Overview

Scholarships for Graduating High School Students

Due to the number of applicants and the available funds to award, we are pausing the application process at this time. 

Since awarding the first Olive & Herbert Randall Scholarship in 1954, the Hamilton Community Foundation has given more than $13 million in scholarships to more than 3,000 area students.

 Today, the Hamilton Community Foundation manages a large and exciting scholarship program for:

Scholarships for Students Currently in College

Applications accepted April 1, 2025 - June 7, 2025.

Scholarships for Adults Returning to College

Renew Multi-Year Existing Scholarship

Scholarships for Recent College Graduates (TAP) Scholarship

The application period for graduating seniors is December 2, 2024 to January 4, 2025 this year. 

General Scholarship Timeline for graduating High School Students

• Students are notified of award offers toward the end of the following April.
• MANDITORY FOR AWARDEES: Scholarship Reception and Program is held in May.
• Scholarship awards sent to the colleges/universities at the end of July.

The Hamilton Community Foundation understands the need for assistance with your education beyond the first year in college. These scholarships are to assist students in the Sophomore, Junior and Senior years in college. However, we also offer scholarships for students in law school, medical school and those pursuing masters degree in criminal justice.  

To be eligible, you must:

• be a graduate of Badin High School, Edgewood High School, Fairfield High School, Hamilton High School, Lakota East High School, Lakota West High School, New Miami High School, Ross High School, Talawanda High School
• Law school and medical school applicants must be Butler County Ohio residents or attended one of the schools designated above.  
• Criminal Justice applicants from throughout Ohio are also eligible. 
• Students with parents employed at ThyssenKrupp Bilstein are eligible to apply
• Attending an accredited technical school, college or university    
• Completed one full year in college
• Have at least a 2.5 GPA
• Be a full time student

Students applying for the Stewart Jones Memorial Religious Music Week Scholarship, you must be a junior and above, including graduate students and can be from anywhere across the country studying religious music as your major subject, with a view toward serving as a church music director or minister of music. 

 NOTE: The school must be accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and/or eligible to receive financial aid.   You may check the accreditation status by visiting https://www.hlcommission.org/Directory-of-HLC-Institutions.html or contact your school for this information.

The Hamilton Community Foundation is pleased to be able to provide scholarships for adults returning to college. An adult (non-traditional) student is defined as someone 25 years of age or older returning to pursue an undergraduate post-secondary degree.  

PLEASE NOTE:

- If you are pursuing a law degree or going to medical school, please apply through the "Current College" page on our website.

- All applicants for the Edward L. Crowthers Family Scholarship supporting IBEW Local 648 apprenticeships apply through this Application for Adults Returning to College.

To be eligible, you must:

• reside in the Greater Hamilton, Ohio area
• attend an accredited technical school, college or university as a full time or part time student
• demonstrate financial need
• be seeking your first undergrad degree

These scholarships are for one year only.  If you receive an adult scholarship, you may reapply each year to the adult scholarships. There is no deadline to apply. We will review on an ongoing basis.

We use a Scholarship Portal which includes a universal application that allows students to apply by completing a single application.  The universal application not only decreases the redundancy of completing multiple applications, but it also matches applicants to opportunities they may be eligible for. No more searching and reading through endless criteria. 

Click here to preview the applications prior to creating an account.

Ready to apply?

Go to the Scholarship Portal to create and/or login to your account.  (Your email will be your login and you will create a password .  Google Chrome browser works best with this system.)

If you have any questions, please email Kasey Rouse, Director of Scholarships & Youth Programs or call 513-863-1717.

Renew your scholarship by June 14, 2025.

NOTE: For High School Graduating Class of 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 please log into your account where you applied for our online applications to renew your award. Do not use this form to renew.

The Hamilton Community Foundation offers numerous renewable scholarships for our high school seniors.  To renew your scholarship, students who received a renewable scholarship their senior year in high school must:

• provide a 500 word minimum essay describing the year in college (this can be emailed to us)
• provide your official transcript to the Foundation (this is to be mailed directly to the foundation or you can have the university send it electronically)
• complete the renewing application (this can be emailed to us)

All documents must be sent to Kasey Rouse, Director of Scholarships & Youth Programs, or mailed to the foundation by June 14, 2025. 

