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Non-Traditional Scholarships
Financial assistance for adults and trade school students
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Non-Traditional Scholarships
SACF's Non-Traditional Scholarship Program was created primarily to assist St. Joseph County residents in covering the costs of education-related expenses necessary for career advancement.
Non-Traditional Scholarship Guide
Eligibility
Applicants must be residents of St. Joseph County and have attended high school or completed their GED in St. Joseph County (completion of high school/GED is not required if pursuing assistance for GED programs/testing). A resident of St. Joseph County is defined as a person whose primary home is in St. Joseph County. Though it is not required for all, for some programs, preference will be given to applicants who also work in St. Joseph County.
Applicants must be post-secondary. A resident is considered post-secondary if they are no longer pursuing a high school degree, regardless of whether or not they graduated/have a diploma. Individuals pursuing a GED are considered post-secondary.
What is covered
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Tuition for the purpose of meeting a requirement, need or obtaining a degree, license, or certification.
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Tuition/fees owed that are preventing students from enrolling, attending, or graduating.
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Any degree, certification, or license, including skilled trades, apprenticeships, and early childhood/childcare certification programs.
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Testing fees for CNA, etc.
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GED test fees.
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Required yearly credits to retain a Michigan Teaching License.
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A skill-building course for the purpose of obtaining/retaining employment (e.g. Microsoft Office.)
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A course that would be needed to obtain a raise/promotion
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Assistance with driver's education for education/employment purposes.
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Car repairs and/or gas cards for the purpose of attending school.
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Course materials, such as: Lab fees, Textbooks, Technology (calculators, Chromebooks, etc.), Scrubs for CNAs, and any equivalent uniform for other majors.
What is not covered
Classes for personal enjoyment/enrichments; personal expenses (such as household bills or groceries); high school ACT/SAT testing fees; high school students taking college courses; any course that can be attended for free at an alternative venue; exercise classes; art classes; etc.
Even if they are proactive, there are no scholarship assistance opportunities for current college students who: just found out they were losing Pell; individuals who have to obtain a certification at the last minute/certification expired; were forced to spend tuition money on an emergency expense; were admitted to a program last minute.
About Non-Traditional Scholarships
SACF's Non-Traditional Scholarship program was created primarily to assist St. Joseph County residents in covering the costs of education-related expenses that have the potential to:
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Help them obtain employment (whether that be skills, transportation, etc.)
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Increase their income (moving into a more lucrative field, or promotion in the current field)
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Maintain employment
SACF will also consider emergency funding requests for current students who encounter an expense that, if not met, may cause them to:
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Stop attending school short of graduation
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Not having materials necessary skills/certifications
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and decisions are generally available within 90 days of submission.
Questions?
Contact us at (269) 659-8508 or email
scholarships@sturgisfoundation.org
Non-Traditional Scholarship FAQs
To access the online application, click HERE.
Or find the "Scholarship Portal" button near the top of the page.
Applicants must be residents of St. Joseph County and have attended high school or completed their GED in St. Joseph County (completion of high school/GED is not required if pursuing assistance for GED programs/testing). A resident of St. Joseph County is defined as a person whose primary home is in St. Joseph County. Though it is not required for all, for some programs, preference will be given to applicants who also work in St. Joseph County.
Applicants must be post-secondary. A resident is considered post-secondary if they are no longer pursuing a high school degree, regardless of whether or not they graduated/have a diploma. Individuals pursuing a GED are considered post-secondary.
The Non-Traditional Scholarship application is open year-round.
The application is open year-round. There is no set deadline date to submit your application.
No, the FAFSA is not required to apply for a Non-Traditional Scholarship. However, we recommend you complete the FAFSA to qualify for federal student loans, college grants, work-study funds, and certain state-based aid.
A member of the SACF staff will be in contact after you submit your application. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and decisions are generally available within 90 days of submission.
Applicant Resources
List of the Vocational Training Programs through michigan.gov
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to be considered for federal student loans, college grants, work-study funds, and certain state-based aid.
Students can choose to attend a career training program in Michigan through the Michigan Achievement Skills Scholarship.
Streamlines the process of gaining financial aid for college with a comprehensive scholarship database, and a step-by-step guide to FAFSA.