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Scholarships
Our Scholarships
College Now has two types of scholarships: Traditional scholarships, for high school students served in schools by College Now advisors enrolling in college for the first time, and Adult Learner scholarships, for students age 19 and older who have discontinued their studies for more than one year and are interested in pursuing a first associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree or trade certificate.
College Now raises scholarship dollars from a variety of funders that are directed either to Traditional or Adult Learner scholarships, based on the donor’s request. College Now staff then matches students to all of the scholarships for which they could be eligible, and individual selections for scholarships awarded are made based on the goal of selecting as many qualified students as possible. To ensure that we can fund as many students as possible, selected students receive one College Now scholarship out of the ones for which they qualified.
College Now offsets the high cost of college tuition by awarding renewable, need-based scholarships to students across Northeast Ohio. Over the last few years, College Now’s scholarship recipients have experienced declining income and resources while postsecondary costs have risen, leaving a wide gap.
College Now seeks to fill the gap:
- College Now awards $3 million in scholarships every year
- 1,400 students and adult learners receive a College Now scholarship each year
- Our scholarships are renewable, should students continue to meet grade and enrollment requirements
Apply for a College Now Scholarship
Click Below for More Information & Eligibility Requirements
High School Seniors
In order to apply for the College Now Traditional Scholarship, students must:
-Attend a College Now-served high school
-Be recommended by their College Now advisor
-Have a cumulative weighted GPA of at least a 2.5
-Have a minimum ACT composite score of 18 or combined verbal and math SAT score of 960
-File the 2022-2023 FAFSA
-Qualify for the Federal Pell Grant
-Show ambition by being responsive to their College Now advisor and turning in required documents by the deadline.
The application can be accessed at the button below. Talk to your advisor for more information and to submit your documents.
Already a College Now Scholarship recipient? Click below to access your renewal paperwork.
Adult Learners
College Now offers a scholarship opportunity to adult students age 19 and above who have taken off one year or more after high school. Eligible adult learners are Pell-eligible and must be pursuing a first bachelor’s degree, an associate’s degree or a non-degree certificate or license in a vocational or technical program.
Applicants must complete the application and meet the scholarship criteria for academic performance and financial need. Scholarships are renewable.
Adults from Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Trumbull or Wayne County may apply. Students taking only online classes at a school outside of these counties are also eligible to apply.
College Now Adult Learner Scholarship
Application Deadline: July 20, 2023
Managed Scholarships
In addition, College Now manages scholarship programs for outside organizations and corporations to make scholarship administration easier and more affordable.
For Students
2023/2024 Cleveland Foundation Scholarships
The Cleveland Foundation, in partnership with College Now Greater Cleveland, offers over 60 scholarships to students from Greater Cleveland, Northeast Ohio, and beyond. These scholarships vary in criteria and scope, and there is something for nearly everyone. By completing just one application, students can be considered for dozens of scholarships. More information about eligibility and requirements can be found here. General application deadline is March 15, 2023.
2023/2024 Congresswoman Shontel Brown Cross the Finish Line Scholarship
The Congresswoman Shontel Brown Cross the Finish Line Scholarship was established in 2023 to acknowledge the tremendous contributions of United States Representatives Louis Stokes, Stephanie Tubbs Jones, and Marcia Fudge, while providing support to African-American residents of Ohio’s 11th US Congressional District who are on their way to achieving their postsecondary educational degrees. To be eligible, applicants must be African-American males residing in Ohio’s 11th US Congressional District, aged 25 or older. They should be within one year of completing an associate’s or first bachelor’s degree. Additionally, they must qualify for or demonstrate eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant. One scholarship will be granted.
Application deadline: October 1, 2023.
2023/2024 Ratner, Miller, Shafran Foundation Scholarship
This scholarship was created to assist students who have maintained a good scholastic record and have financial need who want to continue their postsecondary education. Applications are currently closed.
2023/2024 Jane Edna Hunter Scholarship
The Jane Edna Hunter Scholarship has been established to provide need-based financial assistance for full-time undergraduate women under the age of 30, who are residents of Ohio or South Carolina. Applications are currently closed.
2022/2023 Cleveland Browns Foundation Marion Motley Scholarship
The Cleveland Browns Foundation Marion Motley Scholarship Program is an exciting opportunity for a motivated student whose long-term career goal could include working in education or for a professional sports organization in any of a variety of capacities. The Cleveland Browns Foundation and College Now annually seek two deserving students who are on track to graduate from high school in 2022 to receive a four-year, renewable scholarship in the amount of $2,500 per year. Applications are currently closed.
2023/2024 Marcia LaRiche Scholarship
The Marcia LaRiche Scholarship was established to assist dependent children of parents who have been diagnosed with Amyotrphic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and who live in Northeast Ohio. Applications are currently closed.
For Business
College Now works with organizations to customize programs that best suit their needs, including scholarships for employees’ dependents or students participating in the corporations’ cooperative program. For more information, please contact Robert Durham, at [email protected] or call 216.635.0450.
Outside Scholarships
Paying for college is a challenge that many students face. In addition to the scholarships offered by College Now, there are many outside scholarships available to help offset the rising costs of college. We have compiled a database of many of these scholarships to make it easier for students to identify opportunities available to them. These scholarships have been researched and vetted by our scholarship team to help discern their value and legitimacy.
Please click the button below to begin your search.
Scholarship Funders
Almost 800 traditional students and over 170 adult learners received nearly $2.3 million in renewable scholarships during the 2021-2022 academic year, thanks to these generous donors listed below. To establish a scholarship to support a graduating high school senior or adult learner in our community, please contact Kittie Warshawsky, (216.635.0155).
