Scholarships
Welcome Junior, Senior or Graduate College students majoring in one of the plant sciences and planning a career related to gardening, landscape design, environmental issues, floral design or horticulture! Our goal is to give Scholarships to worthy students to help them achieve their goals. We look forward to receiving your application.
The plant sciences you must be majoring in are: Agronomy, Agriculture Education, Floriculture, Horticulture, City (Rural & Urban) Planning, Habitat or Forest/Systems Ecology, Landscape Design, Botany, Biology, Forestry, Wildlife Science, Plant Pathology/Science, Environmental Concerns (Management: Environmental, Horticulture Resource/Environmental Behavior), Environmental Conservation (Engineering, etc.), Land Management and/or other related or allied subjects.
Please be sure to follow all the National Garden Clubs Scholarship Program guidelines as stated below.
Program Details
One-year scholarships are available to juniors, seniors and graduate students pursuing a Master's Degree. Equal opportunity shall be provided to all applicants.
Sophomores may make application for their junior year.
Equal opportunity shall be provided to all applicants.
College/university must be accredited and listed on the official website of the U.S. Department of Education
Eligibility
Applicants must meet all the following criteria:
Must be a US Citizen or Permanent Legal Resident of the United States.
International or Foreign Exchange Students are not eligible.
Doctoral program students are not eligible.
Must be attending school full-time as defined by NGC:
Undergraduate students must be enrolled for a minimum of 12 graded hours of classes.
Graduate students must be enrolled for a minimum of 9 graded hours of classes.
Study abroad on fellowships or internships are not eligible; funds may be applied to studies overseas provided that the study is a condition of the recipient's degree plan and that payment continues to be made to the accredited U.S. college or university.
Must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 (on a 4.0 scale).
Must be planning a career related to gardening, landscape design, environmental issues, floral design or horticulture.
Must be majoring in one of the following fields of study:
Agronomy
Agriculture Education
Floriculture
Horticulture
Landscape Design
Botany, Biology
Forestry
Wildlife Science
Plant Pathology/Science
City (Rural & Urban) Planning
Habitat or Forest/Systems Ecology
Environmental Concerns (Management: Environmental, Horticulture Resource/Environmental Behavior)
Environmental Conservation (including Engineering)
Land Management and/or other related or allied subjects
Selection Criteria
All applications received by a State Garden Club Chairman will be judged by that Chairman and committee to choose one winning application.
After judging has been completed at the state level, the NGC Scholarship Chairman will receive the applications by March 1st for judging. (NOTE this date has been moved forward)
The NGC Scholarship Committee will consider only one application per state. (Exception: Any State Garden Club with a membership of over 10,000 may submit two applications.)
The following Sample Scale of Points may be used for the evaluation of each application:
Academic Record 40%
Applicant's Letter 25%
Listing of Honors / Extracurricular Activities / Work Experience 13%
Financial Need 15%
Recommendations 5%
Conformance 2%
Applications are evaluated and winners chosen by the National Garden Clubs Scholarship Committee, which consists of the NGC Scholarship Chairman and the eight Regional Directors of NGC.
Final judging takes place just prior to the annual NGC Convention.
Winners are announced during the NGC Convention: The National Garden Clubs, Inc. Headquarters staff will notify all applicants in writing of the committee's decisions immediately following the NGC Convention.
Description of Funds
Checks for the winning applicant's scholarship will be mailed in late July from NGC Headquarters to the Financial Aid Office of the institution at which the student is enrolled. No funds will be sent directly to the student.
All funds will be distributed by the Financial Aid Office according to the particular school's term-system, unless the student has only one term remaining before the completion of the degree.
In the event of a change in a student's major to one other than those listed above, or if the student withdraws from school; the balance of the funds must be returned to National Garden Clubs.
The Student and Financial Aid Officer will determine how the money is to be spent: tuition, food, housing, books, etc.
Application Procedure
Student Applications Due to State Chairman: February 1
State Chairmen's Submissions Due to NGC Scholarship Chairman and Committee: March 1
The following documents must be submitted, single side pages only:
1. NGC Scholarship Application Form
2. Financial Aid Form
3. Complete official academic transcripts
4. Letter from applicant, limit of one page only
5. List of extracurricular activities, honors, recognitions received within the last three years
6. Two letters of recommendation - one page front side only
All application documents must be mailed by the applicant in one large envelope. Do not place the documents in page protectors, in any sort of permanent binder, or staple the pages.
Applications must be mailed to the State Garden Club Scholarship Chairman for the state in which the applicant is a legal resident, even if the student is attending an out-of-state school. A list of State Garden Club Chairmen is at the end of the application. Please note the deadlines: 1) Student Applications Due to State Chairman: February 1; 2) State Chairmen's Submissions Due to NGC Scholarship Chairman and Committee: March 1.
No applications should be sent to the NGC Scholarship Chairman.
When a student reapplies for a scholarship (whether the applicant is or is not a previous winner), a complete new and updated application must be submitted.
Completing Your Application
Application Instructions
All forms must be typed or computer generated, single side pages only, no staples
Set fonts and margins, in order to comply with page limits
NGC Application Form must be used
All fields must be completed
Financial Aid Form
Must be complete with all questions answered
Signed by student
If Financial Aid information is not available before the application deadline, information from the previous academic year may be used with the notation that it is an estimate based on the previous year.
Transcripts
Official academic transcripts
Transcripts must include the latest grading period.
Graduate students must include undergraduate transcripts
Letter from Applicant Limit: 1 page only
Discuss background, educational and career goals and financial need
List of Activities
Limit: 2 pages
List to include only items for the last 3 years
Students returning to school after an absence can list work experience and activities
Letters of Recommendation
Limit: 2 letters, 1 page each
Discuss scholastic ability, personal character, work-related experience
Applications must be either computer generated or type written in order to qualify. Please put your application in a large envelope. Do not place the documents in page protectors, any sort of permanent binder, or staple the pages.
APPLICATION DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 1
SEND APPLICATION TO:
Diane Neterer
319 Ridge Top Drive
Jefferson City, MO 65109
email: dianeneterer@hotmail.com