Samara Fund Scholarship
Vermont Student Assistance Corporation
Award: $1000 – $1000
Deadline: February 12.
To support Vermont LGBTQIA+ students pursuing post-secondary education. Qualifications: Applicants must be fund students who identify as LGBTQ+ who are committed to positive change for LGBTQ+ people through their activism, academics, and/or personal growth; we fund LGBTQ+ students living all over the state in both rural communities and cities and who seek to enroll at a four-year college or university, a career or technical college, or a vocational program; we prioritize scholarships to students who are Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color; we prioritize scholarships to students who are low-income; we prioritize funding students who have experienced barriers to education due to their gender and/or sexuality; students must be attending (or planning to attend) a college, university or training program within the United States or Canada who are: United States citizens. Selection criteria: Selection will be based on essays, recommendation letters, and financial need. How to apply: Applicants must submit online application form; should include: federal Student Aid (FAFSA); transcript; other required documents: should be submitted on a separate sheet of paper; recommendation letters: recommendation letter must be written by the individual designated by the applicant, be on official letterhead (school, business, college, organization, etc.), and/or be physically signed by the individual who wrote the letter; letters not signed or not on official letterhead cannot be authenticated; non-relative: letter must be from someone who is not related to the applicant for example, a counselor, guidance director, academic advisor, teacher, professor, principal, academic dean, employer, business leader, neighbor, or family friend; letter must address the applicant’s: achievements/strengths, talent/potential for success, community/school involvement, character/initiative/leadership, commitment to completing their education beyond high school, commitment to their chosen career/field of study, education/work ethic; samara: letter must be from someone who is not related to applicants and must address applicants commitment to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer community; letters can be from school staff and can also be from a friend, co-worker, or someone outside of the school setting who may be more closely connected to applicants; essays: each essay must be written by the applicant and should include the applicant’s name and last four digits of their social security number at the top; general essay: commitment/goals; financial need; community service; uniqueness (minimum 250 words); "scholarship specific essay samara: describe how applicants have supported the empowerment, health, and safety of LGBTQ+ people in applicants school or community; essay should be at least 500 words. Focus: General studies/Field of study not specified.