NOTE:  If you received a renewable scholarship your senior year in high school, you are not eligible to apply for additional scholarships from the Foundation. 

If you have any questions, please contact Kasey Rouse at 513-863-1717.

Talent Attraction Program Scholarship

The impact of the Hamilton Community Foundation is evident throughout our community. In addition to the support of the community as a whole, we continue with a special focus on educational programs and grants. In the past 60 years, we  have provided over $13 million dollars in scholarships to more than 3,000 students, and this support of area students will continue in years to come with the new Talent Attraction Program (TAP) Scholarship.

The TAP Scholarship is what is known as a “reverse scholarship” where recent graduates will receive assistance with student loan debt.

To be eligible you must:

• Have graduated within the last 7 years from a STEAM program (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, or Mathematics) preferred.

• Not currently living in designated areas in the city of Hamilton BUT with plans to move to or live in one of the Urban Neighborhoods or in Armondale or Highland Park neighborhoods in Hamilton. To learn more about Hamilton's Neighborhoods see map

     Must demonstrate employment within Butler County or a full-time remote position in a professional role.

• Prefer those with a desire to give back to the community and become engaged in activities 

Successful applicants to the program may receive up to $15,000. If the applicant ceases employment or moves out of an designated neighborhood before the funds have been disbursed, they forfeit the right to any future payments.

For further information, please contact Kasey Rouse, Director of Scholarships & Youth Programs, at the Foundation office 863-1717.

We use a Scholarship Portal which includes a universal application that allows students to apply by completing a single application.  The universal application not only decreases the redundancy of completing multiple applications, but it also matches applicants to opportunities they may be eligible for. No more searching and reading through endless criteria. 

Ready to apply?

Go to the Scholarship Portal to create and/or login to your account. (Your email will be your login and you will create a password .  Google Chrome browser works best with this system.) 

If you have any questions, please contact Kasey Rouse, Director of Scholarships & Youth Programs, at the Foundation office 863-1717.

NOTE:  If you received a renewable scholarship your senior year in high school, you are not eligible to apply for additional scholarships from the Foundation.

See the "renew your existing multi-year scholarship" to renew your award.

Deadline to apply is June 7, 2025.

Due to the number of applicants and the available funds to award, we are pausing the application process at this time. 

TAP scholarship applications are accepted and reviewed on an ongoing basis.  As they are reviewed, we will reach out to you for further instructions. 

Click here to preview the application prior to creating an account.

Ready to apply?

Go to the Scholarship Portal to create and/or login to your account. (Your email will be your login and you will create a password .  Google Chrome browser works best with this system.)

Our scholarships are available primarily to students attending the following schools in Butler County, Ohio.  Hamilton High School, Stephen T. Badin, Ross High School, New Miami High School, Lakota High Schools, Talawanda High School, Edgewood High School and Fairfield High School.

Students with parents employed at Connector Manufacturing or ThyssenKrupp Bilstein are also to apply through our online systems. 

Home educated students who are associated with the above school districts throughout Butler County Ohio are also invited to apply.

If you have any questions, please contact Kasey Rouse, Director of Scholarships & Youth Programs at the Foundation office 863-1717 or email Kasey Rouse. 

We use a Scholarship Portal which includes a universal application that allows students to apply by completing a single application.  The universal application not only decreases the redundancy of completing multiple applications, but it also matches applicants to opportunities they may be eligible for. No more searching and reading through endless criteria. 

Ready to apply?

To begin the process, first you must set up your account.

Click here "Sign up"to for your student application.

(Your email will be your login and you will create a password. NOTE: Please do not use your school email address since this is the email we will use to communicate with you even after you graduate high school. Google Chrome browser works best with this system.) 

Once you have completed and submitted your application, you do not have to do anything else.  The system will automatically match you to the scholarships for which you qualify.