Students from rural, agricultural communities who want to go to college often struggle to pay for tuition, especially as tuition prices all over the country are inflated – even public colleges and universities. Idaho has many such students, but it also has many organizations providing the scholarship assistance that Idaho students need to succeed. Students looking for college scholarships in Idaho have many places to look, but College Consensus would like to get the search started right now with our own list of Idaho scholarships.
Scholarship programs are presented here in alphabetical order by title.
See Also: Best Scholarships for Online Students
1
Idaho Governor’s Cup Scholarship
The Idaho Governor’s Cup Scholarship offers two awards – the academic and professional/technical. Applicants must be a resident of Idaho and a high school or home school graduating senior. Additional requirements include a cumulative GPA of 2.8 or above; ACT or SAT scores; a demonstrated commitment to public service with documented evidence; plan to enrol as a full-time student in one of the eligible higher education colleges and universities; and attend the semester directly following graduation.
These scholarships were established to recognize the value of public service in hopes of providing encouragement to high school students to continue with their education. The awards are $3,000 per year. The academic is renewable up to 4 years with a deadline of February 15. The professional/technical renewable up to 3 years with an application deadline of March 15.
Eligible schools include Lewis-Clark State College, North Idaho College, Boise State University, College of Southern Idaho, College of Western Idaho, Idaho State University, University of Idaho, North Idaho College, Northwest Nazarene University, BYU Idaho and The College of Idaho. This is one of the Idaho scholarships focused on improving the lives of students who may not have the financial resources to attend a college or university.
2
Presidential Scholarship - Boise State University
Among the college scholarships in Idaho is The Boise State University Presidential Scholarship for Idaho high school students entering Boise State University. Applicants must meet the following criteria: have a cumulative unweighted GPA of 3.90 or 4.0; have an ACT score of 28 or higher or an SAT score of 1300 or higher. Students must enroll full-time in a two-year program at the minimum and complete the FAFSA. Application deadline for the fall is February 15, and application deadline for the spring is October 1. Awards are $5,000 per semester. Scholarships are renewable.
3
Idaho Opportunity Scholarship
Another one of the need-based Idaho scholarships, The Idaho Opportunity Scholarship is for Idaho resident students who have at least a 2.7 unweighted cumulative GPA. The student must graduate from an Idaho high school or home school program. Applicants must complete the FAFSA and scholarship application by March 1 and maintain satisfactory academic progress if awarded. As a condition of award, the student must attend one of the following eligible colleges or universities: Brigham Young University – Idaho; Boise State University; College of Southern Idaho; College of Western Idaho; College of Eastern Idaho; Idaho State University; Lewis-Clark State College; North Idaho College; Northwest Nazarene University; and University of Idaho.
The scholarship awards up to $3,500 per academic year and can be renewed for up to four years. Renewals must occur each year. The Opportunity Scholarship was established by Governor C.L. Butch and the Idaho Legislature in an effort to remove barriers for college and university students to have access to higher education for preparation into the workforce.
4
Gear Up Scholarship
The Gear Up Idaho Scholarship is for graduating seniors of an Idaho high school who participated in Gear Up between Fall 2011 and Spring 2018. Students have a number of requirements to be eligible. They must be less than 22 years old at time of award; they must be a graduate of one of the following school districts: Aberdeen; American Falls; Boundary County; Buhi; Clark County; Cottonwood; Culdesac; Emmett; Gooding; Homedale; Kellogg; Lake Pend Oreille; Lapwai; Marsing; Meadows Valley; Minidoka SD; Notus; Plummer-Worley; Ririe; Salmon; Sugar-Salem; Twin Falls; Stuart/Canyon Ridge HS; Vallivue; Weiser; West Bonner County or West Side.
Applicants must be accepted and shall enroll at an eligible Idaho public, regionally accredited institution of higher education institution within the state of Idaho. Students must complete the FAFSA. Scholarship awards vary based on number of applicants and available funds. The scholarship may be renewed for a maximum of four years. Deadline to apply is March 1.
5
Marsden Scholarship
The Marsden Scholarship awards up to two high school graduating scholars. Criteria for applicants include having a permanent legal residence with the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane; provide the official transcript of any for-credit courses; provide SAT or ACT scores; write a college application essay; provide the EFC from the FAFSA; explain how college studies will be paid, including any additional scholarships. Three references must be provided. Students do not have to be a member of an Episcopal church.
