Who is eligible for scholarships offered by Fairfield County’s Community Foundation?
Our scholarships are available to: graduating high school seniors planning to attend, and be a full-time student at, an accredited 2 or 4-year college or university, vocational school, trade school, technical school or certificate program, and for current full-time undergraduate or graduate students attending an accredited college or university, or enrolled in a specialized or advanced vocational training program.
Applicant needs to be a current resident, native resident, attending a high school in, or be a high school graduate from The Greater Bridgeport Area. The Greater Bridgeport Area consists of nine towns: Bridgeport, Easton, Fairfield, Milford, Monroe, Shelton, Stratford, Trumbull and Westport. There are three exceptions to this requirement. Please see the next question for further details.
I live in Fairfield County, but outside the Greater Bridgeport Area (the Greater Bridgeport area consists of the following towns: Bridgeport, Easton, Fairfield, Milford, Monroe, Shelton, Stratford, Trumbull, Westport). Am I eligible to apply for a FCCF scholarship?
Yes and No – The scholarships offered by Fairfield County’s Community Foundation Greater Bridgeport Area Scholarship Program in the online application are limited to students from towns of the Greater Bridgeport Area listed above only.
However, FCCF offers five other scholarships that are designated for students attending various high schools in Fairfield County, or specific colleges that are not contingent upon residency.
• The Chiota Scholarship is open to all graduating high school seniors from Fairfield Prep, Lauralton Hall and Notre Dame High Schools.
• The Megan Cobb & Jason Kern Scholarship is open to all currently enrolled Sacred Heart University students.
• The Sheyla M. Ramos Scholarship is for students that reside in Stamford and are graduating from one of Stamford’s high schools.
In addition to scholarships offered through this Greater Bridgeport Area Scholarship Program, the Foundation offers scholarship opportunities to students at specific high schools throughout Fairfield County. If you are currently a graduating high school senior, check with your school’s guidance department to learn what Foundation scholarships are available this year for your school and information on how to apply. The application and selection process for these designated high-school scholarships are managed by the specific high school.
I am a part-time college student or plan on attending college part-time. May I still apply?
These scholarships are available to graduating high school seniors and current undergraduate and graduate students planning to attend, and be a full-time student at, an accredited 2 or 4-year college or university, vocational school, trade school, technical school or certificate program. Part-time students are not eligible for any Foundation scholarships and should not complete the application.
How many scholarships may I apply for?
You may apply for up to four scholarships and may potentially win a maximum of two.
How will I know that the Foundation received my application?
After you submit your application, you will receive a confirmation email at the email address you provided in your online registration.
Should I print out the scholarship application and mail it to the Foundation office for review?
No – The scholarship application process is now completely online, and no paper applications will be accepted for consideration. All supporting documents should be submitted electronically using the online application system.
Can I apply for a Foundation scholarship even if I don’t have the required student materials at my disposal (official transcript, Student Aid Report from FAFSA, Letter of Recommendation, and, if applicable, second Letter of Recommendation)?
Once inside the online application, students can either upload the required documents from their own computer or generate an email request for materials from the appropriate reference (a guidance counselor, teacher, etc.). Students who do not have a copy of their required student materials should use the “Email Request” function within the application and complete the corresponding section of the application. Again, no paper application materials will be accepted, and all components of the application are to be submitted electronically.
Who selects the recipients of Fairfield County’s Community Foundation GBA Scholarship Program scholarships, and when will scholarship recipients be announced?
All submitted applications are reviewed by a dedicated Scholarship Selection Committee. Recipients will be selected by mid-June and notified by USPS mail; students who were not awarded scholarships will be notified at the same time by email.
What file types are acceptable when uploading my required student materials?
Our online system can only process documents saved as a Word file (.doc) or as a PDF. If you have questions about whether your documents are in an acceptable format, please contact us.
I’m a Sacred Heart University student from outside the Greater Bridgeport Area designated towns for eligibility. Am I eligible to apply for the Megan Cobb & Jason Kern Scholarship?
Yes – The Cobb and Kern Scholarship is open to all SHU students who meet its other criteria, regardless of residency. However, the Greater Bridgeport Area constraint applies for all other Foundation scholarships included in the online application, except the Chiota Family Scholarship and Theodor Muller Scholarship.
I’m a Fairfield Prep/Lauralton Hall/Notre Dame High School student from outside the Greater Bridgeport Area designated towns for eligibility. Am I eligible to apply for the Chiota Family Scholarship?
Yes – The Chiota Family Scholarship is open to all graduating high school seniors from Fairfield Prep, Lauralton Hall and Notre Dame High Schools who meet its other criteria, regardless of residency. However, the Greater Bridgeport Area constraint applies for all other Foundation scholarships included in the online application, except the Cobb & Kern Scholarship and the Theodor Muller Scholarship.
I’m not a graduating high school senior or a current college student, but I am planning to attend school next fall. Am I eligible to apply for a Foundation scholarship?
No – Currently, we don’t offer scholarships to students who are neither graduating high school seniors or current college students at the time of application. Scholarship for incoming freshman/first year undergraduates are only for graduating high school seniors.
Can undocumented students apply for scholarships at FCCF?
No – Undocumented students are not eligible to apply for the scholarships offered by FCCF.
Where can I find updates on scholarship tips and deadlines?
The website is updated regularly, so please check back for updates.
