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The application program will be available again in August, 2022.
Please return then to view the updated Eligibility and Awards for the 2022-2023 academic year! If you would like to be notified when the application is available again, add your name and email to the Notify Me below!

Scholarship America Dream Award
Application status: Closed

Scholarship America has established a scholarship program to help students currently enrolled in higher education programs (two- or four-year college, university or vocational-technical school) pay for their second year and beyond.

This program is administered by Scholarship America®. Awards are granted without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, age, gender, disability or national origin.

 

Applicants must meet all of the following criteria as of the application deadline date:

  • Be at least 17 years of age.
  • Be U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents (holders of a Permanent Resident Card), or individuals granted deferred action status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA).
  • Have received a high school diploma or the equivalent from a U.S. school by September 2022.
  • Have completed or expect to successfully complete a minimum of one full year of postsecondary education by June 2023.
  • Plan to enroll in full-time undergraduate study at the sophomore year level or higher at an accredited two- or four-year college, university or vocational-technical school in the United States for the entire 2023-2024 academic year.
  • Be studying to obtain an Associate’s or first Bachelor’s degree.
  • Have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (or its equivalent).
  • Demonstrate financial need.

Applicants are also encouraged to use a permanent email (hotmail, gmail, yahoo, etc.) when registering their profile, rather than a school email that they may lose access to in the future.

Selection of Recipients

Scholarship semifinalists are selected on the basis of:

  • Financial Need
  • Academic record
  • Demonstrated leadership and participation in school and community activities
  • Work experience

A personal statement of goals and unusual personal or family circumstances that demonstrates the student has overcome barriers to school success will also be considered. The emphasis will be on financial need and the ability to overcome challenges and barriers.

Financial need will be considered in determining the amount of each award. Recipients must demonstrate need.

SA will select finalists. An external selection committee comprised of educators and community leaders will select recipients. Not all applicants to the program will be selected as recipients. Students who are not previous recipients may reapply to the program each year they meet eligibility requirements. All applicants agree to accept the decision as final.

Awards

If selected as a recipient, award amounts range from $5,000 to $15,000, and will be granted in the following categories:

  • General scholarships
  • STEM scholarships (for study in science, technology, engineering and math-related majors)
  • World Journal Award for Chinese-American Students
  • Midwest Scholars (students from the following Midwest states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota or Wisconsin)

Awards are renewable up to three additional years or until a first bachelor’s degree is earned, whichever occurs first, on the basis of full-time enrollment, satisfactory academic performance, and availability of funding. Each year of eligible renewal, the award will increase by $1,000.

A deferral of up to one year may be granted for any reason. Previous recipients are not eligible to reapply.

Awards are for undergraduate study only.

Notification

Applicants will be notified of their status in mid-November. Semifinalists will be notified of their status in mid-March.  Not all semifinalists will be selected as recipients.

Payment of Scholarships

Scholarship America will process payments in one installment in August.

If selected as a semifinalist, the following documents will need to be uploaded:

  • A current, complete transcript of grades. Grade reports are not accepted. Transcripts must display student name, school name, grades and credit hours for each course and term in which each course was taken. NOTE: If you are providing SAT or ACT test scores, and those scores are not listed on your high school transcript, you will need to upload a copy of your test score report(s) separately. If you are uploading a college transcript, those scores are not required.
  • Proof of Citizenship.
  • 1040 Tax Forms.

Additionally, if selected as a semifinalist, an online recommendation will need to be completed by a teacher or counselor.

Select the button below to be directed to the Scholarship America Student Hub!