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Scholarships
Why are scholarships important?
Scholarships provide an opportunity for many people to earn an education because scholarships are free money. Without assistance from an outside source, students may have trouble paying for the degree they need in order to enter the workforce. Most Scholarships cannot be applied for before the Senior Year.
If a website or organization asks you to pay for information, please do not give them the information or payment. These are usually fraudulent organizations.
Scholarship Spotlight
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CHECK BACK OFTEN!
New Scholarship Information is constantly being added to this page so make sure to check back often!
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Florida Retired Educators Foundation Scholarship (Deadline 1.20.24)
This scholarship is available to any student who is interested in becoming a teacher.
Eligibility criteria is as follows:
- Graduate from Florida high school (public or private)
- Unweighted GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Minimum test scores
- SAT 1000
- ACT 22
- MUST attend an accredited Florida college/university (public or private)
- MUST teach in Florida following graduation
The application is available online at www.frea.org/scholarships and the deadline to submit your application is January 20, 2024.
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FHSAA Spirit of Sports Scholarships (Deadline 1.17.24)
Nominations for the FHSAA Roger Dearing Spirit of Sport Scholarships are now being accepted through January 17, 2024. These awards seek to recognize those individuals who exemplify the ideals of the positive spirit of sport and heart of the arts that represent the core mission of education-based athletics. The awards may be given in recognition of a specific act or for an activity of longer duration. The winner will receive a $1,500 scholarship from the Association. Use the following link for more information:
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FHSAA Heart of the Arts Scholarship (Deadline 1.17.24)
Nominations for the FHSAA Roger Dearing Heart of the Arts Scholarships are now being accepted through January 17, 2024. These awards seek to recognize those individuals who exemplify the ideals of the positive spirit of sport and heart of the arts that represent the core mission of education-based athletics. The awards may be given in recognition of a specific act or for an activity of longer duration. The winner will receive a $1,500 scholarship from the Association. Use the following link for more information:
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National FFA Scholarships (Deadline 1.11.24)
The National FFA Organization offers scholarships to current members of FFA who plan to pursue a degree or certificate in specific areas of agriculture. Selection is based on FFA involvement, work experience, supervised agricultural experience (SAE), community service, leadership skills, and academics. The FFA manages many scholarships; however, only one online application is necessary. Scholarships are available to match a wide variety of skills, experiences, career goals and higher-education plans.
The 2023-24 scholarship application opens Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023. To apply, please ensure you have the following:
- Your FFA member ID that is linked to your active membership and the linked FFA.org email address. Need help finding your FFA member ID? Click here: https://help.ffa.org/articles/how-to-find-your-ffa-id/.
- A copy of your official or unofficial academic transcripts to upload.
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The Florida Eastern Star Grant Program (Deadline 1.1.24)
The Grand Chapter of Florida, Order of the Eastern Star, Charitable Foundation, Inc. has developed a program that permits funds to cover tuition for those accepted into an accredited college, university, community college, or vocational institution within the State of Florida. This Grant is available to high school seniors graduating in 2024 and the deadline to apply is January 1, 2024. Please see the information and requirements below, as well as the application form:
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Judge Stephen Mickle Essay Writing Contest (Deadline 12.21.23)
Seniors! The Judge Stephan Mickle Education Committee invites all high school seniors to enter an essay contest to win a $600 prize for the 1st place winner, $400 prize for 2nd place, and $200 for 3rd place! Please review the attached flier for more information. See your NHS Guidance Counselor if you have any questions.
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BigFutures Scholarships Week (12.4.23 - 12.8.23)
It's BigFuture Scholarships Week at the College Board (December 4th through 8th). If you are a Sophomore, Junior, or Senior you are now eligible for monthly drawings for BigFuture's $500 and $40,000 scholarships! Click the link below to get more information!!
