NGC College Scholarships

Details of the Award

• The number and amount of scholarships will be determined annually. Up to 45 NGC Scholarships are available, each in an amount up to $4,000.
• One-year scholarships are available to juniors, seniors and graduate students.
• Equal opportunity shall be provided to all applicants.
• Sophomores may apply for their junior year.
• College/university must be accredited and listed on the official website of the U.S. Department of Education 

Applicant Eligibility

Applicants must meet all of the following criteria:

• Must be a U.S. citizen or Permanent Legal Resident of the United States.
• Must be attending school full-time or 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 6 graded hours of classes.
• 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
• Previous applicants may re-apply (whether awarded or not)
• 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 (inc. Engineering, Law etc.)
  • Land Management and/or other related or allied subject

Selection Criteria

• All applications received by February 1 will be judged by a committee in order to choose one winning application per state. (Two applications for states with 8,000+membership.)
• After judging has been completed at the state level, the applications will be judged by the NGC Scholarship Committee, after the deadline of March 1.
• 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 NGC Scholarship Committee, which consists of the NGC Scholarship Chairman and the eight Regional Directors of NGC. Final judging takes place prior to the annual NGC Convention. Winners are announced during 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

• Awarded funds 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.
• The student and Financial Aid Officer will determine how the money is to be spent: tuition, food, housing, books, etc.
• 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.

Application Procedure

The following documents must be submitted: (front side only)

1. NGC Scholarship Application form
2. NGC Financial Aid Form
3. Complete academic transcripts
4. Letter from applicant, one page - front side only)
5. List of extracurricular activities, honors, recognitions received within the last three years (front Side Only)
6. Two letters of recommendation, one page per letter - front side only

• All of the documents are to be submitted online at https://gardenclub.org/collegescholarships, or by email or by mail, in one large envelope. Do not bind or staple documents.
• Email or Mail applications 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 Scholarship Chairmen is available on the NGC website. DEADLINE: Received by February 1
• Applications may be submitted directly to the NGC Scholarship Chairman, via our web page https://gardenclub.org/college-scholarships .
• Previous applicants must submit a new and updated application package.