Scholarships

Scholarships

Search and apply for over $1 million available in Central Piedmont scholarships with one simple online application. You can also apply for scholarships offered through our partner organizations. Plan before you apply.

Central Piedmont institutional scholarship funds are provided through the continued generosity of the Central Piedmont Foundation, individuals, industries, businesses, organizations, civic clubs, and other community partners. Scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis based on academic excellence, achievement, leadership qualities, need, and/or other criteria as stipulated by the donor.

We typically award scholarships to students who have financial need after aid from other sources are considered. Awards are usually restricted to tuition assistance and require you to maintain a minimum grade point average to keep receiving the scholarship. Each scholarship is awarded for one academic year, beginning with the fall semester.

Search and Apply for Central Piedmont Scholarships Listed in AcademicWorks

AcademicWorks is a portal where you apply for several Central Piedmont scholarships. Not all Central Piedmont scholarships are listed in AcademicWorks. Continue reading for details on how to apply for other scholarships not listed in the AcademicWorks portal.

Funds are limited — apply early. You must reapply each year.

  • Review the List of Central Piedmont Scholarships

    Find Central Piedmont scholarships listed in the AcademicWorks portal.

  • Get Your Student ID Number, Apply to Central Piedmont

    You must have a Central Piedmont student ID number to apply for scholarships in AcademicWorks. If you are a new student or do not have a student ID number, complete the steps to apply to Central Piedmont.

  • Complete the FAFSA

    The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) helps determine your financial need. If you have not done so already, complete the FAFSA. You need to complete the FAFSA each school year.

  • Submit the AcademicWorks Scholarship Application

    Complete the general scholarship application in AcademicWorks to be considered for opportunities that match your profile. You can also apply for other opportunities that have additional requirements.

    The questions about “my educational and career goals” and “how a scholarship will help you meet these goals" are considered the essay portion of the scholarship application. We recommend that you write your answer in a Microsoft Word document first, include information such as returning to school after working, changing careers, or if you have a degree, use the spell check tool, and check your answer for errors. If possible, let someone read your answers before submitting your application.

    Incomplete applications will not be accepted. AcademicWorks will let you know when you have successfully completed the general application. You can still edit your application after you have submitted it.

Review the List of Central Piedmont Scholarships

Not all Central Piedmont scholarships are listed in AcademicWorks. Continue reading for details on how to apply for other scholarships not listed in the AcademicWorks portal.

Find Central Piedmont scholarships
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Other Central Piedmont Scholarships

  • Academic Related Courses (ACA) Scholarship

    Central Piedmont's ACA department invites students enrolled in ACA 090, 111, 118, or 122 to enter the ACA Scholarship Contest. Seven winners will be chosen in the fall and spring semesters, to receive scholarship awards of $600 each. For more information, please contact ACA, English, and Humanities at 704.330.6506.

    Eligibility Requirements

    1. enrolled in ACA 090, 111, 118, or 122 during the semester you apply
    2. not a previous ACA scholarship recipient
    3. in good academic standing with the college (GPA of 2.0 or higher)
    4. maintain a passing grade in your ACA 090, 111, 118, or 122 class
    5. high school graduate or have a GED (official high school/GED transcript must be on file with Central Piedmont on or before the essay submission deadline)
    6. currently enrolled at Central Piedmont (to receive the funds)
    7. in good financial standing with the college; cannot owe a financial balance to the college

    Application

    Deadlines

    • Fall: November 1
    • Spring: April 15

    Submit the ACA Scholarship application

    Judging Criteria

    Winners will be chosen by a team of Central Piedmont instructors and administrators.

    • Topic and theme:

      • Was the topic addressed/subject matter matches required topic?
      • Was the theme carried throughout the essay?
    • Content:
      • Was subject is discussed clearly and in an interesting manner?
      • Was the question “What Makes a Successful Community College Student?” answered successfully and thoroughly?
      • Was the information presented organized and clearly structured?
    • Quality of writing:
      • Was correct grammar, punctuation and spelling used?
      • Did the information flow easily from one thought to another?
      • Does the essay show original thought and presentation?
    • Additional scoring criteria:
      • Were references used to support position?
      • Does the essay show evidence of personal learning in the classroom and applications to real life situations?