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/bigfuture-scholarships
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MLK Commission Dream Scholarship Award (Deadline 11.1.23)
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission of Florida is offering the Edna M. Hart Keeper of the Dream Scholarship Award. The deadline to apply is November 1, 2023. Students can also pick up the application paperwork in the NHS Guidance Office.
Scholarship Search Engines
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There are many options to search for scholarship opportunities. The following websites are the most popular free scholarship search platforms that connect students to scholarships and financial aid tools:
*As a student with Alachua County Public Schools, you have a profile with Going Merry. We recommend using this site as your primary source for scholarship research.

BigFuture by College Board
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BigFuture by College Board rewards you for doing what you already are doing: planning for life after high school. With no essay, minimum GPA, test score, or citizenship requirements, BigFuture makes it easy to enter drawings each month. Simply complete unlocked steps on your dashboard, and you'll be automatically entered to win. One step completed = one entry each month...the earlier and sooner you complete tasks, the bigger your chances to win. Students whose families earn less than $60,000 a year receive two entries each drawing. Don't wait, get started today!
Earn entries in monthly drawings for $500 and $40,000 scholarships by completing steps to plan for life after high school. Every month, BigFuture will award hundreds of $500 scholarships and two $40,000 scholarships until February of your senior year. The scholarships awarded by BigFuture can be used at two and four year institutions. ​
Click the link to qualify today: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/bigfuture-scholarships.
Santa Fe College Achieve
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What Is Santa Fe College Achieve?
SF Achieve provides students with mentoring opportunities right inside their high schools – coaching them on career exploration, time management, financial aid and more. That level of mentorship will continue after students enroll at Santa Fe College, along with a stipend to cover the costs of textbooks. Eligible students will also qualify for a full-tuition scholarship that picks up where financial aid leaves off, helping to pay for up to 60 credit hours at Santa Fe College. With 60 credit hours, students can earn:
- an Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree if they want to transfer to a university;
- an Associate in Science (A.S.) degree or certificate if they want to enter the workforce; or,
- a Bachelor's Degree, if they first earn an A.A. at Santa Fe College through high school dual enrollment.
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Who can become an Santa Fe Achieve Scholar?
Any student attending a local public high school grade can sign up now for Santa Fe College Achieve. There is no minimum GPA, and you can be in any grade level. Signing up doesn't mean you are required to attend Santa Fe College, but if you decide to do so, you will be on track to earn the Santa Fe College Achieve Scholarship. Once you sign up, your Santa Fe College Achieve specialist will contact you to discuss your next steps.
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Guaranteed Transfer Program
Florida’s statewide articulation agreement guarantees that all students who earn an Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree at a public college in the state will be granted admission to one of the 12 public universities in Florida. In addition to this statewide articulation agreement, Santa Fe College maintains several direct articulation agreements with the University of Florida, University of North Florida, Florida A&M University, New College of Florida, University of South Florida, University of West Florida, and the University of the Virgin Islands. All of these direct articulation agreements guarantee Santa Fe College students admission to these partner universities.
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Career and Technical Education
Scholarships are currently available for Career and Technical Education students! Recipients receive funds to help with tuition, fees and/or books. Santa Fe College offers the following Career and Technical Education programs:
- Business
- Construction and Technical
- Fine Arts and Entertainment Technology
- Educaton
- Emerging Technologies
- Health Sciences
- Information Technology Education
- Insttitute of Public Safety
Click the following link for additional information about each of these Programs: https://www.sfcollege.edu/cte/.
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Mentorships
Every public high school in Alachua and Bradford County has an Achieve specialist onsite, providing college coaching for SF Achieve students and acting as a resource for parents and guardians. These specialists will host workshops about the SF Achieve program as well as other financial aid and college success topics.
To get in touch with the SF Achieve specialist assigned to your school, visit the Contact Us page.
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Are you ready to join Santa Fe College Achieve?
