NCNW-PVS
With the mission to lead, empower, and advocate for women of African descent, their families, and communities, the National Council of Negro Women, Inc. (NCNW), Potomac Valley Section (PVS) offers its Scholarship Program to provide financial assistance for young women seeking to further their educational journey and provide service to their communities.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant must be a graduating high school senior, who is a young woman of African descent, who plans to attend a two-or four-year college, or technical school. The student must be registered full time. Students in the STEM field are encouraged to apply, but studying in this area is not a requirement. Applicant must be a U.S. Citizen, or permanent resident of the United States who lives in Maryland, Virginia, or the District of Columbia.
Applications will be reviewed based on the following criteria:
Applications will be reviewed based on the following criteria:
Academic Performance |
Applicant must be in good standing with at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale as evidenced from an official transcript or if lower, statement that explains the mitigating circumstance(s), that caused your GPA to be lower. |
Community Service |
At least 75 hours of documented community service. |
One 250–500-word Essay |
See the Essay Question instructions below under Other Documents. AI cannot be used. |
Two Letters of Recommendation |
Applicant must provide two letters of recommendation that specify why a student is deserving of a scholarship, one letter should be from an official or academic advisor or teacher, and another letter from a community or religious organization. |
Virtual Scholarship Essay Workshop Video
Scholarship Application Deadline
11:59 PM on May 15th 2024
Application Procedures
To be considered for the scholarship, your application must be received by 11:59 pm on May 15th of the current year. Applications online submission/postmarked after May 15th will not be considered. An application will be considered complete when it includes the following:
Please note: If you are selected as an awardee, submitting proof of enrollment to a two-year college, four year college or technical school will be required to receive the scholarship award check.
Applications are submitted through electronic submission with a receipt date no later than May 15th. Once submitted, applicants will receive a confirmation email with a link that enables applicants to make edits and add documents to the application packet before the submission deadline. An application is not considered complete unless all required documentation is submitted before the deadline. The scholarship committee will review and evaluate all completed applications submitted by the deadline. Incomplete applications will be disqualified.
Scholarship awardees will be contacted by email or phone by June 1, 2024 and will be required to attend a mandatory virtual or in-person award presentation meeting on Saturday June 15, 2024 between 12pm and 2pm (or send a parent or guardian). To receive the scholarship award disbursement, the applicants selected must provide the official acceptance letter from their school when requested. Applicants not selected will receive notification letters by email. If you have any questions about the scholarship application, please contact: educationpvsncnw@gmail.com.
- Completed Scholarship Application Form.
- Parental/Guardian’s photo consent form.
- Two letters of recommendation per the requirements.
- Official High School transcript.
- Documented community service of 75 hours or more.
- One 250–500-word essay based on the essay requirements.
- Statement of mitigating circumstances for GPA less than 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, if applicable.
- Headshot photograph.
Please note: If you are selected as an awardee, submitting proof of enrollment to a two-year college, four year college or technical school will be required to receive the scholarship award check.
Applications are submitted through electronic submission with a receipt date no later than May 15th. Once submitted, applicants will receive a confirmation email with a link that enables applicants to make edits and add documents to the application packet before the submission deadline. An application is not considered complete unless all required documentation is submitted before the deadline. The scholarship committee will review and evaluate all completed applications submitted by the deadline. Incomplete applications will be disqualified.
Scholarship awardees will be contacted by email or phone by June 1, 2024 and will be required to attend a mandatory virtual or in-person award presentation meeting on Saturday June 15, 2024 between 12pm and 2pm (or send a parent or guardian). To receive the scholarship award disbursement, the applicants selected must provide the official acceptance letter from their school when requested. Applicants not selected will receive notification letters by email. If you have any questions about the scholarship application, please contact: educationpvsncnw@gmail.com.
Online Scholarship Application
Other Required Documents
Use the buttons below to download documents.
Note: All documents requiring a signature can be signed electronically. To sign electronically you need to open the document in Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader.
Note: All documents requiring a signature can be signed electronically. To sign electronically you need to open the document in Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader.