The California Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (CRAEF) is proud to present the 2014CRAEF scholarship application. The application deadline for both undergraduate and high school seniors is May 16.All materials must be mailed to CRAEF and postmarked by the deadline date.
CRAEF scholarships are competitive and awarded to qualified applicants based on an application, an essay, previous experience and an interview. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. Top applicants will be contacted for an interview with the CRAEF scholarship panel, comprised of educators and industry leaders, by e-mail or phone six to eight weeks after the deadline. Scholarships will be awarded in two payments following proof of enrollment in two semesters. The first half of the scholarship is paid in early September and is made payable to the school financial aid office. The second check is paid to the student for the spring semester, once proof of enrollment with nine or more credit hours and proof of good standing with the college requirement are submitted.
In addition to the CRAEF scholarship, we encourage studentsto apply for other scholarships including the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF). The NRAEF scholarship application must be completed online at The completed online form should be submitted withthe required documentation and mailed to the NRAEF. Students who reside in Orange County, Riverside County or Los Angeles counties may also apply for the Norms Restaurants scholarship, which can be found at Additional scholarship and educational resources are available online at
Applicant qualifications
To qualify for a CRAEF scholarship, the applicant must:
- be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- be a California resident, although students may attend an out-of-state school
- be enrolled in or will be enrolled in a minimum of nine credit hours at an accredited foodservice relatedpostsecondary two consecutive semesters or terms
- have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.50 on a 4.0 scale
- be in good standing with the school for the second half of the award
- have completed at least one grading term of a postsecondary program or be a high school senior going directly to a postsecondary school
- satisfy the minimum hours of industry-related work experience, paid or voluntary:
- 250 hours for high school students going into their freshmen year
- 400 hours for college freshmen going into their sophomore year
- 550 hours for studentsbeyond sophomore year.
All work experience must be verified through paycheck stubs or a signed letter from employers.Donot send copies of aW-2.
Required documentation to be submitted with your signed application:
- Anessay, which must be typed and double-spacedin a Word document.
- A copy of the applicant’sprogram curriculum from a college catalog or website with the major or degree, the number of credit hours and all degree requirements shown.
- Ahigh school or college transcript.Transcripts do not have to be a sealed official copy,butmust be from the school.
- Proof ofthe required restaurant and hospitality industry work experience as listedabove. Proof can be given in the form of scanned paycheck stubs or a scanned letter from an employer verifying hours worked. Donot send copies of aW-2.
- Two letters of recommendation.
- One letter from a current or previous employer in the restaurant and hospitality industry
- One letter from an instructor or faculty member.
Judging
CRAEF scholarships are competitive and awarded to qualified applicants based onan application, an essay, previous work experience and an interview. Top applicants will be selected for an interview with the CRAEF scholarship panel. Applicants will be judged on the following criteria:
- Quality of the application, including spelling, grammar, content, etc.
- Essay content, including quality of writing, word count, etc.
- Industry-related experience
- Personal interview
Notification
Applicants chosen for an interview will be notified sixto eight weeks after the scholarship deadline with further instructions on the location and time of the interview. Winning applicants will be contacted and provided withinformation on how to claim funding. CRAEF scholarship winners are chosen once per year and the scholarships are paid over two consecutive terms.
Deadlines
Undergraduate and high school senior deadline is May 16.All materials must be mailed to CRAEF and postmarked by the deadline date.
Awards
The first half of the scholarship is paid in early September and is made payable to the school financial aid office. The second check is paid to the student for the spring semester, once proof of enrollment with nine or more credit hours and proof of good standing with the college requirement are submitted.
2014 CRAEF SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION
Section 1: Personal information
Social Security Number (required) ______-______-______
Last name ______First name ______
Primarye-mail address______
Alternate e-mail address______
Preferred phone (_____) ______Alternate phone (_____) ______
Permanentaddress______
City______State ______Zip ______
School address (if applicable) ______
City______State ______Zip ______
Date of birth ______Age______
Are you a California resident? □Yes □No
Are you a U.S. Citizen or a permanent resident? □Yes □No
Section 2: School information
Are you a former ProStart student? □Yes □No
If yes, please list high school ______
What level of education are you currently pursuing?
