THE 2023 COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION WILL OPEN SOON.
The Outer Banks Community Foundation online portal will be open and begin accepting applications for all scholarships on Monday, February 6, 2023. The application deadline for students is Monday, March 6, 2023, 11:59 PM EDT. There are over 60 different scholarships available this year through your Community Foundation. We look forward to getting your application!
How to Start: We are using a new online portal this year which requires ALL applicants to create a (free) account to apply. By creating an account, you can save an incomplete application and log back into the system later to complete it. Since this is a new portal, returning students with renewable scholarships will also have to create new accounts, but you should receive a special invitation and code from our office to apply for renewal (contact our scholarship manager if you have not, nandy@obcf.org ). This new portal is shared by students applying for scholarships and organizations applying for grants, so please pay close attention to the directions in red when creating an account. Click here to view videos and written tutorials to help you through the process.
Next: Once you have created an account and accessed your applicant dashboard, you must select the appropriate scholarship opportunity within the portal to begin your application. Each has a link that will take you to its singular common application. We use a “common application” for ALL our scholarships, so you only must complete our application once to be eligible. You can (👁) preview the applications to look at the requirements and information to ensure you’re clicking on the right scholarship opportunity.
Graduating High School Seniors: Please click on the first opportunity listed, 2023 Scholarship Application for High School Seniors, to learn all the details and apply. The Scholarship application deadline for students and student recommendations is Monday, March 6, 2023, 11:59 PM EDT. Look for a composite picture of all our senior recipients from 2022 to ensure you’re clicking on the right scholarship opportunity.
COA Dare Guarantee graduates intending to transfer to another academic institution to pursue a four-year college degree: Please click on the second opportunity listed, 2023 Scholarship Application for COA Dare Guarantee Graduates, to learn all the details and to apply. The Scholarship application deadline for students and student recommendations is Monday, March 6, 2023, 11:59 PM EDT. Look for the COA Logo to ensure you’re clicking on the right scholarship opportunity.
Returning Students: You should receive a special invitation and code from our office to apply for your scholarship renewal (contact our scholarship manager if you have not, nandy@obcf.org ). The Scholarship renewal application deadline is Monday, March 6, 2023, 11:59 PM EDT. Do not click on any of the other open opportunities.
Common Application: Students complete one common application for all Community Foundation scholarships per opportunity. This singular application includes all your financial information, academic information, extracurricular information, transcripts, and letters of recommendation (if required). You will need to upload your most current transcript into our application form. Those can be obtained from your guidance counselors or the appropriate office at your college or university. You may use an “unofficial transcript” for this purpose.
Letters of Recommendation: Recommendation letters are required for graduating seniors and optional for Dare Guarantee graduates. You are responsible for contacting and obtaining these letters of recommendation from your selected individuals and uploading them into our system. We encourage you to start reaching out to potential recommenders now so they send their letters to you in a timely fashion for uploading into your application. These letters must be uploaded by the March 6 deadline, or your application will be disqualified, so ask now! If recommenders do not respond promptly, ask someone else well before the deadline. We regret that late letters will NOT be accepted.
Need-Based Awards: Though many of the Community Foundation’s scholarships are merit-based, most awards consider financial need. For the need-based awards, students should complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and upload the resulting Student Aid Report into their application. Students whose citizenship status prevents their completion of a FAFSA (e.g., DACA students) may still be considered for need-based awards, and they can, in place of a SAR, upload a document that outlines their financial need. Please reach out to us or your guidance counselor for further instructions.
Students, start your applications as soon as our portal opens on Monday, February 6! Our application closes on Monday, March 6, at 11:59 pm. Unfortunately, late applications are never accepted. Scholarship awardees will be announced at their school’s Senior Awards Night in April and May or receive notification via email soon after award nights.
Good luck; we cannot wait to read your applications!
Here are more resources for scholarship seekers:
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