How to Apply for Scholarships

Community Foundation 2025 Scholarship Cycle

The Outer Banks Community Foundation 2025 scholarship cycle is now open.

There are over 70 different scholarships available through your Community Foundation. We look forward to getting your application!

How to Start: Our online portal 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.  Returning students with renewable scholarships will be able to use their old login accounts, but will receive a special invitation and code from our office to apply for renewal (contact our scholarship manager if you have not received it by the time the application opens, nandy@obcf.org ). Our application 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. On our portal you will find links to 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 have to 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 1^st opportunity listed, 2025 Scholarship Application for High School Seniors, to learn all the details and apply. The scholarship application deadline is Monday, February 24, 2025, at 11:59 PM EDT. Look for the smiling graduates 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 2^nd opportunity listed, 2025 Scholarship Application for COA Dare Guarantee Graduates, to learn all the details and to apply. The scholarship application deadline is Monday, February 24, 2025, at 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, February 24, 2025, at 11:59 PM EDT. Do not click on any of the other open opportunities.
• Partner Scholarships on our Portal: We are hosting the DareArts Art Scholarships (Artrageous Youth Scholarship and Wayne Fulcher Art Scholarship) on our portal. Click on those opportunities if you want to apply. If you have any questions about eligibility, please contact Dare Arts at 252-473-5558 or dareartsinfo@gmail.com.
• NEW THIS YEAR: We are hosting a special scholarship opportunity for non-traditional students (defined as individuals returning to school after spending one or more years in the workforce following high school graduation/GED certification). The 2025 Helping Hand Cookie Jar Scholarship is awarded based on financial need.

Common Application: Students complete one common application for all Community Foundation scholarships per opportunity. 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.

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 FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS) 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 FSS, upload a document that outlines their financial need. Please reach out to us or your guidance counselor for further instructions.

Showcase opportunities: There are optional but highly recommended opportunities in our scholarship applications to showcase applicants’ special skills, talents, and passions beyond the application questions. You can upload supporting documents from teachers, mentors, counselors, or employers, like recommendation letters, special recognitions, awards, and pictures or videos of favorite projects to advocate for yourself and share with the selection committee. Just keep in mind that these must be uploaded by the February 24 deadline to be considered.

Students, start your applications as soon as our portal opens on Friday, January 10th! Our application closes on Monday, February 24, 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!

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our office at 252-423-4003 or email Nandy Stuart at nandy@obcf.org.