□highschool diploma □ certificate □ associate’s degree □ bachelor’s degree
Next term I will be a □ freshmen □ sophomore □ junior □ senior
Next term I will attend □ a community college □ a four-year college □ culinary school
A. Current school information
School name______
Financial aid office address______
City ______State______Zip______
Phone number (_____) ______Student ID #: ______
Expected enrollment date (mo/yr) ______Expected graduation date (mo/yr) ______
Current major/focus______GPA ______
B. Future school information (if different from above)
School name______
Financial aid office address______
City ______State______Zip______
Phone number (_____) ______Student ID # ______
Expected enrollment date (mo/yr) ______Expected graduation date (mo/yr) ______
Future major/focus______GPA ______
C. Past school information
Past school name______
Address______
City ______State______Zip______
Phone number (_____) ______
Dates enrolled (mo/yr) to (mo/yr) ______
Major/focus______GPA ______
Section 3: Restaurant and hospitality work experience
List the dates and locations of anyrestaurant and hospitality industry work experience. Eligible candidates must meet the following requirements of paid or voluntary experience: 250 hours for high school students going into their freshmen year, 400 hours for college freshmen going into their sophomore year and 550 hours for those beyond their sophomore year of college.Include only industry-related experience, beginning with most recent.If you require more space, please include a separate sheet of paper.
Company name______
Type of business and position worked______
Company address ______
City ______State ______Zip______
Phone number (_____) ______Dates employed (mo/yr) to (mo/yr) ______
Average hours worked per month______Total hours worked*______
Company name______
Type of business and position worked ______
Company address ______
City ______State______Zip______
Phone number (_____) ______Dates employed (mo/yr) to (mo/yr) ______
Average hours worked per month ______Total hours worked*______
*To calculate total hours, multiply average hours worked per month by total months worked.
Total hours restaurant or foodservice industry experience: ______
Do you have a parent who is currently working in the restaurant and hospitality industry?
□Yes □No If so, where? ______
Section 4: Essay
Please respondto the essay prompt as best as possible. The essay must be typed, double-spaced, on separate sheets of paper and original. It must be submitted with the application as described on the instruction page. The essay should be approximately 500 to 750 words.
Essay prompt
Briefly describe your motivation for pursuing an education in the restaurant and hospitality industry. Explainwhy you have chosen this career path. Please include how past experiences, people you have met, interests you have, long-term goals and any other factors have contributed to your aspiration to further your education in theindustry.
Section 5: Interests
What areas of the restaurant and hospitality industry do you plan to enter after graduation? Check all that apply.
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culinary arts
culinary education
environmental health
fine dining
food science
food styling
foodservice advertising/Communication
foodservice marketing
foodservice supply/Distribution
full service
health care
hotel/lodging
quick service
restaurant and foodservice management
restaurant/facilities design
school foodservice
viticulture
event planning
other______
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Is this a career or major change for you? □Yes □No
If yes, what career were you previously pursuing? ______
Section 6: Activities and academic honors
Please describethe community service or restaurant and hospitality industry-related activities you have participated in and academic honors that you have receivedin the past four years.
A. List anycommunity service activities.
B. List any restaurant and hospitality-related activities and any officer or leadership positions you held, including dates, organizations and positions.
C. List any academic honors you have received.
D. List any other extracurricular activities or awards.
Section 7: Questionnaire
How did you learn aboutthe CRAEF scholarship?
Professor or school adviser
Internet, if yes, did you learn about it from Yes No
Mailing
Employer
Friend, relative or coworker
Other______
Have you ever been awarded a scholarship from CRAEF or the NRAEF? □Yes □No
If yes, list the scholarship, award amount and year______
List any other scholarships or tuition-assistance programs you have applied for or received
______
To the best of my knowledge, I have provided CRAEF with accurate responses to all questions on this form. If I become a scholarship recipient, I agree to have my information released to promote the CRAEF Scholarship Program throughout the restaurant and foodservice industry.
______
SignatureDate
Return completed application to:
CRAEF Scholarships
621 Capitol Mall, Suite 2000
Sacramento, CA 95814
All applications must be postmarked by May 16, 2014.
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