Welcome and thanks for visiting our GJS Scholarships page!
Our Gaines-Jones Scholars 2026-27 application round is now closed. Our 2027-28 round will open February 1, 2027.
This page has much to offer. Please carefully read all the information below to determine if you are eligible to apply. If you do not fit our criteria — don’t despair! There are plenty of scholarships out there: Click here to explore our page for finding other scholarships!
Keep scrolling to:
• find tips on writing essays
• watch Fanta’s PowerPoint on finding more college money
• explore our resource page with many other places to apply for scholarships
• watch our Gaines-Jones overview video
Who is eligible to apply?
You must be an African-American high school senior (or prior GJS recipient) bound for a 2-or 4-year college, technical or trade school, and a resident in one of these Southwest Georgia or San Francisco Bay Area counties:
Southwest Georgia:
Baker • Calhoun • Colquitt • Decatur • Dougherty • Early • Grady • Lee • Miller • Mitchell • Seminole • Terrell • Thomas • Worth
San Francisco Bay Area:
Alameda • Contra Costa • Marin • Napa • San Francisco • San Mateo • Santa Clara • Solano
• Sonoma
—or, you may be:
A prior Gaines-Jones Scholar currently enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate, technical/trade, or medical school/residency program. After graduation, you may apply for funding for career advancement programs. We are dedicated to helping you succeed!
Please Note: Our scholarships do NOT automatically renew. However, once you become a Gaines-Jones Scholar, you may reapply as long as you are enrolled, even if you have taken time off.
“Thank you Gaines-Jones Scholars! My time at UC Berkeley was one of the most challenging experiences in my life, but your support made it that much easier. My GJS scholarship helped make college a reality, and allowed me to pursue so many opportunities in and outside the classroom to help me grow personally and professionally. You also helped me graduate college debt free 🙂”
–Fanta Jamissa
Gaines-Jones Scholar since 2020
University of California, Berkeley, B.S. Public Health | Class of 2024
University of Ghana, Study Abroad | Pan Afrikan Social Movements: Past, Present and Future
SELECTION CRITERIA:
The Gaines-Jones Selection Committee evaluates applications based on:
- Clearly demonstrated need for financial aid
- Upward trend in grades and course load
- Strong, original personal essay, short answer, and reference letters
- Extracurricular activity and community service
- A fully-completed online Gaines-Jones application submitted by deadline: midnight PST March 15, 2026
- Any questions, please contact us: info@gaines-jones.org Call/text: 415.720.6102
Gaines-Jones Scholars: What Education Means from Anita Jones Roehrick on Vimeo.
Keep Searching!
There are thousands and thousands of scholarships out there. Treat your search for funding like a part-time job; the pay-off could be much greater! EXPLORE our Resources page to find many other scholarship opportunities that match your profile & needs—whatever they may be.
Click button below for help writing winning essays:
A strong essay requires more than one draft. Ask people that you trust to proofread for you: teachers, counselors, advisors, parents, mentors, etc.
How to find more scholarships:
Gaines-Jones Scholar, Fanta Jamissa, a pre-med grad of UC Berkeley, created this PowerPoint to share her methods for finding scholarships and doing college DEBT-FREE!