California Association of Realtors Scholarships

Scholarship Sponsored by California Association of Realtors

Overview
The 2026 C.A.R. Scholarship Foundation application period begins February 1, 2026 and closes on Sunday, April 5, 2026. Apply online. Awards are presented annually during the C.A.R. Spring Business Meetings. The Foundation provides scholarships to students enrolled at California colleges or universities who are pursuing degrees related to real estate. Awards may be up to $2,000 for students at two-year colleges and up to $4,000 for students at four-year institutions.

Who the scholarship is intended for
This program supports students studying for careers that focus on or support real estate transactional activity, including but not limited to:
- Real Estate Brokerage
- Real Estate Finance
- Real Estate Management
- Real Estate Development
- Real Estate Appraisal
- Real Estate Planning
- Real Estate Law
- Commercial Real Estate
- Other fields the Trustees consider relevant to real estate

Minimum eligibility criteria
Applicants must meet all of the following requirements:
- Demonstrate a serious commitment to a career in real estate.
- Be currently enrolled at a California two-year or four-year college/university.
- Be registered for at least six units at the time of application, including at least one real estate or real estate-related course.
- Be enrolled at a California college/university when scholarship funds are disbursed.
- Have completed at least 12 college-level units within the last four years.
- Have completed a minimum of two real estate or real estate-related courses.
- Hold a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher (calculated across all colleges/universities attended).
- Agree to be interviewed by a Scholarship Foundation Trustee.
- Be willing to provide a video testimonial and submit a report to the Scholarship Foundation after completing your program.

Required application materials
To be considered, applicants must submit the following:
- California Driver’s License or another state identification card: proof of legal California residency for at least one year prior to the application date.
- Essay: a typed 300-word statement describing your career objectives.
- All official e-transcripts from any colleges or universities attended within the past four years. Only official e-transcripts are accepted. Please ask your school to email official e-transcripts directly to scholarship@car.org. These transcripts will be used to verify the 12-unit and two real estate-course requirements and to confirm the cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Two electronic letters of recommendation: one must be from a faculty member on school letterhead; the other must be from a REALTOR®.

Optional supplements
- Proof of current enrollment/class schedule: While official e-transcripts are required for your application to be complete, some institutions do not list current term courses on transcripts. If your official e-transcript does not show courses you are presently taking, include an additional document that verifies current coursework.
- Unofficial e-transcripts from schools attended more than four years ago may be uploaded as supplemental information for the Trustees’ review.

Submission notes
- Official e-transcripts must be emailed by the issuing institution to scholarship@car.org.
- Ensure all required items are provided before the April 5, 2026 deadline to be eligible for review.