Your Community Cares
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation is one of the region's largest providers of scholarship support. Our generous donors have established more than 80 individual scholarships that together awarded more than $700,000 last year.
Most Berkshire Taconic scholarships have a March 15 deadline and accept our common application. Graduating high school seniors, vocational students and adult learners can apply. Students are matched automatically with all scholarships for which they qualify. Scholarships that require a separate application are listed below.
Before You Apply
Graduating High School Seniors:
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to obtain your Student Aid Report (SAR). Save the first page of this report as a PDF.
- In no more than 650 words, write an essay that shares an accomplishment, event or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself and others.
- Obtain the name and email of your guidance counselor or college registrar.
- Collect the names and email addresses of two people who will write a letter of recommendation on your behalf.
Vocational Students:
- Write a brief personal statement, no more than 750 characters, that shares why you’ve chosen your particular course of study and how it will help you achieve your career or personal goals.
- Obtain the name of one professional reference.
Adult Learners:
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to obtain your Student Aid Report (SAR). Save the first page of this report as a PDF.
- Write a brief personal statement, no more than 750 characters, that shares why you’ve chosen your particular course of study and how it will help you achieve your career or personal goals.
- Obtain the name of one professional reference.
Our common application opens January 1 and is due March 15.
“This scholarship helped me move toward my career goal.”
- Crystal Wojcik, recipient of the Emma Miller Scholarship
Scholarship Timeline
- January 1: Our common application opens
- March 15: Most scholarship applications are due and will be reviewed by an advisory committee.
- By June 30: You will be notified by email if you have received a scholarship. Decisions are generally made within eight to 12 weeks of the application deadline.
If you are awarded a scholarship, you will be directed to upload your fall semester bill. We will send payment directly to your college or university within two weeks of receiving your bill.
These scholarships require a separate application
- The Margaret Derwin Scholarship Fund for juniors at Housatonic Valley Regional High School, due Feb. 18
- New World Scholarship Fund for newly arrived immigrants who are pursuing a degree at Berkshire Community College, due March 8
- Sweet Brook Scholarship Fund for northern Berkshire County residents who are currently working in a health care field to further their health care education and qualifications, due March 15
- Violet Simmons Scholarship Fund for Webutuck High School seniors, due April 25
- Alice B. Henriquez Memorial Fund Writing Prize for Webutuck High School seniors, due May 1
- Tabor Foundation Fund for residents who are studying or training in a health care or medical field, due June 30
How to Accept Your Scholarship Award
Congratulations on your scholarship award! The first part of a two-part form must be completed by July 15 to accept your scholarship.
First, gather the following items:
- The name of the college or university you are attending
- Your major
- A thank you letter addressed to the scholarship fund
- A high-resolution photo of yourself
Then follow these steps to complete this form by July 15:
- Log into our online scholarship portal
- Review your awarded scholarship(s) within your Applicant Dashboard. An awarded scholarship will have a Follow Up Form associated with it.
- Within the Follow Up Forms box, click Edit under the column labeled Edit/View. Clicking Edit will take you to the Follow Up Form.
- Complete all required fields within this form. Once you are ready to submit and accept your award, click Submit Follow Up. To stop and continue your Follow Up Form at a later time, click Save Follow Up.
Need Help?
For technical assistance, email Grants Associate Caitlin Healy.
The second part of a two-part form must be completed by August 15 to accept your scholarship.
First, gather the following items:
- The student ID assigned to you by your college or university
- A copy of your tuition bill
- Costs related to tuition, room and board, and other costs
- Your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) number, which is found on your Student Aid Report (SAR)
- Additional assistance, financial aid and scholarships
Then follow these steps to complete this form by August 15:
- Log into our online scholarship portal
- Review your awarded scholarship(s) within your Applicant Dashboard. An awarded scholarship will have a Follow Up Form associated with it.
- Within the Follow Up Forms box, click Edit under the column labeled Edit/View. Clicking Edit will take you to the Follow Up Form.
- Complete all required fields within this form. Once you are ready to submit and accept your award, click Submit Follow Up. To stop and continue your Follow Up Form at a later time, click Save Follow Up.
Need Help?
For technical assistance, email Grants Associate Caitlin Healy.
