Gesa Credit Union Scholarships

Scholarship Sponsored by Gesa Credit Union

Overview Gesa Credit Union provides scholarship opportunities in four distinct categories: - High School Credit Union - Entering Freshman - Continued Education - Student Loan Repayment If you have questions, email scholarships@gesa.com. Applications for the 2026–2027 academic year are being accepted now through February 28, 2026. (Note: the annual deadline for submissions is February 28 each year.) High School Credit Union Scholarships Gesa sets aside $80,000 for high school seniors who participate in the High School Credit Union program. Awards are available to both High School Interns and Student Tellers. High School Interns who finish their internship year are guaranteed at least a $2,000 scholarship. In addition, one intern will be chosen by Gesa’s President & CEO to receive the $8,000 President’s Award Scholarship. Any remaining funds will be distributed among Student Tellers; award amounts per student will vary based on the number of eligible applications received. Full eligibility and application instructions are available in the Gesa Scholarship Guide. Entering Freshman Scholarships ($2,000 award; $5,000 President’s Award consideration) Basic eligibility for the $2,000 Entering Freshman scholarship: 1. Must be a Gesa member in good standing and be a primary signer on the account. 2. Must be a full-time high school senior or otherwise entering their freshman year of college. 3. Must plan to enroll as a full-time student at an accredited college, university, or technical/trade school in the United States. 4. Must have (or have had) an overall high school GPA of 3.0 or higher, or have completed an accredited home-school program equivalent to a high school diploma. Additional requirement to be considered for the $5,000 President’s Award (Entering Freshman): Applicants must enroll as a full-time student at an accredited U.S. college, university, or technical/trade school. Continued Education Scholarships ($2,000 award; $5,000 President’s Award consideration) Basic eligibility for the $2,000 Continued Education scholarship: 1. Must be a Gesa member in good standing and be a primary signer on the account. 2. Must be entering a second or subsequent year of college, university, or technical/trade school. 3. Must enroll as a full-time student at an accredited U.S. college, university, or technical/trade school. 4. Must have (or have had) an overall college/university GPA of 3.0 or higher. Additional requirement to be considered for the $5,000 President’s Award (Continued Education): Applicants must be currently enrolled at an accredited college, university, or technical/trade school in the United States. Student Loan Repayment Scholarship ($2,000 award) Eligibility for the Loan Repayment award: 1. Must be a Gesa member in good standing and be a primary signer on the account. 2. Must have completed a degree from an accredited U.S. college, university, or technical/trade school and provide proof of degree completion (e.g., transcript or diploma). 3. Must be able to provide the most recent loan statement (current monthly statement) as evidence of loan balance if selected for the award; this document is not required with the initial application. 4. Must be in good standing with the loan servicer — active repayment or approved deferment/forbearance is acceptable. Loans in default are ineligible. Employee and volunteer applicants Gesa employees, volunteers, and their immediate family members may apply; however, they are eligible only when the Scholarship Committee consists of a majority of independent (non-Gesa) volunteer members. See the Scholarship Guide for details. Application requirements and deadline All applications must be received by February 28 (February 28, 2026 for the 2026–2027 cycle). Incomplete submissions will not be considered. Required materials: 1. Completed Gesa Credit Union online scholarship application. 2. Personal statement that addresses: the education you have received, how your degree has influenced your career path, financial need, volunteer work, and any other information that would help the committee evaluate your application. 3. Current resume. 4. Unofficial high school or college transcripts (not required for Loan Repayment applicants). 5. Photocopy of completed degree (Loan Repayment applicants only). 6. Two letters of recommendation from school officials, current/past employers, professional contacts, mentors, or coaches. Letters must be uploaded through the online application. If a recommender must submit directly to Gesa, they should email the letter as a Word or PDF file to scholarships@gesa.com by February 28. (Loan Repayment applicants follow the same submission timing rules unless otherwise specified.) Selection process and notification Applications are evaluated equally across the following areas: academic achievement, extracurricular involvement (school activities, athletics, or employment), community service and volunteering, financial need, and participation in Gesa’s High School Credit Union program where applicable. The Scholarship Committee reviews all complete applications and makes final award decisions. Scholarship recipients will be notified on or before May 1 of each year. Awardees will be required to submit official transcripts that reflect the most recent grading period and any additional documentation requested at the time of notification. For full program details and the Scholarship Guide, refer to Gesa’s resources or contact scholarships@gesa.com.