    Spring 2020 Winners

    Meet the spring 2020 ACA Scholarship winners.

  • ANSWER Scholarship

    The goal of the ANSWER Scholarship is to send moms to college: to help women raising school-age children fulfill their dream of earning a college degree, while creating the desire, expectation, and priority of a college education for their children to follow in their footsteps.

  • Bridge to Career SECU Scholarship Program (Phlebotomy, Truck Driving/CDL, and Welding Students

    Launch your career in a high-demand field. The NC State Employees Credit Union (SECU) Bridge to Career scholarship offers $500 scholarships for eligible students enrolling in short-term, career-focused training in phlebotomy, truck driving (CDL), and welding.

    Eligibility

    • U.S. citizen and NC resident
    • At least 18 years old
    • Not a director, employee, or family member of an employee of SECU or the SECU foundation
    • Be one of the following:
      • unemployed or underemployed
      • member of the NC National Guard
      • military veteran or spouse of a veteran
      • underserved population in a specific workforce or area
    • Enroll in one of the following Central Piedmont continuing education courses:

    You may apply for both this scholarship and an Accelerated Career Training program scholarship, but you may only receive one of either (not both).

    Apply

    1. Submit the SECU Bridge to Career scholarship application
    2. Contact an education navigator for your next steps:
      1. Eric Hill: eric.hill@cpcc.edu, 704.330.2722, ext. 3077
      2. Chasity Gardner: chasity.gardner@cpcc.edu, 704.330.2722, ext. 3139
    3. Register for the phlebotomy, truck driving, or welding course with continuing education. Registration for spring 2021 opens 8 a.m., Friday, October 30.

    You can also contact an education navigator for a paper version of the scholarship application.

    A selection committee will review all applications and select recipients. If you receive a scholarship, you must consent to the release of your name and image for publication by the NC Community College System office, Central Piedmont and its foundation, and SECU and its foundation. As a recipient, you also consent to give a testimonial when you complete your program for use by the aforementioned organizations. If you do not want to consent to this due to an extenuating circumstance or situation related to your safety, you may be issued a waiver. You may also request that your story be shared anonymously.

  • Career Training/Continuing Education Scholarship Programs

  • Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship

  • High School Student Scholarship Opportunities

  • Metallica Scholars Initiative (Scholarship)

    In late 2018, as part of a new workforce education initiative, rock band Metallica’s All Within My Hands (AWMH) Foundation awarded Central Piedmont a $100,000 grant to support career and technical education programs. The scholarship program provides direct support for students enrolled in one of four healthcare career programs, who need financial assistance to complete their studies and become licensed healthcare professionals. 

    Learn more about the Metallica Scholarship.

  • NC Assist Summer Funds for College

    NC Assist gives away $5,000 in its "$5,000 Summer Funds for College” program. Any student or parents of students who will be attending Central Piedmont in the fall of 2019 or spring of 2020 are eligible to enter.

    Visit the NC Assist Facebook page and share the NC Assist Summer Funds for College giveaway Facebook post with your students and families. 

    The contest is open until midnight on Wednesday, July 31, 2020. Visit ncassist.org to view the giveaway rules and to enter. 

  • O'Berry Center Scholarship (For Working with People with Disabilities)

    Award amount: $1,000 (can be renewed for up to 4 years)

    Eligibility

    • Currently enrolled student
    • At least a 2.8 high school cumulative GPA, or at least a cumulative 2.5 GPA at the college
    • Enrolled in an eligible program with the intent to work with persons with developmental disabilities
    • Demonstrated evidence of volunteer (or paid) experience working with persons with developmental disabilities, or evidence of involvement in research related to persons with developmental disabilities
    • Have a financial hardship
    Examples of Eligible Programs
    Criteria for Renewing Scholarship
    • Continue to meet eligibility requirements
    • Continue to show your intent to work with people with developmental disabilities through either work or volunteer experiences.

