Scholarships
Suggested Areas to Look for Scholarships
- Students should check with the college or university they are applying to. Be sure to check each individual school's website to determine what the criteria and deadlines are for any awards.
- Most local scholarships are available from January through March.
- Students can find a variety of resources online to assist in the scholarship search. A list of suggested search sites can be found on the right side of this page.
- Students should check with any community organizations that they or their family members are associated with.
- Students should check with their employers and their parent's employers for scholarship possibilities.
- Are you the first in your family to attend college? Visit First in Family College Scholarships for available resources.
- Do you receive SSD services or attend an SSD technical high school? Visit the Special School District of St. Louis website for a list of available
post-secondary scholarships. - BROWSE OUR LISTS OF AVAILABLE SCHOLARSHIPS!
Be aware that scholarship scams do exist. Students should never have to pay to apply for a scholarship or pay to have a company find scholarships for them. If you are suspicious of a certain website, please visit http://www.finaid.org/scholarships/scams.phtml for more information.
Transcript and Letters of Recommendation Requests for Scholarship Applications
Some scholarships may require students to submit an official copy of their high school transcript or letters of recommendation with their application.
Depending on the scholarship requirements, letters of recommendation may come from school staff or personal contacts. It is the school’s policy that all letters of recommendation will be provided confidentially. Like letters required for college applications, it is suggested that students waive their rights to see their recommendations for scholarships. This policy protects our students by ensuring the validity of each letter.
IMPORTANT: The Post-High School Planning Office is closed when school is not in session. Plan accordingly.
Tips for Submitting Scholarship Applications and Documents
- Like transcript requests for college applications, Transcript Requests for scholarships should be submitted online to the Post-High School Planning Office at least 10 days before the scholarship deadline. This is especially important for scholarship applications that may require our office to mail (by USPS) paper documentation instead of submitting it electronically via e-mail, facsimile, or website upload.
- Provide ALL information with your transcript request including:
- the name of the scholarship
- the deadline for receipt of all documents (or postmark date deadline)
- address documents need to be sent to
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instructions for letters of recommendation
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Paper copies of official transcripts will only be given to students in sealed envelopes which are stamped as “official”. Do not open the envelope or the document will no longer be considered official.
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Unofficial copies of transcripts may be downloaded by students from their Infinite Campus account under the “Reports” tab. It is the student's responsibility to know if the scholarship committee will accept an unofficial copy or not.
- Provide at least two weeks notice to your recommenders so they have time to write a thorough letter on your behalf. If the scholarship does not require a letter of recommendation, do not ask for one.
If official school documents and letters cannot be sent separately from your application, you have a couple of options:
- Have the Post-High School Planning Office send your complete application:
- Turn in your completed application and any personal supporting documents (if required) to the Post-High School Planning Office at least 10 business days before the scholarship deadline.
- Transcript Requests should be completed online 7-10 days before the scholarship deadline.
- Keep in mind, it takes longer to mail application materials by USPS when digital options are not available for submission.
- Direct your recommenders to send their letters (sealed) directly to the Post-High School Planning Office so we receive the letters at least 5 business days before the deadline. Signed letters may be sent to us via email.
- Pick up paper copies of transcripts and letters of recommendation:
- Transcripts and scores will only be provided in sealed, school stationery envelopes.
- Letters of recommendation will only be provided in sealed envelopes to students, and only with consent by the recommender.
- It is the student’s responsibility to deliver their application and all documents by their deadline.
For online scholarship applications that require official transcripts or letters of recommendation to be uploaded to a website, contact the Post-High School Planning Office for assistance.
If you have any questions about this process, call us at (636) 891-6834 or email Ivy Hartman at hartmanivy@rsdmo.org or Debbie Collis at collisdeborah@rsdmo.org.