Loans
The college administers loans through both the Financial Aid Office and through the Polk State College Foundation (PSCF). The Financial Aid Office administers Stafford loans. Stafford loans are long-term loans, requiring a current Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students may obtain applications and information about these loans through the Financial Aid Office. The PSCF administers the Walter Dent and Alice Lorraine Brown loan contingent upon available funds. The Walter Dent and Alice Lorraine Brown loan is a long-term, interest-free loan. To qualify, a student must be a U.S. citizen, be 31 years of age or younger, be attending or have attended PSC, and must have an overall GPA of 3.5 with a declared major in one of the following fields: nursing, computer science, engineering, accounting, industrial technology, education, mathematics, chemistry, law, media technology, business, or medicine. Applications for this loan are available in the PSCF office.
Scholarships and Grants
The Financial Aid Office administers federal, state, and institutional scholarships and grants. These include PELL, SEOG, ACG, Bright Futures, FSAG, Public Service, Academic Merit, trust-fund scholarships, and athletic scholarships. Students should contact the Financial Aid Offices in either Winter Haven or Lakeland for information about these scholarships. In addition, students should contact the Financial Aid Office for assistance in completing the FAFSA or for information about a federal PELL grant.
Additional financial assistance is made available through the generosity of private donors. Students are encouraged to seek scholarship opportunities from resources and organizations with which they are already affiliated. The PSCF serves as the direct support organization for the College and encourages donors to direct funding of private scholarships to:
Polk State College Foundation, Inc.
999 Ave H NE
Winter Haven, Florida 33881
Students who receive private scholarships should ask the donors to include the name of the individual or organization making the donation, contact information, the title of the scholarship, the recipient student’s name and contact information, and any other specific instructions. The PSCF will issue an award letter to the recipient/student with instructions on how to access the scholarship funds and how to acknowledge the scholarship via a thank-you letter to the donor.
In addition to these scholarships, the PSCF awards and administers private “endowed” scholarships. These scholarships are awarded annually with applications being accepted February 1 through the middle of March each year. Applications for endowed scholarships are available online only. For more information about endowed scholarships and the application process, please visit the PSC website at www.polk.edu/foundation, then click on the “Scholarships” link. Applicants who do not otherwise have access to home computers may use computers in the TLCCs on the Winter Haven or Lakeland campus. Please contact the respective TLCC for hours of operation or visit the TLCC website at www.polk.edu.
Periodically, the PSCF administers special scholarships from federal, state, and local programs, such as the First Generation Scholarship, and from various private donors. These scholarships are awarded as donors make funds available and will be advertised throughout the year on the PSC website at www.polk.edu/foundation, then click on the “Scholarships” link.
In its 30-year history, the PSC Foundation has awarded thousands of scholarships and loans to PSC students. |
