AAUW Danville-Alamo-Walnut Creek Branch
2026 College/University Scholarships
APPLICATIONS ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED
The AAUW DAW Branch is pleased to offer three categories of local scholarships to students who are enrolled in an accredited college, university, or technical school. Each scholarship will be an award of $2,000 or more. Applications are reviewed with consideration given to financial need, special circumstances, academic record, work and community activities, and educational and career goals. Relatives of current AAUW DAW officers or scholarship committee members are not eligible for these awards.
AAUW DAW Community Local Scholarships – Open to individuals who identify as women who will be juniors, seniors, or graduate students at an accredited 4-year college/university or technical school in the fall of 2026. Applicants must have attended a high school in Danville, Alamo or Walnut Creek, CA, or currently reside or work in these locations.
Applications opened October 31, 2025, and are due by March 1, 2026.
AAUW DAW may award additional funds to selected Community Local Scholarship recipients at the discretion of AAUW DAW depending on the availability of funds and the number and qualifications of scholarship recipients. The following are areas for these additional awards.
STEM Scholarship – Scholarship recipients are selected from Community Local Scholarship awardees majoring in science, technology, engineering and/or math (STEM) who intend to pursue a STEM career. This scholarship reflects AAUW DAW’s commitment to deepening the pipeline of women in STEM professions, an area where women have been and continue to be underrepresented.
Creative Endeavors Scholarship – Scholarship recipients are selected from Community Local Scholarship awardees in visual art fields that create works such as ceramics, drawing, painting, sculpture, print making, design, crafts, photography, video, film making, and architecture; the applied arts such as industrial design, graphic design, fashion design, interior design, and decorative arts; and performing arts, such as theater and dance.
AAUW DAW Renaissance Scholarships – Open to individuals who identify as women who participate in the California State University East Bay (CSUEB) Renaissance Scholars Program for former foster youth. Students must be juniors, seniors, or graduate students at CSUEB in the fall of 2026, or be a Renaissance Scholar graduating from CSUEB and entering graduate school at CSUEB or another accredited college/university in the fall of 2026.
Applications opened October 31, 2025, and are due by March 1, 2026.
AAUW DAW Single Parent Scholarships – Open to any student who is a single parent enrolled at Diablo Valley College (DVC) or at Los Medanos College (LMC), has completed at least 12 units, and lives or works in Contra Costa County. The application process and award selection are administered by the DVC and LMC Foundations with scholarship funds provided by AAUW DAW.
Applications for the scholarship at DVC open October 31, 2025. The LMC scholarship applications open November 3, 2025. Due dates are in mid-February 2026.
How to Apply for These Scholarships
To apply for an AAUW DAW Community Local Scholarship and to provide supporting information, use the following links.
To apply for an AAUW DAW Renaissance Scholarship and to provide supporting information, use the following links.
To apply for an AAUW DAW Single Parent Scholarship at Diablo Valley College, click here.
This scholarship is administered by the Diablo Valley College Foundation. Applications open on October 31.
To apply for an AAUW DAW Single Parent Scholarship at Los Medanos College, click here.
This scholarship is administered by the Los Medanos College Foundation. Applications open November 3, 2025.
If you have any questions, please contact daw.aauw@gmail.com.
General Scholarship Information
In support of the AAUW mission, Community Local and Renaissance Scholarship awards are granted specifically to individuals who identify as women. All AAUW DAW scholarships are granted without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or national origin. All applicants agree to accept the AAUW DAW’s scholarship award decisions as final.
AAUW DAW reserves the right to review the conditions and procedures of its scholarship program and to make changes at any time, including termination of the program.
Funds for the Creative Endeavors Scholarship are raised through ticket sales for a yearly quilt raffle, in addition to donations. For 2025, DAW member Mary Mix created another beautiful quilt for this scholarship with a striking, colorful theme of “Christmas Joy”. The drawing took place during the 2025 DAW Garden Tour in May.
Donations Make Our Scholarships Possible!
Please consider a donation to support our branch’s Local Scholarships. Donations in any amount are welcome from individuals, groups, businesses, and companies and are fully tax deductible.
Click here for instructions about how to donate.
Donations may also be made in honor of a special individual; it is a meaningful way to remember someone. If you are interested in establishing an honorary scholarship, please contact us at daw.aauw@gmail.com.
Meet our 2025 and prior years Local Scholarship winners by clicking here.