Scholarship Application Requirements and Process
Worth up to $25,000 over four years of undergraduate studies at in-state public universities in Florida, South Carolina and North Carolina.
Up to 10 winners selected annually.
Application period opens: December 1.
Application deadline: March 2.
Winners notified: mid-April.
The Sunshine Opportunity Scholarships target high achieving high school seniors in the Tampa Bay area of Florida (Pinellas and Hillsborough counties) and in two cities in South Carolina (Florence and Marion) and one county in North Carolina (Avery). In those two SC cities, the scholarship program accepts applications from seniors enrolled in West Florence High School, South Florence High School, Wilson High School and Marion High School. In North Carolina, the program accepts applications from students at Avery County High School in Newland.
Applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher, demonstrate that they have overcome significant obstacles in life and have financial need as indicated through the FAFSA report.
Who may apply
High school seniors enrolled in high schools in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties in the Tampa Bay area of Florida; in West Florence High School, South Florence High School or Wilson High School in Florence, SC, and Marion High School in Marion, SC, and in Avery County High School in Newland, NC. Applicants must be citizens of the United States.
Criteria
Applicants must demonstrate academic achievement, financial need, community service and evidence of having overcome significant obstacles in life.
What the winners receive
Each winner is eligible to receive $6,250 per year for four years ($25,000) of undergraduate enrollment at an in-state university. Winners are announced in April. In order to continue to receive the scholarship during undergraduate years, the student must be enrolled full-time in college and remain in good academic standing (transcript and personal essay required annually for renewal).
Application Instructions
The Sunshine Opportunity Scholarships place special emphasis on these criteria in evaluating applications: Academic achievement, standardized test scores (SAT and/or ACT), having overcome significant obstacles in life and financial need. Put your best effort into the essay as it reflects your intelligence and your education thus far and helps us to evaluate your potential for success in college.
There are 6 parts to the on-line application. You are able to preview and print out the application before you begin to complete it on-line. We encourage you to do that, so that you have gathered all the information you need to complete the application efficiently and on time.
Remember the deadline: March 2.
