Foundation Scholarship Application Process
Each year, more than 100 students receive financial assistance through scholarships administered by the Foundation. Each student has two things in common:
- they are committed to achieving personal and professional success through education and training at Blackhawk Technical College, and
- they completed and submitted a Scholarship Application.
Every student is encouraged to complete the Scholarship Application. Applications for the fall semester are due on April 15 and awarded shortly thereafter. Applications for the spring semester are due on October 15 and awarded shortly thereafter. Singular scholarship awards may be made during other times of the year at the discretion of the Foundation staff.
Some scholarships await applicants from particular fields of study or geographic areas. Others are intended to help people overcome personal or financial hardship. Whatever the circumstances, every student is encouraged to complete the Blackhawk Technical College Foundation Scholarship Application and Scholarship Recommendation forms.
Scholarship Application Scholarship Recommendation
The BTC Foundation committee reviews all applications and scores them based on six criteria:
- Unmet Financial Need: Applicant income and occupational status. (A completed FAFSA application must be on file in the Financial Aid Office at Blackhawk Technical College.)
- Family circumstance: Applicant support of a spouse, dependents, family members under medical care, etc.
- GPA: Current or prior educational settings.
- Neatness and completeness: Application is legible, and all questions are answered with necessary detail.
- Future potential: Application essay outlines realistic, obtainable student goals and plans.
- Two letters of recommendation: From non-relatives, supporting candidate’s character and commitment to education. (This part is required.)
The BTC Foundation administers a wide variety of scholarship programs. By completing the application, you are eligible for any/all that are relevant to you. The actual number of students selected each year is based on the number of funds available at the time of selection.
Applications, along with letters of recommendation, may be submitted electronically, sent via postal mail, or hand-delivered.
Note: While some scholarships are awarded throughout the year (especially for part‐time awards in programs that are not eligible for federal financial aid such as Nursing Assistant, GED/HSED, etc.), the majority of BTC Foundation scholarships are awarded in May or October. Applications are due on April 15 (summer or fall term) or October 15 (spring term). Those submitted after that date will be included with the others for consideration, but are generally less likely to be approved due to the limited number of scholarships available after the school year term has started.