Our Opportunities

Welcome to $hef!

Welcome to the scholarship website for enrolled and incoming students at The Culinary Institute of America.
Most scholarships require students to have a FAFSA for the current academic year. You can file the FAFSA here.

When Scholarships are Posted:

We post 50-70 scholarship opportunities each semester.
Scholarships for the following semesters will be accepting applications between the corresponding date range:

  • Fall 2025: April 21, 2025 – June 2, 2025
  • Spring 2026: August 11, 2025 – October 6, 2025
  • Summer 2026: December 22, 2025 – February 2, 2026

How to Apply for Scholarships:

  • To apply for any $hef scholarship, complete your incoming student deposit.
  • Your deposit will automatically create a general application, allowing you to sign in and apply for scholarships the following day.
  • Upon signing in, you will be brought to the “Recommended Opportunities” page which lists scholarships you likely qualify for.
  • To apply, click the scholarship’s name and review the description. Then, click the orange “Apply” button at the bottom.

Checking Your Scholarship Application Status:
View your application status anytime by visiting the My Applications page after logging in.

  • Submitted = Applications are still being reviewed.
  • Offered = You have been selected for the scholarship.
  • Not Selected = You were not selected for the scholarship.

You will only receive an email if you are selected for a scholarship.
Most scholarships will be awarded within 3-4 weeks of the scholarship’s deadline, but some may take longer.

External Scholarships:
Additional scholarships from outside organizations are posted on the External Scholarships page throughout the year.
To acess the external scholarships, hover or click on the “Opportunities” tab and click “External”. These scholarships are not managed or funded by the CIA.

Helpful Resources:

Scholarship Essay Checklist
Recipe Scholarship Tips
File the FAFSA
Learn More About $hef

Questions?
For questions about the Earn and Learn program: studentworkprograms@culinary.edu
For all other scholarship-related questions: $hef@culinary.edu

Opportunities Table
Award Name Actions
$2,000 AIWF San Diego Chapter Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
Varies Anthony Bourdain '78 Legacy Scholarship
Students who meet the following criteria may apply for this...
Deadline06/02/2025
$40,000 ($10,000 per academic year) B & G Foods Culinary Leaders of Tomorrow
Students meeting the following requirements are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
Two awards of $2,000 Bill Briwa Memorial Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
Two awards of $5,550 each Bob Gildersleeve '90 Memorial Endowed Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
Up to $19,100 per semester x 4 semesters Cameron Thompson Legacy Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
Up to $25,000 Charlie Palmer's Pigs & Pinot Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
$3,700 Chef Brian Kaywork '02 Legacy Memorial Endowed Scholarship
Hyde Park students who meet the following criteria may apply: Current...
Deadline06/02/2025
$3,000 Chef Robert Briggs Memorial Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
Multiple Awards of $5,000 CIA Excellence Expendable Scholarship
Students meeting the following criteria are encouraged to apply: Class...
Deadline06/02/2025
Up to three awards of $10,000 Compass Group Scholarship
Students meeting the following criteria are encouraged to apply: Class...
Deadline06/02/2025
$2,500.00 Continuum Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
Two Awards of $2,000 Craig Priemer Memorial Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
Several awards of $3,250 each Dale Miller '79 Endowed Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements will be automatically...
Deadline06/02/2025
Varies David Christian DePasquale '92 Memorial Scholarship
Students that are permanent residents of the state of Florida meeting...
Deadline06/02/2025
$800 Debra Powell Memorial Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements will be automatically...
Deadline06/02/2025
$5,100 DePoalo Family Endowment for Bachelor's Students
Students meeting the following requirements are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
$6,400 Dorothy & Marshall Reisman Foundation Endowed Scholarship Fund
Residents of New York State meeting the following requirements are...
Deadline06/02/2025
Several awards at least $3,000 each Dyson Foundation Scholarship
Students who have lived in the mid-Hudson Valley for at least five years...
Deadline06/02/2025
Multiple Awards, Amount Varies FDNY Lt. Peter J. Farrenkopf Memorial Scholarship
The purpose of this scholarship is to help a student or students with...
Deadline06/02/2025
$2,000 Fisher Faucet Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
$2,500 Food For Yu Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
$5000 Foodservice Management Charity Event Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
$3,500.00 Fuller Goldsmith Memorial Endowed Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
$800 Grand Marnier Endowed Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements will be reviewed...
Deadline06/02/2025
$900.00 HARRAH'S Marina Endowed Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements will be automatically...
Deadline06/02/2025
$1,200 HARRAH'S Tahoe Hotel & Casino Endowed Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements will be automatically...
Deadline06/02/2025
$1,100.00 Harry M. Stevens Endowed Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
Varies Heather Ho Memorial Endowed Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements will be automatically...
Deadline06/02/2025
Up to three awards of $5,000 each IFMA Award for Juniors and Seniors
Students meeting the following requirements are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
Two awards of $1,000 each IFMA Gold & Silver
Students meeting the following requirements are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
Up to $5,000 IFMA Veterans Scholarship
Students who are veterans are encouraged to apply if they meet the...
Deadline06/02/2025
$2,000 Il Circolo Squal-arship in Memory of Pasquale "Pat" and Tom Valenti
Students meeting the following requirements are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
Four awards of $2,500 each illy Farm-to-Table Scholarship
Students participating in the Summer 2025 or Fall 2025 Farm-to-Table ...
Deadline06/02/2025
$32,000 International Wine & Food Society Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
Up to $5,000 James Fricker Memorial Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
$2,500 James J. McCann Scholarship
Permanent residents of Dutchess County who meet the following...
Deadline06/02/2025
$3,600 Joe Gurrera/Citarella Endowed Culinary Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
Two awards of $3,250 John P. '78 and Andrea M. Dorman Endowed Scholarship
Students meeting the following criteria are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
$10,000 Jones Dairy Farm Endowed Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
Six awards of at least $3,000 Jones Dairy Farm San Antonio Endowed Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
Two awards of $3,850 Joyce & Joel Buchman Legacy Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
$4,400 Kepic Naeymi-Rad Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements will be automatically...
Deadline06/02/2025
$5,000 Korin, Inc. Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
$5,000 Korin, Inc. Scholarship for International Students
International students meeting the following requirements are encouraged...
Deadline06/02/2025
Up to $38,200 Kwame Onwuachi '13 Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
Two awards of $10,000 each Lee Kum Kee Ambassador Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
Up to $20,000 Les Dames d'Escoffier DC Chapter Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements are encouraged to...
Deadline06/02/2025
$3,800 Lou and Tony DiMartini Endowed Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements will be automatically...
Deadline06/02/2025
Varies Louis Greenspan Memorial Endowed Scholarship
Students meeting the following requirements will be automatically...
Deadline06/02/2025