New Portal Streamlines Scholarship Applications

“Our new enterprise system will help to improve student retention and success while enhancing how we manage scholarship funds.”

A just-launched scholarship search portal at San Diego State University has simplified a daunting and sometimes exasperating task for college students around the country, offering an application that opens doors to hundreds of opportunities for financial assistance all at once.

Aztec Scholarships automatically matches students with scholarships for which they are eligible, replacing a system in which applications to sources with different requirements had to be submitted one by one. Students then will receive notifications if any second step, such as an essay, resume, transcript or letters of recommendation, is needed as part of the selection process.

The new portal went live March 1.

Madilynn Reynoso, one of several students who helped test Aztec Scholarships before its campus-wide launch, said the system makes the application process seamless.

In using the previous portal, “After a few minutes, I would be over it,” said Reynoso, a junior and interdisciplinary studies major who works in the SDSU Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. “I think students are really going to appreciate the change,” Reynoso said.

Over the past few years, SDSU has worked to improve student access to the millions of dollars in scholarships available to them and now awards more scholarships than ever before – more than 97% of scholarship funds available. Aztec Scholarships is powered by the Blackbaud Award Management system, used at 19 other California State University schools. 

“This system serves as a critical addition to our campus technology structure,” said SDSU President Adela de la Torre. 

“Many of our scholarships are designed to connect students with their passions and the experiences they want, whether related to academics, study abroad, service or career,” de la Torre said. “Our new enterprise system will help to improve student retention and success while enhancing how we manage scholarship funds.” 

Rose Pasenelli, director of the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, said the new process makes the application process simple and fast. 

“Gone are the days when students had to search through hundreds of scholarships to read the eligibility requirements, guess if they were eligible, and submit a separate essay for each one to apply,” Pasenelli said.

Over the past decade, SDSU has steadily grown in its scholarship endowment and the number of students receiving awards. 

During the 2008-09 academic year, SDSU provided 1,649 awards to more than 1,300 students – with some students receiving multiple awards – for a total of $2.6 million awarded in scholarship money. 

In the current year, the university has awarded 3,086 scholarships valued at $6.5 million to 2,324 students.

The Aztec Scholarships portal also will enable SDSU to continue the trend of increasing the percentage of available scholarship funds disbursed. 

In 2017-18, SDSU disbursed 76% of available funds. The figure increased to more than 97%.

“SDSU is committed to ensuring that our growing scholarship endowment makes its way to our students, and those efforts extend beyond the scholarship portal,” Pasenelli said. “We want to award all available scholarship funding to our eligible students while meeting the intent of our generous donors, ultimately contributing to greater student success and degree completion.” 

This year’s general application in Aztec Scholarships is open from March 1 to Aug. 15 for awards for the upcoming 2020-21 academic year (summer, fall and spring). All SDSU students, regardless of grade point average, area of study, citizenship, or residency status are encouraged to apply. 

To be considered for the highest number of scholarships possible, current SDSU students should submit their general application as soon as possible. Once new students are admitted, complete their Intent to Enroll, and activate their SDSU ID, they may log into Aztec Scholarships during the application period and apply. 

Selection of recipients is made by scholarship committees typically composed of university faculty and/or staff from the academic program or campus organization most closely affiliated with the scholarship within specific review periods throughout the year. 

Awards are generally made to current students between April 1 and May 15. There are three additional review periods throughout the year: one for recruitment scholarships, one for incoming students and one for scholarships awarded for study abroad and internships. 

Scholarship recipients must submit a letter of appreciation and, in a change, the letters must be submitted electronically in Aztec Scholarships within 14 days after being notified. Late submissions are not accepted.