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SCHOLARSHIP FAQS

Do you have a question about scholarships available through York County Community Foundation? The following is a list of our most frequently asked questions.

If you still have a question after reviewing these FAQs, contact Betsy Buckingham at York County Community Foundation.

1. How can I apply for a scholarship at York County Community Foundation?
   
   
2. How do I receive my scholarship award?
   
   
3. How do I renew my scholarship?
   
   
4. I'm concerned that the school's financial aid department will take away funds from my financial aid package because of my scholarship.
   
   
5. How quickly will my scholarship award be processed and sent to my school financial aid office or bookstore?
   
   
6. I was not able to return the acceptance/renewal form by the deadline. Can I still receive my award?
   
   
7. What if my scholarship is awarded after school has started?
   
   
8. Who do I contact if the financial aid office or bookstore cannot find my scholarship award check?
   
   
9. I decided not to attend University A and instead will be enrolling at University B. Can I get my scholarship back from University A so that I can use it at University B?
   
   
10. Will I have to pay taxes on this scholarship award?
    
    
11. What does full-time status mean?
    
    

1. How can I apply for a scholarship at York County Community Foundation?

York County Community Foundation administers many scholarship funds dedicated to students pursuing higher education. The Community Foundation holds the funds for the donors and disburses the scholarships through the 13 Dollars for Scholars chapters across York County. We suggest that you talk with your school guidance office for the Dollars for Scholars application for scholarships available for your school district.

The Community Foundation administers several scholarships independently of the Dollars for Scholars program. Please refer to these scholarship opportunities in the Scholarship pages of this website.

In addition, a number of online resources exist that can assist you in your search. These include:

• PA Higher Education Assistance Agency: www.pheaa.org
• FinAid: www.finaid.com
• College Board: www.collegeboard.com
• FastWeb.com: www.fastweb.com
• Collegenet.com: www.collegenet.com
• Scholarships.com: www.scholarships.com
• Sallie Mae Fund: www.thesalliemaefund.com

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2. How do I receive my scholarship award?

York County Community Foundation partnering Dollars for Scholars chapters often send the scholarship payments directly to the college/university. This payment may be made payable only to the school on your behalf or to both you and the school. If this is the case it is your responsibility to visit the financial aid office to sign off on the payment.

Some of the Dollars for Scholars make the payment directly to the student.

When the scholarship is awarded you should be notified of the method of payment. Please contact your local Dollars for Scholars chapter or your guidance office to clarify the procedure that will be used.

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3. How do I renew my scholarship?

If you have been granted a renewable scholarship you will be notified when the scholarship is awarded. Your Dollars for Scholars chapter will instruct you on how to renew your scholarship after your first year. You may be required to provide official transcripts to verify your academic performance and official notification from your school verifying continued fulltime enrollment.

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4. I'm concerned that the school's financial aid department will take away funds from my financial aid package because of my scholarship.

Scholarship America, the parent of Dollars for Scholars, partners with many schools throughout Pennsylvania and across the country to insure your scholarship is not jeopardized by the package you have been offered by your school. Generally speaking, scholarships of $1500 or less awarded through a Dollars for Scholars affiliate will not impact your school package. Link here to Scholarship America for a complete list of partnering institutions in Pennsylvania and nationwide: www.scholarshipamerica.org.

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5. How quickly will my scholarship award be processed and sent to my school financial aid office or bookstore?

Scholarships are processed in a timely fashion and generally are sent to the institution you will attend before the beginning of your initial term. Occasionally a Dollars for Scholars chapter will have adopted alternate processing standards that they feel best suit the needs of their students. When your scholarship is awarded the steps for processing the scholarship should be clearly outlined.

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6. I was not able to return the acceptance/renewal form by the deadline. Can I still receive my award?

The participating Dollars for Scholars chapters in York County tend to be very understanding. If you feel you have missed a deadline, please promptly contact your local chapter, the contact in your guidance office or the Community Investment Officer at York County Community Foundation.

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7. What if my scholarship is awarded after school has started?

Most of the scholars are notified in late Spring when they have been selected for an award, prior to the start of the Fall semester. If you are selected for a scholarship at an alternative time of the year, your local Dollars for Scholars chapter will process your scholarship to coordinate with that term schedule.

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8. Who do I contact if the financial aid office or bookstore cannot find my scholarship award check?

Remember that it takes time for your school's financial aid office or bookstore to process all of the checks it receives in the mail, especially at the beginning of the semester. If three weeks have passed after receiving your copy of the disbursement letter, please call your college or university first and confirm if they have received your scholarship award. They may already have it but just did not process it yet. If you continue to have a problem, please contact your local Dollars for Scholars chapter or you may contact the York County Community Foundation at 717.848.3733 for assistance.

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9. I decided not to attend University A and instead will be enrolling at University B. Can I get my scholarship back from University A so that I can use it at University B?

Yes, please contact University A's Financial Aid Office and request that they refund the money in full to your Dollars for Scholars chapter as soon as possible. (They will probably do this anyhow, but receiving a call from you might help speed the process along. Typically, a scholarship cannot be re-issued to your new school until the funds have been returned. Since processing refunds sometimes take a long time at schools, please be aware that your scholarship may not be sent to your new school as quickly as you would like.) The Community Foundation is happy to serve as an intermediary for your Dollars for Scholars chapter in order to expedite the process.

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10. Will I have to pay taxes on this scholarship award?

If your scholarship is used for tuition, fees, books, supplies and/or equipment required for enrollment or class attendance, the award is not taxable. Please be aware that if you utilize this scholarship for educational expenses that are not considered tax-exempt, we suggest that you obtain professional tax advice. A good resource on this topic can be found on the Internet at www.irs.gov/faqs.

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11. What does full-time status mean?

Full-time status means that you are enrolled with a course load at your school that is greater than what part-time students carry. Each school will have a different unit minimum, although full-time status typically involves at least three to four courses. For example, at a community college full-time status is equal to a course load of 12 units. It is your responsibility to check with your college or university to ensure that you are meeting the minimum requirement(s) applicable to your award.

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