1) Must be a current resident of, or currently employed within, San Diego County for six (6) months prior to the first Miss San Diego Pageant rehearsal of the pageant year,

OR must be currently enrolled as a full-time student (12 units) in a high school, community college or four-year university located within San Diego County and must have completed one full-time semester or quarter in a high school, community college, or four-year university located within San Diego County prior to the first Miss San Diego Pageant rehearsal of the pageant year.

2) Must be at least 17 years old (and at least a high school senior) at the time of the Miss San Diego Scholarship Pageant.

3) Must be no more than 24 years old on December 31st of the year of the Miss America national finals (the calendar year following the Miss San Diego Scholarship Pageant). For example, to compete in the 2008 Miss San Diego pageant in December 2007, a contestant must be no more than 24 years old on December 31, 2008.

4) Must be born female, never married, and never have had children.

5) Must be a U.S. citizen prior to the first Miss San Diego Scholarship Pageant rehearsal of the pageant year.

6) Must NOT already hold 2 structured local pageant titles, promoting to the Miss California pageant.

7) Must NOT have already entered 2 structured local pageants, promoting to the Miss California Pageant, within this pageant year.

8) Must NOT be a former titleholder of the Miss San Diego Scholarship Pageant.