General Scholarship Application

Access dozens of scholarships with just one application.

The Sturgis Area Community Foundation offers scholarship opportunities for graduating seniors and current college students who graduated from high schools in St. Joseph County, Michigan.

SACF General Scholarship Application

SACF offers scholarship opportunities for graduating seniors and current college students who graduated from high schools in St. Joseph County, Michigan, and are pursuing a college degree (2-year and 4-year). With 46 different scholarships available, applicants completing SACF’s General Scholarship Application will be automatically reviewed for every scholarship they are eligible to receive.

Scholarship Portal

The 2024 application is now closed.
2025 Application will open in December 2025.

Scholarship Timeline

Application Opens

December 1, 2023

Application Deadline

March 1, 2024

FAFSA Verification Form Deadline
(if applicable)

May 14, 2024

Scholarship Award Notifications

May 20, 2024

Scholarship Awards Reception

June 6, 2024 from 5:30 – 7:00 PM

Scholarship Acceptance Form Due

June 14, 2024

Award Checks Mailed to Colleges

July 10, 2024

March

All submitted applications will be processed and reviewed by independent scholarship committees. Throughout the month, trained committee members will carefully consider and score scholarship applications based on a variety of criteria.

March – May

Students who complete the FAFSA will fill out the FAFSA Verification Form to confirm their Student Aid Index (SAI) and listed on their FAFSA Submission Summary. Students should complete this form as soon as they receive their FAFSA Submission Summary and SAI to be eligible for Financial Need Scholarships. The deadline to submit the FAFSA Verification Form is May 14th. To access the form, click the button below.

May – June

On May 20th, all applicants will be notified via email of the status of their application. Applicants who receive an award will be mailed a Scholarship Award Letter, including information on their award and the steps required to accept the scholarship. To accept the scholarship, each student must complete the Scholarship Acceptance Form. The Scholarship Acceptance Form is due on June 14th, 2024, and can be reached through the button below.

To celebrate our Scholarship Recipients, the Sturgis Area Community Foundation will be hosting a Scholarship Reception on June 6 from 5:30 – 7:00 pm. Recipients who received an award can RSVP through the button below.

Questions?

Contact us at (269) 659-8508 or email

scholarships@sturgisfoundation.org

General Scholarship FAQs

December 1st, 2024

March 1st, 2024, at 11:59 PM

Graduating high school students of St. Joseph County and current undergraduate college students who graduated from a high school in St. Joseph County.

To access the online application, click HERE. 

Or find the “Scholarship Portal” button near the top of the page.

Yes, once you reach the login page of our scholarship application portal, you will need to create an account by clicking the button “Create New Account”

Please use an alternative email address from your high school email. College students may use their college/university email address.

No, you do not have to complete the FAFSA to apply. However, in order to be eligible for Financial Need scholarships at the Community Foundation, you must file the 2024-25 FAFSA Form to receive a Student Aid Report (SAR), which includes their Student Aid Index (SAI). To accommodate FAFSA processing delays, the Foundation will accept alternate forms of SAI until students receive their official Student Aid Report (SAR). We also strongly recommend you complete the FAFSA to qualify for federal student loans, college grants, work-study funds, and certain state-based aid.
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There are 3 ways to satisfy your FAFSA information in the application:

  • Students may complete the Federal Student Aid Estimator and submit that number in the application when asked for their SAI. For a step-by-step on how to complete the estimator, click HERE.

  • Students may submit the estimate they receive via email once they have submitted the FAFSA form. 

  • Students may submit their official Student Aid Index (SAI) from their Student Aid Report (SAR) if they receive it before the March 1 deadline. 

 

Please Note: The student will still need to verify their official FAFSA information after submitting their scholarship application to confirm their eligibility for financial need scholarships. After March 1st, all students who checked “yes” to completing the FAFSA will receive a FAFSA Verification Form via email. Please see the Scholarship Timeline above to access the FAFSA Verification Form. Students who do not submit their official FAFSA Student Aid Report (SAR) and Student Aid Index (SAI) through the FAFSA Verification Form will be disqualified from receiving a Financial Need Scholarship from SACF. 

Yes, an unofficial transcript is acceptable as long as it is clearly labeled with your name, current academic year, cumulative grade point average, and the name of the high school, college, or university. For high school seniors, your first-semester senior-year grades must be recorded, along with your cumulative grade point average. Grade point average must be reported based on a 4.0 unweighted scale.

Each essay is read and reviewed as part of the selection process. Applicant essays will be scored on:

  • Content: The ideas are substantial and well-illustrated. The writing demonstrates a high level of development and sophistication, with well-crafted ideas that are effectively communicated.

  • Quality: The essay has a well-organized format and contains few spelling and grammar mistakes.

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The essay may be the most challenging part of your application to complete. But, it is also where you can stand out from the crowd. The key to writing a strong essay is to be personal and specific. Include details you feel comfortable sharing about yourself so the reader can get to know who you are and what you stand for. Be truthful and honest.

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Scholarship committees may have 100+ essays to review. It is your job to get their attention. Remember to:

  • Think before you write. Brainstorm to generate some good ideas and create an outline to help you get going. Make sure to address the prompt you choose clearly.

  • Be original and be creative in your answers. Show, don’t tell. Use examples to individualize your essay. Demonstrate the point you want to make. Avoid vagueness to make a strong impression.

  • Proofread. This is very important! You want to avoid any typos in your essay. Check spelling and grammar. Share your statement with a friend, parent/guardian, or teacher. Another pair of eyes can catch errors you might miss!

  • Create a portrait of a winner. By doing this on paper, you create a vivid portrait that will depict the person behind the grades, activities, and awards. If a reviewer feels like they know you, you have done your job and created a powerful emotional connection that elevates your application and makes it stand out.

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The Foundation expects scholarship applicants to write their own original essays without the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) programs. If it is suspected or discovered that an applicant has used AI to complete their essay, the applicant will be disqualified from consideration.

Yes. Occasionally a student may be selected for more than one of the Community Foundation scholarship funds.

On April 5th all applicants will be notified via email about the status of their application.

Applicant Resources

FAFSA

Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to be considered for federal, state and college grants, loans, and work-study.

MIStudentAid

See all of the student aid programs offered by the state of Michigan.

KnowHow2Go

Informative website to help you make your college dreams a reality.

Bestcolleges.com

Streamlines the process of gaining financial aid for college with a comprehensive scholarship database, and a step-by-step guide to FAFSA.