Applications for the 2025/26 school year are now open!
The Horace Greeley Scholarship Fund offers strictly need-based scholarships to current Greeley seniors and Greeley graduates to help cover the cost of attending an accredited undergraduate institution.
You must also apply and qualify for need-based financial aid at the college/university you plan to attend.
Scholarship Information
Be sure to create the application in the name of the student (not parent)
Who Can Apply?
You are eligible to apply for a scholarship if you:
Are a senior or a graduate of the Chappaqua Central School District’s Horace Greeley High School
Wish to pursue your education beyond the high school level
Have been accepted by a qualifying undergraduate institution
Have applied and qualified for need-based financial aid at the college/university you plan to attend
Grants do not cover graduate programs of any kind, only undergraduate programs such as 4-year colleges, community colleges, or trade schools.
What Are The Deadlines?
First Deadline - March 1, 2025
HGSF Application
CSS Profile
CSS Profile Waiver - if applicable
2023 Federal Tax Returns
2023 NYS Tax Returns
Final Deadline - June 15, 2025
Cost of Attendance (for 2025/26)
Financial Aid Award Letter (for 2025/26)
Any remaining information
Applications or materials received after June 14th will not be considered for an HGSF grant unless HGSF receives documentation that there were extenuating circumstances outside of the student’s control.
How Do I Apply?
You must submit a new application EACH YEAR and you are required to submit the following financial documentation with each application. These documents can be scanned and uploaded on the last screen of your application.
2023 Federal Tax Returns - Signed IRS 1040, including all W-2s. Schedules 1, 2, 3 and Schedules A, C, D, E should also be included if filed with IRS 1040. If you anticipate your 2024 Tax Returns or W2’s will show a significant change in income from 2022, please be prepared to submit them as soon as they are completed.
2023 NYS Tax Returns - Signed IT-201 Resident Income Tax Return and IT-196 Form (Itemized Deductions) if filed with your IT-201.
Please be assured, that all information is kept strictly confidential and secure. Once an application has been submitted, only the Grants Committee can review your application.
In addition to the HGSF application, you are required to complete a CSS Financial Aid Profile through the College Board. You can submit your CSS profile to directly to HGSF (code 0206). Please note that if your parents are divorced, both your parents must complete a CSS Profile on your behalf. If you do not have contact with your non-custodial parent, please submit a CSS Profile Waiver Request Form.
Once you have been accepted at a college, university or trade school, the following documentation must be uploaded to your application by the Final Deadline on June 15, 2025.
Financial Aid Award Letter - we must have a copy of the latest Award Letter, email or screenshot from the school you will be attending for the upcoming 2025/26 academic year. It should include a list of all the financial aid for which you are eligible.
Total Cost of Attendance - this estimate of expenses from your college may be included in the Financial Aid Award Letter or it can be found on the school’s website.
Your Student ID or SSN and the contact information for the school’s Bursar’s Office.
The HGSF will be unable to process your application until all the required items have been received. Incomplete applications will not be considered for assistance.
If you have any questions, please email us at grants_committee@hgsf.org. We do not have a telephone number or an established office, so we cannot accept personal telephone calls about the status of your application.
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Grant payments are sent directly to your college or university by the HGSF and can be used for tuition, room, board, and other expenses billed directly to your Bursar bill.
Please note that if you attend a CUNY or SUNY institution and are a recipient of the New York State Excelsior Scholarship Program your award from New York State may be reduced to reflect any grant that you receive from HGSF since our grants are not-restricted and can be used for both tuition and other expenses as described above. For more information, please refer to the New York State website for details on the Excelsior Scholarship Program. If you receive an Excelsior Scholarship, please be sure to email the Grants Committee, so that a letter of clarification can accompany your grant check.
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Because financial circumstances change, students must re-apply each spring for the subsequent academic year. HGSF provides grants both to Greeley students about to begin college, as well as to Greeley graduates who are entering their sophomore, junior, or senior years. Grants are sent directly to the college prior to the semester in which they are used.
Receiving an award for any given academic year does not guarantee that the HGSF will be able to make the same award in future years.
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HGSF uses an expert on financial aid and admissions to analyze the financial information submitted by applicants to help determine the unmet need demonstrated by each applicant – the gap that exists between the actual cost of attending college after family and student contributions, financial aid awards, other awards and grants, and student loans are considered. Our Grants Committee then allocates available HGSF resources to those applicants who have demonstrated unmet needs.
Horace Greeley High School counselors cannot inform you about the status of your application. All information regarding your application must come directly from the Grants Committee.
You may contact the Grants Committee for more information.
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In a typical year, the Fund receives roughly 90 applications from Greeley graduates and is able to give grant awards to more than half of the applicants. Grants are awarded based on demonstrated need and typically range from $1,000 to $20,000 per award. While demonstrated need always exceeds our available resources. it remains our aim to provide assistance to every qualified applicant.
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Applications and supporting documents as required are reviewed only by the Grants Committee including our paid financial consultant – the names of the members of that committee, as well as the names of the applicants and their private data, are kept strictly confidential.
Neither the full HGSF Board of Directors nor any other person who is not a member of the Grants Committee has access to your application.
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Checks for approved grants will be mailed directly to the grant recipient’s college/university in two equal installments, in August and December.
Applicants must provide the correct address for mailing tuition payments.