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  • 2025-2026 JFS- David Rubenstein Memorial Scholarship Guidelines, Criteria and Application

  • Applicant must:

    • Identify as Jewish.

    • Be a legal and permanent resident of San Diego County for at least two years by the start of the 2025-2026 academic year.

    • Be a U.S. Citizen or documented legal permanent U.S. resident (green card).
      Plan to attend school full-time at an approved college, university, technical, or vocational school in the United States starting in the Fall Semester of 2025.

    • Demonstrate financial need indicated by an adjusted gross family income not to exceed 80% of the 2024 San Diego County Area Median Income (AMI) based on household size. A “household” includes the tax filer, their spouse if they have one, and their tax dependents. Adjusted gross income cannot exceed $84,900 for a household of one, $97,000 for a household of two, $109,150 for a household of three, $121,250 for a household of four, and $130,950 for a household of five. If your family size exceeds five people, please reach out to scholarship@jfssd.org to see if you meet the financial need requirement for the scholarship.

    • Plan to contribute towards their own education through part-time work before or during the academic year, (unpaid internships or volunteer work are also acceptable).

    Additional Requirement for Returning Applicants only:

    • Have a minimum GPA of 3.0.

  • Application Requirements

  • Applications are complete and valid only when ALL documents have been submitted in one email or mailed package. For physical submissions, please do not staple documents together. Incomplete applications will be disqualified.
    Verify that you have enclosed the following information before submitting your application:

    • Completed typed Application Form.
    • Copy of your most recent transcripts.
    • Essay: Submit a 350-500 word, 12-point Times New Roman font, double-spaced essay on one of the topics provided below.
    • Letters of Recommendation: Submit two letters of recommendation from a non-family member. Note: Letters should be on official letterhead and must contain the writer’s full name, title, address, phone number and email address. Please be certain that the letter is current and addressed to the Scholarship Committee.
    • Financial Aid/Student Loans: Submit a copy of the School Financial Aid Award Notice as well as copies of the FAFSA Submission Summary and documentation of determinations regarding federal, state, and private aid, as soon as they become available.
    • Recorded Interview Video: Submit a recorded video of yourself answering interview questions developed by our scholarship committee. More detailed instructions provided below.

  • Selecting Scholarship Recipients

  • • The JFS-David Rubenstein Memorial Scholarship recipients are carefully chosen based on a variety of criteria by the Scholarship Committee. All applicants will be notified in writing of the JFS-David Rubenstein Memorial Scholarship Committees decision.

    • Students are eligible to receive up to a total of four (4) years of the JFS-David Rubenstein Memorial Scholarship funding, and the funding years do not have to be consecutive. Scholarships are made on a year-to-year basis and are NOT automatically renewed. Scholarship recipients must submit a new application and the required documentation in compliance with the application deadlines, stated herein, for each year that they seek funding.

    • Jewish Family Service reserves the right to publicize the names of the Scholarship recipients through our website, print publications, and local media.

  • Scholarship Disbursement

  • • Scholarship funds will be sent directly to the academic institution the student is attending solely for use towards qualifying academic expenses, including tuition, room and board, books, school fees, or required academic supplies/equipment. Scholarship awards will not be paid to the student.

    • You must submit a copy of your Fall 2025 transcript.

    • All selected scholarship recipients are required to submit a thank you letter to the donor(s) no later than September 30, 2025. Scholarship disbursements will not be made until the thank you letter is received.

    • You are expected to attend the Scholarship Recognition Brunch to be held in December 2025/January 2026. An invitation will be sent to recipients confirming the exact date.



    Application postmark deadline April 7, 2025

  • 2025-2026 JFS -David Rubenstein Memorial Scholarship Application

  •  - -

  • CURRENT/PRIOR ACADEMICS

  • School Name*
    Degree sought: *
    Major Course of Study      
    School Address:      *   *   *   *   
    Cumulative GPA (UNWEIGHTED on 4.0 scale):      *   
    Cumulative GPA (WEIGHTED with AP, IB and honors classes):         

  • FALL 2025 EDUCATIONAL PLANS

  • School Name:     
    Degree sought:      
    Major or course of study:      
    School Address:    
    City:      State:       Zip:       
    I will:
                
    If school is a public institution, applicant will pay:
          
    Do you plan to graduate this year? 
         
