Credit Union Scholarship Resource Center

The Application Portal is Open October 1 – February 1 each year

Welcome to the Credit Union Scholarship Resource Center, and thank you for your interest in applying for a scholarship! The purpose of this page is to assist you as you prepare your credit union scholarship application. 

On this page you will find more information about the following topics:

Learn how to submit an application that stands out in this video!

Scholarship Funds We Manage

For 30 years, the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation has served as a partner in philanthropy to credit unions, with a mission to empower and inspire credit unions in the Carolinas through collaborative opportunities to enrich our communities. A great example of this collaborative philanthropy is our scholarship program. More than 20 credit unions in North Carolina and South Carolina have active managed funds at the Foundation.

The generosity of these credit unions helps hundreds of high school seniors as well as undergraduate and graduate students receive scholarship funds each year. In 2023, students just like you received a combined total of $589,000 in scholarship funds!

As a member of any of the following credit unions, you may apply for a scholarship. Please click on each credit union fund for scholarship details.

All Credit Union Members in the Carolinas Can Qualify!

In addition to the credit union scholarships awarded, the Foundation likewise awards scholarships to eligible applicants each year. You must be a member in good standing at any North Carolina or South Carolina credit union to qualify for a scholarship from the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation. Available scholarships range from $500 to $5,000 and include those based on academic achievement, financial need and attendance at a community college. The Foundation added two additional scholarship categories in 2023. The Foundation Opportunity Scholarship recognizes students breaking barriers of access, such as first-generation college students, women planning to study typically male-dominated fields, or those serving and supporting underserved populations. Additionally, the Foundation Social Responsibility Scholarship helps those planning to pursue degrees promoting social good or welfare, including teaching, social work, or nonprofit studies.

Scholarship Eligibility Criteria

In order to qualify for a scholarship, applicants must:

Scholarship Application Timeline

Application information you’ll need and how to make your application stand out:

Applications are completed on our scholarship portal (link to be added soon). The information needed to successfully complete your application includes:

As you complete your application, keep in mind that we focus on four key areas:

  1. 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.
  2. 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).
  3. 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!
  4. 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.
In addition to the four key areas we focus on when scoring your application, the Foundation also recognizes that college is overwhelmingly expensive for many. To help, the Foundation’s scholarship application portal includes a financial need section. If you would like to be considered for a scholarship based on your financial need please complete this section, and be as specific as possible when detailing your situation. Key information we look for when assessing financial need includes:

Free, FUN Financial Education Opportunity from Our Partner Zogo

In 2021, the Foundation entered into a partnership with Zogo, a free financial education app developed by Duke University students. These students developed Zogo to provide a fun way for Gen Z to learn how to manage their finances. 

Zogo includes more than 300 modules providing education on a wide variety of financial topics. These include budgeting, saving, investing, cryptocurrencies, and much more! Along the way, you score points that can be turned into gift cards at major retailers! With university attendance and early adulthood comes many critical financial decisions that will shape your life in years to come. With this in mind, we hope you’ll give Zogo a try!

All scholarship winners will receive an invitation to join Zogo. Look for more details in the months to come. In the meantime, you can learn more about Zogo here.

“The Zogo app is very informative and borderline addictive. I learned so much in a short time and look forward to continuing to improve my financial literacy gathering pineapples along the way!!”
Joseph Campbell
Joseph Campbell
Scholarship winner & Zogo user

Scholarship Winners

2017 - 2018

2018 - 2019

2020 - 2021

2021 - 2022

2022 - 2023

2023 - 2024