Fairfield County's Community Foundation Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by Fairfield County's Community Foundation

Here’s a clearer, teacher‑friendly version of the scholarship information — organized so a student (or guidance counselor) can quickly see who’s eligible, what’s required, and what to expect.

Overview
Fairfield County’s Community Foundation runs a competitive scholarship program made up of many separate scholarship funds. Each year the Foundation publishes which funds have money available. Awards are distributed through Scholarship America.

Who should apply
- Graduating high school seniors from any Fairfield County high school who plan to continue their education (college or vocational school).
- Current undergraduate (not incoming freshmen) or graduate students who are enrolled in an accredited program.
If you aren’t sure which category fits you, check with your school counselor or review the Foundation’s website.

Eligibility — Graduating high school seniors
To be considered, you must:
- Be a graduating senior from a Fairfield County high school.
- Be in good academic standing (generally a cumulative GPA of about 2.7/4.0 or the equivalent — some funds may set different standards).
- Demonstrate financial need.
- Plan to attend an accredited two‑year or four‑year college/university or post‑high school vocational program. Full‑time or part‑time study is acceptable unless a specific fund requires otherwise.

Eligibility — Current undergraduate or graduate students
To be considered, you must:
- Be a current undergraduate (not an incoming freshman) or a graduate student enrolled in an accredited college, university, vocational school, or specialized study program.
- Have a Fairfield County connection as a native resident, high school graduate, or current resident. (Exception: students at Sacred Heart University applying for the Megan Cobb & Jason Kern Scholarship do not need this connection.)
- Demonstrate financial need.
- Have a history of academic achievement (generally at least a 2.7 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale unless a fund specifies otherwise).
- Be enrolled full‑ or part‑time (unless a fund specifies otherwise). Awards may be used for undergraduate or graduate study depending on the fund.

Awards and payment
- One application puts you in consideration for scholarships for graduating high school seniors and for current undergraduate/graduate students — you do not need to apply separately for each fund.
- The number and amount of awards for each fund are set annually by the Foundation and posted on their website.
- Scholarship America processes payments on behalf of the Foundation. Payment is made in August. A check is mailed to the recipient’s home address and is made payable to the student’s school.
- If a student interrupts or ends enrollment and funds remain unused, those unused funds must be returned to Scholarship America; those funds will then be forwarded to the Foundation and recorded with the student’s name and award.
- Students may request a deferral of their award for up to one semester or one academic year (maximum one year).
- Some awards may be renewable; others are one‑time only. Check the fund’s specific rules.

Selection process
Recipients are chosen based on multiple factors, including:
- Academic performance
- Leadership and participation in school and community activities
- Work experience
- Financial need
- A written statement of educational and career goals
- Unusual personal or family circumstances
- An essay
Notes:
- A student may receive up to two awards for which they are eligible.
- Applicants are considered for all scholarships for which they qualify; you do not need to select specific funds.
- Depending on the fund, Scholarship America may handle selection of recipients and/or finalists. All applicants agree to accept the decision as final.

Notification and timeline
- Applicants will be notified in late July. Not every applicant will receive an award.
- Notifications are sent by email. Use a personal, active email address when you set up your application account — do not use a school or work email that you may lose access to.
- Add studentsupport@scholarshipamerica.org and the program’s email address to your safe‑sender/contact list so notifications aren’t missed.

Application checklist — what you must upload
Your application will be incomplete until all required items are uploaded electronically. Required materials include:
1. A current, complete transcript (grade reports are not accepted). The transcript must show:
- Student name
- School name
- Grades
- Credit hours for each course and the term each course was taken
2. FAFSA Summary Report that includes your name and Student Aid Index (SAI). If you’re not eligible to submit a FAFSA, upload a short note explaining that in place of the summary report.
3. If you are submitting SAT or ACT scores and they are not shown on your high school transcript, upload an official copy of those test scores. (If you upload a college transcript, you do not need to upload SAT/ACT scores.)

Final tips from a teacher
- Read each fund’s additional requirements; some scholarships have special criteria.
- Keep copies of everything you upload and note deadlines.
- If you’re unsure about anything — FAFSA download, transcript formatting, or eligibility — ask your counselor or contact Scholarship America for help.
- Apply early and make sure your email settings allow messages from Scholarship America to reach you.

If you want, I can turn this into a one‑page checklist you can print for students or a sample email to counselors with submission reminders. Which would help you most?