Our scholarship application portal is now open and accessible online. Please click the button below to check your eligibility and start your application.
Applications will be accepted through Sunday, February 11th, 2024 @ 9pm.
If you have questions regarding your application, please email info@hearfoundation.org.
The HEAR Scholarship Application Process
A great first step in the application process is to contact your college or guidance counselor who can help you navigate the following steps. Next, visit the application portal when it goes live, and begin the process! It can take several days or weeks to collect all of your work and volunteering information, write your essays, and request information from outside resources, so start early and save your results until you are ready to submit the application.
Application Requirements
In the personal information section, we ask students to tell us who they are and why they qualify for a HEAR Scholarship. We want to hear about your volunteer work and activities, sports or other extracurriculars as well as work experience. We also ask you to complete several sentences and write two essays that tell us more about who you are.
Your financial information helps us assess your need. Please contact us at info@hearfoundation.org if you have any problems obtaining your FAFSA, or if you have unusual family circumstances and are unsure where to turn.
We have a 3.0 minimum standard for student GPA. Submitting SAT/ACT results is optional again this year. If you have sat these exams however, we would encourage you to include your results on your application. We also ask for a letter of recommendation from a counselor, teacher, or another trusted adult from your community. There are information request fields for this on the portal. We urge you to submit these requests as early as possible to give your recommender time to compose a thoughtful, personal letter. Check in often with your recommenders to ensure they have received your request.
The HEAR Scholar isn’t necessarily class valedictorian (though s/he can be!). We look for a good all-around student who is dedicated to his community, has a strong sense of service, and who demonstrates a strong work ethic across the board. Only students of the highest character will be considered.
HEAR announces this year’s HEAR Scholars in early to mid-May.
Scholarship Process Timeline.
Listed below are the important dates applicants should be aware of if they are interested in applying for a HEAR Scholarship. Please note, these dates are only a guideline.
Early-November, 2023: Annual Application Cycle Opens
Mid-February, 2024: Application and Recommender Deadline
February/March 2024: Evaluation and First-Round Candidate Selection
1st week of April 2024: First notices go out
Third/Fourth week April, 2024: Scholarship Interviews
Mid-May, 2024: Successful Applicants to the HEAR Scholarship are notified
Late May, 2024: Scholarship Award Ceremony
Above: HEAR Graduate Carlos M.
When you become a HEAR Scholar, you join the HEAR Family and become part of our ongoing mission. HEAR Scholars grow out of their community and give back to it. Ultimately, our vision is to see you become part of HEAR’s future, perhaps as a mentor, an interview committee member, a volunteer or donor, or ultimately a Board Member!
The Pre-Selection Process
Once an application is received by HEAR, it is reviewed to ensure that it is complete. Incomplete applications cannot be considered. Completed applications are reviewed by at least three different readers. Approximtely 60 students who submitted an application will be selected to be interviewed.
The Interview Process
Those selected for an interview will be informed of their status approximately four weeks before the first round of interviews and will receive a time slot a week ahead of time. Interviews will take place mid-to-late April, after students have made their college choices and financial aid with the institution has been addressed.
At each interview, candidates will appear before a committee of community members. Expect each interview to take up to 30 minutes. You will be notified within a few days of your interview whether you were selected for a HEAR Scholarship.
What Does It Mean to Be a HEAR Scholar?
If you are selected as a HEAR Scholar, you will be expected to sign a HEAR Scholarship Agreement and provide us as soon as possible with your confirmed school of choice, program, and financial aid information. The HEAR Mentoring Chair will connect you with a mentor, who will guide you throughout your college journey (should you need it). Wherever possible, we expect you to attend all HEAR Scholar Events during the yearr.