Background

The Reach for the Future Scholarship for Baccalaureate Degree Programs was created to provide a Montana resident, or one who has a strong connection to Montana, with a 2-year scholarship intended to support the completion of a baccalaureate degree. This award is intended for Junior or Senior level students currently enrolled in 4-year post-secondary degree programs studying natural resources such as biological, ecological or geological processes, or in agriculture studying plant or animal sciences.

Criteria

Required Criteria

The following are required criteria for this scholarship. Applicants must:

• demonstrate, through documentation or written responses within the application, at least one of the following conditions:
  • Montana residency,
  • graduation from a Montana high school, or
  • strong family or historical ties to Montana.
• be enrolled full-time at a public, private, or tribal college in Montana during each academic year for which the scholarship is awarded.
• have completed 60 credit hours of coursework at an accredited post-secondary education institution, typically meaning that they are entering their Junior or Senior year of study in the academic year for which the scholarship is awarded.
• be enrolled in programs studying natural resources involving biological, ecological or geological processes, or in agriculture involving plant or animal sciences.
• demonstrate financial need.

Preferred Criteria

Preference in consideration will be given to applicants who are:

• able to demonstrate status as a nontraditional student, defined as having one or more of the following characteristics:
  • Student who has delayed enrollment into postsecondary education,
  • Student who is working full-time while enrolled,
  • Student who is financially independent,
  • Student who has dependents other than a spouse,
  • Student who is a single parent, and/or
  • Student who did not obtain a standard high school diploma, but who has obtained a GED credential (e.g., Montana HiSET credential).

Continuing Criteria

Scholarship recipients will be eligible to receive the awarded scholarship for up to 2 academic years. Current recipients of this scholarship looking to continue the scholarship for another year must:

• remain in good academic standing;
• maintain a GPA of 2.5 or higher; and
• complete the MCF Continued Scholarship Form (sent via email in early Spring to each recipient).

Reapplication

Previous recipients are NOT allowed to apply again.

Awards

This scholarship typically provides the following each academic year.

Award Type

Multi-Year (Up to 2 Years Awarded)

Amount per Award

Typically $2,500 per academic year.

# of Awards

Typically 1 recipient each year.

Applying

Application Access Code

26VMSE4YR

Use this Access Code to apply directly for this scholarship within the MCF Scholarship Portal.

Materials Needed

The following materials are required for submission with an application.

• Most Recent Transcript (College)
• FAFSA FSS
• Letter(s) of Recommendation
• Reference(s)