Each year, the Bellevue College Foundation awards thousands of dollars to students who have applied for the Bellevue College Foundation Scholarships program. This year is no exception. Students can apply for scholarships for the upcoming fall quarter of 2012 starting today, with the deadline for application submission June 25. Any students may apply for the scholarships as long as they meet the eligibility criteria.
Scholarships that are given range from $300 to $2,000 per award. This year, there are approximately 40 scholarships that the Bellevue College Foundation will give out and each one of them has specific criteria and purpose.
Most of the scholarships given by the Foundation are need based which means that they are targeted to students who need money to cover tuition fees. Thus, Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is required for many of the scholarships offered. To apply for federal student aid, students can visit FAFSA’s website at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/.
The Foundation, however, looks at more than the student’s financial record. They also consider the student’s academic record as well. They take into account the applicant’s situation, need, commitment, desire to succeed and also how applicants will benefit others once they receive the scholarships.
In applying for scholarships, students may select specific one or more scholarships that they might be eligible for and/or interested in. The Foundation provides different scholarships targeted to specified students. There are scholarships for adult students, interior design students, business and IT students, health and medical students and others.
There are even more specific scholarships that students may apply for. For example, there is a scholarship specifically for a student whose spouse, domestic partner or child is a member of the uniformed services of the U.S. or Washington state government. There are also scholarships for students who are of Hispanic descent, displaced homemakers, students who are enrolled in the Alcohol and Drug Counseling Program at school and many others.
To apply for the scholarships, students are required to write an essay to the foundation suggesting the reason why they should be grant the scholarship(s). Students should discuss how they meets the specific scholarship requirements and qualifications. They also have to explain how the scholarship will benefit tie to advance their career and goals.
There are no limits as to how many scholarships students can apply for. With only one application, students are able to apply for up to 40 different named scholarships. They must keep in mind that each scholarship has different qualifications which might limit students’ options.
Once an application is submitted, Foundation Board members will evaluate it and make a decision. Scholarships are distributed directly to the recipient’s BC account and will be used for tuition, fees and sometimes students’ textbooks. Scholarship recipients will be announced approximately three to four months after the applications are made available.
To apply for the scholarships, students can go to https://stars.bellevuecollege.edu/STARS/ and follow the instructions.