Gulf Coast Educators FCU Scholarship
If you have a student that is about to graduate, congratulations! You’ve helped your high school senior successfully navigate almost 12 years of school. Once they graduate, they will begin a new chapter in their lives as young adults and either continue with school or enter the workforce. Either way, you can help them make sure they are well prepared financially.
How Can We Help?
Over the years, we’ve heard from parents, grandparents & others on how the credit union has been able to help transition their graduate into college or the work force through our products and services. Click through the tabs below to learn more about what your credit union has to offer, and other valuable resources that may help you along the way.
GCEFCU Scholarship
Apply for GCEFCU’s Scholarship
Gulf Coast Educators Federal Credit Union will present scholarships annually in the amount of $500.00 per semester for 4 years – a total of $4,000.00 – to four qualified students selected from applicants within our field of membership who meet the following eligibility requirements:
Requirements:
1. Applicant must be a high school senior.
2. Student must be a member in good standing with GCEFCU and parent/legal guardian must be a member in good standing with GCEFCU.
3. Two scholarships may be awarded to students who express the intent to pursue a course of study that will allow him or her to enter the teaching field. Two scholarships may be awarded to applicants outside the field of education. However, the Committee reserves the right to award scholarships solely based on the areas of consideration listed (#7).
4. Recipient of the scholarship funds must maintain a minimum G.P.A. of 2.5 and earn at least twelve hours minimum each semester. A transcript must be received after each semester to show the recipient is within the requirements as set forth by the Board. Failure to comply will result in permanent forfeiture.
5. The scholarship will be used for the purpose of study at an accredited college or university.
6. Scholarship funds will be paid each semester to the school of the recipient’s choice when evidence of enrollment and G.P.A. (copy of transcript or grades) maintained is presented to GCEFCU.
7. Areas of consideration for selection will include need, academic achievement, character, leadership, and personal recommendations.
8. If selected as a finalist, the applicant may be required to participate in a personal interview.
9. Selections will be determined by a committee appointed from the Board of Directors of GCEFCU.
10. If the committee’s first choice does not accept the scholarship, a second candidate will be selected.
11. A candidate must have a minimum combined SAT score of 1000 and/or a minimum ACT score of 21.
12. Please send applications to:
GCEFCU, Scholarship Committee,
5953 Fairmont Pkwy
Pasadena, Texas 77505.
Deadline:
Applications must be received or postmarked by Thursday, February 29, 2024.
Applying For Scholarships
Applying For Scholarships
Helping your child apply for scholarships begins with becoming an informed parent. There are numerous resources available to students looking to continue their academic pursuits into college, and these may be difficult to navigate as a busy high school student. Your child will need your help to find the best opportunities available to them.
Start with the FASFA
The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the pivotal step toward securing scholarships for college tuition. This determines whether you qualify for scholarships or grants from the government, and even offers low interest loans. The key is to fill the document out as early as possible. To do this, you’ll need a unique identifier known as the FSA ID. The identity key is unique to each FAFSA applicant, and it helps keep all you do concerning your FAFSA application safe and secure.
Once a student receives an FSA ID, he or she will need to create a save key so that the ID can be kept online without interference from hackers or other privacy violations. Use your child’s information such as social security number, address and name to complete the process.
Keep in mind that additional documentation may be required to complete the FAFSA. This may include transcripts, proof of financial status, GPA documentation and more. Stay within the guidelines on these additional documents and pay close attention to any special FAFSA deadlines for best results.
Finding Scholarships
Once you’ve finished your child’s FAFSA application, it’s time to turn your attention to the scholarship application process. This process can be intense, but it doesn’t have to be. Parents often stress they don’t know where to begin when looking for scholarships for their children’s college education, but there are a number of sure resources.
- It’s always wise to begin with your employer. Often the entities we work for provide scholarships.
- As a member of Gulf Coast Educators FCU, your child may qualify for our GCEFCU Scholarship.
- Scholarship search engines, such as Scholarships.com.
- If you’ve attended college or high school, check with your alumni organization to inquire whether they offer scholarships.
- Your child’s school counselor can provide them with many scholarship options available. Advisors and counselors and teachers are an excellent resource for insight into the college scholarship application process. Start with the school’s counseling office to get pointed in the right direction.
It may take some time to sift through these, but it’s worth it. Often, the criteria for applying can range from very narrow and specific, to very broad and open. Be sure to take note of any special requirements or specifics during your search. Also, deadlines are important. Keep track of deadlines by keeping a calendar organized specifically to track due dates and timelines for each of your child’s scholarship applications.
What Scholarship Committees Look For
Chief decision-making in any scholarship application process lies with the scholarship committee. These committees can range in size and makeup across the wide variety of scholarship applications available, but there are a few general things that most committees look for in the ideal candidate.
- Attention to detail – This means following application instructions with special care and diligence.
- Demonstrations of moral integrity – What makes you worthy?
- Internships or volunteer organizations that your child has taken part in.
- Organization – Be careful to ensure that your child’s personal statement displays complete thoughts and sound sentence structure. It is wise to have your student’s English teacher proof read their essays before they submit them.
Preparing Your Senior
Preparing Your Senior
Before you send your child off to college, you want to ensure that they have the tools they need to be successful – especially when it comes to financial matters. New college students are often bombarded with credit card offers, and many don’t even know that is what they are signing up for. Make sure that your senior is financially savvy enough to not fall for those offers, and knows that even if they are hundreds of miles away, their credit union is always accessible.
GCEFCU Credit Card Program
The credit union’s credit card program has been popular among parents of college students. Parents send their student to college with a low limit card and the ability to view and make payments to the card all through online banking.
Online Banking
Parents can set up scheduled transfers in online banking to set up recurring transfers to their student’s GCEFCU account. Doing this can help with living expenses while away at college. In addition, parents can access their child’s account to monitor their spending and provide budget assistance.
Long Distance Services
Even if your student is studying on the other side of the country, they can still access the funds in their GCEFCU account. The credit union offers free withdrawals at over 55,000 Allpoint ATMs across the country, and access to other Shared Branching locations as well.
Building Their Credit
Our Credit Saver program is useful for more than just saving credit – It can also be used by young adults as a safe way to build their credit score.