Step No.1 - Verify Eligibility

Applicants must meet at a minimum the following criteria:

• admitted to a NCI affiliated program leading toward a bachelor’s, master’s, endorsement, graduate certificate program or post-graduate degree
• May attend part-time or full-time
• Enrolled for the duration of the scholarship period

Applicants are encouraged to apply for state and federal assistance by completing the FAFSA application. 

Step No.2 - Gather the Following Documents Prior to Applying

• Official Transcript - from the most recently attended college
• Two (2) ink signed (not typed) letters of recommendation from individuals other than relatives who are familiar with the applicant’s qualities and character
• One or more Community Service Verification Form(s) ink signed (not typed or signed by the applicant) by the organization's representative (obtained here - PDF, Word).  Community service should not be older than one year. Please refer to  What Qualifies as Community Service.
  
• One Photo (headshot)

Step No.3 - Apply

• Application must be completed online at www.mhcaf.org.  Paper applications are not accepted.
• Applications (including document uploads or transcripts mailed to the Foundation) must be submitted by midnight on Monday, June 3, 2024. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
• While it is preferred that official transcripts be uploaded as part of the application, transcripts may be mailed to the Foundation @ P.O. Box 492 Martinsville, Virginia 24114 or emailed to ncfmhcscholarships@gmail.com
• Common reasons why a scholarship is not awarded: (1) Applications and all required documents not received on time; (2) Unofficial transcripts received instead of official transcripts; (3) References and Community Service forms not ink signed (computer signatures are NOT accepted); (4) Falsified information; and (5) Low rubric scoring.

Step No.4 – Application Reviewed and Score

• Completed scholarship packages will be forwarded to the Scholarship Committee after the submission deadline.
• Scholarship packages will determine the merit of the package based upon the evaluation rubric
• Scored scholarship packages will be compared against MHC Academic Foundation Scholarship Policy to determine the scholarship amount based upon their score and funds availability.

Step No.5 - Application Assigned an Award Amount

• Sometime in July, applicants will be notified if they will be receiving or not receiving an award.  For those qualifying for an award, they will need to turn in an acceptance letter and a professional letter to the Foundation, on behalf of the donor.  To the extent these items are not returned in the specified time period, their scholarship becomes rescinded.

Step No.6 - Disbursement of Funds

• For those students who have turned in their acceptance letter and professional grade donor thank you letters, will be disbursed to their respective schools. Funds will be disbursed in early August.