Each year, up to 50 students throughout Oregon and Siskiyou County, California are selected as recipients of the Ford ReStart Program. The award is not a set amount, but is calculated to cover 90% ($1,000 minimum/$25,000 maximum per academic year) of each student’s college costs that are not covered by other resources (such as grants and scholarships), and his or her expected family contribution (EFC) from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The scholarship can be renewed annually for up to four years of undergraduate study.

Applicants must be residents of Siskiyou County, California who are 25 years of age or older as of the application deadline and have a high school diploma or GED. They may enter the program at any phase of their education, but preference is given to applicants with limited or no recent college experience – and only then when the applicant is not currently a full-time student. Applicants must demonstrate academic promise by having a reference submit a ReStart Reference as part of the online application. See instructions.

Applicants must earn a certificate, a two-year associate’s degree, or a bachelor’s degree and must enroll full time in the fall term of the application year at a public or private, accredited, Title IV eligible, non-profit California college. Note: Oregon Institute of Technology is an eligible institution for Siskiyou County residents if a tuition reciprocity agreement exists. Southern Oregon University is also an eligible institution if a recipient will transfer from College of the Siskiyous with at least 30 transferrable credits and if a tuition reciprocity agreement exists. 

Students with existing bachelor’s degrees are not eligible to be recipients of Ford Family Scholarships.

Graduate school funding may be an option for Ford ReStart Scholars who were awarded the scholarship as an undergraduate and who successfully completed their bachelor’s degree with at least a 3.6 cumulative grade point average (GPA) from their degree-granting institution. For further eligibility requirements, contact the Foundation Scholarship Office.

Below are additional selection criteria for the Ford ReStart Program. The applicant must demonstrate:

1. Financial need. Each applicant must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and not exceed the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) limit, as established by the Foundation. Scholarship offers may be rescinded if an applicant's FAFSA changes prior to fall term of the application year and he or she no longer meets the financial need criteria. The FAFSA should be filed early in January and must not have a rejected status at the time of the scholarship application review (mid-March).
2. A history of working responsibly on the job, or in the home by helping to raise a family.
3. A commitment to education as a way of improving one’s life and the lives of one’s family and community.
4. Evidence of taking initiative and/or leadership in making a positive change in the lives of others.
5. An ability to clearly communicate about personal strengths and goals.
6. An ability to present ideas clearly and concisely in both the essays and the required individual interview with the Foundation selection committee.  

Apply online for the Ford ReStart Program by visiting www.OregonStudentAid.gov/ford-siskiyou.aspx. The online application is available beginning in the fall of each year.

The Siskiyou County Scholarship Guide & Workbook is released in the fall of each year. Consult the OSAC website for application materials and additional information about financial aid and scholarships.

Don’t forget that in order to qualify for need-based scholarships, applicants must submit a FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1 and before March 1 to be certain it is available in time for the Ford Family scholarship application review. Submit online at www.fafsa.gov.

Your online application must be submitted by March 1. All eligible applications are reviewed and the most qualified applicants are invited to individual interviews in mid-May. Applicant interviews are conducted in Eugene, Oregon.

Please contact: 

The Ford Family Foundation Scholarship Office
440 East Broadway, Suite 200
Eugene, OR 97401
Toll free: (877) 864-2872
Local: (541) 485-6211
E-mail: fordscholarships@tfff.org 
Fax: (541) 485-6223