Scholarships

Your future is calling. Start now with SAFE! SAFE is awarding over $27,000 in scholarships to deserving high school seniors. Applications are being accepted now through February 1, 2024!

Your journey to success starts here.

SAFE is proud to offer eleven deserving high school seniors a $2,500 college scholarship to start their journey to higher education. If that's you, take a look at the important scholarship information below to see if you qualify and to submit your application today! 

Do you qualify?

Scholarship applicants must meet the following criteria to be eligible:

  • Must be a member of SAFE Federal Credit Union in good standing
  • 3.0 GPA or greater (unweighted)
  • Must be enrolled or plan to be enrolled as a full-time student in the upcoming year

Before you get started

Scholarship applications will be received and evaluated by Carolinas Credit Union Foundation, which offers additional ways to address the cost of higher education. Before you start your application, there are a few pieces of information you'll want to gather to make the process easier.

  • Applicant and parent contact information
  • High school and/or college transcripts
  • Your GPA
  • The last four of your SAFE member number
  • College or university you plan to attend and degree you plan to pursue (this is non-binding, so if you're not sure, list your most likely choice)
  • Details stating financial need like household income and other factors about your family's financial situation
  • Community and school activities
  • Work history
  • Essay question answer

SAFE Scholarship Timeline

Scholarship Timeline: February 1, 2024 is the last day to apply. Applications will be reviewed and recipients selected in February. Recipients will be notified in March.

Applications accepted through February 1, 2024.

Apply Now!All scholarship applications and awards are managed by the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation (CCUF). Applicants will need to create a free CCUF online account or sign into an existing account to access the application.

 

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5 key focus areas

As you complete your application, keep these five key factors in mind.

Your grade point average

A score is automatically assigned based on your non-weighted (4.0 scale) GPA. The higher your GPA, the higher your score in this particular category.

Your school clubs and activities

Your involvement in school clubs and on-campus volunteer activities carries considerable weight. Please be specific in describing the clubs you were a part of and why they were important to you, as well as the activities you participated in with the club(s).

Your community and volunteer involvement

People Helping People is a motto and core value of credit unions throughout the world. So, it is only natural that we salute young men and women who are active in volunteering in their community, and trying to make the world a better place. Please list your recent volunteer and community activities thoughtfully and carefully, as this is a key part of the application process that can help you stand out!

The answer to your essay question

Each year, the Foundation asks applicants to write a short essay based on a question or topic we select. While just a few paragraphs will do, we do encourage you to give careful thought to your essay, and keep your essay focused on answering the question. The essay question section is not a space for you to tell us why you deserve a scholarship.

Your financial need

We recognize that college is overwhelmingly expensive for many. If you would like to be considered for a scholarship based on your financial need please complete the financial need section in the application portal. Be as specific as possible when detailing your situation. Key information we look for when assessing financial need includes:

  • Household income
  • Other scholarships you’ve received
  • Access to financial aid (federal and state)
  • Savings
  • How much your family will contribute to your tuition this year
  • Circumstances your family is facing that pose a strain on finances

Applications accepted through February 1, 2024.

Apply Now!All scholarship applications and awards are managed by the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation (CCUF). Applicants will need to create a free CCUF online account or sign into an existing account to access the application.