Scholarships

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Scholarships are money for postsecondary education that does not have to be repaid, and for which students must generally apply. Students and their families should begin exploring scholarship opportunities about a year before the student intends to attend college. Some scholarships include:

• State Scholarships — The Montana Univeristy System offers several state scholarships such as the MUS Honor Scholarship, Honor Scholarship for National Merit Scholarship Semi-Finalists and Governors “Best and Brightest” Scholarship program. For more information, visit the Montana University System website.
• National Merit Scholarships — The independent, not-for-profit National Merit Scholarship Corporation conducts annual competitions for recognition and college undergraduate scholarships. For more information about these programs visit www.nationalmerit.org.
• Private Scholarships — Funds for these types of scholarships often come from professional associations, civic organizations, colleges, universities and more.
• Circle of Succe$$
  • Circle of Succe$$ Scholarships are near and dear to the hearts of Student Assistance Foundation employees — the program was originally established through voluntary payroll deductions. Recently, funds raised through Student Assistance Foundation’s Golf Scramble have been added to that pool. A committee of Student Assistance Foundation employees determines which applicants receive the $1,000 scholarships.
  • Who qualifies?
    Applicants must be:
    • Montana residents who graduated from a Montana high school and are currently attending a Montana college or university.
    • Attending school at least half time.
    • In their second, third or fourth year of postsecondary education.
    • Maintaining a 2.5 grade point average (GPA).
    How to apply:
    Scholarship applications are available Jan. 1 - Mar. 15, 2012.
    Questions?
    Contact Darbie Hess, grants manager, at (406) 495-7393.
• Foster Care to Success Scholarship — These scholarships are awarded based on a combination of merit and need, and funding levels are determined based on cost of attendance and other resources. Apply at Foster Care to Success website.
• CAUTION: You should never pay someone to find you a scholarship. Legitimate scholarship organizations do not charge students to apply.
• Download a printable version of our scholarship checklist to help you keep track of your scholarship search efforts.

The Internet is a great resource to find scholarships. Visit the Montana Career Information System (MCIS), FastWeb.com, Collegeboard.org or others to get started.