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Shawn Carter Foundation
  • SCHOLARSHIP FUND
    • Eligibility Requirements
    • Who are SCF Scholars?
    • Our Scholars
    • Our Alumni
    • Applying for a Scholarship
    • FAQ’s
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Scholarship Fund

The Shawn Carter Scholarship Fund (SCSF) was founded on the belief that any motivated individual in need should have the opportunity to further his or her education. By removing some of the financial burdens associated with going to, surviving in, and graduating from college, the SCSF plays a vital role in increasing college access and success for many motivated yet underserved youth and young adults. The SCSF provides individual grants, paid directly to the educational institution, to every student who qualifies and reapplies yearly, from admission to graduation. The grant can be used to cover tuition expenses and related supplemental educational expenses such as books, lab fees, travel and select costs of living. All Shawn Carter Scholars are required to “give back” by conducting community service and by serving as mentors to younger, aspiring Shawn Carter Scholars.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Students pursuing their first undergraduate degree:

    o   High school seniors

    o   Students with GED diplomas

    o   Students enrolled in 2-year or 4-year undergraduate programs

    o   Students enrolled in vocational or trade schools

  • US citizen or Permanent Resident
  • 25 years old or younger
  • Minimum 2.0 GPA
  • Household income not exceeding $75,000 USD

WHO ARE SHAWN CARTER SCHOLARS?

SCSF attracts candidates from all backgrounds, nation-wide. They all have a compelling desire to pursue higher education, in spite of many personal, socio-economic setbacks, including teen pregnancy, former incarceration, interrupted schooling, poverty, and homelessness. They are hardworking, resilient and determined individuals who want to make positive contributions to their local and global communities, and they turn to the SCSF to make their ambitions and dreams possible.

A recent snapshot of our 2014-15 Shawn Carter Scholars and 2014 applicants seeking support from SCSF reveals the following:

WHO ARE SHAWN CARTER SCHOLARS

Scholars

Shawn Carter Scholars are studying at over 100 institutions of higher learning throughout the nation. Here are profiles of some of our outstanding scholars and alumni.
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  • Nia Augustine
    Nia Augustine
    Name: Nia Augustine

    School: University of Virginia ‘20

    “The value of education is something that I have understood since a very young age. Neither of my parents had an opportunity to attend college and faced many struggles in their personal and professional lives because of this. My family has made many sacrifices to allow me to focus on my education throughout primary and secondary school. I now have an opportunity to become the first person in my family to attend college, though I’m in need of financial assistance to realize what has been a long-term goal for me and a dream for my parents. As an SCF scholar, I will continue to apply the same diligence to my collegiate studies as I have to this point, making education and service to others my top priority.”

  • Deron Charlery
    Deron Charlery
    School: University at Buffalo ‘21

    “The Shawn Carter Foundation Scholarship has helped me throughout my first and second semester of architecture school. I was grateful enough to receive it which helped alleviate many financial issues such as studio materials and tuition. I truly witnessed the benefit of receiving this scholarship this semester since my project dealt with full scale construction and I needed to buy wood in order to create models and bring forth ideas.”

Alumni

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  • Kaliah Kearney
    Kaliah Kearney
    School: North Carolina Central University

    Degree: BA, Criminal Justice (Law Enforcement concentration) - 2017

    "Coming from a single-parent household with few resources, earning a higher education is a privileged opportunity that very few of us are blessed to have. So thank you Shawn Carter Foundation and my alma mater for recognizing my mind's worth and investing in my future. I will always humbly remember where I started and exceed all expectations!"

  • Trona Cenac
    Trona Cenac

    School: Russell Sage College

    Degree: Bachelors in Mathematics (Minor in Sociology)

    “The SCF played such a huge role in my path to college. Prior to graduating high school I applied to college and had no idea if I would be able to go. I spend my entire week while on the SCF bus tour thinking about what my next steps would be and if I would even make it to college. With the financial help of The SCF I was able to not only attend college but graduate with my BA in Mathematics. The work that you guys do had such an impact on my journey and you guys are not just people that I have met but you guys are my family. Thank you so much for the love, support and continuous encouragement.”