    You must reapply each year; you are not guaranteed to get the scholarship each year that you apply.

    Apply

    Review and submit the O'Berry Center Foundation scholarship application (PDF).

  • State Employees Credit Union Scholarship

    The SECU Foundation established this two-year scholarship program to assist North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) students in achieving academic success.

    Central Piedmont receives two scholarships each year, each valuing up to $5,000. These scholarships are distributed in two payments twice a year for a maximum of four consecutive semesters:

    • fall semester: $1,250 per student
    • spring semester: $1,250 per student

    To apply, review the eligibility criteria and submit the following documents to the Central Piedmont Financial Aid. The application has closed for the 2020-2021 academic year.

    • State Employees Credit Union Scholarship application, media consent form, and student biography guidelines
    • photo

  • Theresa Thompson Library Scholarship

    The Theresa Thompson Library Scholarship was established to provide financial assistance for currently enrolled students pursuing a two-year degree at Central Piedmont. The scholarship is restricted to books and/or tuition assistance. This scholarship award is made possible through library fundraising projects.

    • Two $500 scholarships are awarded in the fall and spring semester.
    • Scholarships are awarded for one academic semester only. Awards cannot be renewed or transferred to a different semester.
    • If awarded a scholarship, the full scholarship award will be deposited directly into your Central Piedmont account once your enrollment in 12 or credit hours more for the awarding semester is verified.

    Deadlines

    Friday, November 13, 2020

      Eligibility Requirements

      • not have previously received a Theresa Thompson Library Scholarship
      • not a library employee, including work-study student
      • full-time student (currently enrolled in 12 credit hours or more) in an approved program leading to a two-year degree
      • completed at least one full-time semester at Central Piedmont
      • cumulative 2.5 GPA or higher

      To Apply

      You can complete both the scholarship application and the recommendation forms electronically, but they must be printed and signed in order to be considered complete. Make sure you have the latest version of Adobe Reader (Adobe Reader 8 or later) if you plan on filling out the application electronically.

      Use the scholarship checklist to verify that you have completed all necessary application steps. Then, submit your completed application and all supporting documents in a sealed envelope one of the following ways:

      1. Scan and email to library.scholarship@cpcc.edu.
      2. Submit in person to any Central Piedmont campus library.
      3. Mail to:

      Theresa Thompson Library Scholarship Committee
      Library Administration – Library Building 326
      PO Box 35009
      Charlotte, NC 28235-5009

      Recipient Selection

      • All applications and supporting documents are reviewed and verified by the library scholarship committee.
      • Recommendations for award will be based on how well applicants met eligibility criteria, written essay, and letter of recommendation.
      • The decision will be made by the committee and is final.

    • Wells Fargo Scholarship

      The Wells Fargo Scholarship is distributed among the 58 colleges in the community college system. One scholarship, valued at $500, will be awarded per college and may be distributed in two payments:

      • fall semester: $250
      • spring semester: $250

      Recipients of the Wells Fargo scholarship will be selected each year from applicants at local colleges meeting the following criteria:

      • full-time student enrolled in the second year of a two-year educational/technical program
      • demonstrated financial need
      • demonstrated scholastic promise
      • scholarship must be used to pay for tuition, books, and/or transportation

      We are not currently accepting applications for this scholarship.

    Community/External Scholarships

    The following list is intended to help you find potential additional funding opportunities, but Central Piedmont does not manage nor award these opportunities. Requirements will vary by scholarship. Visit each scholarship's website for award amounts, eligibility requirements, application deadlines, and other details before you apply; direct questions about the scholarship to the organization directly. Never pay to apply or search for a scholarship, including paying any kind of fees. Also avoid “guaranteed” scholarships or scholarships that promise to give you an award or prize without you having to apply. Before applying, review the scholarship or search site’s privacy policies to make sure you know how they use and share your personal information. If you have any concerns about any external scholarship or search site, please let the Office of Financial Aid know.

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