The Winston-Salem Foundation's Student Aid Program was launched in 1923 with the creation of a single college loan fund. The program now boasts over 100 funds, in the form of educational grants/scholarships and loans. The Student Aid Committee of The Winston-Salem Foundation is responsible for approving many scholarship and loan applications, while donor-appointed committees approve others.
If you meet the following basic criteria, you are eligible to apply for an educational grant/scholarship or a student loan*:
- You are a bona fide resident of Forsyth County:
- you may qualify for a scholarship, grant, or loan
- You are a bona fide resident of Davidson, Davie, Stokes, Surry, Wilkes, or Yadkin counties:
- you may qualify for a high school specific scholarship if you are a high school senior, or
- you may qualify for a nursing or other health care scholarship if accepted into a program, or
- you may qualify for a low interest loan
- Many funds require U.S. citizenship. For those funds without the citizenship requirement, please see "Non Citizen" or "Eligible Non Citizen" under Educational Grants and Scholarships.
- You are an "eligible noncitizen" as verified by the federal Student Aid Report (limited funding available):
- you may qualify for a scholarship if you are a high school senior, or
- you may qualify for a nursing or other health care scholarship if accepted into a program
- You are enrolled in a program leading to a degree, certificate, or diploma from an accredited institution in the United States (excludes distance learning).
- You have an acceptable academic record: 2.0 minimum cumulative GPA required for need-based funds; other funds have varying GPA requirements.
- You meet other need-based or merit-based criteria; level of income, academic performance, community/school service and other criteria are all factors in the decision-making process.
- You and your cosigners have acceptable credit histories should you apply for a loan.
*If it is determined that you are ineligible for consideration, you will be advised by mail. Ineligibility is usually the result of poor grades, sufficient financial aid from other sources, or exhausted funds. Submission of an application does not guarantee receipt of a grant, scholarship, or loan.