Financial Aid and Scholarship Sources and Opportunities

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SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES 

Please verify all application deadlines on the program website.  There may be slight changes from what is posted below.

Jack Kent Cook Scholarship 

AFSA $20,000 Scholarship Contest http://www.afsascholarship.org/hsinformation.html  Deadline April 

Sun Trust Scholarship Sweepstakes https://www.suntrusteducation.com/scholarshipsweepstakes/index.html  Deadline May 

CaptainU Student-Athlete Scholarship

https://www.scholarships360.org/captainu-scholarship/

Application deadline: January 31

This scholarship is for students who also excel as athletes.  CaptainU offers scholarship for all student-athletes who are in high school or community college.  The only other requirement is that students must be planning on attending a four year college.  This scholarship awards $2,000 to a student-athlete at the end of each quarter!

Cappex $1,000 GPA Isn’t Everything Scholarship
https://www.cappex.com/page/account/quickApply.jsp?scholarshipID=gp&code=HO1060-5-

Cappex is a very generous provider of college scholarships for students–they offer up to $50,000 in awards per year!  One of their signature scholarships is the “GPA Isn’t Everything” Scholarships which is offered each month to high school and college students.  This Cappex scholarship is typically worth $1,000.  The best thing about this program is that it is offered on a monthly basis.  If you don’t win, try, try again! The deadline for this Cappex Scholarship is on the last day of each month.

The AXA Achievement Community Scholarship

https://www.scholarshipamerica.org/axa-community/

The AXA Achievementsm Community Scholarship program offers $2,500 college scholarships to high school seniors who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in their activities in school, the community or the workplace. The scholarship is sponsored by the AXA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of AXA Advisors, LLC. The 2015 program will be accepting applications from October 15, 2015 until 10,000 applications are submitted or 11:59 p.m. CST on February 1, whichever comes first. Your application MUST be one of the first 10,000 submitted electronically by the deadline date.
Apply early!

Application deadline: February 1

The USDA 1890 National Scholars Program

http://www.outreach.usda.gov/education/1890/index.htm

The USDA 1890 National Scholars Program awards scholarships to high school seniors to attend any of the nineteen 1890 Land Grant Historically Black Institutions in agriculture, food, natural resource sciences or other related disciplines. 

The USDA 1890 National Scholars Program will provide full tuition, employment, employment benefits, fees, books, and room and board each year for up to four years to students pursuing a bachelor's degree at several HBCU universities.

The scholarship may be renewed each year contingent upon satisfactory academic performance and normal progress toward the bachelor's degree. 

Eligible students must be U.S. citizens, have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better, have been accepted at one of the 1890 HBCUs, study agriculture, food, natural resource sciences or other related academic disciplines, demonstrate leadership and community service. 

AFA Teens for Alzheimer's Awareness College Scholarship
http://www.afateens.org/about_new.html

Deadline to Apply: Feb 15
Award Amount: $5,000
In a further effort to provide an outlet for teenagers to express their thoughts about Alzheimer’s disease and to engage the younger generation in this cause, AFA is pleased to offer the AFA Teens for Alzheimer’s Awareness College Scholarship. Beginning in 2014, scholarship awards to deserving college-bound students will be a $5,000 scholarship to the winner; and $2,500 and $1,000 scholarships to the first and second runners-up, respectively. Additionally, seven $500 scholarships will be awarded for Honorable Mention.

Watson-Brown Scholarship Program

http://watson-brown.org/wbf-scholarship/the-program/get-money-for-college

Watson-Brown Scholarship Program is a scholarship program which aims to assist students with paying for college.

Amount:  $5,000.00

Due: February 15

RISE Scholarship Program

http://risescholarshipfoundation.org/rise-award/

Application deadline: February 15

The RISE (Rewarding Individual Success in Education) Foundation Scholarship wants to provide financial assistance to students with learning disabilities.

To be eligible for this scholarship, students must be a high school senior who is planning on going to a college or university next year (the scholarship website asks students to have submitted their college applications prior to applying).

