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Frequently Asked Questions
Application status: Closed

1. What is the deadline to apply? Scholarship applications are available online beginning February 1. Applications and supporting documents must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on April 1, 2024 through the Scholarship America Hub.

2. What supporting documents must be submitted? As part of the application, all applicants must upload a transcript of grades.

*FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), SAR (Student Aid Report) and EFC (Expected Family Contribution) documentation are not necessary and should not be uploaded.

3. How can I obtain my transcripts? Applicants must send the most recent transcript from their high school or college. Applicants should request transcripts as soon as possible from an academic advisor, school counselor, the school registrar, the admissions and records office or online portal. Transcripts must clearly state your name, the school name, grade and credit hours earned for each course, calculated term and cumulative GPA, and the term in which each course was taken. It does not need to be an official transcript if it provides all the information needed. Applications without transcripts will not be considered.

4. If I withdraw from school, what do I do about the scholarship? A student who withdraws from school or enrolls in less than a full-time course load must notify the Van R. Johnson Sutter Scholars program manager immediately. You can do so by calling 800-537-4180 or emailing sutterscholars@scholarshipamerica.org. Any unused portion of a scholarship should be returned to the Van R. Johnson Sutter Scholars program. Scholarship awards cannot be deferred until the following academic year.

Additionally, you must immediately notify the Van R. Johnson Sutter Scholars program manager if you change enrollment plans (for example, instead of attending a four-year university you attend a community college). Changes to your enrollment plans may decrease your scholarship award. For example: If you are awarded a scholarship in Program I and change to a two-year school, the award will decrease to $1,000, provided financial need is still demonstrated.

5. If I receive a scholarship for one year, will I automatically receive that award for the following year? No, students must apply each year and comply with all application requirements to be considered for an award. Prior recipients may or may not receive an award. If a prior recipient is selected as a current recipient, the award amount may not be the same as the previous year.

6. How many times can I apply for an award from the Van R. Johnson Sutter Scholars program? Students may receive four years of scholarship funding from the Van R. Johnson Sutter Scholars Program. Students who have received an award during any four academic years are not eligible to receive further scholarship funds.

7. What happens after I submit my Van R. Johnson Sutter Scholars application? Applicants will receive an email confirming submission of the application. Recipients will be notified by email of their final award status by the end of June.