WCSC SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION

GFWC Women's Club of South County Scholarship

The General Federation of Women's Clubs (GFWC) Women's Club of South County, founded in 1962, provides a forum for women to discuss and address issues of concern to the community. In 1997, the Club established a Scholarship Fund to support continuing education for women with limited financial and educational opportunities. The GFWC Women's Club of South County is committed to helping Washington County women achieve their educational and career goals.

All scholarships awarded by the GFWC Women's Club of South County are for the direct support of tuition for accredited programs or colleges linked to the achievement of the recipient's educational goals. Preference is given to highly motivated women with limited financial resources with or without dependents who need further education or training to become more self-supporting. The scholarship awards are distributed directly to the educational institution for tuition costs only.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

To qualify as an applicant, all the following criteria must be met:

1. Be a woman of at least age 20 by date of application.

2. Be a resident of Washington County (Charlestown, Exeter, Hopkinton, Narragansett, New Shoreham/Block Island, North Kingstown, Richmond, South Kingstown or Westerly).

3. Exhibit financial need.

4. Be enrolled, or accepted, in a career/vocational training or certificate program, or working toward a first degree (i.e., associate or bachelor).

5. Has demonstrated the motivation to achieve educational and career goals.

6. Preference will be given to the applicant who is the primary support for herself and/or her dependents. Dependents may include children, spouse, partner, siblings and/or parents.

SUBMITTAL PROCESS

We encourage applicants to submit their application by using this online form. If you are unable to do so or if you need assistance, please contact us at: scholarshipWCSC@gmail.com.

Privacy Policy: The information provided in this application will be used exclusively by the Scholarship Committee.

If you have questions regarding the scholarship program, please email scholarshipWCSC@gmail.com.

Thank you for your interest.

GFWC Women's Club of South County 2026 Scholarship Application Deadlines: April 1, 2026 or October 1, 2026

Name (first, middle initial, last)*

Address (number and street)*

Address (city, state, zip code)*

Do you or your family own or rent your legal residence?*

OwnRent

Date of birth*

Phone Number*

Email Address*

example@example.com

How do you prefer to be contacted?*

TextEmail

Please check highest level of education achieved:*

If you checked "Certification Program", provide the type of certification you completed and school you attended.

When did you complete your highest level of education? (Month and Year)*

Number of dependents you support (NOT including yourself)*

How are they related to you (children, spouse, partner, parents, siblings, etc.)?

List any work and volunteer experience in the last 3 years.

Do you know or are you related to any member of the GFWC Women's Club of South County? If yes, please share who and your relationship to them.*

How did you hear about this scholarship?

Please check the item or items that best describes your situation*

To seek additional skills to re-enter the workforceTo seek additional skills to improve my job statusTo further certification/degree already startedOther

What is the name and address of the school or vocational training program you are attending or where you have been accepted? Please provide website if possible.*

What will be your area of study?*

Example: Physical Therapy Assistant, Esthetician, Certified Nursing Assistant, Early Education Certificate, Information Technology/IT support or various Associate’s or Bachelor’s degrees.

When do you expect to complete your studies? (Month and Year)*

What is your total annual tuition/program cost (exclusive of books, materials and fees)?*

Amount requested from the GFWC Women’s Club of South County*

The Scholarship awards are distributed directly to the educational institution for tuition costs only.

Have you applied for, or have you received, other scholarships for your current program of study?*

NoYes

If yes, please list the following for each application: Name(s) of scholarship, award amount and whether the award is still pending or the date received.

Are you claimed as a dependent on your parents' tax return?*

YesNo

Do you or your family receive SNAP benefits:*

YesNo

Do you or any family member receive SSI benefits??*

YesNo

Do you or your family qualify for Headstart benefits?*

YesNo

Do you or any family member receive Medicaid benefits?*

YesNo

Do you or any family member receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families?*

YesNo

Do you or any family member receive WIC benefits?*

YesNo

Do you or your family receive Earned Income Credit?*

YesNo

Do you or your family receive Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) benefits?*

YesNo

Section 4. Tell Us More About Yourself/Personal Statement

We would like to know more about you. Please tell us your hopes, dreams, and your plan to build a better life for yourself and your dependent/s. What obstacles or setbacks have you faced? What are you doing or planning to do to become self-supporting, and how will this award help you? Please use the space below for your answer*

Note

If you encounter difficulty in uploading forms or if you require assistance, please contact us at: scholarshipWCSC@gmail.com.

If your Letter of Recommendation is a Google Doc, it must be converted to a PDF before uploading.

How to make a Google Doc a PDF file:
1. Open your file in Google Docs.
2. Click on File > Download.
3. In the menu, select PDF Document (. pdf) as your output format.
4. Save the new PDF file to your computer.

Section 5. Letter of Recommendation

Please submit one current signed letter of recommendation from a non-family member who can speak on your behalf. For example, the reference can come from a teacher, coach, clergy, counselor, social service professional or employer. Ask this reference to include their name, phone number, email and a statement of how they know you and to sign their recommendation. This confidential information will only be shared with the Scholarship Committee.

File Upload - Letter 1

Section 6: Documentation Checklist

Reminder: If you encounter any difficulty in completing this application, please contact us at: scholarshipWCSC@gmail.com

The following documents MUST be submitted:

_________ 1. Required: Basic Information, Education/Career Goals and Financial Information

_________ 2. Required: Personal statement

_________ 3. Required: One current Letter of Recommendation - signed

_________ 4. If requested: Copy of your financial aid award letter from the college or institute of higher education you will be attending

_________ 5. If requested: You may be asked to provide a copy of the first page of last year's tax return(s) or another governemnt documentation such as SNAP, SAMHSA, LIHEAP, SSI disability, etc. to validate your income.

Section 7: Certification and Signature

I certify that the information in this application is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge. I agree to provide documentation for information on this application if asked by the GFWC Women's Club of South County. I realize that failure to comply with all application requirements and/or requests for additional information may disqualify me from receiving a scholarship.

Applicant's Signature*

Date of signature*

Date

Section 1 - Basic Information

Section 2- Education and Career Goals

Section 3 - Financial Information

Section 4. Tell Us More About Yourself/Personal Statement

Note

Section 6: Documentation Checklist

Section 7: Certification and Signature