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The program will be available on or after December 1, 2020. Please return then to view the updated Guidelines for the 2021 program!

Northwestern Mutual Childhood Cancer Survivor Scholarship Program
Live application window: December 1, 2020 6:00 am through February 1, 2021 3:00 pm CT

Instrucciones del programa de español

Northwestern Mutual Foundation has established a scholarship program to assist pediatric cancer survivors, age 25 and under, who plan to continue their education in college or vocational school programs.

For information, or to apply to the Northwestern Mutual Childhood Cancer Sibling Scholarship Program, click here.

This program is administered by Scholarship America®, the nation’s largest designer and manager of scholarship, tuition assistance and other education support programs for corporations, foundations, associations, and individuals. Awards are granted without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender, disability, or national origin.

Applicants of the Northwestern Mutual Childhood Cancer Survivor Scholarship Program must:

  • Be pediatric cancer survivors, age 25 and under, who have been diagnosed by a physician as having had treatment for and survived cancer. Applicants who are selected as finalists will be asked to provide a medical verification form.
  • Be high school seniors, high school graduates or current post-secondary undergraduates who plan to enroll in full-time undergraduate study at an accredited two- or four-year college, university or vocational-technical school for the entire upcoming academic year.
  • Have a minimum grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale (or the equivalent).

Employees and children of employees of The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company Foundation, Inc. and the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (and any of its affiliates and subsidiaries) are ineligible to apply.

Those who do not receive a scholarship are invited to reapply in following years. Previous recipients are not eligible to apply.

Award information:

  • If selected as a recipient, the student will receive a $5,000 award
  • Up to twenty-five (25) awards will be granted
  • Awards are renewable up to one year or until a bachelor’s degree is earned, whichever occurs first, on the basis of maintaining full-time enrollment and a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale (or the equivalent) and continuation of the Program by Northwestern Mutual Foundation

Awards are for undergraduate study only.

Notification

Applicants will be notified in early March whether they have been identified as a finalist. Finalists will be asked to provide a Medical Verification Form. Finalists will be notified in late April whether they have been identified as a recipient. Not all applicants to the program will be selected as finalists, and not all finalists will be selected as recipients.

Payment of Scholarships

Scholarship America processes scholarship payments on behalf of Northwestern Mutual Foundation. Payment is made in one installment in early August.

Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of:

  • Academic record
  • Demonstrated leadership and participation in school and community activities
  • Honors
  • Work experience
  • Statement of career and educational goals and aspirations
  • Personal impact statement describing how cancer impacted the applicant’s life
  • An online recommendation

Financial need, as calculated by Scholarship America, must be demonstrated for the student to receive an award. Finalists will be asked to provide a medical verification form.

Selection of finalists and recipients are made by Scholarship America. In no instance does any officer or employee of Northwestern Mutual Foundation play a part in the selection. All applicants agree to accept the decision as final.

As part of your application, you must upload the following document:

  • 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.
  • If necessary, a separate printed Financial Data Form may be submitted in order for one to be completed if parents cannot submit jointly on the electronic application.

Also as part of your application, one online recommendation form must be submitted on your behalf no later than February 4, 2021 3:00 pm.

Your application is not complete unless all required documents are submitted electronically.

Northwestern Mutual Foundation has partnered with Scholarship America. Select the button below to be directed to the Scholarship America Student Hub!