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The application program will be live on or after December 15, 2023. Please return then to view the updated Eligibility and Awards for the 2023-24 academic year!

Richard and Louise Varco Scholarship Program
Live application window: December 15, 2023 through February 23, 2024 3:00 pm CT

The Richard and Louise Varco Scholarship Program was established to assist students who plan to continue their education at an accredited college or vocational school in Minnesota.

The program is administered by Scholarship America, the nation’s largest designer and manager of scholarships and other education support programs for corporations, foundations, associations and individuals. Eligibility for individual programs is determined at the sole discretion of the sponsor, and eligible applications are reviewed by Scholarship America’s evaluation team.

Applicants to the Richard and Louise Varco Scholarship Program must be:

  • Be a high school senior or graduate or current postsecondary undergraduate or graduate level or professional level student.
  • Plan to enroll in full-time undergraduate, graduate or professional level study at an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical school in Minnesota for the entire 2023-2024 academic year.
  • Have a minimum grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale (or its equivalent).

OR

  • Be a worker displaced under extraordinary circumstances, planning to enroll in a retraining program at an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical school in Minnesota for the entire 2023-2024 academic year.

 

Awards

The authorized distribution for awards is determined annually by the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation based on the total amount available from the Richard and Louise Varco Scholarship Fund.

Awards will not exceed $5,000.

Awards are not renewable. Students may reapply to the program each year they meet eligibility requirements.

Notification

Applicants will be notified in April.

Not all applicants to the program will be selected as recipients.

Payment of Scholarships

Scholarship America processes scholarship payments on behalf of the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation. Payments are made in one installment in early August.

Selection of Recipients

Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of consideration of:

  • Academic performance
  • Demonstrated leadership and participation in school and community activities
  • Work experience
  • Statement of educational and career goals and objectives
  • Unusual personal or family circumstances
  • An online recommendation.

Financial need, as calculated by Scholarship America, must be demonstrated for the student to receive an award.

Selection of recipients is made by Scholarship America. In no instance does any officer or employee of The Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation play a part in the selection. Not all applicants to the program will be selected as recipients. Students may reapply to the program each year they meet eligibility requirements. All applicants agree to accept the decision as final.

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

  • 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 an official copy of those test scores separately. If you are uploading a college transcript, those scores are not required.

One online recommendation form must be submitted on your behalf no later than March 1, 2024 3:00 pm Central Time.

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

The Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation has partnered with Scholarship America. Selecting the button below will redirect you the Scholarship America Student Hub!

Please make sure to add studentsupport@scholarshipamerica.org as well as the program email address provided below in the footer as safe senders in your email contact list.