The delay of the U.S. Department of Education’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will not affect your ability to apply for Foundation scholarships. We understand the federal government has delayed processing FAFSA applications, which will delay receiving your student aid letters from colleges. We are committed to helping you complete your scholarship application even if you receive your FAFSA after March 15.
It's still important for you to complete your application by March 15 even if you haven’t received your FAFSA. We will extend the FAFSA and Student Aid Letter deadline for applications that are otherwise complete.
To submit the application by the deadline, please do the following:
Please create a Word document stating that, “Due to the FAFSA delay, I have not yet received my Financial Aid Letter or FAFSA Submission Summary,” and upload that Word document in both fields for the FAFSA Submission Summary and the Financial Aid Letter. Please complete the remainder of your application and submit all applications for which you qualified by the 3/15/2024 deadline. If all other portions of your application are complete, we will extend the deadline for you, so that you may upload your true FAFSA Submission Summary and Financial Aid Letter once received.
Please reach out to info@hcef.net with any other questions or concerns.
New student scholarship applications will be available for traditional and non-traditional students beginning in January, 2024. The deadline for submission is March 15, 2024 at 5 p.m. eastern time. Applications are accepted only once per academic year. Preference is given to Holmes County residents or students that are pursuing higher education at a U.S. Department of Education accredited institution. Please utilize the online matching criteria questionnaire to begin your scholarship application process! Once completed, you may create a student account with www.SmarterSelect.com to apply for the scholarships to which you matched and for which you are eligible.
Skilled-Trades scholarship applications are available January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024 for residents of Holmes County, Ohio. Students may apply at any time during the calendar year. The scholarship is non-renewable and may be used for part-time or full-time programs at a skilled-trades institution. Click HERE to apply.
A renewal student is one that has received a Holmes County Education & Community Foundation renewable scholarship. Most HCECF scholarships are renewable for three years after the initial award year, if funds are available. Students must maintain at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA and complete FOUR hours of documented community service to renew their scholarship. Students receiving the [Anonymous Donors] Achievement Scholarship or the Walnut Creek Foods - Coblentz Family Scholarship must meet higher GPA requirements. *If you have completed volunteer service at different times/locations, please be sure to combine all documentation into one PDF file before uploading your community service information into your online application. The deadline to submit a renewal scholarship application is March 3, 2025 at MIDNIGHT eastern time. Renewal applications will be reviewed in April, and the students will receive an email in April notifying them whether their scholarship renewal has been approved. If approved, the scholarship funds will be sent to the college by the end of July. Renewal applications will be made available to eligible applicants in December of each year. Eligible students will receive an email in early December with the link to click on to renew their scholarship(s). Renewal applications are accepted only once per academic year. Current scholarship recipients only receiving non-renewable scholarships may re-apply (above) as a new student.