GUIDELINES: GIRARD COLLEGE ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP FUND
September 1, 2009
The Girard College Alumni Association Scholarship Fund, GCAASF, also known as the Financial Aid Program enables the GCAA to assist Girard College Graduates who will continue to benefit from education for their future profession or to change their profession to different fields. The GCAA subscribes to sound principles of good practice in financial aid administration in its scholarship aid policy.
These Funds have been donated to the GCAASF for the sole purpose specified above, The Funds shall be maintained and accounted for as separate Accounts within the GCAA Scholarship Fund and shall not be comingled with the GCAA’s other funds. The GCAA Finance Committee has the responsibility for all activities pertaining to the GCAASF and shall report all such activities to the GCAA Board of Governors for their approval.
Each year, (GCAA fiscal year), a limited amount of money shall be made available from the GCAASF for scholarship grants to worthy graduates of Girard College for attendance at accredited Colleges /Universities.
The total amount to be budgeted for such grants in any fiscal year shall be a percentage of the value of the individual Scholarship Accounts on March 31st, prior to the beginning of the fiscal year. The percentage shall be determined by the Finance Committee based on good fiscal practice to maintain sufficient funds in the accounts for future years.
The Finance Committee shall divide the yearly available Funds into three parts. Each part will be the basis of the grants to be made in Aug (fall term) 45%, January (spring term) 45%, and May (summer term) 10%. Any funds not granted for one of these terms can be made available for the following terms of the fiscal year. Funds not granted by the end of a fiscal year shall be returned to the GCAASF Accounts for future use.
Financial aid from the GCAASF is not an entitlement and is awarded based on demonstrated need including tuition, books, fees, room, and board. Any Girard graduate, who is a member, in good standing, of the Alumni Association, needing financial assistance is encouraged to apply.
The Finance Committee, upon review of each applicant’s application and required documentation, makes assessments of the financial needs of an applicant following the guideline specified by the Committee and each Scholarship Account. The GCAA does not discriminate in its financial aide allocations on the basis of race, color, religion, or national origin. It uses a uniform methodology to asses, in a constant and equitable manner, each student’s ability to pay for their education. The GCAA typically does not award 100% of the need as determined by the applicant.
At the present time scholarship grants will be awarded first to Girard Graduates, who are eligible, and taking studies in a post graduate, Master and Doctor, program. Any available funds not awarded for a specific, (August, January, or May) review period can be used for awards for under graduate studies to students who have been recommended by Girard College’s Scholarship Administrator and meet the GCAASF requirements. No Scholarship funds are available to those who have not graduated from Girard College.
The GCAA recognizes that the primary responsibility for financing a student’s education rests with the applicant and requires that the applicant will have sought funds from all other sources including relatives, assets, grants, other scholarships, subsidized and unsubsidized loans, wages, and employer reimbursement before applying to the GCAA. Each application must be accompanied by:
- A copy of the most recent Federal tax form 1040, with all supporting schedules.
- The latest official grade report, including the cumulative GPA. The grade report shall be an official copy mailed to the GCAA office from the school
- A letter of acceptance from the school, if just starting.
- A list of all financial assistance applied for and any received assistance.
- A valid address of the school’s Financial Aid Office or Bursar’s Office
Scholarship Awards are generally made on a school term basis. An award is contingent upon the applicant maintaining a minimum GPA average of 3.0 (B) for Post graduate study and 2.5 (C+) for undergraduate study.. The applicant must be a member in good standing of the GCAA for a period of at least six months prior to the beginning of the applied for scholarship grant and must maintain a membership with the GCAA for the duration of the scholarship grant.. All scholarship payments will be made directly to the school.
All applications must be complete with all required supporting documentation and letters, and must be received at the GCAA office a minimum of 30 days before the beginning of instruction, and 30 days before the scheduled Financial Committee scholarship review meeting; the second Tuesday of August, January, and May.
Value of the Grants will be based on the Funds available at the time of review and can be up to 80% of the value requested, but not exceeding $10,000 for any one applicant per fiscal year..
In order to assist the Financial Committee in determining the awards to be made, the Alumni Director shall prepare the information for reviewing each applicant’s request. This shall consist of:
All information submitted by each applicant.
A chart showing the total funds available for the review and the lists of applicants with
- Applicant’s name and year of graduation from Girard College.
- Applicant is a member in good standing of the GCAA.
- Date the request was submitted.
- Date the requested funds are needed.
- School the applicant is attending.
- Applicant’s course of study
- Applicant’s year of study.
- Applicant’s grade point average
- Amount the applicant is requesting.
- Applicant’s previous year’s taxable income from Tax form 1040.
- All previously GCAA awarded grants to the applicant.
- Other funds the applicant is getting for the same request
Application for Scholarship Grants
GCAA Membership Application