    If yes, which quarter or semester? 
    If you haven’t been accepted to a college, please list the colleges you have applied to: 
    1st Choice:  
    2nd Choice:   
    3rd Choice:    
    4th Choice:      

  • APPLICANT EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

    Describe any significant work experience with your most recent position listed first. Work experience may include unpaid internships to get experience in a career field.

  • Employer
    Date of Employment   Pick a Date   to   Pick a Date   
          
    Position:      
    Monthly Earnings: $        
    Hours/Week      

    Employer
    Date of Employment   Pick a Date   to   Pick a Date   
          
    Position:      
    Monthly Earnings: $     
    Hours/Week    

  • ESSAY:

    Submit a 350-500 word, 12-point Times New Roman font, double-spaced essay on one of the following topics:
    • Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
    • Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

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  • GENERAL FAMILY INFORMATION

    Students under the age of 24 need to provide parent’s marital and financial information.

  • Date of Divorce or separation:   Pick a Date*   
    Custodial Parent:      *      *   
    Who claimed applicant as tax dependent for 2023?      *   
    How much will each parent pay for 2025-26 college expense?
    Mother $   *   
    Father $   *   
    Permissions to contact:   *       *         

  • PARENT/GUARDIAN/SPOUSE INFORMATION

    Students under the age of 24 need to provide parent’s marital and financial information

  • Relationship to applicant:      
    Email:      
    Name:       
    Address:               
           
    Monthly Payment $      
    Value of Home $      
    Mortgage Balance $      
    Most Recent Employer:      
    Occupation:      
    Work phone:         
    Occupation:      
    Salary: $      
    List other income (per month):
    Social Security: $      
    Salary: $      
    VA Benefits: $      
    Rental Income: $      
    Investments: $      
    Worker’s Comp/Disability: $      
    Retirement: $      
    Other: $      

  • Relationship to applicant:      
    Email:      
    Name:       
    Address:               
           
    Monthly Payment $      
    Value of Home $      
    Mortgage Balance $      
    Most Recent Employer:      
    Occupation:      
    Work phone:         
    Occupation:      
    Salary: $      
    List other income (per month):
    Social Security: $      
    Salary: $      
    VA Benefits: $      
    Rental Income: $      
    Investments: $      
    Worker’s Comp/Disability: $      
    Retirement: $      
    Other: $      

  • Students will be required to report income information from an earlier tax year. For example, on FAFSA for 2025-26 academic year, students (and parents, as appropriate) will report their 2023 income information, rather than their 2024 income information.

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  • Budget Information

  • Limited Media Release

    (Optional)

  • If selected, I authorize JFSSD to share limited contact information (first name, last name, email address, and photo) to the JFS- David Rubenstein Memorial Scholarship donors, local Jewish organizational partners. I also give JFS permission to use my photo on the website and social media in relation to the scholarship.

  • Clear
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  • Two Letters of Recommendation

  • o Submit two letters of recommendation from a non-family member.
    o Letters should be on official letterhead and must contain the writer’s full name, title, address, phone number and email address.
    o Please be certain that the letter is dated and addressed to the Scholarship Committee.

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  • Recorded Interview Video:

  • Submit a 5–10-minute recorded video of yourself answering interview questions below.

    Thank you for answering all the questions, we suggest 90-120 seconds per answer.

    o New applicants:
    o What are you studying/planning to study? How did you become interested in your focus area?
    OR
    If you have not chosen an area of study yet, how do you plan to decide?
    o What influenced your choice of selecting the college/university you are attending in the Fall?
    o What do you hope to get out of your college experience?
    o How do you plan to stay engaged with the Jewish Community while in school?

    o Returning applicants:
    o What are you studying? How did you become interested in your focus area? Has this changed since the last time you applied to the JFS- David Rubenstein Memorial Scholarship?
    o How has receiving this scholarship enhanced your college experience?
    o What advice would you offer to a Jewish student who is just beginning their college journey?
    o How do you plan to stay engaged with the Jewish Community while in school?

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