College & career scholarship catalog

Welcome Class of 2026!

Asheville City Schools Foundation Scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis to Asheville High and SILSA students. Applicants should fit these criteria:

Enrolled as a senior at Asheville High or SILSA
Attend an accredited 2 or 4 year college/university or trade school/certificate program
Demonstrated financial need as indicated by a FAFSA EFC of $14,000 or less (some exceptions may apply with a statement for consideration)
Earned an unweighted GPA of 2.5 (some exceptions may apply- several of our multi-year scholarships require a 3.0 or above)
Supported the community through service (childcare, jobs, extra curricular, etc)

What does ACSF look for in applicants?

Our scholarship committee takes a number of factors into consideration when reviewing applicants, including: academic history, community care, extra-curricular involvement, work experience, communication skills, maturity, self-awareness, financial need and expected family contribution, outside scholarships and grants awarded, type of school/university (public or private), and length of time spent in ACS.

How does the application process work?

We have one online application for all scholarships. The application opens Friday, November 21st and all applications are due Sunday, February 22nd at 11:59pm. All applicants are required to have at least one session with the AHS Writing Center for application support. The application requires a resume and one essay.

Our scholarship committee reviews the applications, reads the essays, and interviews the final round of eligible students. In early April, students are notified by email if they have received an interview to be considered for a scholarship. Interviews are held in late April.

In early May, students are notified that they have received a scholarship. Specific scholarship details will be announced in mid May. An awards ceremony will take place before graduation in early June.

Information and support sessions will be available from October - April. Please contact Dan Acocella, Scholarship Coordinator, with questions or concerns at any point throughout this process.

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