In partnership with The Herb Alpert Foundation, each year 21 CSSSA students are selected to receive college scholarships. The awards include three in each of seven categories: animation, film, creative writing, dance, music, theater and visual arts. Within each category, two students receive one-time awards of $2,500, and one student, a $40,000 college scholarship.

During the fourth week of the annual summer session, CSSSA department faculties choose the award winners. Students do not have to submit an additional application. The selection criteria include a balanced assessment of artistic talent, character and motivation; likeliness of success in college or a professional training program; and financial need.

The seven top scholarship recipients receive professional financial aid consulting and coordination to assure that the students use the support to offset work and loan burdens they otherwise would have to carry, and that the scholarships do not supplant other financial aid provided by the colleges they choose to attend.

The Herb Alpert Foundation has allocated more than $2.4 million for college scholarships. Since 2008 more than $1.2 million has been awarded to CSSSA graduates. The Herb Alpert Foundation, a non-profit, private foundation established in the early 1980s, makes significant annual contributions to a range of programs in arts, arts education, and compassion and well-being.