Scholarships

Scholarships are monetary gifts. This means you don’t need to repay them or earn the funds by working. Scholarships are considered part of your financial aid package, and they may replace some or all of your financial aid eligibility, reducing your possible debt. They are a form of financial assistance awarded to students based on specific criteria that have been determined by the donor or organization providing the funds and the FACF board of directors.

FACF awards scholarships differently than most organizations. Our awards are student focused FIRST. This means, once a student has indicated his/her interest in receiving a scholarship, his/her application is reviewed and award amounts are determined based on his/her qualifications. Thus, in most cases, students are not competing with other students to receive a scholarship. If funding is available, and the student is qualified, he/she will be awarded a scholarship. After the amount of the award is determined, FACF then reviews the scholarships we have to fund the awarded amount based on the underlying criteria for each scholarship.

• Example 1:
  • If Jane Smith is awarded the following types of scholarships:
    • $1,500 for the Automatic-Tiered Scholarship
    • $2,000 for a Leadership Scholarship
  • Jane’s total award is $3,000.
    • This may be funded all with one scholarship OR
    • This may be funded by combining several smaller scholarships to be sure Jane receives $3,000 in scholarship funding.
• Example 2:
  • If the John Smith Scholarship, has $2,000 to be awarded,
    • This may go all to one student OR
    • This may be distributed in smaller amounts to multiple students.

Most FACF scholarship awards to Fergus Falls campus students are determined by academic achievement (GPA 2.5+) through an automatic tiered scholarship program. If the qualifications are met, the tiers are as follows per year based on 12 or more credits taken each semester. You can be a part-time student and be awarded a prorated amount of the award.

All awards are not guaranteed and besides GPA are based on the qualifications listed below. Students need to apply for admission early to be considered for the automatic scholarships as funding will be first-come, first-served and there will be limited amounts beyond the tiered program.

• To be awarded an Automatic-Tiered Scholarship, please complete the FACF Auto-Tiered Scholarship Acceptance Form.
  • Be prepared to upload a picture of yourself to be used during the scholarship reception and for social media.

FACF’s Leadership Scholarships are traditional application-based scholarships. To be considered for a Leadership Scholarship, students must complete an application. By completing the Leadership application, if a student is qualified, they will also be awarded the Automatic Tiered Scholarship.

To be awarded a Leadership Scholarship, students must be in good academic standing and demonstrate leadership skills. Award amounts are based on academic performance and rigor, leadership skills, and community stewardship. Applicant’s should be detailed when completing their written answers.

• When completing the Leadership Scholarship application, be prepared to:
  • Upload a current transcript (this can be a picture or pdf file).
  • Answer essay questions with a minimum of 150 words for each question:
    • Cultural: describing your cultural identity and how it plays a role in your academic pursuits
    • Leadership: how are you performing and growing your leadership skills
    • Education: what excites you most about attending college
    • Reflection: what is a recent situation you wish you would have handled differently
  • Second year students will have additional options to explain why they should be considered for the following scholarships:
    • The Dream Big Scholarship: this scholarship exists to encourage others to follow their dreams and believe in themselves. Applicants should demonstrate a sincere interest in and concern for others as well as being someone who “dreams big.”
    • The Pam Phillips Spartan Spirit Scholarship: this scholarship exists to show appreciation for students who are active in campus life and display enthusiasm for Spartan family. Applicants will be asked how they were involved in campus life during their freshman year, demonstrating leadership skills, enthusiasm and positivity.

The Leadership Scholarship application form is open December 15th – July 31st.

The Blue & Gold Scholars Program ensures full coverage of tuition and fees for area high high school graduates with a 3.0, or higher, grade point average who enroll at M State Fergus Falls and engage in campus life. This is more than a scholarship, as scholars enjoy additional benefits such as priority access to on-campus housing, VIP registration, mentorship and special recognition events.

For specific details, please refer to the Blue & Gold Scholars Program page.