- Scholarship Opportunities
- Scholarships are available to residents interested in attending one of Alabama’s community colleges to train for careers in the state’s automotive manufacturing industry. The scholarships are the result of a partnership between the Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association (AAMA) and the Alabama Community College System (ACCS).
Funding is available to award additional $4,000 scholarships to students who are enrolled in a program at an Alabama community college that is associated with automotive manufacturing careers. Interested high school seniors, residents interested in attending college, and current college students with at least a 2.5 GPA can learn more information and apply directly through the website, www.dreamitdoitalabama.com/aama/. The deadline to apply is Thursday, March 28, 2024.
Students who are awarded the scholarship may use the funds for their summer and/or fall 2024 tuition, books, and fees associated with the approved program of study. A full submission for the scholarship requires the following: a completed application; completion of a new orientation course to the automotive industry and AAMA scholarship; one signed reference letter; an unofficial college or high school transcript; a resume; an essay; and a headshot photo.
Programs in which applicants can use the scholarship include the following: Mechatronics; Automated Manufacturing Technology; Industrial Electronics Technology; Industrial Maintenance Technology; Manufacturing Technology; Machining/Machine Tool/CNC; Automotive Service Technology; and Engineering Technology.
For more information or help with applying, call 1-855-206-2671.
- Check out scholarships that you may be eligible for at www.cfnea.org
- $25,000 COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS
FOR HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS
The Horatio Alger Association offers 105 National Scholarships from at $25,000 each, and more than 500 State Scholarships at $10,000 each.Our goal is to support students across the United States who remain resilient in the face of adversity and are experiencing critical financial need. This is why we go beyond the scholarship award to provide our scholarship recipients with additional financial support, and a range of holistic care, including mental health services, mentorship opportunities, and one-on-one academic and financial counselling.
To be eligible to apply for a Horatio Alger National or State Scholarship, applicants must meet the following criteria:
Be enrolled full time as a high school junior in the United States, Exhibit a strong commitment to pursue and complete a bachelor’s degree at an accredited non-profit public or private institution in the United States, Demonstrate critical financial need ($55,000 or lower adjusted gross family income is required, )Be involved in co-curricular and community service activities, Display integrity and perseverance in overcoming adversity, Maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0; and, Be a United States citizen Go to scholars.horatioalger.org/about-our-scholarship-programs/ for more information - Family First Medicine scholarship applications are in the counselor's office. Must pursue a health care program at NACC. Two letters of recommendation, and essay and resume are required as well as a minimum GPA of 3.0 Deadline April 1
- American Welding Society Scholarship Applications
We wanted to remind you that the deadline to apply for American Welding Society Foundation scholarships is March 1 to get your application submitted.
The AWS Foundation offers more than 200 different scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $5,000+ each. Whether you plan on attending a technical school, community college, or four-year university, this extra money could help you avoid student loans and open the door to a great career. Get started on your application today! Click link - https://www.aws.org/foundation/page/scholarships today - Scholarship For Automotive Manufacturing Careers
Current high school and college students interested in pursuing careers in Alabama’s multi-billion-dollar automotive industry have an opportunity soon to apply for a scholarship to use at one of Alabama’s community colleges. The Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association (AAMA) and the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) are providing scholarships, as well as mentors, to students who want to pursue a technical education certificate or associate degree in the automotive manufacturing industry. Funding is available to award scholarships to students who are enrolled in a program at an Alabama community college that is associated with automotive manufacturing careers. Students who are awarded the scholarship may use the funds for their spring, summer, or fall 2023 tuition, books, and fees associated with the approved program of study. Applicants must use the scholarship toward an automotive-related program, including the following: Automotive Manufacturing Technology; Automotive Manufacturing; Automotive Service Technician; Computer Numerical Control; Engineering Technology; Industrial Electronics Technology; Industrial Maintenance Technology; Injection Molding; Logistics; Machine Shop/Tool Technology; Manufacturing Technology; Mechanical Design Technology; Mechatronics; or Welding Technology. Interested students with at least a 2.5 GPA can learn more information and apply directly through the website, https://dreamitdoitalabama.com/aama/. Watch the website for application window. A full submission for the scholarship requires the following: a completed application; a resume; a maximum 500-word essay on why the student wants to work in Alabama’s automotive industry; one signed reference letter; an unofficial college or high school transcript; and a headshot photo. - The application for the Horatio Alger Foundation Career and Technical scholarship can be found at scholars.horatioalger.org/about-our-scholarship-programs/technical/ These are $2500 scholarships that have a rolling deadline. 2023 applications open up in February.
- the Alabama Homebuilders Association scholarship application is available at ahbfoundation.org/scholarship/ for any student wishing to pursue post secondary training in any construction field Deadline to apply is March 15 each year
- The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation has Career Technical scholarships available to the children of Marine. If you have a parent/guardian who is/was in the Marine Corps and are planning on pursuing a CTE non degree certification program that is less than 12 months you could receive your education for free. Log on to mcsf.org/cte to see if you qualify and to apply. There are also scholarships available for degree granting programs on the same site.
- Automotive students visit www.automotivescholarships.com/applyonline.cfm for information on over 300 scholarships available to automotive or collision repair technicians. Deadline is in March each year
- Enter the Suntrust Cash for College sweepstakes. $500 cash will be given away every two weeks beginning in October and continuing into May. Enter at www.suntrust.com/offtocollege
- African-American students who are interested in a career in the aviation industry should apply for a Red Tail foundation scholarship at www.redtailscholarshipfoundation.org This foundation seeks to assist African-American high school and college students pursue their dreams of a career in flight. The foundation is named in honor of the Tuskegee airmen, or Red Tails as they were known, an African-American fighter pilot squadron in World War II that trained at Alabama's Tuskegee Institute. If you're not familiar with the history of this amazing group of American heroes, you should look them up!
