Scholarships
The Midland Area Community Foundation sponsors over 250 scholarships to help deserving students (like you!) defray the cost of pursuing postsecondary education. Materials must be received by the established due date in order to qualify. Good luck!
Note: Scholarship applications for the 2023-24 school year will be accepted between November 1, 2022, and January 15, 2023.
For a full list of 2022 scholarship recipients, click HERE
For a full list of 2021 scholarship recipients, click HERE
For a full list of 2020 scholarship recipients, click HERE
BEGIN YOUR APPLICATION
Applications will be accepted starting November 1, 2022, with a deadline of January 15, 2023.
The following materials must be received by the scholarship deadline:
- Unofficial Transcripts
- Electronic GoApply application
You will NOT be able to submit your application until your transcripts have been uploaded.
SCHOLARSHIP GUIDELINES
One application, hundreds of scholarship opportunities. Students no longer need to choose from a list of scholarships. Simply fill out the application, and we’ll automatically match you with the scholarships you’re most likely to earn.
Please read all guidelines on this page before beginning your application. A link to the online application is provided at the bottom of this page.
RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS
In order to be considered for the Midland Area Community Foundation scholarships, you must be a resident of the appropriate county(ies) the scholarship serves. NOTE: some specific company and member organization
scholarships are exempt from this requirement.
RESIDENCY DEFINITION
For purposes of the Midland Area Community Foundation scholarship program, you are considered a resident of either Midland or Gladwin County if you are a United States citizen and one of the following additional conditions apply:
- Applicant has been a legal resident of either Midland or Gladwin County for at least a year
- Applicant is a current high school senior graduating from a Midland or Gladwin County high school
- Applicant is a college student who is a Midland or Gladwin County resident and moved out of the county only for the specific purpose of going away to college
For purposes of the Midland Area Community Foundation scholarship program, you are ineligible if you are:
- An individual who moved to the area for the specific purpose of attending college here
- An individual who moved away from Midland/Gladwin County for a purpose other than going away to college
- An individual who has never lived in Midland/Gladwin County
- Not a United States citizen
SCHOLARSHIP LIMITS
An applicant who is nominated for more than one scholarship will be awarded the two highest-valued scholarships, or, if the total value of those two scholarships is less than $2,000, the minimum number of remaining scholarships, if any, for which the student was nominated shall be awarded, in decreasing order of value, until either a) all remaining scholarships are awarded, or b) the sum of all scholarships awarded equals or exceeds $2,000.
ESSAY REQUIREMENTS
Please note that a few scholarships require an essay that is more specific to that area of study. If you are matched with a scholarship requiring an essay, you will receive an email with directions for this essay.
NEED-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS
In order to be considered for any need-based scholarships, applicants will need to include the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) information from their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The information you report on your FAFSA is used to calculate your EFC. Schools use the EFC to determine your federal student aid eligibility and financial aid award.
The EFC is a measure of your family’s financial strength and is calculated according to a formula established by law. Your family’s taxed and untaxed income assets, and benefits (such as unemployment or Social Security) are all considered in the formula. Also considered are your family size and the number of family members who will attend college during the year.
There are two forms of EFC confirmation that will be accepted for need-based scholarships: the page displayed immediately after FAFSA submission (save electronically) or the e-mail sent to you after FAFSA submission.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
- Applicants provide transcripts from the school they are currently attending (high school or college).
- The application must be completed and submitted on GoApply by 5 PM on January 15, 2023.
- FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS CLOSELY. Variations will cause immediate disqualification.
All required materials are due by January 15, 2023. This includes transcripts from your current educational institution.
INFORMATION THAT MAY BE NEEDED FOR GOAPPLY FORM
There are a number of items that are required to filling out the GoApply form. Use the following check-off list to ensure you have the information you need. (Not every piece of information you will need is on this list such as name, address, etc, but we have included the information that we feel you may not know from memory.) We offer a wide range of scholarships to people in all walks of life, therefore, all information may not apply to you. If something does not apply to you, please skip the question and continue.
- County of Residence
- Last Four Digits of Social Security Number
- Unweighted High School Grade Point Average
- Number of College Semesters Completed by Aug. of This Year
- College Grade Point Average
- Anticipated Expenses (tuition, room/board, books, for the coming college year)
- Total Value of Any Other Scholarships you Have Received
- Amount of Eligible Student Loans Available
- Description (1,500 characters or less) of Any Applicable or Unusual Financial Situations
- Description (1,500 characters of less) of any long-term volunteer or community service activities you have been involve in (especially those that demonstrate commitment to your career choice) and what doing these activities has meant to you.
- Description (1,500 characters or less) of Extracurricular Activities you have been involved in and what doing these activities has meant to you.
- Description (1,500 characters or less) of Employment History
PLEASE COMPLETE BEFORE ACCESSING GOAPPLY
Make sure you complete the following steps before accessing the GoApply form:
- Read the scholarship guidelines and requirements
Other Financial Aid Options
Additional Scholarships
Below is a collection of non-MACF scholarships that we think you might be interested in. We’ll keep adding to this list as we find more. This is by no means a complete list of all the scholarships available to you, so feel free to do some searching on your own as well – and if you find something good, please let us know about it!
- Midland Interlochen Scholarship (Scholarships are available for both summer camps as well as the Interlochen Academy. Applications are due April 1.)
- Bailey Scholarships (MidMichigan Health)
- Bauervic Essay Contest
- Delta College
- The Buick Achievers Scholarship
- Meijer Scholarship (those working for or have a parent/guardian working for Meijer)
- The P.E.O. Sisterhood (Philanthropic Educational Organization) Women’s Scholarships (U.S.-based international women’s organization of about 230,000 members, with a primary focus on providing educational opportunities for female students worldwide. The Sisterhood is headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, with chapters throughout the United States and Canada. Among other projects, it owns and supports Cottey College, an independent college for women in Nevada, Missouri)
Financial Aid
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a government program that provides money for post-secondary education to qualifying students with financial need. All the information you’ll need is available on the FAFSA website. Here’s some information to help get you started:
- The process of completing the application will be much simpler if you complete your taxes one week in advance, enabling you to utilize the IRS Data Retrieval Tool
- If unable to utilize IRS Data Retrieval Tool, you will need the following items to complete the FAFSA:
- Social security numbers for parents and student
- W-2 forms for parents and student
- Most recent federal income tax return for parents and student
- Current bank statements and records of stocks, bonds and other investments
- Records of other untaxed income received such as social security, TANF, welfare or veterans benefits
- Business or farm records, if applicable
- Alien registration number if you are not a US citizen
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. REGIONAL SCHOLARSHIP
Scholarships are available to Midland County high school seniors, regardless of ethnicity, who actively embrace Dr. King’s dream of improving racial harmony and justice. Requirements: 1) Must be a high school senior. 2) Must have a 2.0 minimum GPA. 3) Must have plans to attend a college, university, or vocational program. Scholarships are $1,000 and nonrenewable. 2023’s scholarship winners will be honored at an event at Saginaw Valley State University on January 18, 2023.