This scholarship was established by Mrs. Dorothy Marsden in the name of the George and Dorothy Marsden Scholarship to help students who show academic promise from the Inland northwest maximize their potential. Students who show promise of academic excellence and the potential for success and leadership are given top consideration. Applications are open February 1 and due by March 31. Awards up to $7,500 are awarded each year.
What is the Idaho Opportunity Scholarship?
One of the key Idaho scholarships available in the state is the Idaho Opportunity Scholarship. The Idaho Opportunity Scholarship is a needs-based award given to residents of the state. The Idaho legislature created the fund as a way to provide Idaho scholarship opportunities to low income students. Over the course of four years, students are awarded with $3,500 annually. Since the scholarship is renewable, students must maintain satisfactory academic progress for all four years for continued funding.
To be eligible, the student must have a minimum 2.7 GPA and be an Idaho resident. The student must also plan to attend a state college or university. Eligible universities include Boise State University, College of Idaho, Idaho State University, University of Idaho, College of Southern Idaho, and College of Western Idaho. Additional public state colleges are eligible, but the school must be a four-year college. The student must be working toward his or her bachelor degree with at least 24 postsecondary credits earned before ceasing enrollment.
The Idaho Opportunity Scholarship application is available through the Idaho State Board of Education website. Along with the Idaho Opportunity Scholarship application, students must have a FAFSA completed to help determine financial need. Both applications must be submitted by March I for scholarship consideration. The applications inquire about financial status and request a social security number for income verification purposes. Multiple Idaho scholarship opportunities can be applied to through the Idaho State Board of Education website including the Idaho Opportunity Scholarship for Adult Learners, Gear Up Scholarship, and Idaho Governor’s Cup Scholarship. Requirements for each Idaho scholarship will vary, but similar student data is collected to determine eligibility.
Do I Need Good High School Grades to Get a Scholarship?
Idaho scholarships for high school students don’t always simply require good grades—although superior academic performance will help improve eligibility. Some scholarship programs use different models to award monies including types like the Cappex Scholarship that uses a sweepstakes model to award $1,000 monthly to college students. Many businesses also create contests to provide students with scholarship money. As an example, Duck sponsors a Stuck at Prom contest that gives the winner $10,000 for creating the best prom dress or best prom tux using Duck brand tape.
Essay scholarship programs may also not require a review of the student’s GPA. The board members could only wish to review a meaningful essay to grant award money. Along with the essay, Idaho scholarship committees may ask for letters of recommendation. Students should choose wisely the people they ask for letters from as a way to highlight their assets beyond their grades.
Idaho scholarships for high school students can also be granted on financial need. In these cases, scholarship boards will want to receive a copy of the student’s FAFSA. The FAFSA is used to collect financial details about the student and parents. Based on the FAFSA answers, an expected family contribution amount is created. Even if the student has a low GPA, he or she may still be awarded money from scholarships. For instance, the Idaho Scholarship Fund only requires a 2.7 GPA for award consideration. Demonstrating financial need will also boost the student’s chances for receiving the maximum amount of grant awards and loan amounts.
Students should always check GPA requirements before applying for any awards. For instance, if the scholarship mandates a 3.0 GPA, no need to apply if the student has a lower average.
Are there Scholarships for Minority and At-Risk Students in Idaho?
The Idaho Minority and At Risk Student Scholarship is available to all state students who meet the eligibility requirements. Students must have a minimum 2.5 GPA and be a graduate of an Idaho high school. Award amounts can be up to $3,000 and can be renewed a maximum of four years. Students must meet a minimum of three possible criteria to be considered at risk by the scholarship board. The Idaho Minority and At Risk Student Scholarship are for those who are disabled, demonstrate financial need, be a migrant farm worker, first generation college students, or come from a minority group.
The Pride Foundation Scholarships are offered to Idaho students who identify as LGBT or come from LGBT families. Preference is also given to students who are transgender or minorities. Students must either be enrolled in college or plan to attend college after high school graduation. Another requirement is a commitment to social justice causes.
Hispanic scholarships in Idaho are available through organizations like the Idaho Latino Scholarship Foundation. Scholarship applications are accepted through December 31 from students who live in Idaho and come from Hispanic descent. The application asks for a personal statement, resume, essay response, two letters of recommendation, and a completed FAFSA. Scholarship finalists are asked to interview with the foundation members in order for winners to be selected.
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