AAUW Carlisle Higher Education Scholarship

AAUW Carlisle Branch recognizes the importance of education in helping women advance and is proud of its tradition of assisting women with this goal. Each year we are pleased to award at least one $2000 Higher Education Scholarship to a woman student from Cumberland or Perry County currently attending any institution of higher education. Past recipients have included non-traditional students, women in doctoral programs, associate degree and nursing programs as well as those in bachelor’s degree programs.

Below are the qualifications and application process.

AAUW Higher Education Scholarship Qualifications

An applicant for the AAUW Carlisle Higher Education Scholarship will:

• Be a woman resident of Cumberland County, PA or Perry County, PA for at least one year;
• Have successfully completed at least one year of college with a minimum of 24 credits;
• Have demonstrated financial need;
• Be enrolled in an educational program that, upon completion, confers an associate (or other equivalent degree, e.g. RN), bachelor or higher degree from a regionally accredited college, university, or institute;
• Submit a completed application (see below) and an official or unofficial college transcript by January 20, 2026;
• If requested, attend an interview in person in Carlisle on February 21, 2026. The Scholarship Committee will contact all applicants by February 1, 2026 to let them know if they will be interviewed;
• If selected as one of the scholarship recipients, attend the AAUW Carlisle Branch Scholarship Banquet on April 28, 2026, at 6:00 pm in Carlisle. Recipients will share their educational and career goals in formal remarks to those attending the event; and
• Agree to allow AAUW Carlisle Branch to use her name, picture, and/or biographical information for publication.

The following details how to submit your application.

Before beginning the application, you can download a full PDF version of the form below.  You may prepare your responses to the questions which may include the following:

• Gather the names and contact information for two references.
• Access information about your college costs for the 2026-27 academic year and about financial resources (scholarships, loans, income from work) you have to help pay your college costs.
• You can upload your college transcript when you submit the application, so you should have that in PDF format in advance.
• Compose a personal statement of no more than 500 words.