Complete the online application on the Ohio Scholars Program website.

Important: We strongly encourage applicants to complete this application on a desktop or laptop computer rather than a phone or mobile device. Throughout the application, you will be asked to upload multiple supporting documents and respond to several essay and short-answer questions.

Using a computer makes it easier to view instructions, save your work, upload files, and review your responses before submission. Completing the application on a computer will help ensure that all required materials are submitted successfully and that you have the best possible application experience.

You may edit your submitted application at any time prior to the deadline mentioned above by emailing our scholarships team at scholarships@ofic.org to edit your application.

A reminder email will be sent to all applicants at the beginning of April to prompt application updates as necessary.

We require a FAFSA Submission Summary (formerly SAR) as well as a current, unofficial transcript to be attached to your application.

Please submit the full FAFSA Summary document as a PDF that verifies your Student Aid Index (SAI).

The FAFSA Summary is found on the FAFSA.gov website. If you have filed the FAFSA, you'll have a username/password. Here are some instructions that may help with FAFSA:

• Log In: Go to the FAFSA homepage and log in with your FSA ID.

• Locate FAFSA: Select the specific academic year (e.g., 2027-2028) form under the "My Activity" section.

• View Summary: Click on the "View FAFSA Submission Summary" button.

• Print/Save: Click the blue "Print FAFSA Submission Summary" link (usually in the top right corner).

• Select PDF: In the print dialog box, change the printer destination to "Save as PDF" and save the file to your computer. 

An unofficial transcript verifies your enrollment and GPA. Most campuses have a student portal that students can download an “unofficial” transcript as a PDF file that can be submitted at no cost.

If you are a high school student, you may need to contact your guidance office for assistance on pulling an unofficial high school transcript.

The Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges (OFIC) was founded in 1950 as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization representing higher education in Ohio. OFIC believes all students who enroll at a member campus deserve the opportunity to complete their college education. Every day we connect and partner with corporations and foundations to make this dream possible by helping to keep education affordable through scholarships, internships and career opportunities. Our goal is to facilitate an exceptional appreciation of independent higher education and its impact on the state of Ohio’s citizens, economy, and culture.

Yes. Your personally identifiable information is kept secure. Only OFIC employees have access to this information. To protect the information being gathered, the scholarship application site has security measures in place including firewalls, encryption, and authenticated access to internal databases where needed.

Scholarship recipients will be carefully selected by the OFIC Scholarship Team based on how well applicants' academic achievements and career goals match our donors’ preferences.

All applicants will be notified of the final results by mid-August 2027. Scholarship recipients will receive an award notification by email that includes with instructions for submitting a thank you letter to be written to the individual donor.

Award funds will be distributed directly to the scholars' institutions at the beginning of August 2027.

Note that funds may be held by a member campus financial aid office until enrollment and eligibility are confirmed, as well as verification of a thank you letter.

No, they are not automatically renewed. However, as long as the student re-applies for the scholarship program, meets all eligibility criteria, and has submitted a gratitude form, the student will be considered for a renewal. Renewals are not guaranteed.

Each year eligibility is reviewed and enrollment is verified through the financial aid office, and failure to meet eligibility criteria may result in the revocation of an award.

Thank you letter submission information will be sent with award notifications in August 2027. We accept letters submitted through the same platform used to submit the application.