CGCC Scholarships

If you applied for a Foundation Scholarship between April and May, award emails will be sent out in early June.

The application process for Full Year 2026-27 is now closed, but there will be another round open in October for Winter and Spring terms.

The Foundation is pleased to offer CGCC student scholarships that cover tuition, books, and/or fees. CGCC Foundation's mission is to support students by ensuring the college is a vital, accessible, premier educational resource in the Columbia Gorge. The CGCC Foundation board thanks its generous donors who make these scholarship awards possible.

This information is regarding the Columbia Gorge Community College Foundation scholarships. Scholarship preference will be given to local residents of Oregon and Washington. Scholarship applicants must submit information using this form to be considered. The application becomes the property of CGCC Foundation after submission and is treated as confidential information. Scholarship recipients will be asked to provide two hours of volunteer service per academic year to benefit CGCC Foundation and/or the college. Scholarship recipients are required to submit an acceptance form and thank-you note to CGCC Foundation. 

The following criteria will be used to determine eligibility: academic skills that show strong aptitude in the student's field of study; financial need and resources; general motivation and desire; community involvement, including past/present employment, volunteer services, and extracurricular activities; timeliness and completeness of the application, including submission of academic transcripts. 

All students awarded a foundation scholarship must enroll in a minimum of six credits per term and maintain satisfactory academic progress according to CGCC's Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy. See https://www.cgcc.edu/financial-aid/receiving-financial-aid. 

Late and incomplete applications will not be considered. 

Online applications and academic transcripts must be submitted by 5 p.m. on the due date. Applicants must submit their academic transcripts through the application software AwardSpring.

The CGCC Foundation recommends that applicants type responses to the essay questions in a Word or Google document and copy/paste them in the online application to ensure that work is saved.

Please contact foundation@cgcc.edu if you have any questions or assistance filling out the CGCC Foundation scholarship applications. Thank you!

CGCC Foundation Scholarship Application Resources

• Tips for Writing an Essay PDF
• Interview Tips PDF
• Tips for Writing a Thank You Letter PDF

Gorge Scholars is a tuition waiver program designed to support eligible high school graduates, home school completers, and military veterans. Preference will be given to applicants who completed their high school-level education within CGCC's service area, which Gilliam, Hood River, Sherman, Wheeler, and Wasco counties, Oregon, and Klickitat and Skamania counties, Washington.

For more information and to apply, see the Gorge Scholars page.

Outside & Third-Party Scholarships

Congratulations on securing an outside scholarship! Scholarships from local businesses, community foundations, high schools, and civic organizations are a great way to help fund your education.

Because outside scholarships can affect your overall financial aid package, our Financial Aid and Business Offices have established the following guidelines to ensure your funds are processed efficiently and in compliance with federal regulations.

Report Your Scholarship

Federal regulations require that all outside assistance be factored into your total financial aid package. If you have been awarded an outside scholarship, you must notify the Financial Aid Office immediately. If your total aid exceeds your financial need or your federal Cost of Attendance (COA), we may need to adjust other parts of your financial aid package. Whenever we have a choice, we reduce student loans or work-study before adjusting any grant aid. The one exception is described under the Pell Grant question below.

How We Process Third-Party Scholarships

If a donor sends a scholarship check without specific, written restrictions, the college will apply the funds according to our standard administrative policy:

Distribution of Funds:

• Awards of $2,000 or less: The entire amount will be applied to the student's account for the current (or upcoming) term in which the funds are received.
• Awards over $2,000: The total amount will be split evenly across the remaining terms of the current academic year to ensure the student has sustained financial support. CGCC’s academic year has four terms: summer, fall, winter, and spring. Because most scholarships arrive before fall term begins, an award will usually be split across fall, winter, and spring; summer is included only when funds arrive before summer term begins. Funds received after spring term begins are applied to spring unless the donor asks in writing that they be held for the following academic year.

Applying Funds to Educational Costs:

Unless the donor specifically dictates in writing that the funds are restricted to "tuition and fees only," the college assumes the scholarship is intended to support the student's overall federal Cost of Attendance (which includes tuition, fees, books, housing, food, and transportation).

Credit Balances and Refunds to Students:

Scholarship funds are applied directly to the student’s account to cover any outstanding institutional charges for the term (such as tuition and course fees).

