What amount should I request?
There should be a reasonable basis for the amount requested. To determine what is necessary, the applicant should identify the courses or program and know the cost. The Review Committee does not look favorably on applications which have an inflated dollar amount which seems unreasonable. The program should be reasonable 1) for the individual, 2) the course of study and 3) the time period of the scholarship. DO NOT include the full cost of a study program that goes beyond one year.
Amounts awarded are at the discretion of the judging panel. It is highly unlikely (but not impossible) that an applicant for the Bold Journey Scholarship will receive more than $2,500.
What can the funds be used for? How is the money paid out?
Money can be for tuition, books or software programs necessary for the course of study. Funds are NOT available for computers of any kind.
The money will be paid to the school, not to the scholarship recipient. In rare instances, a purchase of books will be made through Amazon. There will be no reimbursement for scholarship recipient book purchases.
Allow two (2) – six (6) weeks for payment to the school from the time the evidence of enrollment and cost is submitted. We do not pay money until we get evidence that they have enrolled. To claim payment use the scholarship claim document provided.
Some scholarship recipients will want to take courses in a program that extends over two (2) semesters. If that is the case, we will pay the required amount for the first semester in August or September, and the required amount for the second semester in January with the second-semester enrollment.
If they decide for a shorter course, they can take whatever portion of the money is necessary. In the example above, that might mean taking only the fall course and not the second-semester course.
Any money not used by the cut-off date in January 2023 will be unavailable to the scholarship recipient unless special arrangements are made in advance. The money will be returned to the LSSNCA Scholarship account to be awarded to other scholarship recipients the following year.
Can the applicant change the courses or cost of study after the scholarship has been awarded?
LSSNCA reserves the right to decline to fund a course or course of study which was not part of the original application. If the course is not offered or you wish to change the course of study, please contact LSSNCA before registering.
The applicant is responsible for determining before making the scholarship application that he or she is fully qualified and has fulfilled all necessary requirements for the course.
Should the application be sent in by the applicant, or should the staff caseworker send it in?
We have received applications both ways. It does not matter as long as it gets here in time. Incomplete applications will be disqualified. Please answer all questions and include all requested documents and references.
My client wants to use the scholarship toward a college with tuition and room and board costs well over $10,000. In this case, would it be acceptable to ask for the full $10,000 available? I know it's a long shot, but it seemed worth a try- he can make up the $5,000-some difference between $10,000 and tuition.
It is highly unlikely that the Committee will grant that request, but if it is important to the client, the client should ask. The Committee might either:
- grant the request
- give a smaller amount of money, or
- determine that the request was totally unrealistic and not award any money
It all depends on the merits of the individual and the application.
Can an applicant apply for both scholarships?
If the candidate is eligible for both the Bold Journey Scholarship and the Weisburger Scholarship they can apply for both. Applicants who are eligible for both scholarships are encouraged to apply for both scholarships. However, it is highly unlikely (but not impossible) that they would receive both.
How are applications reviewed?
The review panel for each scholarship is five (5) to six (6) people. They are entirely different panels. Each panel will read every application, reference, and transcript for that scholarship.
LSSNCA staff personally read applications if time permits. Staff have read applications to ensure that they understand the nature of the applications and the issues raised in awarding the scholarships.
