Rising Stars Program Application (Class of 2026)

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Overview

This application is for the Students Rising Above Rising Stars Program for HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS graduating in Spring 2026. SRA empowers students facing systemic barriers to define and find success through education, career, and in life.


Selected students will receive mentoring support, financial assistance, and college and career guidance. The goal of the Rising Stars Program is to provide students with the individualized support they need to be successful. 


Any applications received after the March 4th deadline will automatically be disqualified


OVERVIEW


Rising Stars Program Requirements:

  • Must be a current high school junior

  • Will be a senior in the 2025-2026 school year

  • Low-income or living on government assistance

  • Committed to earning a 4-year college education

  • G.P.A. of 2.0 or higher

  • Must live within the nine-county Bay Area

  • All students are eligible to apply, regardless of their immigration or citizenship status


Click Here for our FAQs and income ranges for low-income eligibility 


Below are the steps to the application process:

  • The application will close on March 4th at 11:59 p.m.

  • After the application closes, 6 groups of 3 will read through the applications

  • If you are invited to be interviewed, you will be notified in May 

  • The finalist will be interviewed by 3 people on the Rising Stars team

  • The interview team will make final selections and Students selected for the Rising Stars program will be notified by the end of June


**If invited for an interview, you will be asked to provide proof of family income with 2024 tax returns or other documentation, if needed.**

To learn more about our program visit: https://www.studentsrisingabove.org 



Disclaimer: Confidentiality policy

  • The contents of the application will be reviewed by the selection committee and will remain confidential

  • SRA does not and will not share the contents of this application with any outside organizations

  • SRA is designated as a Mandatory Reporter under California's Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act

  • Please review our Privacy Policy here

  • Applicants will receive email and text reminders leading up to the application deadline; text reminders can be opted out at any time by replying "STOP."


Please contact Students Rising Above at selection@studentsrisingabove.org if you have any questions about this process. We look forward to reading your application.

Qualifying Information



Not eligible to apply

Personal Information

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Student Personal Information


















Family Information

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Examples: CalWORKs, SSI, CalFresh (food stamps), Medi-Cal









School Information

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If you do not see your high school name, please reach out to us.







Essay Prompts

Please respond to the following three prompts to complete your rising stars application. Make sure to save your progress regularly to avoid timing out. We recommend drafting a responses in a separate word document and then adding them here when you are ready to submit.

We discourage relying on AI for your essay responses, while AI tools can be helpful for brainstorming or light grammar checks. Your essay should primarily reflect your unique voice and perspective. When discussing your personal experiences, we want to hear your story – crafted in your own words. Essays that rely heavily on AI tend to lack the authenticity and personal touch that make them stand out. 





Disclaimer Section

Please click the submit button only once. It may take a minute for your application to process. Once an application has been submitted, changes are no longer possible. Please reach out to selection@studentsrisingbove.org with questions.