Student Eligibility for the Edwards Scholarship
Applicants must reside in the City of Boston from at least the start of their junior year in high school:
- The City includes many neighborhoods: Allston, Back Bay, Bay Village/South Cove, Beacon Hill, Brighton, Charlestown, Chinatown/Leather District, Dorchester, Downtown/Financial District, East Boston, Fenway/Kenmore, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Mission Hill, North End, Roslindale, Roxbury, South Boston, South End, West End, and West Roxbury.
- Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED prior to the start of their first semester in college. Students can apply to be first-time recipients while they are in high school or college. High school applicants receive priority.
- Applicants must have financial need.
- Colleges and universities attended must be regionally accredited and offer recognized degrees.
- Students can receive the Edwards Scholarship for four years of undergraduate education. The trustees can allow additional time when special circumstances merit an extension.
- Applicants must have a grade point average of 2.0 on a 4-point scale or the equivalent on another scale.
- The trustees reserve the right to withdraw a scholarship at any time if a student’s record or actions prove to be unworthy of a recipient.
Note: Relatives of Trustees, employees of the Fund, and major donors to the Fund cannot receive the Edwards Scholarship.
College Financial Aid Policies
Edwards Scholarships must benefit the students who receive them.
Colleges can meet unmet financial need. They can reduce loans and work in the financial aid package. They can fund expenses not usually included in the standard cost of education (example, study abroad costs). They cannot reduce existing scholarships and grants. If colleges cannot comply, they are expected to return all or any portion of the scholarship that does not directly benefit the student.