Scholarships
Supporting Students to Achieve Their Goals
We are reimagining what our scholarship process looks like. Having supported students and their dreams since 1980, we look forward to continuing to be a part of their journeys. Our scholarships align with the Community Foundation’s mission: connecting people who care with causes that matter. As part of our commitment to education, we administer scholarship funds established by individuals and organizations.
Whether it’s medical school, journalism, ministry, nursing, or engineering, our scholarship donors make pursuing a career more attainable for all our high school and professional school students.
We offer a wide variety of scholarships based on a field of study, merit, financial need, and community involvement. Our simplified Universal Application seamlessly matches students’ interests and financial needs with specific scholarship criteria.
Questions About Scholarships?
Scholarship Opportunities
You can find details about each scholarship opportunity offered through Community Foundation of Lorain County below.
Application Procedure
All applicants must complete our Universal Application, which is designed to automatically match their skills and financial needs with specific criteria for each scholarship. This streamlines the application process, eliminating the need for multiple submissions.
- Starting January 1, 2026, you may apply for the 2026 school year. Begin by creating a profile and selecting the scholarship option.
- Applications must be submitted by March 1, 2026, at 11:59 pm.
- Scholarship recipients will be notified via email no later than May 1, 2026.
Eligibility and Criteria
- Transcripts are required, obtainable only from your High School Guidance Office or College Bursar’s Office with GPA requirement of 2.0 or higher.
- Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and submit the page showing their Student Aid Index (SAI).
- Students eligible for scholarship renewals will be contacted via email and the renewal application will open on December 15th and closes February 15th.
- Renewable scholarships require annual reapplication and are subject to competitive review by the committee.
- Awards are disbursed directly to post-secondary accredited educational institutions, not to individuals or bookstores.
- Decisions recommended by the scholarship committees receive approval from the Community Foundation Board of Directors and will be finalized in May.
3K
number of students
$9M
scholarship dollars given
FAQs
Most of our scholarship opportunities are for students pursuing a degree in higher education who either reside in or attended high school in Lorain County. Applicants must be accepted or enrolled in an accredited institution in the United States. While most scholarships are for 2- or 4-year undergraduate programs, some are available for graduate or technical programs.
You will need:
- Official Transcript
- One Letter of Recommendation from a coach, teacher, or employer
- FAFSA Information, specifically your SAI (Student Aid Index) number
- Scholarship Portal Opens: January 1, 2026
- Application Deadline: March 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM
- Notification of Recipients: On or before May 1, 2026
Once we receive your follow-up form, scholarship funds will be disbursed directly to your college or university. All scholarship funds can only be used for tuition and fees.
Checks are typically distributed throughout July or early August.
