Getting Ready to Apply

Before you begin applying through the NCCF Universal Scholarships Application, you’ll want to pull together some key information. Review the full list of information required to complete the universal application but note key details below.

• Email address of your school counselor. High school transcripts must be submitted through the NCCF Scholarships Portal by your school counselor. Have their email address handy to enter when you apply. College students should provide an unofficial transcript instead.
• Email addresses of your references. Two letters of recommendation must be submitted by your references through our Scholarships Portal. Have the email addresses of those who will be providing letters of recommendation for you on hand to enter when you apply.
• FAFSA Student Aid Index. To be considered for some NCCF scholarships, you will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at fafsa.gov. Please note that FASFA is opening late for 2024, so your Student Aid Index may not be available until January or February. As long as you upload it to the Scholarships Portal by March 15, 2024, you’ll meet our deadline!

Timeline

Approximately 130 NCCF scholarships using the NCCF Universal Scholarships Application will open for 2024 applications on Jan. 16 and close on March 15. About 20 other scholarships have separate applications with different due dates. You must apply to each of those scholarships individually within our Scholarships Portal.

We encourage you to apply well before the deadline. Scholarship selection committees are not obligated to consider applications that are incomplete, do not meet the stated eligibility requirements, or are received after the posted due date.

Reviews will begin after the posted due date for the scholarship. Not all decisions are released at the same time.

Scholarship award offers will be sent via email to the email address the student used for the application. Students must complete a follow-up form to be awarded the scholarship. Award payments are made to students’ schools in July and August, assuming the required follow-up form was submitted.

Steps for Applying for Scholarships

• To begin the process, create an account in the NCCF Scholarships Portal. Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome are the preferred browsers for the portal. 
• Once you’ve created an account, you’re ready to start applying for scholarships. Click on the Opportunities link at the top right. Select the 2024-2025 NCCF Universal Scholarships Application.
• The universal application is used by most of our scholarships and will match you to the scholarships you are eligible for once you complete some basic information. View the full list of scholarships that use our universal application.
• Once you have completed the general questions, you will be provided a list of scholarship opportunities for which you may be eligible. Be sure to submit each one, complete any supplemental questions and provide additional information, such as letters of recommendation, if required. Note: You can save your work and return at any time but be sure to meet the firm deadlines! 
• Complete and submit the separate NCCF Financial Need Information Form and FAFSA Student Aid Index if either or both are required. Note that the FASFA is opening late for 2024, so your Student Aid Index may not be available until January or February. As long as you upload it to our Scholarships Portal by March 15, 2024, you’ll meet our deadline!
• But wait – there’s more! While our universal application is used by most of our scholarships, we have about 20 scholarships that have separate applications. You must apply to each of those scholarships individually within our Scholarships Portal. Review this list of scholarships. If you believe you are eligible for any of these scholarships, go to the Opportunities screen and apply for each one individually.

Questions

• Foundant Technologies provides the software NCCF uses for our Scholarships Portal. They have instructions and tutorials that can help guide you through the process and answer your questions. They also have a video that provides a brief overview of the student experience when applying for scholarships.
• We encourage you to review our Frequently Asked Questions for scholarship applicants to find answers to questions you may have.
• If you have a question about a specific scholarship, please reach out to the scholarship’s local contact. You may find that contact information and additional information about the scholarship you are applying for by:
  • Clicking on the link to more information from the listing of scholarships in the universal application on the Scholarships Portal.
  • Using the search bar on nccommunityfoundation.org to search for the scholarship name.
  • Using the dropdown below to search for scholarships by county.