As this scholarship aims to help students with learning disabilities, students must have a documented LD (a diagnosis of ADD or ADHD does not quality a student).  To be eligible, students must also have a minimum of a 2.5 GPA (on a 4.0 scale).

Additionally, students must submit a letter of recommendation (from a teacher, guidance counselor, or principal), a recent photo with the student’s name on the back, and a high school transcript.

The entire scholarship application can be found online and includes a few short essays.

Mail your application to:

RiSE Scholarship Foundation, Inc.

Attention: Awards Selection Committee

P.O. Box 422417

Atlanta, Ga. 30342

Email for questions: info@risescholarshipfoundation.org.

“War on the Little Guy:  When Are There Enough Rules?” Essay Contest

http://stosselintheclassroom.org/essay_contest/.

Deadline:  February 17

Shire Michael Yasick ADHD Scholarship

shire-michael-yasick-adhd-scholarship/

The Michael Yasick ADHD Scholarship by Shire recognizes and supports students with paying for college.

Amount: $2,000.00

Due: February 18    

Moody’s Mega Math Challenge

http://m3challenge.siam.org/challenge.

The top prize is a $20,000 scholarship to be split among the team.  

Application deadline: February 20

Anne Frank Outstanding Scholarship Award
http://www.annefrank.com/fileadmin/safa/categories.html

Application deadline:  February 2016

Applicants must be graduating high school seniors who are community leaders and have been accepted to a four-year college. The winning applicant receives a $10,000 scholarship. The award recognizes students who exemplify the commitment, ideals and courage that Anne Frank represents today. Examples of such activities include:

Acting as spokespersons for tolerance;

On a daily basis, having the courage to be bridge builders and peacemakers;

Creating programs that address intolerance, violence prevention and conflict resolution;

Standing up against intolerance by leading or participating in community-based organizations.

Congressional Black Caucus Foundation General Mills Health Scholarship

can send in their applications via e-mail to scholarship@100bmoa.org.

Engineer GirlEssay Contest

http://www.engineergirl.org/22826.aspx

Engineer Girl is offering a 1000-1500 word Essay Contest to focus on Engineering in Sports.  Put your enthusiasm for sports and engineering to work for YOU! 

Application deadline: March 1

ACS Scholars Program

www.acs.org

Award: $5,000

This scholarship award is for African American, American Indian, and Hispanic students who are planning to pursue full-time study in a chemically-related field. To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must be graduating high school seniors, college freshmen, college sophomores, or college juniors; have a 3.0 GPA; demonstrate financial need; and planning a career in the chemical sciences.

Application deadline: March 1

Frame My Future Scholarship

http://www.diplomaframe.com/contests/frame-my-future-scholarship-contest-2015.aspx

Frame My Future Scholarship The 2015 Frame My Future Scholarship Contest is  currently accepting applications.

Amount: $1,000.00

Due: March 3 

The Generation Google Scholarship

https://www.google.com/edu/scholarships/the-generation-google-scholarship/

Application deadline: March 5, 2016

The Generation Google Scholarship was established to help aspiring computer scientists excel in technology and become leaders in the field.

To be eligible to apply, applicants must:

-Be a current high school senior

-Intend to be enrolled in or accepted as a full-time student at a university for the 2015-2016 school year.

-Intend to pursue a computer science or computer engineering degree or a degree in a closely related technical field.

-Exemplify leadership and demonstrate a passion for computer science and technology.

-Exhibit a strong record of academic achievement.

-Be a student from an underrepresented group in computer science (African American, Hispanic, -American Indian, Female, or a Person with a Disability)

-Be available to attend Google’s Computer Science Summer Institute (CSSI) in the summer 

Leadership Montgomery’s Youth Community Leadership Award

https://www.leadershipmontgomerymd.org/celebration-leadership

Application deadline: March 6

For Montgomery County residents only

This award offers five (5) $1,000 scholarships to students attending a public or independent school in Montgomery County, who are currently enrolled in 12th grade and have completed a minimum of 260 hours of community service learning activities by the end of the last semester of their junior year.

