Chief Manuelito Scholarship – Grants and scholarships can be considered as the Holy Grail for education. As you know, getting one means that you gets additional money to fund your education, and unlike loan, you are free from the obligation to repay it.
Besides the commonly known scholarship and grant opportunities such as Pell Grant, there are actually other opportunities, available for a small group of people. One of the best instances of this is the Chief Manuelito Scholarship program, administered by the Office of Navajo Nation Scholarship and Financial Assistance (ONNSFA).
This excellent program was started more than 35 years ago, available for Navajo bright high school graduates. Undergraduate students are also eligible, with certain criteria. The scholarship is available annually, and those who have received the award may apply again the following year.
The scholarship represents the great goal of Chief Manuelito, one of the great leaders of the Navajo people more than 150 years ago. It is hoped that through this scholarship the Navajo people will be able to go through college education and become the pillars of the society.
Chief Manuelito Scholarship Requirements
Qualification for High School Students
The scholarship qualification is based on two scores, which are the GPA and the ACT score. For your information, students who only have SAT scores will have their scores converted to ACT score. In all cases, students whose GPA score is less than 3.0 OR the ACT score is less than 21 is automatically becomes ineligible for the scholarship opportunities.
Moreover, the association puts an interesting chart that is used to determine the applicant’s eligibility that combines the score of GPA and ACT. Those who are eligible must have either:
- GPA Score of 3.0 and ACT Score of 29+
- GPA Score of 3.1 and ACT Score of 28+
- GPA Score of 3.2 and ACT Score of 27+
- And so on (with the maximum GPA score of 3.9 and minimum ACT score of 21+)
In addition to that, the student has to complete the Navajo Government and also Navajo Language courses before they graduate.
Qualification for Undergraduate Students
Meanwhile, undergraduate students who are planning to apply should apply as full-time students. In addition to that, that student must have completed at least 24 credit hours and at least have a cumulative GPA score of 3.0.
To apply for the scholarship, the student should contact their school/college’s financial aid office. They should have good information on how to apply for the Chief Manuelito Scholarship.
PRO TIPS: There are several things you may want to consider when you are searching for a scholarship to pay for your undergraduate degree. First is that they all base their judgment on your high school GPA, so work hard to keep it on a good level. The same thing goes for undergraduate students looking for scholarship. We strongly advise that you focus on your study during the first and second semester because many scholarship programs consider the GPA you obtained during those times as their consideration.
Last but not least, you should still look for other scholarship and grant opportunities besides the Chief Manuelito scholarship program. Believe me, there are many opportunities out there that can help you get your undergraduate degree for a much affordable price!
References:
- 83 students earn Chief Manuelito scholarships – http://navajotimes.com/education/2012/0812/080212man.php
- Image: onnsfa.org
