5 Ways to Prepare Now for Scholarship Applications
Applications open January 1st for scholarships from the United Methodist Higher Education Foundation to help fund the 2025-2026 academic year. Here are 5 things you can be doing now to prepare and make the process a smooth one!
How to Prepare for UMHEF Applications
- Review UMHEF scholarship offerings. Knowing which UMHEF scholarships for which you qualify will allow you to start working on requirements necessary for each application.
Tip: While you will only be awarded one scholarship per school year, we encourage you to apply for both UM Dollars for Scholars and General Named Endowed (if you qualify); UMHEF staff will match you with the largest award for which you best qualify. - Read our FAQs page. Most of the questions we receive after applications open are answered here! Save time and review before applications open.
- Talk to your church now! If you plan to apply for the UM Dollars for Scholars scholarship, speaking with your church now about their required $1,000 sponsorship will speed up the application process.
Tip: Your application won’t be considered complete until we receive the sponsorship check from your church. - Line up people to write your letters of recommendation. If you plan to apply for the General Named Endowed scholarships, the application requires letters of recommendation from your pastor and a teacher/professor. It’s not too early to identify these persons and ask them to draft their letters. When you apply, you’ll be asked to provide their names and email addresses; they’ll be sent an email request to upload their letter.
- Set reminders! So that you don’t miss the amazing opportunities UMHEF scholarships offer, set the following alarms on your phone and/or computer calendars:
January 1: Apply for UMHEF scholarships at https://umhef.org/apply
March 1: Finish UMHEF applications before April 1 deadline!
Good luck, students!
UMHEF applications will be open January 1 – April 1, 2025 for the 2025-2026 academic year. We wish you the best of luck and look forward to supporting you on your higher education journey! If you still have questions after reviewing the information linked above, don’t hesitate to reach out.