Application Dates   November 2008   Scholarship application available on-line. March 6, 2009   Complete on-line applications (Sections A and B) are due by midnight Pacific Standard Time.  You will not be able to access Sections A and B of your application after this date.   Transcripts by mail must be postmarked (see status page for more details).   FAFSA Financial Aid Form (optional, if claiming financial aid) must be postmarked (see status page for details).   There will be NO EXCEPTIONS to the March 6 deadline. March 20, 2009   Evaluation form from teacher must be submitted on-line (see status page for details). May 15, 2009   Announcement of NIAF scholarship winners (see status page). Questions?   For general information, application criteria, and how to apply, please see our FAQ section FIRST.

Scholarship Home Please read carefully the following information about the 2009 NIAF Scholarship Program. Note that the program has undergone changes and therefore any previously published scholarship categories or applications are invalid for the 2009 program. ABOUT OUR PROGRAM The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) has an education budget of $1,000,000. The NIAF will award scholarships and grants to outstanding students in the summer of 2009 for use during the following academic year. The awards will be made on the basis of academic merit and divided between two groups of students. General Category I: Italian American students who demonstrate outstanding potential and high academic achievements. Area of study: open. General Category II: Those students from any ethnic background majoring or minoring in Italian language, Italian studies, Italian American studies or a related field, who demonstrate outstanding potential and high academic achievements. Scholarship awards range from $2,000-$12,000. Each scholarship award can only cover tuition and university-provided room and board. Scholarship recipients are eligible for one year of scholarship support. Scholarship monies not used during one academic year are not transferable to the following academic year. Scholarship applicants and winners can and are encouraged to reapply in subsequent years. Applications for NIAF scholarships can only be submitted on-line. DEADLINES AND OTHER IMPORTANT DATES November 2008 Scholarship application available on-line. March 6, 2009 - Complete on-line applications due by midnight Pacific Standard Time. - Transcripts by mail must be postmarked. - FAFSA Financial Aid Form (optional, if claiming financial aid) must be postmarked. - There are NO EXCEPTIONS to March 6, 2009 deadlines. March 20, 2009 Evaluation form from teacher must be submitted online. May 15, 2009 Announcement of NIAF scholarship winners. CONDITIONS OF SCHOLARSHIP ELIGIBILITY To be considered for a NIAF scholarship, a student must meet the following criteria: • Be enrolled in an US accredited institution of higher education for the Fall 2009. • Have a grade-point average of at least 3.5 out of 4.0 (or the equivalent). • Be a United States citizen or a permanent resident alien. • Fit into one of the two NIAF scholarship categories. • For the purposes of the NIAF Scholarship Program, to be “Italian American” the student must have at least one ancestor who has immigrated from Italy. No immediate family members of the NIAF Board of Directors, Regional Vice-Presidents, Area Coordinators or staff are eligible for NIAF scholarships. PROCESS FOR APPLYING (Application & links will be available mid-November 2008) Click on the link: Open a Scholarship Application File. You will be asked to agree to the NIAF Application Terms and Conditions. After this, you will enter information necessary to receive your NIAF Scholarship Application File ID. This Application File ID will be sent to you by e-mail upon submission. Please record your Application File ID as it will be REQUIRED in accessing & updating your application. You will then be brought to your status page, where you can access all parts of your scholarship application. Continue filling out your application or return at another time using your Application File ID to access your Scholarship Application File. To log into your existing Scholarship Application File, go www.niaf.org/scholarships. Click on the link: Access your previously started Scholarship Application. Using your Application File ID, you may access both Sections A and B of your application to make changes up until the application deadline. Notify your teacher so he or she can go to the website, use your Application File ID to access your account, and submit your on-line Evaluation Form. Your on-line application and evaluation must be completed by March 20, 2009. Submit to the NIAF by mail a copy of your Official Transcript. Transcript must be postmarked by March 6, 2009. Optional: Submit your FAFSA Financial Aid Form. FAFSAs must be postmarked by March 6, 2009. Follow the directions listed on the on-line status page concerning how and where to send both the Official Transcript and the FAFSA Financial Aid Forms documents. The NIAF encourages you to apply early to avoid unforeseen technical problems. The NIAF is not responsible for late applications caused by technical difficulty. APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS AND CHECKLIST Applications for NIAF scholarships can only be submitted on-line. In order to be complete, an application must include the following: Completed student application (Sections A & B) submitted on-line. Teacher Evaluation Form submitted on-line. An official school transcript submitted by mail. FAFSA Financial Aid Form (optional) submitted by mail. SELECTION CRITERIA NIAF scholarships are highly competitive and awarded on the basis of academic performance, field of study, career objectives, and the potential, commitment, and abilities applicants have demonstrated that would enable them to make significant contributions to their chosen field of study. Some scholarships are awarded based on financial need. Applications will be “blindly” evaluated. That is, names, addresses, or distinguishing information that would reveal the applicant’s identity on the application will not be made available to scholarship evaluators. SCHOLARSHIP CONDITIONS SELECTED RECIPIENTS To be eligible to receive payments, a NIAF scholar must: Submit a written acceptance of the scholarship award. Submit letter(s) of appreciation to NIAF-designated scholarship financial contributor(s). Submit a color photograph for publication. Sign a written statement pledging that upon completion of the scholarship academic year, student will submit a typed narrative of approximately 500 words for publication. The narrative will briefly describe the benefits of the NIAF scholarship. The NIAF scholarship may not be used as a substitute for or to diminish in any way any other award, grant, or scholarship given to the recipient. Payments from the NIAF scholarship program may supplement, but not duplicate benefits from another foundation, institution, or organization. The combined benefits from all sources may not exceed the cost of tuition, fees, and university-provided room and board as stated in the institution’s cost-of-attendance budget.

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