Scholarship FAQ

Submitting your Proof of Enrollment is a required step to verify your college or university attendance. This allows Marion Community Foundation to process and send your scholarship payment directly to your institution.

You have access to enter this information in your SmarterSelect account now; however, we understand you may not have all the required materials immediately. Please submit your information as soon as you have all the necessary documentation from your school, college, or university.

All required enrollment information must be submitted by August 31. You have access to enter this information in your SmarterSelect account now; however, we understand you may not have all the required materials immediately. We encourage you to submit it as soon as you have it, as payments begin after July 1.

Your username is the email you used to apply for the scholarship and your password is what you set up when you started your application. You can reset your password on the homepage of the SmarterSelect application site — which is NOT the Marion Community Foundation website.

You will need to provide the following through your SmarterSelect application:
— Your College/University Name
— Your College/University’s Bursar/Financial Aid Address
— Your Student ID Number
— Proof of Enrollment documentation (see below acceptable documents).

Acceptable documentation includes:
— A billing statement
— A tuition invoice
— Your fall class schedule
— An acceptance letter will NOT be accepted as proof of enrollment.

If your top choice college or field of study has changed, it’s crucial to review the specific criteria for each scholarship you were awarded on our website (Scholarships & Criteria). Many scholarships have very specific requirements related to institution or major. You may qualify for one scholarship, but not another, if your plans have changed. Please note any such changes in your Proof of Enrollment application within SmarterSelect.

Click HERE to see the list of scholarships available through Marion Community Foundation and the selection criteria for each.

Marion Community Foundation scholarships are designated for tuition, books, fees, and educational supplies billed directly by your school. Your full scholarship will be paid directly to your college or university.

If your financial aid package (including athletic scholarships or other awards) now fully covers your tuition, and you no longer require the Marion Community Foundation scholarship(s), please decline your scholarship through SmarterSelect by checking the box for “I confirm that I am declining the 2025 Marion Community Foundation scholarship award.” Marion Community Foundation scholarships can only be used for tuition, books, fees, and educational supplies billed directly by your school. All scholarship awards are paid directly to your college or university.

Scholarship payments will begin to be sent directly to your college/university after July 1. We process payments regularly after this date as proofs of enrollment are received and verified.

All Marion Community Foundation scholarship awards are contingent upon meeting all scholarship criteria and successfully submitting your Proof of Enrollment. Failure to meet the criteria or submit the required information by the deadline, or to remain in good standing with your institution, may result in the revocation of your scholarship.

Marion Community Foundation offers a scholarship program awarding more than $500,000 annually to high school seniors, college students, and non-traditional students. Scholarships are available to applicants planning to attend a trade school, two-year or four-year college or university, graduate school, law school, or medical school. Each scholarship fund has specific criteria and requirements, established by its donor(s). Scholarship requirements focus on students in the Marion (Ohio) geographic area.