Tips for Applying for a Scholarship

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Pay attention to deadlines.
Applications for most 2009-10 scholarships will be available by February 27, 2008 and will be due May 29, 2009. Unofficial transcripts must be received by the Pima Community College Foundation by May 29, 2009. Applications without unofficial transcripts will not be considered. While scholarships may be awarded throughout the year, timely and early applicants have a better chance of earning a scholarship.

Enroll for fall semester by August 1 or for spring semester by December 1. This ensures that you receive your award before the payment drop date. Otherwise, you will lose the scholarship.

Carefully complete the application.

Use Internet Explorer as your web browser.
Complete the entire application. If you do not have an answer for a required field, type N/A.
Have someone else read your essays before you submit the application. You can type your answers in Word and cut and paste into the on-line application.
Know your academic plans before starting. You will be asked if you are pursuing an associate's degree or a certificate, or if you are completing prerequisites for a professional field (architecture, law, medicine) or the curriculum to transfer to an Arizona university, AGEC. You will qualify for more scholarships if you answer Yes to one of those questions.
When given a choice of degrees and majors, if yours is not listed, choose "Other Degree/Major Not Listed."
If you have a double major, select just one. You will be asked about your educational plans, and you can write about your double major there.
If you are a current PCC student, you will be asked for your Student Grade Status and Earned Credits. If you have completed 0-27 credits at PCC, enter Freshman as your Grade Status; if you have completed 28 or more, enter Sophomore.
Mail your most recent unofficial transcripts, high school, GED or college, to PCCF, 4905C East Broadway Tucson AZ 85709-1320, by May 29, 2009.

Provide complete answers to the questions.
Describe how the scholarship will aid you in completing your education. Will it help you as you support a family or yourself? Will it give you confidence to continue? Are you the first in your family to attend college? You don't need to provide many personal details, but enough to show how it would make a difference to you.

Detail why you are attending Pima and what you hope to accomplish. Explain what career you want to enter using your Pima education. Describe your long-term goals and how a scholarship will help you get there.

Characterize yourself as a well-rounded student by listing your extracurricular activities. Describe one that is most meaningful to you.

Some scholarships will require an additional essay.

The Selection Process
Applications are reviewed by the Scholarship Committee comprised of representatives from each Pima campus, the Office of Financial Aid and the PCC Foundation.

Scholarship recipients for 2009-10 will be notified via email by August 1.

If you receive a scholarship write a note of thanks to the donor!