Renaissance Scholars Program

Scholarship Sponsored by Renaissance Foundation

The mission of the Renaissance Scholars Program (RSP) is to provide scholarships to talented first-generation students with significant financial need. The Program offers a renewable college scholarship of up to $5,000 per academic year towards direct college costs such as tuition and on-campus room and board.

Requirements for High School Applicants

• Must be a high school senior in Oregon or Illinois, or a recent graduate.
  • U.S. citizenship is not a requirement.
• Plan to earn a bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. 4-year college.
• Must be a first-generation college student. Students who have a parent with a bachelor’s degree are not eligible.
• Have significant demonstrated financial need. Renaissance defines this as Pell eligibility or equivalent for those who do not file the FAFSA. If Renaissance scholarship winners go on to win a “full ride” scholarship through a college or organization, the Renaissance award will be rescinded.
• Have a minimum unweighted cumulative GPA of 3.0 and show academic achievement.

Scholarships can only used for direct college costs at a 4-year college. This is typically tuition/fees and on-campus room and board. The scholarship cannot be used to pay for off-campus housing or other indirect costs such as transportation and books.

In addition to meeting the requirements above, The Renaissance Foundation is looking for students who demonstrate: leadership potential, a concern for others, and a strong work ethic. These qualities can be demonstrated through participation in volunteering, membership in clubs/community organizations, paid/unpaid work, or family responsibilities. Successful candidates are able to clearly communicate their strengths and goals in their written application and essays.

Application Checklist

Students must upload and submit all parts of the application by the submission deadline. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

Complete and proofread all required application boxes.

Submit Documents

• Most recent unofficial high school transcripts and college transcripts, if applicable.
• ​One of the following financial documents:
  • A PDF/screenshot of your FAFSA 2027-2028 confirmation email. Be sure the student’s full name, Student Aid Index (SAI), and Pell eligibility statement are clearly visible
  • A PDF/screenshot of the student's completed ORSAA
  • A PDF/screenshot of parent's most recent tax paperwork (Form 1040 or similar) only if FAFSA or ORSAA doesn't apply

​Letters of Recommendation

Note: We recommend sending your requests as soon as possible. It is polite to give recommenders at least two weeks to complete their letter. You can request recommendations before you are finished with your application. Letters of recommendations must be submitted before the application deadline.

• Letter of Recommendation #1- from an educational source (teacher, counselor, non-family member)
• Letter of Recommendation #2- from any source (teacher, counselor, coach, boss, mentor, non-family member)

​Essay Questions

Essay #1 (500 to 1,000 words)

• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Describe a significant personal challenge or problem you've faced, how it affected you, how you overcame or tried to overcome the problem, and what you learned about yourself in the process. As you consider your future goals, how will you use what you've learned from this experience?

​Essay #2 (select one prompt, 400 to 600 words)

• Describe your personal and career goals for your life after college. How will your college experience help you to achieve your goals?
• Tell us why you are pursuing your selected major. Why do you find the subject interesting? How will studying this topic support your future goals?
• What goals do you hope to achieve in college? Explain your personal and educational goals, as well as the steps you will take to achieve them.

​Optional Items

• Activities summary or resume