Orangewood’s Undergraduate Scholarship

Orangewood Foundation’s Undergraduate Scholarship provides financial assistance to current and former Orange County, CA, foster youth engaging in the pursuit of higher education. Students may continue to apply until they obtain their Bachelor’s degree (if that is the goal) or until they reach max funding of $25,000 in total. Submitting an application does not guarantee funding. Not all applicants are eligible. Along with the Scholarship application, supporting documentation is required and eligibility will be verified.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

In order to be eligible for scholarship consideration, student applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Aged 18-30
• Declared a dependent of Orange County, CA
  • OR Young adults actively in an Orangewood Foundation program & residing in Orange County
• Enrolled to an accredited university, community college, or trade/vocational school
• Meet application and supporting documentation deadlines

APPLICATION PROCESS:

1. Application & Supporting Documents: Submit a new Orangewood Scholarship application with new supporting documents (required each academic year). Application and documents must be submitted via the online application prior to the deadline. The entire application progress (from application to funding – if approved) may take 4-6 weeks.

Required Documents:

1. Ward of Court Letter/Foster Verification Letter (for brand new applicants)
2. Proof of Financial Aid Application/Award
3. Upcoming Term Schedule
4. Current Unofficial College Transcripts (for returning college students)

• Missing documents will create a delay in your application being processed or may cause a denial.

2. Application Dates & Deadlines: Application and required supporting documents must be received by the Scholarship and Grants Coordinator by deadlines to be considered. NOTE: Based on demand, the application may close prior to the listed deadline based on scholarship availability.

• Fall Term Application: August 1st until the September deadline
• Fall Semester & Quarter Grades Due: December 1st until the January due date
• Winter Quarter/Spring Semester Term Application: January 15th until the March deadline
  1. There will be a modified application for those who received funding Fall term and wish to apply for continued funding
• Winter Quarter Grades & Spring Quarter Schedule Due: April 1st until the April deadline
• Spring Semester & Quarter Grades Due: May 15th until the June deadline

3. Application Approval/Denial: Applications will be reviewed on a first-come, first-serve basis and funding is approved at the discretion of the Scholarships and Grants Coordinator and review committee. Funding is not guaranteed. The Scholarships and Grants Coordinator will contact applicants to inform them of application status and timeline for scholarship disbursements if approved.

• Returning/new applicants must demonstrate measurable academic progress with a minimum of 2.0GPA.
• Returning applicants must be under the 75 unit community college funding maximum
• Returning applicants must be under the $25,000 maximum funding amount

4. Ongoing Communication: Students will be required to maintain contact with the Scholarships and Grants Coordinator, submitted grades at the end of funded terms is required to receive disbursements. Not meeting these requirements can have a student only be eligible for one end of semester disbursement when grades are submitted, or scholarship can be expired and no longer eligible for funds.

• If approved, communication will be sent to the applicant regarding funding disbursements and there will be a timeframe to respond. Recipient must select a payout form to accept the scholarship. If you do not communicate regarding your disbursements they may be forfeited and your scholarship denied.
• Communication between applicants/recipients and staff are expected to be respectful and professional. A majority of communication will take place via email, it is important for applicants and recipients to monitor their email for communication from staff.

Vocational/Trade School Applicants: Students interested in attending a vocational/trade school should first look at comparable programs through ROP or a community college. If student has a Youth Support Specialist, please consult with your YSS prior to enrollment and prior to accepting student loans. Vocational/trade school students can submit an Orangewood Scholarship application and supporting documents before and during enrollment, but are not funded until after graduation/completion. If the program required initial fees proof of fees paid can be submitted to receive partial scholarship funding right away. All trade/vocational schools must be accredited programs.