What does the scholarship pay for?
The scholarship pays full tuition for up to two years for credit classes applicable to an associate’s degree.  The classes must be taught by Oregon Coast instructors.   Fees, books and other miscellaneous expenses are not covered.

Who qualifies for this scholarship?
Applicants must:

• Be graduating with a diploma from a high school within Lincoln County.
  or
  Be residing permanently within the Oregon Coast Community College District (if attending a high school outside our district).
  or
  Be receiving a home-school diploma (while residing permanently within Lincoln County).
• Have a cumulative, unweighted GPA of 3.0 or better at the end of the first semester of your senior year. Home-school students must have the minimum ACT or SAT test scores.
• Enroll at Oregon Coast in Fall Term immediately following your high school graduation or diploma completion.
• Enroll full-time with a minimum of 12 credits.

I am a home-schooled student. Am I eligible?
Yes, as long as you are a permanent resident in Lincoln County and you earn either an ACT composite score of 27 or SAT Reasoning Test combined score of 1,200 in Critical Reading and Math.

I live or attend high school within Oregon Coast’s district and I am graduating early. Am I eligible?
Yes, as long as your cumulative, unweighted GPA is 3.0 or better as of your first semester/quarter grades of your final year in high school. Seniors graduating a semester early and juniors graduating a year early are eligible.

I am a 5th year high school student in the Early College program. Am I eligible?
Yes, as long as your cumulative, unweighted GPA is 3.0 or better.

I am earning a modified high school diploma. Am I eligible?
Yes, students completing high school with a regular or modified diploma are eligible.  Other diploma types or alternative certificates are ineligible.

I don’t attend a high school within Oregon Coast’s district, but I live within the district. Am I eligible?
Yes, as long as you can verify that your permanent residence is within the boundaries of Lincoln County, i.e. the Oregon Coast Community College District. You also must have a cumulative, unweighted GPA of 3.0 or better (as of your first semester/quarter grades from your final year of high school).

I joined the military immediately after I graduated high school and have just been discharged. Am I eligible?
Yes, newly discharged military personnel are eligible as long as the following criteria are met:

• Graduated from a high school within Oregon Coast’s district.
• Graduated with a cumulative, unweighted GPA of 3.0 or better.
• Joined the military within three months of graduating from high school.
• Enroll full-time with a minimum of 12 credits at Oregon Coast within six months of military discharge.

I am an international student. Am I eligible?
No. This scholarship program is intended only for students from Oregon Coast’s district.

What if my GPA at my high school is 2.9 and not 3.0 as the scholarship requires?
A minimum 3.0 GPA is required to qualify for the scholarship. No exceptions will be granted and no appeals can be made for decisions regarding ineligibility due to grades.

If my weighted GPA is 3.5 or better, am I eligible for the scholarship?
No. Your GPA must be at least 3.0, unweighted.

When can I enroll to begin the scholarship program?
You must begin college at Oregon Coast as a full-time student the fall term immediately following your high school completion to receive scholarship benefits.

Can I enroll for Summer Term  in the scholarship program?
This scholarship will only pay tuition for Fall, Winter, and Spring terms.  If you want to take Summer term courses, you will need another way to pay for Summer term charges.  You must enroll beginning Fall Term after high school to received this scholarship..

Can I take more than 12 credits per term?
Yes. The scholarship will pay up to a maximum of 18 credits each term.

Can I take classes at any Oregon Coast campus or center?
Yes, at any OCCC location where an eligible course is being offered.

Can I take any class I choose from OCCC?
No. You cannot take noncredit courses with this scholarship.

What if I enroll as a full-time student with 12 credits but I drop some classes?
You must earn a total of 36 credits by the end of Spring Term. If 12 credits are not completed during a term, the remaining credits must be made up before the end of Spring Term. For example, if you register for 12 credits during Winter Term, but drop a class and only complete nine credits, you would need to take 15 credits during Spring Term to make up those three credits in order to have a total of 36 credits by the end of the academic year.

I understand that I must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or better while enrolled at Oregon Coast. When are GPAs checked for eligibility?
Grades are checked at the end of each academic year to verify that a 3.0 GPA has been maintained to determine eligibility for the following year.

Do I have to be eligible for federal financial aid in order to qualify for this scholarship?
No, you do not have to qualify for federal financial aid in order to be considered for the Oregon Coast Scholars program.

What is Oregon Coast’s district?
Our district includes all of Lincoln County, Oregon. If your permanent residence is located within Lincoln County, Oregon, and you meet all other criteria, you are eligible for the scholarship. If you’re not sure, you can contact Lincoln County’s elections office to verify.

Which high schools are in Oregon Coast’s district?
If you are graduating from one of these schools, you are eligible for the Oregon Coast Scholars Program.

• Career Tech
• Eddyville Charter School
• Newport High School
• Taft High School
• Seventh Day Adventist School
• Siletz Valley Early College Academy
• Toledo High School
• Waldport High School