SECU High School Scholarship Program

SECU Foundation established the People Helping People four-year scholarship program to help North Carolina public high school students attend college. Each of the 115 North Carolina Local Education Agencies (LEAs)/School Districts will receive a minimum of one scholarship valued at $10,000 payable at $1,250 per semester for up to eight consecutive semesters for a senior to attend one of the 16 constituent campuses of the University of North Carolina System.

Recipients of the scholarship will be selected by the LEA Scholarship Selection Committee provided they meet all eligibility criteria. Scholarship recipient information must be submitted by the Scholarship Selection Committee at each LEA. No individual applications are reviewed by the Foundation. Speak with your high school guidance counselor for more information about applying, requirements, and deadlines. SECU Foundation takes an active role in assisting communities across North Carolina because we believe in People Helping People.

To support this commitment, the People Helping People scholarship was established to help North Carolina public high school students attend college.

Eligibility requirements:

• Current senior at a North Carolina public high school 
• Demonstrated scholastic achievement with a 2.5 or higher unweighted GPA o SECU member or eligible for a 4.0 scale 
• SECU member or eligible for membership through a parent/guardian 
• Exhibited leadership, excellence of character, North Carolina resident and integrity, and community involvement
• North Carolina resident eligible for in-state  tuition 
• Accepted to attend one of the 16  UNC system universities as a full-time undergraduate
• Filed FAFSA as part of the application

We require all applicants to follow the formal application process set by the SECU Foundation. All graduating seniors meeting the stated criteria will be eligible for consideration. The criteria have been designed to give the LEA Scholarship Selection Committee flexibility in awarding the scholarship. The LEA Scholarship Selection Committee will recognize an individual in the senior graduating class deserving of an opportunity to attend college and will select recipient(s) without regard to race, sex, color, creed, religious preference, age, national origin, or disability. The LEA Scholarship Selection Committee will use the following criteria to award the SECU Foundation People Helping People Scholarship to a recipient who:

1. Is either an SECU member or is eligible for membership through a parent/guardian. The student or their parent/guardian must be an SECU member at the time of application.
2. Is a senior at a North Carolina public high school who has been accepted to one of the 16 constituent campuses of the University of North Carolina System; copy of acceptance letter must be provided.
3. Is a resident of North Carolina under NCGS 116-143.1 and is eligible for in-state tuition.
4. Best exemplifies the People Helping People philosophy of SECU, and has demonstrated leadership, excellence of character, integrity, and community involvement.
5. Demonstrates scholastic achievement with a maintained 2.5 or higher unweighted grade point average on a 4.0 scale and may be deserving of financial aid.
6. Will use the scholarship to pay for full-time student tuition and fees.
7. Agrees to continue as a full-time student in good standing (maintaining 2.5 or higher GPA) with the same university for up to eight (8) consecutive fall/spring semesters, with the People Helping People scholarship amount payable at $1,250 per semester. Scholarships are not transferable without prior approval of SECU Foundation.
   1. A written appeal for transfer must be made to the SECU Foundation prior to transfer.
   2. Any transfer to a university outside the UNC System will result in scholarship non-eligibility following the transfer.
   3. Any gap in active enrollment will result in non-eligibility for funding for each semester missed.

Is not a director, employee, or family member of a director or employee of SECU or the SECU Foundation, or a family member of a member of the scholarship selection committee. For the purpose of this scholarship program and a student’s relation to a director, employee, or selection committee member, family member includes spouse, parents, siblings, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and spouses of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, of a selection committee member, employee or director of SECU, or employee or director of SECU Foundation. Also, for the purpose of this scholarship program and a student’s relation to a director, employee, or selection committee member, family member also includes persons living in the same residence and maintaining a single economic unit as a selection committee member, employee or director of SECU, or employee or director of SECU Foundation. However, please note that to be eligible for the scholarship, at the time of application, the student must be a member of SECU or be eligible for membership through a parent or guardian at the time of application to be eligible for the scholarship.