Click the following link and complete the online form to join Santa Fe College Achieve: https://sfcollege.tfaforms.net/rest/forms/view/12
Santa Fe Scholarships
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Basic Information
Santa Fe College offers numerous scholarships through the Santa Fe College Foundation to provide funds to support the students at Santa Fe College. The Foundation approved to award over 670 scholarships valued at approximately $1,627,000 for the 2021-22 academic year.
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General Requirements
The general requirements to be eligible to apply for the scholarships are as follows:
- Be a U.S. Citizen with in-state fees.
- Plan to enroll as a full-time student (12 credit hours) at Santa Fe College. A few scholarships allow for part-time enrollment.
- Be degree seeking. Most scholarships require AA, AS, or Certificate. A few scholarships allow for bachelors.
- High School students or students that have never attended college must provide official high school transcripts showing a minimum 2.0 GPA. Official high school transcript must be submitted to Office for Advancement. Incoming/transfers students must provide official college transcripts to Office of the Registrar for processing.
- Complete the online scholarship application.
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Important Dates
SF Foundation applications are accepted year round with the following priority dates for 2024-25:
- Fall term - Priority Date for High School Seniors - February 15
- Fall term - All students should apply - June 15
- Spring term - All students should apply - October 15
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Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to many of the Frequently Asked Questions about Santa Fe College Scholarships can be found here: https://www.sfcollege.edu/foundation/scholarships/faq/
If you still need additional information, reach out to the Santa Fe Foundation by phone (352) 395-5200 or email at foundation@sfcollege.edu.
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Explore Available Scholarships
Make sure to take some time to explore the scholarships available at Santa Fe College. There are currently more than 150 scholarships, and additional scholarships may be added, so check back often. Click the link to see the list of currently available scholarships: https://www.sfcollege.edu/foundation/scholarships/explore/
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New, Need-Based, and Other Scholarship Opportunities
The new scholarships, listed below, are deliberately focused on addressing needs that were not being met by current scholarships. Click the link to find out more: https://www.sfcollege.edu/fa/scholarships/college-scholarships/
The Education Foundation of Alachua County Senior Scholarship Program
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The Education Foundation of Alachua County has opened the application for its Senior Scholarship program for spring 2024. High school seniors in the Alachua County Public Schools system can apply here beginning January 5, 2024 until February 19, 2024.
Scholarships range from $1,000 to $5,000 for Alachua County Public Schools seniors who meet the scholarships’ criteria. Last year, The Education Foundation awarded $221,000 to 60 students through a Senior Scholarship. Forty-two local families, businesses and civic organizations have partnered with The Education Foundation to make these scholarship opportunities possible.
Students must complete one application to be considered for the more than 60 available scholarships. You can see a complete list of available scholarships here. Additional information regarding documents seniors will need to submit with the application include letter(s) of recommendation, a full high school transcript, and a personal resume detailing academic and extracurricular activities. Once the student has submitted the general application, students should return to the dashboard tab and confirm completion of any follow-up work. Some Senior Scholarships have additional requirements to complete in order to be eligible for that specific scholarship.
Timeline:
- The scholarship application opens on the website – January 5, 2024
- Application closes – February 19, 2024
- Preliminary grading of applications – February 21 – March 9, 2024
- Sponsors review and select recipients – March through April 2024
- Students notified of winning via email at end of April or early May, 2024
Application Instructions:
- The application for spring 2024 will open on Thursday, January 5, 2024, and close on February 19, 2024.
- To Apply Visit: https://edfoundationac.awardspring.com
- As part of the online application process, students will be required to:
- Answer a general questionnaire detailing general academic and financial information.
- Upload a personal resume detailing academic and extracurricular activities.
- Submit a letter of recommendation from a teacher, guidance counselor, coach, employer, or community leader.
- Answer the following short essay questions:
- Describe your plans for college education and your future career goals.
- Describe a special attribute, accomplishment, or experience that you believe sets you apart.
Please contact the Director of Programs, Tatila Brock-Paul, with any questions by phone at (352) 955-7250 Ext. 6416 or email to brocktt (@gm.sbac.edu).