  • Tenisha Johnson
    Tenisha Johnson

    School: Savannah State University, Fall 2017

    Degree: B.A in Mass Communications

    “There's a moment in your life where you realize growing up in poverty may hinder you from accomplishing your dreams. It's until you look around your community, your state and your country that you realize there's people/organizations who care about you. They've never met you, but heard your story and want to help. Shawn Carter Foundation is one of those organizations. I wouldn't have had the opportunity to finish college if they cared about how high my GPA was or if I was a straight A student in high school. They give chances to students whose academics were tainted by hardships. I can understand now that it's not solely how you start that counts, but how you finish is key. SCF was with me until the finish line and I'll forever be grateful for that!"

  • Craig Phillip
    Craig Phillip

    School: Hobart and Williams Smith Colleges ‘18

    Degree: Bachelors in Psychology (Minor in American Studies)

    "Being a SCF scholar has helped greatly financially being that I come from a single parent household and the cost of college has been rapidly rising every year. The SCF has also offered many opportunities for networking and even a chance to visit major corporations such as Google. The SC foundation has had my back since the beginning of my undergraduate career and they supported me until I graduated! Thanks SCF."

  • Anthony Telford
    Anthony Telford

    School: University at Albany ‘18

    Degree: B.S. Economics (Minor in Business Administration)

    "Being a SCF scholar has helped me tremendously throughout my college experience. The college tour I attended in high school helped me see how college life would be and how I should adapt to the conditions that college comes with. SCF also helped me out by taking the burden of book expenses off of my parents and I for my 3 years in college."

  • Anthony Becerra
    Anthony Becerra

    School: California Baptist University ‘18

    Degree: B.A. Criminal Justice

    "I was fortunate enough to receive a scholarship from the Shawn Carter Foundation and the support provided by the foundation made a significant impact on my ability to focus on my studies. I am not sure that I can accurately express the gratitude I feel. The selfless act of providing college scholarships has enriched numerous lives. I will be graduating in December and as my life and my career will take me in many directions, I will always have a special memory of the support I received from the Shawn Carter Scholarship Fund."

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FAQ’s

  • When can I begin the scholarship application?

    You can begin your application on April 1st.

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  • When is the deadline for the scholarship application?

    The deadline for the application is April 30th (11:59 PM EST). Please note that incomplete and late applications are not eligible.

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  • Who is eligible to apply for the Shawn Carter scholarship?

    All high school seniors, students with GED diplomas, undergraduate (2yr or 4yr) college students, and students at vocational or trade schools who meet the requirements below are eligible.

    Requirements:
    US citizen or Permanent Resident
    25 years old or younger
    Minimum 2.0 GPA

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  • Do I have to attend a vocational school to be eligible for this scholarship?

    NO, see eligibility requirements above.

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  • Do I have to be currently enrolled in school to apply for this scholarship?

    You do not have to be currently enrolled in school to apply, but you must show evidence from an accredited institution that you will be enrolling, and that the scholarship support you seek will be applied there.

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  • My school does not use a 4.0 grade scale, how can I convert my grades to this scale?

    If your school uses number grades, use the GPA conversion table HERE.

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  • I don’t have a very high GPA, do I have any chance of receiving this scholarship?

    Yes, we take many factors into consideration when determining your candidacy for the scholarship. Leadership, community service, socio-economic factors, the quality of your essay and other strengths are all taken into account in the decision making process.

    Our typical scholarship recipients demonstrate resiliency in the face of hardship, give back to their communities, and have GPAs between 2.0 and 3.0. Students with GPAs above this range are still encouraged to apply.

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  • How can I maximize my chances of receiving this scholarship?

    Here are some steps you can take:

    1-Start your application early and complete it on time. The earlier you start the application, the better chance you have to submit the application before the deadline. You also have more time to ask us questions in case any part of the process needs clarification.

    2-Tell us about yourself and use specific details when sharing your extracurricular activities. We do not know anything about you until you share it with us. Specific details can help us understand how great you are. The same can be said about your essay. We don’t expect the essay to run too long but make sure your essay helps us learn more about you and your perspectives.

    3-Review your application for grammar and spelling errors.

    If your question has not been answered above, please direct your inquiry to: [email protected]

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  • Are graduate students eligible to apply?

    We do not provide funding for students who are pursuing graduate degrees in the upcoming Fall.

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The application season is closed.

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