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The four-year Golden LEAF Scholarship information and applications for 2021-2022 school year are now available at CFNC.org. A total of 215 awards will be offered to first-time recipients from qualifying counties for the 2021-2022 academic year. Applications are due March 1, 2021.

Scholarships are valued at $12,000 ($3,000 per year for up to four years) for high school seniors attending a participating four-year North Carolina college or university in the fall. Community college transfer students can receive $3,000 per year for up to three years for attending a participating college or university.

Recipients are selected based upon multiple factors including an interest in returning to a rural county after graduation. Applicants must also fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and demonstrate financial need as determined by the application process; have a GPA of no less than 3.0; and be a resident of a rural county that is economically distressed and/or tobacco dependent for at least 10 years. Click here for the full list of eligible counties.

“The Golden LEAF Scholarship program has helped more than 5,600 rural students attend the state’s colleges and universities since it began 20 years ago,” said Golden LEAF President and Chief Executive Officer Scott T. Hamilton. “This scholarship program is a component of the Foundation’s strategy to help rural communities grow by creating a future generation of skilled, educated workers to come back home to live, work and raise families.”