Sister Rita Jeanne Journalist of the Year Scholarship 

http://jea.org/home/awards-honors/journalist-of-the-year/

Award: $5,000

This scholarship is for graduating high school seniors who have participated in high school journalism for at least two years. Applicants must be students of a JEA adviser, be a state winner, and have at least a 3.0 GPA. To apply for this scholarship, applicants must submit a portfolio of their work.

Deadline: March 15

Pre-Engineering Scholarships

http://www.nacme.org/scholarships#PreEngScholarships

The NACME Pre-Engineering Scholarship Program recognizes the nation’s highest achieving African American, American Indian, and Latino high school seniors who have demonstrated academic excellence, leadership skills, and a commitment to science and engineering as a career goal. Each NACME Pre-Engineering Scholarship winner receives a $2,500 award to be used toward the cost of attendance at a university.

Applicants must be:

-African American, American Indian, or Latino high school graduating seniors;

-U.S. citizens or permanent residents;

-Participants in an Academy of Engineering (a National Academy Foundation national network of career-themed academies) or a pre-college or high school program focused on math, science, and engineering;  

-Outstanding academic achievers earning a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA or “B” average; 

-Have a preferred combined SAT score of 1650 for critical reading, writing, and math, and a preferred math score of 550; or preferred composite ACT score of 24 and a preferred score from the math section of 24; and

-Admitted into an engineering program as a full-time student. Priority will be given to applicants who have been admitted to a NACME Partner Institution.

-Application deadline: March 15 

Hispanic Scholarship Fund 

For Graduating High School Seniors; merit-based scholarships available for undergraduate and graduate students; all majors and graduate fields accepted; emphasis on STEM majors; scholarship awards range from $500 to $5,000; scholarship Application opens January 1, 2015; Application deadline:  March 30, 2015.  To qualify, you must: Must be of Hispanic Heritage; minimum of 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) for High School Students; Plan to enroll Full-Time in an accredited not-for -profit 4 year university or graduate school during FALL of scholarship cycle year; U.S. Citizen, Permanent Legal Resident, DACA or Eligible Non-Citizen (as defined by FAFSA); Complete FAFSA; Complete state Dream Act financial aid application (if applicable)

Application deadline: March 30

The Peace First Prize

http://www.peacefirst.org/prize/

Application deadline:  March 30

The Peace First Prize is your chance to celebrate the powerful contributions of the youth peacemakers. The Prize will recognize 5 young people between the ages of 8-22 for their compassion, courage and ability to create collaborative change. Through a two-year $25,000 Peace First Fellowship, we will invest in their leadership as peacemakers and share their stories with the nation.

As a young person, you can apply for the Peace First Prize directly using the online Application.  You should know that we encourage video submissions with your application!  As an adult or peer, you can also nominate someone using the Nomination Form.  One thing to keep in mind…and this is important: youth nominated by someone else, must still fill out an application in order to be considered for the Peace First Prize. Nominees will receive an application automatically once they are nominated. 

The Herbert Lehman Education Fund Scholarship

http://www.naacpldf.org/herbert-lehman-education-fund-scholarship.

The Herbert Lehman Education Fund Scholarship invites applicants who are of excellent character, and who are entering a four-year college or university for the first time as a full-time undergraduate student. $2,000 per year (up to four years) awarded. For more information, and to apply, go to:

Deadline is March 31

Legacy of Life Scholarship

www.beadonor.org/scholarship

The Washington Regional Transplant Community (WRTC), the D.C. metropolitan area’s organ recovery agency, and its Donor Family and Community Advisory Council sponsor this scholarship. WRTC is dedicated to educating people from all walks of life in our community about the benefits of organ and tissue donation. The Legacy of Life scholarship is endowed by the Leslie Ebert Memorial Fund.

One first place scholarship of $5,000, one $3,000 second place scholarship and six honorary scholarships of $1,000 each will be awarded. For this scholarship, you are asked to write an essay on the topic: “Organ & Tissue Donation: Persuade Someone to Give the Gift of a Lifetime”: Write a 1,000 word persuasive argument on the topic, fiction or non-fiction, with sources cited. Participants must follow ALL competition rules. You will be disqualified if there are no citations, if there are more than 1,000 words, if the essay is not original, or if your submission sent time is late. Deadline:   March 31

AFSA/American Fire Sprinkler Association Essay Scholarship 

Emerge Scholarship Program

http://www.emergescholarships.org/

Emerge Scholarship Program Today’s scholarship is sponsored by Emerge Scholarships Inc.  This scholarship program is […]

Due: April 1    Amount: Varies

ChairScholars National Scholarship Program

http://www.chairscholars.org/

Deadline: April 15

Award: $5,000

This scholarship is for high school seniors and college undergraduates who have a serious physical challenge and may or may not use a wheelchair for mobility. The physical challenge must be significant and affect activities of daily living; no minor disability will be considered. To qualify, applicants must have at least a “B” average, have verifiable unmet financial need, and show some form of major community service or social contribution in the past

Ayn Rand Fountainhead Essay Contest

http://essaycontest.aynrandnovels.com/TheFountainhead.aspx?theme=blue

Application deadline: April 26

Are you a fan of Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead?  Put your interest to work for YOU!  The Ayn Rand Institute is presenting an 800 – 1600 word Essay Contest.  For more information, go to:

• Academic achievement and financial need

• Participation and leadership in community and school activities, work experience and interest in pursuing a career in the automotive or related industries

• Please note, special consideration will be given to the following applicants: first-generation college attendees, females, minorities, military veterans and dependents of military personnel

• Up to $25,000 per year to 50 first-time or existing college students, renewable for up to four years, and one additional year for those entering a qualified five-year engineering program

ING Unsung Heroes Awards Program

https://unsungheroes.scholarshipamerica.org/

Amount: $2,000.00

Herb Block Scholarship

http://www.herbblockfoundation.org/scholarships/application-procedure

Application deadline:

For Fall Semester---—July 7

For Spring Semester—November 10

What Is The Herb Block Scholarship?

The Herb Block Scholarship provides financial assistance to students of all ages to attend community colleges in the DC metro area. It helps roughly 100 students each year gain access to higher education they could not otherwise afford.

The Herb Block Scholarship will provide up to $8,000 per academic year and up to $16,000 over the life of the scholarship. This covers not only tuition, but also fees, books and limited transportation and child care expenses. It is a 'last dollar' scholarship, meaning that the calculation of a student's need takes into account all other financial aid awards the student recieves. It is renewable for up to five years, provided that the student continues to meet all other eligibility criteria and has not reached the monetary cap.

Am I Eligible?

Students of any age are eligible for The Herb Block Scholarship if they are a high school graduates, GED holders, or current community college students, who meet the following critieria:  

are eligibilie (but need not necessarily receive) federal financial aid:

The Xi Alpha Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. would like to offer financial assistance to deserving high school male seniors in celebration of their academic excellence and contributions to their school and community.  This assistance is in the form of a one-time scholarship award in the amount up to $1,500.00 from the Ira Dorsey Scholarship Endowment Fund, Inc.  The Ira Dorsey Scholarship Endowment Fund may also award a single, four-year renewable scholarship in the amount up to $1,500.00 per year.  The Ira Dorsey Scholarship Endowment Fund is an outgrowth of Xi Alpha Lambda Chapter. Applications are available in the College/Career Center 

The Clare and Robert Moore Scholarship Fund awards a yearly $1,000 scholarship to an incoming first-year student or to a current Notre Dame of Maryland University student who is interested in or currently majoring in English. The scholarship can be applied to tuition, room and board, books, or educational fees.An online application and full details may be found on the scholarship website:http://crmoorescholarship.org. Applications are due by April 15. 

AOWCGWA Scholarship

These instructions are for children (up to age 22) of active duty, retired or deceased US ARMY PERSONNEL, officers or enlisted, who are currently high school seniors and may be eligible for an AOWCGWA, in partnership with The Fort Myer Thrift Shop, Scholarship. High school seniors must be planning to attend a post-secondary institution in a degree program as full-time students for in the next school year.

