than national ones but are scattered across many sources, which makes them easy to miss.

Oregon students have access to a strong mix of state grants, a large statewide scholarship catalog, and local awards that most people never find. Here is where to look, starting with the biggest sources.

Paying for college in Oregon does not have to mean loans alone. Between state-funded grants, the statewide OSAC catalog, and a deep bench of local community awards, there is real money available, and a lot of it goes unclaimed simply because students do not know where to look. This guide maps out the major sources, from the largest state programs down to the local awards worth chasing.

Oregon state grants

The state runs two large programs worth knowing first, because they can cover meaningful amounts and are open to many students:

Oregon Promise Grant

A state grant that helps cover tuition at any Oregon community college for eligible recent high school graduates and GED recipients. It is one of the most accessible starting points for students heading to community college.

Oregon Opportunity Grant

Oregon's largest state-funded, need-based grant program, aimed at helping students with financial need afford college. Eligibility is based on need, so completing your financial aid forms is the first step.

Eligibility rules and deadlines for state programs change, so always confirm current requirements on the official Oregon Student Aid (oregonstudentaid.gov) site before relying on any detail here.

The OSAC scholarship catalog

OSAC, the Office of Student Access and Completion, administers hundreds of scholarships for Oregon students and awards millions of dollars each year. The reason it is so valuable is efficiency: a single OSAC application can make you eligible for many awards at once, sorted by criteria like your county of residence, high school, intended major, GPA, and financial need.

Because one application unlocks so many awards, the OSAC catalog is one of the highest-return uses of your time as an Oregon student. Search the catalog for awards that match your profile and note the application window, which is set annually.

Community foundations and local awards

Beyond state programs, Oregon has a rich layer of local scholarships that most students overlook, precisely because they are scattered and not listed in any single national database. These have far less competition than national awards, which makes them some of the best odds available:

Oregon Community Foundation

Administers a large number of donor-funded scholarships for Oregon students across college, graduate study, and workforce training. One of the single richest sources of local awards in the state.

Local credit unions and banks

Many Oregon credit unions fund scholarships for members and local students, and these are rarely listed anywhere central.

Civic and service organizations

Rotary, Kiwanis, Elks, and similar groups across Oregon towns award scholarships to local graduating seniors every year, often with very few applicants.

Your high school counseling office

Counselors keep lists of local awards that come to them directly, including ones tied to your specific school or district. This is often the single best local starting point.

Parents' employers and unions

Many Oregon employers and unions offer scholarships to the children of employees or members. Overlooked because students do not think to ask.

Finding the Oregon awards you qualify for

The challenge with Oregon scholarships is not that they are scarce, it is that they are spread across state sites, the OSAC catalog, community foundation pages, counseling offices, and local organizations. Pulling together the ones that actually fit your profile, from your county to your intended major, takes real time.

This is what ScholarScan does automatically. It searches for scholarships matched to your specific profile, including Oregon state, regional, and local awards, and tracks the deadlines so nothing slips. Instead of visiting a dozen sites, you get a ranked list built for you.

Find the Oregon scholarships you qualify for

Matched to your school, county, and background. Free to run your first search.

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Frequently asked questions

What scholarships are available for Oregon students?

State programs like the Oregon Promise Grant and Oregon Opportunity Grant, hundreds of awards through the OSAC catalog, community foundation scholarships, and local awards from civic groups, credit unions, and employers.

What is the Oregon Promise Grant?

A state grant that helps cover tuition at any Oregon community college for eligible recent high school graduates and GED recipients. Confirm current eligibility on the official Oregon Student Aid site.

What is OSAC?

The Office of Student Access and Completion. It administers state aid and a large scholarship catalog, where one application can make you eligible for many awards filtered by county, school, major, and need.

How do I find local scholarships in Oregon?

Start with your counseling office, the Oregon Community Foundation, local credit unions, civic organizations, and your parents' employers. These local awards have less competition but are scattered across many sources.