traditional scholarship for high school students

This Part A application is designed for the traditional student who resides in Manchester Connecticut six (6) months prior to submitting the application AND will graduate from high school in either January 2025 or June 2025.  Applicants must be accepted into a post-secondary school beginning in fall 2025 to be eligible for this award. There is a Part B (financial) of this application that is to be sent to a different address and will be evaluated separately. Please review the MSF Traditional Scholarship webpage for further details.

A successful applicant will need to demonstrate scholarship (GPA >=2.8), community engagement by participating in extra-curricular activities, and complete an essay. These standards set forth are minimal standards for us to consider you for a scholarship. Meeting these standards does not guarantee a scholarship. The number of scholarships awarded and the dollar amount of each award will depend on the amount of funds available.

Commencing in 2024, our traditional scholarships will be paid in two equal amounts over a two (2) year period (academic years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027).  Please note that should you fail to return to college for the second year, we will not pay for that second year.  You must notify us it you change school for year 2.   We reserve the right to reduce the scholarship if your cost of attendance changes due to a change in schools.

1. Residency in Manchester:  The applicant must live at least six months immediately prior to the application deadline of March 1, 2025.
2. Graduated from high school in either January or June of 2025.
3. Accepted into a college, university, community college, or other post-secondary school as a full time student for the fall of 2025.
4. GPA of 2.8 or higher.
5. A completed application including Part B financial need documentation.

The Manchester Scholarship Foundation (MSF) considers the following criteria in awarding scholarships:

1. A completed MSF Traditional scholarship application;
2. Demonstration of academic success;
3. Completed Part B financial need form;
4. Extra-curricular activities and/or work experience;
5. Written essay (see prompt in application).

Please  note that all criteria must be met to receive full consideration.  Students are encouraged to apply even if no financial need is required.

• Scholarships are evenly divided across the first two years of college and are non-renewable.
• Money is paid directly to the college and NOT to the applicant, any excess is refunded to the MSF.
• Scholarship funds can be used for academic and lab fees, books, tuition, and required material for the course of instruction.
• The amount for each individual award may vary;
• Scholarships are presented at our Annual Awards Ceremony held in June.

Notification of the post-secondary school attending is the responsibility of the applicant and must be confirmed by June 1.  If an applicant changes their post-secondary school after that date,  this change may be subject to delay in payment to their school.

The  Manchester Scholarship Foundation (MSF), Inc. does not discriminate  against applicants on the bases of race, creed, color, national origin,  ancestry, sex, disability, sexual orientation, or source of income. MSF  preserves and promotes the confidentiality of all information received  on this application and will release it only on a need to know basis.

Applications have two parts:  Part A and Part B.  All applicants are responsible for the submission  of Part A by the deadline - March 1.  

Due to deadline extensions for filing the FASFA form, the Manchester Scholarship Foundation Board has extended the PART B financial declaration form to April 1, 2025. Please send the appropriate PART B financial declaration to the address listed below.

MSF reserves the right not to  process an application found to be incomplete by the deadline stated.

Part A is an online application. Please use the following link to begin your  application. It must be complete and submitted prior to March 1, 2025 to  be considered for this year’s scholarship award.

Complete the application online -   

Please note that completing Part A gives permission for your high school to release your academic records to Manchester Scholarship Foundation, Inc.

Applications for Part A are Due on MARCH 1, 2025