Grants & Scholarships

How to Apply for a Scholarship

Applying for a scholarship through the Fond du Lac Area Foundation is simpler than many students expect. You create one account, complete one common application, and you're considered for every scholarship you qualify for. Applying is free.

Fond du Lac County scholarship recipients

This page walks you through each step, from setting up your account to receiving your award, along with the few things that most often trip students up. Our scholarship staff are here to help if you have questions along the way.

Key dates

  • High school seniors: your common application is due March 31 at 11:59 p.m.
  • College students: your common application is due April 15.

Please check the Scholarship Portal for the current season's dates. The portal always carries the deadline for the year you're applying in.

How to apply, stepby step

  • Create your student account. Go to the Scholarship Portal and create an account. Use your personal email address, not your school email. School email accounts often close after graduation, and we'll need to reach you over the summer if you receive an award. If you created an account in a previous year, it's still active, so just sign in.
  • Complete the common application. The common application asks about your high school, your plans for college, the degree you're pursuing, your activities, and your community involvement. It updates as you go, so a question may appear only if it applies to you, such as a question for students entering a particular field. Please answer every prompt you're offered.
  • Upload your transcript. An unofficial copy of your transcript is usually fine. High school students can typically get one from their school's counseling office. If a particular scholarship needs a certified copy, we'll follow up with you.
  • Submit before the deadline. You can save your application and come back to it as many times as you need. Once every prompt is answered, submit it before the deadline.
  • Watch for your award notice. Applications are scored in April by volunteer committees from the community. High school seniors usually hear first from their high school by early May, often at a senior award event, and awards are then posted in the Scholarship Portal. College students typically hear by early June.
  • Complete your follow-up tasks. If you receive an award, you'll accept its terms, write a thank-you note to the donor, and complete a proof of enrollment form, all in the Scholarship Portal. Once those are done, the scholarship is paid to your college or university in your name, and payments are sent throughout the summer with the goal of reaching your school before the fall tuition due date.

A few scholarships, called community-based awards, use a separate application, such as a downloadable form or another organization's website. The Scholarship Portal explains how to apply for each of those. To see what's available before you start, visit the Scholarship Directory.

Photo: a student double-checking a scholarship application against a checklist before submitting

Common reasons applicationsfall short

When an application can't be considered, it is usually for one of a few simple reasons, and each one is easy to fix before the deadline.

  • Waiting until the last minute. Many students start the night before the deadline. The portal closes at 11:59 p.m. on March 31, which is one minute before midnight, and an application submitted at midnight does not count. Aim to submit a few days early, or at least in the afternoon on the deadline date.
  • A missing transcript. This is one of the most common reasons an application is incomplete. Ask your counseling office for an unofficial copy early in the season.
  • Short or skipped essay answers. Most essay prompts allow up to about 250 words, roughly one paragraph. A one-sentence answer doesn't give the scoring committee much to go on, so take the time to tell them about yourself.
  • Trusting the progress bar. The progress bar at the top of the application never reaches 100%, even when you're finished, so please disregard it. Instead, check that you've answered every prompt you were offered.

If any of these sound familiar, don't worry. They're common, and you still have time to fix them. You've got this!

Frequently asked questions

Create a free student account in the Scholarship Portal and complete one common application. It considers you for every scholarship you qualify for. Graduating high school seniors in Fond du Lac County apply by March 31 at 11:59 p.m., and current college students apply by April 15. Please check the portal for the current season's dates.

Very possibly. You don't need to submit proof of a high school diploma to apply. Many scholarships focus on your goals and the degree you're pursuing, and a number of them support students earning an associate or technical degree. Criteria vary by scholarship, and many look at need and involvement as well as grades, so the common application is the best way to find the ones that fit.

Scoring takes place in April, after the deadlines have passed. High school seniors usually hear first from their high school by early May, and awards are posted in the Scholarship Portal in late May, after senior award events have taken place. College students typically hear by early June. If you have questions about your application, please contact our scholarship staff.

The progress bar never reaches 100%, even on a finished application, so please disregard it. Your application is complete when you've answered every prompt you were offered, uploaded your transcript, and submitted it before the deadline.

Usually not. An unofficial copy is fine for most scholarships, and your school's counseling office can typically provide one. If a scholarship requires a certified copy, our scholarship staff will follow up with you after your application is submitted.

Only a small number of scholarships require it, but we encourage every student to complete the FAFSA, since it may open the door to additional financial aid.

Readyto begin?

Create your account in the Scholarship Portal, or sign in if you already have one. If you have questions about eligibility, your application, or your award, our team is here to help. More for students: Scholarships · Scholarship Directory

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