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College Access

Our vision is for all middle and high school students in Oakland public schools and charter schools to have access and support to set them on a path to college and career success. Oakland Promise provides scholarships to qualified Oakland students and the State of California provides additional funds through CalKids.

Scholarship Opens Oct. 1st, 2024

All Oakland High School Seniors: Our Oakland Promise Scholarship application will be posted on October 1st, 2024. Please check back this fall for updated instructions!

High School Class of 2025, our Oakland Promise Scholarship application will be posted on October 1st, 2024. Please check back this fall for updated instructions!

All Families with 2nd-12th Grade Students:

To claim your $500 from the State of California through CalKids, click here

All Families with K-8th Grade Students: 

Starting in the fall of 2016 and onward, every Oakland public school Kindergartner has $100 set aside in their Oakland Promise Scholarship account.  The first $100 earned in Kindergarten stays with the family even if they move out of Oakland. Students earn additional scholarship amounts at 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th & 12 grade if they graduate from an Oakland public high school and enroll into post-secondary.  Sign up for your OP Scholarship account now!

Sign Up for Your OP Scholarship

High School Parents & Students: Learn more from our Resource Hub

Providing Support to over 11,000 Middle and High School Students in Oakland Public Schools.

Providing Support to over 11,000 Middle and High School Students in Oakland Public Schools.

The 2023 Scholarship application period is now closed.

Program Highlights of Events and Workshops

  • Nidia Burgos, Alumna, Former Oakland Promise Scholar

  • Medical Career Panel: Health is Wealth

College Access Team

Alitta Boyd

Senior Program Manager, College Access

Ivan Chavez

Program Coordinator, College Access

Jazz Broughton

Program Manager, College Access

Linda Nguyen

Senior Partnerships Manager

Shukri Abdullahi

Program Coordinator, College Access

Find Out How To Get Involved

We need mentors, volunteers, donors, champions and partners to help us to create more impact for Oakland’s youth. Please note that the mentor recruitment season is open for the 2022 - 2023 academic year. You can make a difference in a young person's life!

Our Impact by the Numbers

Middle and High School College and Career Centers

Serving all OUSD public schools and charters

700 Scholars

Every year we anticipate to award about 900 + scholars (in the past year with about $2.5 million dollars).

66% of Class of '22 Awarded Scholars

were Black and Latinx Students

9,000 HS Students

Received targeted college and career readiness supports

College Access Partners

Interested in becoming a partner?

Financial Aid & Scholarships

High school students and families are provided both group and 1:1 support navigating the financial aid process and apply to local and national scholarships.

Learn More

Career Exploration

Explore your interest and learn about yourself. Our career exploration curriculum is aimed at supporting high school students identify career paths, gather work experience through internships and career panels with community members.

Learn More

Family Engagement

We want all of our students to be successful in a college or career of his/her choice. We provide quality resources and training for parents on high school preparedness plus college/career readiness.

Learn More

Job Opportunities

Join our team! Find exciting career opportunities with Oakland Promise.

Testimonials

"The Future Center at Castlemont is great because you can come to get all of your support in one place. I've gotten support enrolling in classes at Laney because of the Future Center and I know this is making me more prepared for college".

Lisipa Mikaele

Former 11th grader Castlemont student

"I applied to more than 20 scholarships and got denied 19 times, but the one that said “yes”, just happened to be the best one of them all. This scholarship under Oakland Promise has not only allowed me to go to school debt free, but also provided me with a mentor who will advise me on any questions or issues I might have while attending my university."

Imahni Cheeks

Class of 2021 Oakland Tech

"I recommend any Oakland high school student to apply, as it is important to apply to scholarships that support your local community that wants to see you succeed as much as you do."

Imahni Cheeks

Class of 2021 Oakland Tech

Video Testimonial

Reach out to the College Access Team

Have a question? Need some support? We look forward to hearing from you!