Scholarships FAQ

Thanks to the generosity of our community, The Denver Foundation stewards more than 70 different scholarship funds created by individuals, families, and businesses, with approximately 30 competitive, application-based opportunities. These include scholarships for high school, college, and graduate students pursuing a variety of fields. Scholarship opportunities can consider merit, financial need, student interests, or background. To find a scholarship for you, review our competitive scholarships listed on the scholarship opportunities page, and then take the required steps to apply.

Yes, we are a separate and different organization from the Denver Scholarship Foundation. We encourage you to apply for scholarships at both organizations.

A universal application is a system that allows individuals to submit a single application to multiple scholarship opportunities. To begin, students will need to complete a one-time series of questions. Responses to those questions will be compared to the eligibility criteria for each scholarship within the universal application. Finally, students will be presented with a list of all scholarship opportunities they are eligible for and asked to provide additional information for each scholarship (this often includes, but is not limited to, essay prompts, letters of recommendation, and details about your community engagement).

We accepted applications for the 2026-2027 academic year through TDF Scholarship Manager from December 15, 2025, through February 27, 2026. Check back in December for the next scholarship cycle. Many of the application questions are included on our website. The earlier you start your application, the better! 

Yes! We have a universal application that will match you with scholarship opportunities that you are eligible for. There are a handful of scholarships not included in the universal application, and we encourage you to also take a look at those and consider submitting an application if you are eligible.

   *Scholarship opportunities available only within the universal application will be noted on the Scholarship Opportunities page with a “(UA)” in the title.

It will vary based on the opportunity, but these are the most common materials we request. 

• Transcripts – Unofficial transcripts are accepted. Please upload your most recent transcript to the portal 
• Letters of Recommendation – Ask your recommender in advance of the deadline to complete the form for you. Only enter one email per prompt. Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure that your recommender submits their responses by the application deadline. Letters of recommendation should not come from family or friends, but should still capture who you are as a person. 
• FAFSA/CAFSA Information – you will be asked to share your student aid index, which can be found on your student aid report. You are not required to complete the FAFSA in order to apply for our scholarships. We do ask other questions to gain a sense of your financial situation. 
• Essays – essays should be thorough, clear, concise, and answer the prompt. The prompts will vary based on the opportunities you are eligible for and can be viewed on the Scholarship Opportunities page under the How to Apply section.  
• Activities/Community Engagement – For some scholarships, you may be asked to share brief listings and descriptions of your leadership and extracurricular activities. Please ensure to follow the template. 

Please insert your top choice or best guest on the application. If you have been selected to receive a scholarship, you will have another opportunity to confirm which school we will send the check to.

Eligibility requirements vary by scholarship. Opportunities can be based on merit, financial need, or student interests and background. Take a look at the eligibility for each scholarship opportunity and confirm that you check all the boxes. Our universal application will match you with the opportunities you are eligible for.

Absolutely! You can browse our full list of scholarship opportunities here, or email us with information about your educational goals, including your current year in school, the school you attend or plan to attend, and what you plan to study, and we’ll help you determine whether one of our scholarship funds may be a good fit. 

Be sure to answer the prompts thoroughly and to include all necessary attachments and information. We encourage you to proofread your essay responses and have someone else proofread them as well. Consider what you will be scored on and try to cater your responses and materials to those scoring categories.

It depends on the scholarship. On the specific scholarship webpage, you will see a header titled “Selection” that will tell you what you will be scored on. Potential scoring categories include, but are not limited to: Academic performance, extracurricular activities and leadership roles, reference(s), scholastic potential, essay responses, financial need, resilience and persistence, commitment to the field/passion for the work, and vision for the future.

If you are a student, graduate, and/or community member who does not plan on applying for our scholarships, please complete this form to express your interest in serving as a scholarship reviewer, and our team will contact you between December and May, depending on when we receive your form. 

You will be notified of your application status in May or June.

No, it is against our practices to pay scholarships directly to students. We will send your award directly to your financial aid office after you submit your follow-up form.

It depends on the scholarship opportunity. Please contact the relationship manager assigned to your awarded scholarship. You can find their contact information on the specific scholarship’s webpage.

Scholarships are usually not taxable. However, any portions of scholarships used for room and board, travel, or miscellaneous expenses can be taxable. The Denver Foundation does not provide legal or tax advice. We advise that you seek your own legal, tax, or other professional advice in connection with gift and planning matters. Communication from The Denver Foundation, including any attachments, is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding tax-related penalties imposed under the Internal Revenue Code.

It depends on the scholarship. You can learn whether a scholarship is renewable or not by looking at the specific scholarship webpage under the “Additional Information” section to determine if it is renewable. If you are still uncertain, please contact our team.

We start disbursing payments in late July and wrap up in September. Payment processing takes 2-3 weeks, and your campus also has a processing period. The sooner you complete your follow-up form, the better, to avoid delaying payment disbursement.

Please connect with the relationship manager for your awarded scholarship fund. It depends on the circumstance and opportunity. Our scholarships are awarded for the upcoming academic year. If you receive a notification in May or June that you’re a recipient, the scholarship can only be applied to the next summer term, not the current one.