Scholarship Information
Scholarships are financial aid awards designed to help students pay for an undergraduate degree. Similar to grants, they are a source a “free money” that goes towards the cost of school tuition and not required to be paid back. However, scholarships are awarded based on scholarly achievement or talent and must be applied to individually for consideration.
Applying/Tracking Scholarships
In NAVIANCE, the software tool that NCHS utilizes for post-secondary planning, a student
can research national scholarship information.
Go to the Naviance Log-in page. Log in to the system, utilizing the student user name and password that you have registered (if you have difficulty, please see your School Counselor).
Under the Colleges tab, go to the Scholarships and Money section
Under Scholarship List and Scholarship Match, a wide range of scholarships will be listed, with general information regarding application criteria and a link the scholarship website and application.
Under Scholarship Applications, Naviance will keep track of the scholarships that you have applied to from the listing.
The New Canaan High School Scholarship Foundation (NCSF)
The New Canaan High School Scholarship Foundation (NCSF) represents a broad-based community effort to provide financial aid to deserving NCHS graduates who are pursuing higher education at the undergraduate level. The Foundation provides funding annually to students who are enrolled in two-year and four-year colleges, and technical or vocational programs. The bulk of the Foundation’s funding is provided by gifts from local individuals, service clubs, businesses, corporations and memorial contributions.
Students are eligible to receive aid for a maximum of four undergraduate years.
A student must apply for each year that he/she is seeking aid. He/she must file a simple loan application form and provide financial information as compiled by the College Scholarship Service. In addition, each applicant must seek aid from his/her college before he/she can be considered locally. Of great significance is the fact that each applicant’s financial status is assessed by the College Scholarship Service. The basis for the Foundation’s decisions is the information reported on the Financial Aid Form and analyzed by the Service. Thus, the Foundation is using the same data, which colleges employ in making their awards
Another significant feature of the process is that the decisions are based on need alone, and all applicants’ files are treated with total anonymity. The Foundation examines each case after colleges and any other groups have made their decisions about the applicant. In that fashion, local funds help local students and do not preclude that individual from receiving aid from other sources. Considering such variables as college costs, individual family situations, and other grants received, awards currently range to a maximum of $10,000 per year
Please click here for more information on the NCHS Scholarship Foundation
Additional Scholarship Sites
New Canaan Community Foundation: "SAPIENZA" Scholarship
The Exchange Club of New Canaan Scholarship: Application (For more information about the Exchange Club Scholarship, please click here)
The website http://www.fastweb.com/ will allow a student to view featured scholarships, conduct scholarship searches and matches, relevant tips and important deadlines.
The website http://www.meritaid.com/ will show a comprehensive directory of merit and academic scholarships from colleges across the country.
Fundraising Events for NCSF
As college tuitions continue to increase, there is a significant need for scholarship funding within New Canaan. The cost of education is accelerating and the needs of all applicants cannot be fully met. It is our goal to continue to increase our fundraising in order to ensure that the NCSF can provide aid to every deserving applicant and also to increase the amount of each scholarship.
The Foundation is funded by an annual appeal and an annual fundraising event. We rely on the support of individuals, local businesses, nonprofit organizations and foundations to ensure that every student in need will have the opportunity to receive financial aid from the Foundation.
Owing to the Covid -19 environment, we were not able to host our Annual Color Drop this spring, but the “I ♡ New Canaan, Caring for our Future” signs we offered instead were a big success - hopefully you saw them around town. The response to our annual appeal, coupled with generous endowments like yours, has allowed us to fund $94,500 in scholarships this year, shared by 33 qualified applicants for an average scholarship of $2,863.Our goal is to continue fundraising efforts in order to help all graduates in need and to be able to increase the amount of each scholarship.
For more information, please visit http://www.nchs-sf.org/