Scholarships

Scholarship awards will be one-time, $1,000 scholarships. The Golden West Scholarship Program offers 40-plus awards, including one at-large scholarship for a student attending a school not listed or home schooled, whose parent or guardian is a Golden West customer. Each high school will be eligible to receive one award. Applicants will compete against other applicants from their high school. At-large applicants will compete against other at-large applicants.

The selection committee shall consist of the high school's principal and/or superintendent, who are not connected with the Golden West Scholarship Program. The selection committee will be responsible for the confidential review of each applicant's file. They alone will determine the scholarship award winners. At-large applications will be judged by a committee made up of Golden West employees.

The selection committee will judge applicants' scholarship and leadership abilities based on the following information.

1. ACT or SAT scores
2. Transcript of high school credits
3. Scholarship application

This is a merit-based scholarship program. Merit includes leadership in school, civic and other extracurricular activities; academic achievement; and the motivation to serve and succeed. Personal character is also very important. If two or more applications are extremely close in qualifications, the selection panel will use financial need as the tiebreaker.

Students who are interested in the scholarship program should apply in the following manner:
 
Obtain a High School Scholarship Application from their local high school guidance counselor. Complete the scholarship award application and submit it along with an up-to-date transcript of grades and SAT or ACT score results to the local high school principal, superintendent, or designated school official. Applications for 2026 graduates must be completed and returned to the school principal by March 16, 2026.

DO NOT send the application directly to Golden West. Send your application to your school principal.

At-large applicants may fill out or print an online At-Large Scholarship Application form or contact us at the email address listed below. Completed forms should be returned to that same email address.

Award winners will be announced at the student’s school recognition or graduation exercises. Recipients will also be published on Golden West’s website, social media platforms, newsletter, and sent to local newspapers.

The award becomes final and funds will be sent after the student verifies:

• They completed 12 credit hours in the first semester of their freshman year in a postsecondary institution.
• They are enrolled full-time in their second semester.

Verification may be provided to Golden West in one of three ways:

• The student can send an unofficial transcript.
• The student can send screenshots from their school’s registration portal.
• The postsecondary institution can submit a completed Verification of Enrollment form.

Send these items to Golden West by mail or email at the contact information below. Golden West also needs the mailing address for the school’s financial aid office and the student’s ID number.

Once received and verified, Golden West will mail a check payable to the school to be credited to the student’s account. The scholarship funds may be used for tuition and fees, books, and school-related supplies. If a student terminates his or her course for any reason, the unused balance of the scholarship MUST be returned directly to Golden West. It may NOT be transferred to another school nor be paid to the student personally under any circumstance.

Each student is responsible for following up on all matters regarding their scholarship. All correspondence must include the student’s full name, email address, and student ID number.