If the portion of the scholarship applied to the term exceeds the total amount the student owes the college for that term, it creates a "credit balance" on the student's account. Unless the donor has explicitly provided written instructions prohibiting cash refunds, this excess amount will be refunded to the student.

• How it is issued: The refund will be issued via the college's standard student refund process (e.g., direct deposit or a paper check mailed to the student's address on file).
• When it is issued: Refunds of outside scholarship funds are typically processed after the term's add/drop period once the student's enrollment level is verified. Where federal (Title IV) aid contributes to a credit balance, that portion is refunded within 14 days as federal rules require.
• Purpose of the refund: This refund allows the student to use the remaining donor funds to pay for other legitimate indirect educational expenses included in their Cost of Attendance, such as textbooks, off-campus rent, transportation, and groceries. 

Tax Reporting:

Scholarship amounts used for tuition, required fees, and required books and supplies are generally not taxable. Amounts used for other expenses, such as housing, food, or transportation, may be taxable income to the student. The full amount of any outside scholarship posted to your account is reported in Box 5 of your IRS Form 1098-T. The college cannot provide tax advice; see IRS Publication 970 or consult a tax professional.

Return of Unused Funds:

The college will return unspent scholarship funds directly to the donor organization if:

• The student fails to enroll or completely withdraws from their classes.
• The student graduates before the full award is disbursed.
• The student's total financial aid exceeds their maximum allowable Cost of Attendance, and the excess funds cannot be legally disbursed to the student.

Modifying Standard Assumptions:

If a donor wishes to modify any of the college's standard processing assumptions (such as overriding the $2,000 split, prohibiting refunds to the student, or adding specific usage restrictions), please include those terms with the original donation or contact the Financial Aid Office so we can ensure your philanthropic goals are met. Any changes must be in writing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if my check is made out to both me and the college?

If a donor makes a check co-payable to you and Columbia Gorge Community College, you must endorse (sign) the back of the check before bringing or mailing it to the Business Office. If you do not endorse it, we cannot apply it to your account.

Will my outside scholarship affect my Pell Grant?

For most students, no, but it depends on the size of your total awards. If your outside scholarship covers only a portion of your educational costs, it will not reduce your Pell Grant. However, under federal law effective with the 2026–2027 award year, if your combined non-federal grant and scholarship aid (state grants, institutional scholarships, and outside scholarships) equals or exceeds your total official Cost of Attendance (COA), you are not eligible for a federal Pell Grant for that award year. This is a federal eligibility rule, not a college decision, and it cannot be avoided by adjusting your other aid.

If your total aid exceeds your financial need but stays below your COA, we will reduce your subsidized student loans or federal work-study before adjusting any grant aid.

I only plan to attend for one term. Can my $3,000 scholarship be applied all at once?

Yes. If you are graduating or only enrolling for a single term, please contact the Financial Aid Office. We can apply the full amount to a single term, provided it does not exceed your Cost of Attendance for that term.

Information for Scholarship Donors: How to Send Funds

To avoid processing delays, we ask that donors send scholarship funds directly to the college rather than to the student. Funds should arrive at least two weeks before the start of the term in which they are to be applied. Checks are typically posted to the student’s account within five business days of receipt.

Make checks payable to: Columbia Gorge Community College

Mail to:

Columbia Gorge Community College

Attn: Business Office / Student Accounts

400 East Scenic Drive

The Dalles, OR  97058

Electronic payments: To send funds by ACH or wire transfer, contact the Business Office for instructions.

Along with the check, donors should include a letter or memo with the following:

• The student’s full legal name and Student ID number. Please do not include the student’s date of birth or Social Security number. If you do not have the Student ID number, contact the Business Office.
• The term(s) the funds should be applied to.
• Any specific restrictions (e.g., "Tuition and fees only" or "Requires full-time enrollment").
• Donor contact information (Name, phone number, and mailing address) in case funds need to be returned.

Information We Can Share with Donors:

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) limits what the college may disclose about a student. We can confirm that we have received your check. Without the student’s written consent, we cannot release grades, GPA, enrollment level (full- or part-time), or student account information. Donors who require this information as a condition of the award should obtain a signed release from the student.

Contact Us:

• For questions regarding how outside scholarships affect your financial aid package or to modify scholarship terms, contact the Financial Aid Office.
• For questions regarding the mailing, processing, or refunding of scholarship funds, contact the Business Office.