High school seniors must have a minimum 3.0 Grade Point Average to be eligible for a scholarship.

Applications for the scholarship will be accepted beginning on December 1.

All required materials must be submitted in one envelope, which must be mailed to the Thrift Shop and postmarked NO LATER THAN MARCH 27. Incomplete applications and applications postmarked later than March 27.  Applications are available in the College/Career Center.

The College Board & Atlantic Magazine Essay Contest

https://www.collegeboard.org/writing-prize

The College Board and The Atlantic magazine will sponsor an essay contest designed for high school students with a $5,000 prize for the winner and $2,500 for each of six finalists. Students are asked to analyze one of 25 primary-source U.S. historical documents, such as Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural address in 1865 or Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 1963 "Letter from Birmingham Jail," and connect the writing to their own experiences. Eligible high school students for the writing prize must be ages 16-19 and get a teacher to sponsor their submissions. Essays will be accepted Jan. 1 through Feb. 28. (For more details, look in the December issue of The Atlantic or the College Board's website for the prize.) The winning entry will be published in The Atlantic. Officials say the new contest will be an annual event.

National Peace Essay Contest:

http://www.usip.org/category/course-type/national-peace-essay-contest

The U.S. Institute of Peace offers this contest. First-place state winners receive a trip to Washington, D.C., and a $1,000 scholarship. National award winners receive $2,500 to $10,000. Essays are typically due in February.

Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship

This scholarship is open to a graduating minority high school senior who plans on attending a four-year college. Criteria include leadership potential, community service, evidence of financial need, US citizenship status, and specific SAT/ACT scores.  The deadline is February 15.  For more info, call 866-986-1601 or go to: http://www.jackierobinson.org/about/mission.php

American Foreign Service Association Essay Contest:

Write an essay for this prestigious national essay contest for a chance to win a $2,500 cash prize, an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. to meet the Secretary of State and full tuition to cover a Semester at Sea voyage once you enroll at an accredited university. Any high school student can enter. New essay contest rules and the application are posted in November each year. The deadline is typically in April.

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity's Charles Drew Memorial Scholarship
http://oppf.org/scholarship/

For graduating seniors.

Deadline to Apply: May 1

Environmental Science Student Award Program

http://mde.maryland.gov/programs/Marylander/Pages/ESAward.aspx

The Environmental Science Student Award Program recognizes high school seniors that have excelled in environmental science programs. Students that have demonstrated extraordinary leadership and participation in environmental projects in school or the community such as recycling drives, school beautification projects, stream or litter cleanups and other types of environmental projects are encouraged to apply. The student receiving first honors will receive a paid summer internship with MDE. The two runners-up will receive a monetary award.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION:

Applicant must be a 12th grade student enrolled in a Maryland high school;

Applicant must have maintained a GPA of 3.0 during the 12th grade school year;

Applicant must have participated in at least one environmental project at school or in their community; and

Applicant must be accepted into a two-or-four year college for the upcoming school year.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant must complete the MDE Environmental Science Student Award application form.

Applicant must provide a copy of the 12th grade Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 report card or transcript.

Applicant must provide two recommendation letters from a teacher or advisor that reflects demonstrated leadership and achievements accomplished as a student in the environmental science program. One of the recommendation letters must be from a teacher in the school’s Science Department.

Applicant must provide a minimum 200-word essay regarding an environmental project that he/she participated in or developed.

Applicant must submit a copy of college acceptance letter from a two or four year college.

DEADLINE: May 1 (all documents must be received by this date)

 

FINANCIAL AID BASICS

Financial Aid is generally broken into two categories:  need based and merit.   

Merit based aid is awarded to students who meet special academic criteria.  Notice of these awards can be found on individual college web-sites on on special web-sites as  noted above. 

Need based aid is awarded by a college based on the demonstrated need shown by an applicant's family.  Need based financial awards may include grants (which do not have to be paid back), loans (which have structured payback terms) and work study. 

 Visit the FINANCIAL AID WEB-SITE www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov to learn more about need based aid.