STARS Online Scholarship Application Instructions www.ccac.edu/scholarships
STARS Upgrade 2014 The CCAC Educational Foundation recently upgraded its STARS Online Scholarship Application website. While the application process remains the same, the site structure and appearance have changed. One of the newest features is the ability to view all scholarships or search for specific scholarships before logging in or registering. This Scholarship Guide will provide step-by-step instructions for applying to STARS. The CCAC Educational Foundation offers scholarships for the fall and spring semesters.
Get Ready to Apply Obtain a working email address that you regularly check Know your CCAC Student ID Review your transcripts: You will need your GPA and the number of CCAC credits completed Know your academic plans: You will need to have a declared major and know what degree or certificate you are seeking (AS, AA, AAS, Diploma, Certificate) Prepare your response to the following essay questions: Please tell the Scholarship Committee about yourself and why you are attending CCAC. Please do not identify your name, age, race or ethnicity in your essay. How have you been financing your education? Please list all financial aid: grants, outside scholarships (i.e. Pittsburgh Promise, Job Corps, etc), CCAC scholarships, Federal Work-study positions, jobs or other aid you have received while attending CCAC. From a financial standpoint, what impact would a scholarship have on your education? How would you use a scholarship from the CCAC Educational Foundation? Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
Get Ready to Apply READ THE INSTRUCTIONS The most important thing you can do to ensure that your scholarship application is successful is to READ and FOLLOW all instructions. When completing each section of the application, click Save and Exit or Save and Continue at the bottom of each page. Remember you are presenting yourself to the Scholarship Review Committee. This is your chance to shine.
Registering and Logging In Computer requirements STARS is compatible with the most recent versions of the following web browsers: Internet Explorer Firefox Safari Google Chrome Other web browsers do not support the STARS Online system Allow pop-ups on your computer Enable cookies on your system
Registering and Logging In Click Sign Up to begin. Please be sure to register with an email address you check regularly, as the Foundation frequently sends important communications via email. (If you have already registered, please log in.) After initial registration, you will use your Username and Password to log in.
General Application Fill out ALL required information in the General Application questionnaire. A valid CCAC Student ID is required to complete the application. Your ID is seven digits and can be found in a variety of locations, including on the back of your Student ID card, your acceptance letter or registration statement. If you do not have a Student ID number, please visit the Student Network Accounts page for more information.
General Application You must complete all fields before you can continue with your application. If you cannot complete this page, click Save and Exit, obtain the required information and complete the application later. However, you must submit a completed application by the scholarship deadline (the site will close at 4:30 p.m.) to be considered for any awards. When you have filled out all of the required fields to the best of your ability, click Save and Continue to proceed to the next section. IMPORTANT: Write down your STARS Username and Password and keep the information in a safe place.
Opening Questionnaire Read each question carefully before answering. The first question is: Which of the following types of student most closely matches you? New CCAC Student (no CCAC credits, no GPA) Current Student None of the Above Please select New CCAC Student if you have never completed a course at CCAC. Please select Current Student if you are a returning CCAC student. If you select None of the Above, you will not be eligible for any scholarships.
Opening Questionnaire Read each question carefully before answering. For question #2, please select the type of degree you are seeking at CCAC (i.e. AA, AS, AAS, CERT, DIPL). If you plan on graduating with both a certificate and an associate s degree, please select either AA, AS or AAS for your degree selection. Selecting the proper degree is very important, as it determines which major you can select. For example, if you are a Nursing major and select AA, you will not be able to select Nursing as your major, as it is an AS degree program. For question #3, please select the campus you are registered through, which may be different than the campus you are attending (you may be a South Campus student, but currently attending North Campus). For the remaining questions, please answer carefully, as they will determine which scholarships you are eligible for.
Academic Information The Academic section of the application will ask for information about your education. The specific questions you are asked in this section are determined by your answers in the Opening Questionnaire. For new or current students, please be sure to select your current major, your anticipated graduation date, current CCAC GPA, grade status and number of credits you have earned as of your application date. Please be aware that the Foundation staff will verify the information you provide in this section. Failure to accurately provide the correct information may disqualify you from receiving a scholarship (i.e. if the system matches you with a scholarship that requires a 3.0 GPA and your GPA is actually 2.9, you will not be eligible to receive the scholarship).
Required Essay Questions All scholarship applicants must answer the following essay questions: Please tell the Scholarship Committee about yourself and why you are attending CCAC. Please do not identify your name, age, race or ethnicity in your essay. How have you been financing your education? Please list all financial aid: grants, outside scholarships (i.e. Pittsburgh Promise, Job Corps, etc), CCAC scholarships, Federal Work-study positions, jobs or other aid you have received while attending CCAC. From a financial standpoint, what impact would a scholarship have on your education? How would you use a scholarship from the CCAC Educational Foundation? Where do you see yourself 10 years from now? Please use Microsoft Word or a similar software product to write your essays, as the STARS system. The STARS system permits you to copy and paste your essays into the online form. If you need assistance writing your essays, CCAC provides free tutoring services to students through the Library and Learning Services departments at each of the four campuses. For more information on in-house or online tutoring services, please visit CCAC's Tutoring Services.
Recommended Scholarships Based on the information you provided in your general application, the STARS system will match you to scholarships for which you qualify. NOTE: you may not actually qualify for every scholarship listed under your Recommended Scholarships. Each scholarship has additional criteria that are not part of the main application. Do not apply for any scholarships until you have carefully read each eligibility requirement (i.e. if you are not the child of a CCAC alumnus/a, you will not be eligible for the Alumni Scholarship).
Recommended Scholarships After you have read the scholarship criteria, click Apply Now to apply for each scholarship listed. Verify your qualifications by clicking on each appropriate box. Please make sure to include any additional required information for each scholarship, such as answering a required essay question. When complete, click Apply Now to complete your application for each scholarship. Please note that you do not have to apply for all of your Recommended Scholarships at one time. You have until the scholarship deadline to apply (the site will close at 4:30 p.m.).
Notification of Awards The STARS scholarship site will be closed after 4:30 p.m. on the deadline date. Students will not be able to log in to the site after this time. Please be sure to complete your application before the deadline. The Foundation will notify students via email if they will be receiving a scholarship.
Contact us For more information about using the STARS Online Scholarship system, please contact the Foundation at 412.237.6514 or email us at edfdn@ccac.edu.