Apply for scholarships
The Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation offers over 80 scholarships and awards over $1 million annually to support students in our region who are pursuing postsecondary education.
Application Timeline
Scholarship applications for the 2025-2026 academic year open on December 1, 2024.
The deadline for all scholarship applications is February 13, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.
Steps to Apply
1. Access the scholarship portal.
2. Create a profile, or sign in if you have an existing profile.
3. Once logged in, on the applicant dashboard, click “Apply” to find the 2025 universal application.
4. Eligibility Quiz: At the beginning of the application, you will be led through a series of questions that will help us determine the scholarships for which you are eligible.
5. Answer all the application questions and provide the required materials for the scholarships your are interested in.
6. Submit application by February 13, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.
How to Be Prepared
Thinking about these key points and gathering your materials in advance will make the application process smoother:
- FAFSA Information – Some scholarships require details from your FAFSA. Have it ready if needed.
- Program Type – Know the type of program you’re interested in, such as a 4-year degree, 2-year degree, apprenticeship, licensure, or other options.
- School Type – Consider the schools you’re exploring. Are they public or private? In-state or out-of-state?
- Field of Study – Identify your area of interest, like STEM, healthcare, the arts, the environment, or another field.
- Your Background – Create a list of your experiences and activities to reference during the application:
- Extracurricular Activities: Clubs, organizations, or hobbies you participate in outside of class.
- Work Experience: Part-time or full-time jobs, internships, or gigs.
- Community Involvement: Volunteer work, leadership roles, or initiatives that made a positive impact in your community.
- Sports Activities: Participation in school or community sports.
- Family Responsibilities: Caregiving for siblings, helping with household duties, or contributing financially to your family.
Not Required for DSACF Scholarships
- ACT/SAT Scores
- Recommendation Letters
What Scholarship Review Committees Look For
When reviewing applications, the committee considers the following criteria. Strong applications demonstrate:
- Financial Need – A clear explanation of why financial support is essential.
- Community Contributions – Evidence of meaningful involvement in helping others, community service, or actions that benefit the public good.
- Inclusive Engagement – A commitment to respecting different cultural or socioeconomic backgrounds in your interactions and contributions.
- Achievements – Examples of meaningful and high-quality efforts.
- Character and Drive – A display of strong values, motivation and potential for success.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Discover which scholarships match your interests and location with ease! Simply follow the “Steps to Apply” link at the top of this page to take an eligibility quiz and find out which scholarships you qualify for.
Award Payments will be mailed directly to the school/ university.
Fall Payments are mailed July 15-30
Spring Payments are mailed December 15-30
DSACF encourages scholarship recipients to seek tax advice regarding scholarships. According to the IRS: Scholarships, fellowship grants, and other grants are tax-free if you meet the following conditions:
- You’re a candidate for a degree at an educational institution that maintains a regular faculty and curriculum and normally has a regularly enrolled body of students in attendance at the place where it carries on its educational activities; and
- The amounts you receive are used to pay for tuition and fees required for enrollment or attendance at the educational institution, or for fees, books, supplies, and equipment required for courses at the educational institution.
You will be notified via email by May 1, 2025.
We offer ONE Universal Application: Follow thte Steps to Apply at the top of this page to create a profile in the scholarship portal. Fill out the first page of the universal application to filter through all of the scholarships you qualify for.
We are here to help!
If you have a question please contact our Community Impact Specialist, Peter Pfankuch.
