Scholarship Help Guides
SCHOLARSHIP RESOURCES
Logging in to Scholarship Central
What Should I Do?
• Apply for admission to Virginia Tech.
• Create an Onboard account as per the instructions from the Office of Admissions.
• Please allow 1-3 business days after creating your Onboard account to access Scholarship Central.
Once you're in your applicant portal:
- Click the "Scholarship Central" link
- Click "Sign In" from the upper right-hand side of the page.
- Select "Sign In With Your Institution" from the "Applicants and Administrators" tab.
SCHOLARSHIP USER GUIDE
This Scholarship User Guide helps you navigate your scholarship tasks with ease, providing clear instructions for uploading documents, accepting awards, and completing necessary forms.
Troubleshooting Uploading Documents:
Having trouble uploading documents to your scholarship application? Use the steps below to troubleshoot
- Name your document on your computer “Last name title of document” (e.g., Smith resume)
- Important: Do not include special characters in your file name (e.g., periods, commas, underscores, etc.)
In Scholarship Central:
- Select “Add a new file”
- Select “Choose file” and select your document from your computer
- Name the file the same as before (last name title of document)
- You should now see the text of your file name next to the “Choose a file” area. This means the file is ready for upload but has not been fully uploaded
- Select “Save and Keep Editing” or “Update your application” (whichever you see) at the bottom right of the page
- Once the file is fully uploaded, it will appear in the drop-down menu. This will only happen once you’ve selected “Save and Keep Editing” or “Update your application” in the previous step
- You may continue editing your application up until the deadline of the application
Accepting Scholarships in Scholarship Central:
Some scholarships will be offered and must be accepted in Scholarship Central and Hokie Spa before they are reflected on your bill. Scholarships that are not accepted within 30 days will be cancelled.
To accept your scholarship in Scholarship Central:
- Login to Scholarship Central using your VT PID username and password
- Navigate to the “My Applications” tab at the top of the page
- Using the “Needs Attention” section, select the “Accept” button on your scholarship
- From the “Offer Letter” tab, learn more about your scholarship
- Choose “Accept” at the bottom of the page
Thank You Letters
Some scholarships require a thank you letter before it will reflect on your bill. If a thank you letter is needed, you will receive an email with a link to view and complete the thank you letter requirement. If you no longer have this email, follow the steps below:
- Login to Scholarship Central using your VT PID username and password
- Navigate to the “My Applications” tab at the top of the page
- Using the “Needs Attention” section, select the “Finish” (or “Accept” if you have not accepted yet) button on your scholarship
- From the “Supplemental Questions” tab, type your thank you letter in the box provided
- When finished, select “Finish and Submit”
Accepting Scholarships in Hokie SPA:
Follow the steps below to accept your scholarship in Hokie SPA.
- Go to Hokie SPA: Financial Aid Self Service
- At the top right side of the page, select the aid year.
- Select Award Offer. Here you will see any grants and/or scholarships offered to you. Click on each grant or scholarship to view the terms of the award. You also may find the terms of your awards by selecting the Resources tab.
- Take Action for each by selecting Accept or Decline. Before declining a scholarship, please email our office at finaid@vt.edu.
- Click the Submit button at the bottom of the page.
Completing FERPA Releases:
Using the FERPA Release found on your General Scholarship Application, you can decide what information you would like to share. You can change your choice or remove permissions for us to share at any time. Your answers on the FERPA Release will not impact whether or not you are selected to receive a scholarship.
To complete or update your FERPA Release:
- Login to Scholarship Central using your VT PID username and password
- From the “My Applications” tab, select view or finish on your General Scholarship Application
- Navigate to the “FERPA Release” question to choose the information you would like to share
- Don’t forget to select “Submit” or “Update” on your application
Your college or departmental scholarship might require an additional FERPA Release. Instructions will be provided.
TIPS FOR GREAT SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS & THANK YOU LETTERS
Essays:
Be Authentic: Be yourself. Your unique background, experiences, and achievements make you a strong candidate for the right scholarship. Focus on your strengths and what makes you a great fit for the scholarship.
Follow the Instructions: Read essay prompts carefully. Be sure to answer the question. If a question has multiple parts, be sure to answer each one. Provide all requested materials. If your application is missing a resume, reference, or transcript, your application will be incomplete. Once an application deadline has passed, applications cannot be reopened.
Plan Ahead: Do not procrastinate. Take note of advertised deadline(s) and mark them on your calendar. Applications close after the deadline and cannot be reopened. Late application materials are not accepted. Give yourself plenty of time to reread and review your essay.
Keep It Simple: Be clear and concise when you answer the prompt. Give good examples and provide strong connections, but do not include unnecessary information just to make your answer longer.
Check Your Work: Proofread! Proofread! Proofread! Use spell check. Make sure you are using complete sentences and correct punctuation. Reading your essay aloud can help you find mistakes that you may have missed. Ask someone you trust to read your essay and provide feedback.
References:
Your references should know you well. The better your references know you, the more the scholarship committee will learn about you. Some common people to request a reference from are:
- Teachers/professors
- Former or current employers
- Clergy members (preachers, pastors, rabbis, etc.)
- Coaches
- School counselors
- Leaders of an organization you are associated with
Ask First. Ask Early: Be sure to ask your reference if you may provide their contact information for a reference. Be sure to get their preferred contact information. Your reference will need as much time as possible. Be sure to reach out to your reference as early as possible.
Help Your Reference Be the Best Possible Reference: Be clear about what you are applying for, when your application is due, and how they can provide a reference for you. Provide information about the scholarship(s) you are applying for. Be sure to share what the scholarship committee is looking for in the recipient they select. Provide your reference a copy of your resume. Be sure your reference knows where to go and what to do. Scholarship Central will send your reference(s) a link to the email address you provide. They will use the link to log into Scholarship Central where they can upload a reference letter or write the letter directly in Scholarship Central. Be sure your reference knows the application deadline. If your reference misses the deadline, your application will be incomplete and cannot be reopened.
Do Not Forget to Thank Your Reference: References always appreciate a small personal gesture, like a handwritten thank you note.
Thank You Letters:
✓ Do: Use the scholarship name provided in your greeting!
✓ Do: Express gratitude for the scholarship.
✓ Do: Provide information about yourself like hometown, major, and interest.
✓ Do: Mention how the scholarship will help you.
✓ Do: Proofread and spell check your letter.
✗ Do Not: Include the scholarship amount in your thank you letter.
✗ Do Not: Misspell the donor’s name or scholarship name.
✗ Do Not: Write just one sentence.
✗ Do Not: Forget to say “Thank you.”
✗ Do Not: Wait to complete the letter.
SCHOLARSHIP CENTRAL USER GUIDE
Download our Scholarship Central User Guide for step-by step instructions and screenshots for signing in, navigating Scholarship Central, checking the status of your applications, accepting scholarship offers, and completing thank you letters.