- The Community Foundation of Northeast AL has a number of state and locally specific scholarships available on their website at http://www.yourcommunityfirst.org/scholarship-central
- A number of scholarships are available through SkillsUSA. Go to https://www.skillsusa.org/membership-resources/scholarships-financial-aid/ to see which scholarships you may be eligible for and for deadline and other information.
- Seniors planning to enroll in a technical certificate or degree program at a not for profit institution, who are Pell Grant eligible, and are citizens of the USA should apply for the Horatio Alger Career Technical Scholarship. Go to https://scholars.horatioalger.org click the scholarships tab, then click "about our scholarship programs", then click the Career Technical Tab. The application opens in March and there is a rolling deadline until all monies have been awarded so apply early!
- The Alabama National Guard offers a number of ways to pay for college for those willing to serve. One of these is the Minuteman Scholarship. Students must enroll in the ROTC program at the college/university of their choice, drill monthly with their guard unit, and have a 2.5 GPA. This scholarship pays tuition and room and board up to $10,000 per year, plus and annual book stipend and monthly cadet stipend. Interested students may contact CPT Joshua Henderson at 334-271-7456, [email protected]
- Download a list of available scholarships at www.studentscholarships.org/newsletter.php
- Check out more great scholarships at scholarshipguidance.com
- www.achievealabama.org is a new Alabama specific statewide scholarship resource provided by the AL State Dept. of Education to provide Alabama students with a one-stop resource for scholarships
- www.potentialmagazine.com has links to national and Alabama specific scholarships. Check it out!
- Check out www.fastweb.com for scholarships throughout the year.
- www.guaranteed-scholarships.com lists scholarships to over 100 colleges that are "guaranteed" to those who meet the criteria listed
- Create an account at Scholarship Search at Sallie Mae to search for scholarships, learn ways to pay for college, and enter the $5000 cash for college sweepstakes www.salliemae.com/planfor college
FAFSA assistance
Seniors if you need help filling out your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) free help is available! The FAFSA is the form that is required by the federal government in order for students to receive Pell grants, federally subsidized student loans and work study. Many colleges and universities also require students to have a FAFSA on file in order to qualify for scholarships. The Sallie Mae website, www.salliemae.com/fafsa has step by step instructions for filling out the FAFSA, also www.fafsa.ed.gov is the official site for filling out the FAFSA and has information about how to file. Also, for students planning to attend Northeast AL Comm. College, free FAFSA help is available every Wednesday at 1:00 pm in the school's financial aid office. This is typically a group session. Your schools' career coach can also assist you if you have questions about the FAFSA. The FAFSA application period for students beginning the freshman year of college in Fall 2024 will open on December 1 2023.
FAFSA awards for Fall 2024 will be based on 2022 tax returns unless students can show a substantial hardship/drop in income for 2023. Your intended college's financial aid department will have the most expertise in assisting students with this situation or other special circumstances. If you wish to apply for a Pell Grant for summer 2024 you must fill out a separate FAFSA using 2021 tax returns. Pell grants and student loans CANNOT be used for Dual Enrollment courses at this time.
Scholarship Preparation Tips
- Create a resume' outlining your academic, extracurricular, volunteer and work experience beginning with grade 9. Most scholarships require or strongly encourage you to include a resume'.
- Work on your essay writing skills. Most applications require an essay, usually asking you to describe your academic and career goals. I would suggest writing one "all-purpose essay and saving it. You can then make changes specific to each scholarship's requirements as needed.
- Identify individuals who can write a letter of reference for you. Many scholarships require 2 or 3 letters of reference from teachers, coaches, pastors, bosses and/or community leaders. It would be a good idea to get at least five people (at least 2 should be teachers) to write an "all-purpose" LOR and email it to you to save in your documents. You can make minor changes for specific scholarships and print them out as needed. (don't forget to have the person who wrote the LOR to sign the copy) This eliminates the problem of waiting on an LOR in order to turn in an application.
- Take the ACT! If you missed the statewide test for Juniors you should sign up for the ACT administration for September or October of your Senior year. Sign up at www.actstudent.org
- Fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) Many scholarships require that you have a FAFSA on file. You may apply at https://fafsa.ed.gov/ NACC office of financial aid offers FAFSA assistance every Wednesday at 1:00 pm. Be sure to take advantage of this FREE service! FALL 2024 FAFSA applications open December 1st 2023
- Be aware that the most important factors in an academic scholarship are ACT score and GPA, followed by essay/resume' skills and extracurricular activities . Please make sure that your essays are well written and free of grammatical errors. If you don't have the greatest GPA or ACT score, don't worry. There are numerous scholarships based on your individual interests. Many students have received a number of athletic, band, performing arts and technical scholarships.
- Narrow down the list of schools that interest you. Application fees can add up, so narrow your choices to no more than five colleges that you will apply to. Make sure that you pick a college that offers the major(s) that you are interested in pursuing.
- Pay attention to deadlines, they are real! Many four year universities (including Alabama and Auburn) have an early December scholarship deadline. This means you need to have everything turned in by the deadline to qualify for a scholarship. There are no exceptions. You are responsible for keeping up with deadlines and paying attention to the information on this website!
- Remember that college doesn't just mean a four year degree. There are lots of technical programs offering 2 year degrees, certifications, internships and diplomas that can get you into high paying jobs with less time and money invested, and there are scholarships/financial aid available for these programs!