Deadlines vary depending on the scholarship you are applying for. Be sure to check the deadline, eligibility, and guidelines for each. Be sure to allow enough time for you to complete your application before the due date. No application will be accepted after the due date, no exceptions. For applications that use the Universal Scholarship Application, the deadline is April 3.

Your most recent transcript, your SAT and ACT Test Scores (if available), Expected Family Contribution (EFC) number from a processed Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) (if available), email addresses of individuals from whom you will request a recommendation (not all scholarships require a letter of recommendation).

Your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is an index number that colleges use to determine how much financial aid you are eligible to receive. Your EFC is calculated according to a formula established by law and the information you provided on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Learn more about FAFSA >.

You can view your application at any time as instructed below. However, once you submit your application, it can no longer be edited by you. Therefore, take your time and review your whole application before submitting.

If you realize your application needs to be edited after submission, send the updated information to scholarships@dekalbccf.org as soon as possible. Foundation staff will edit your application with the updates.

Click on the Apply/Login For a Scholarship button on the Foundation website. Enter the logon credentials you created during the registration process when you established your account. Click on the "Log On" button to access your account. Once you are logged on, you will be navigated to the Applicant Dashboard. Click on the "Active Requests" tab. In the "DeKalb County Community Foundation High School Scholarships" section, click on the blue words "Edit Application" or "View Application" depending on whether you have submitted your application.

Scholarship applications are reviewed by a scholarship committee. Committee members vary depending on the scholarship and criteria specified. The Community Foundation processes the application materials for the committee members to review. We encourage all applicants to carefully read about each scholarship and try to determine what exactly the scholarship provider is looking for. This is an opportunity for applicants to emphasize their related qualities during the application process.

A notice will be sent to all applicants via email once the committee has reviewed and made decisions. Timing of notification varies depending on the application deadline and committee structure.

Scholarship Funds offer varying award amounts, which may range from $500 to several thousand dollars. Awards are dependent on the size of the particular Fund, the number of qualified applicants, and the directions given by the donor(s) of the Funds. Some scholarships are renewable for more than one year.

Scholarships can be used for direct education expenses including tuition, books, and/or other school related fees.

Scholarship checks are typically processed in mid-July but will vary depending on scholarship application deadline. College scholarship payments are mailed directly to the school’s financial aid office. Your scholarship check will be made payable to the accredited, educational institution you are attending. Please note that depending on the process, it could take several weeks after your school receives the check to have it reflect on your account. If you are questioning its status, please check with your Financial Aid Office first to find out if it is being processed.

You must notify the Community Foundation if you move or transfer to a new school. Contact scholarships@dekalbccf.org as soon as you have made your decision to transfer. The Foundation will send the scholarship check to your new school. If the check has already been mailed, the Foundation will contact the previous school and ask the school to send the check back and a new check will be sent to your new school.

Yes, donors enjoy reading thank you notes and like to know something about the person who is receiving their scholarship. If you receive a scholarship, you will be required to complete a scholarship acceptance form which will ask you to share information about yourself with the donor; you will also be asked to share any words of gratitude to the donor(s). A copy of this information (along with some additional details about you – school, major, etc.) will be shared with the donor. If you’d still like to send a thank you letter to the donor (which is encouraged!), please mail it to the DeKalb County Community Foundation - 475 DeKalb Avenue, Sycamore, IL 60178. The Foundation will forward it to the donor(s).

If you have additional questions about the scholarship application materials or preparing to apply, please see your guidance counselor. If you have questions for the Community Foundation, please contact scholarships@dekalbccf.org or 815-748-5383.