What You Need to Know
- Students must complete and submit their FAFSA prior to the scholarship deadline.
- In addition to traditional Founders Scholarships that can be used at any school, I Know I Can offers institution-specific Founders Scholarships through partnerships with select Ohio colleges and universities. These awards require recipients to stay enrolled at the awarding institution, and students can indicate interest on the Founders Scholarship application.
- Students may renew the scholarship for up to four years (two years at a two-year college).
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To maintain the scholarship each year, students must submit required renewal forms and documentation, provide updates each semester, and attend at least two Founders’ Luncheons annually.
Eligibility Requirements
High school students must have a minimum 3.5 GPA.
Renewing college students must have a minimum 2.5 GPA.
Applicants must have completed the CCS College Preparatory Curriculum.
Applicants must be enrolled or planning to enroll in at least 12 credit hours per semester..
Additionally, applicants must have had continuous enrollment in the CCS district during their senior year.
Applicants must graduate from a CCS high school in 2026.
Applicants must demonstrate financial need for college via their FAFSA Submission Summary.
Supporting Documents Needed
CLICK HERE TO OPEN A STEP-BY-STEP DOCUMENT ON HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS.
PDF of your 2026-27 FAFSA Submission Summary.
PDF of your unofficial High school Transcript (first time applicants).
Two essays responding to application writing prompts.
two recommendation letters from a staff member at your high school and an adult non-family member.
Steps to Apply
1
Create an Account In Our Portal
Click here to create a new account in our application portal. You’ll need your CCS High School Student ID and a personal email address.
If you have previously applied for I Know I Can funding or are renewing your scholarship, you should already have an account. If you don’t remember your password, click “Forgot your password” to reset it.
2
Complete General Funding Application
After creating your account, you’ll complete a brief general funding application to determine your eligibility for the Founders Scholarship. If you’re eligible, you’ll then be prompted to complete the specific Founders Scholarship application and upload your supporting documents in the next step.
3
Upload Supporting Documents
In the portal, upload:
- A PDF of your 2026-27 FAFSA Submission Summary
- A PDF of your unofficial high school transcript (first-time applicants) or your unofficial college transcript (renewal applications).
- PDFs of your two personal essays.
- Two emails for people you’d like to write your two recommendation letters.
4
Check Your Email
You’ll receive an email notifying you whether you’ve been declined or invited to move forward in the application process.
Please note: If you applied for both a traditional and institution-specific Founders Scholarship and receive a decline email from I Know I Can, you may still be considered for an institution-specific award.
5
In-Person Interview
If selected to continue, you’ll participate in a 15-minute in-person interview. Our Funding Team will reach out to you to schedule your interview.