2008 scholarship application

$80,000 in scholarships was awarded in 2008. Check back frequently for 2009 application information. 

 

Applicant qualifications

To qualify for a scholarship, the applicant must:
  • Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
  • Be a California resident (although applicant may attend an out-of-state school).
  • Be a full-time or substantially part-time (minimum of nine credit hours) student in an accredited community college, four-year college, calendar year program or culinary school.
  • Have a minimum cumulative 2.75 GPA or the equivalent on a 4.0 scale. Applicants who do not have a GPA or who have concerns about their GPA should contact CRAEF at 800.765.4842 for more information.
  • Satisfy the following minimum industry-related work experience (paid or voluntary) requirements: 250 hours for high school students going into freshmen year, 400 hours for college freshmen going into sophomore year and 550 hours for those beyond sophomore year. All work experience must be verified through paycheck stubs or signed letters from an employer.
  • Be enrolled in two consecutive semesters and/or not be entering the last semester before graduating.
  • Have completed at least one grading term of a college or postsecondary program.
Required documentation:
  • Signed copy of application.
  • Typed essay: double-spaced, on a separate piece of paper and attached to the application. Essay instructions are in section five of the application.
  • A copy of program curriculum (from college catalog) with the number of credit hours, major/degree and all major/degree requirements.
  • A high school or college transcript. Transcripts do not have to be official, however they must be from the school.
  • Proof that the required work experience mentioned above has been completed. Proof can be given in the form of paycheck stubs or a letter from your employer verifying total hours worked. Please do not send copies of your W-2.
  • One to three letters of recommendation from current or previous employer(s) in the restaurant and/or hospitality industries.
  • Proof of enrollment or acceptance in a college or postsecondary program.
How to apply:
  • Read the instructions thoroughly.
  • Complete the application and type the essay.
  • Gather all necessary documentation (see required documentation).
  • Mail application, essay and required documentation prior to semester deadline to:

CRAEF Scholarship Program
621 Capitol Mall, Suite 2000
Sacramento, CA 95814

Reasons for disqualification, restrictions and ineligibility:
  • Incomplete documentation.
  • Fraudulent responses to application, essay or eligibility requirements.
  • Ineligibility due to unmet hours of work experience, units enrolled, GPA or residency.
  • Overlapping CRAEF scholarship applications.
  • Entering the last semester before graduating.

Please note that you may receive only one CRAEF scholarship per year. CRAEF scholarships are paid over two consecutive terms.

Judging

All scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis. A panel of educators, industry leaders and culinary professionals will judge eligible applications. Top applicants will be selected for a personal interview. Judges scores are based on:

  • presentation (spelling, punctuation, grammar, etc.)
  • essay content (quality of writing, word count, etc.)
  • GPA
  • industry-related experience
  • personal interview
Notification

Applicants who are selected for a personal interview the week of June 2, 2008 will receive further instructions with the location and interview time. Scholarship recipients and non-recipients are notified through the U.S. Postal Service approximately six to eight weeks after the deadline date. Successful applicants will be contacted by CRAEF and given instructions about how to claim their award.

If you have any questions or concerns about the application process, please contact Amy Wulfestieg at awulfestieg@calrest.org or 916.431.2749.