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Scholarship Program

Download 2009 Application: ( DOC )

The Portuguese Foundation's Scholarship Program was started in 1992 to assist students of Portuguese Ancestry in financial need who excelled in their academic studies. The Foundation believes that education is the most important element in achieving one's full potential in life.

This year marks the Foundation's 16th scholarship banquet and it is proud to award $4,000.00 in scholarships to four deserving students. The 2007 Scholarship Committee had the most difficult task of sorting through several impressive applications to choose this year's four recipients. The students come from all the major metropolitan areas of Connecticut. As usual, all applications submitted were stellar, making the selection process all the more difficult.

The Foundation continues to be committed to assisting students of Portuguese Ancestry on a statewide level. Including this year's recipients, a total of $166,500.00 has been given out to 83 worthy students: 49 from the Greater Hartford area, 11 from the Greater Waterbury area, 9 from the Greater Bridgeport area, 7 from the Greater Danbury area, 2 from the New Haven area, 4 from the Stonington area, and 1 each from the Wallingford and Stamford areas.

The Portuguese Foundation has its scholarship application form online at its website, http://www.pfict.org.. Along with the application, the student must submit a number of documents to insure a fair and unbiased evaluation is made:

• An essay describing financial need
• An essay detailing proof of Portuguese Ancestry and interest in the Portuguese Language and Culture
• Two letters of recommendation
• High school and/or College transcripts
• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), or a copy of most recent Federal Income Tax return for parents and student
• A Scholarship Aptitude Test (SAT) Report

The requirements of the scholarship program are as follows:

• Student must be of Portuguese Ancestry
• Be either a U.S. Citizen or a Permanent Resident
• Be a resident of the State of Connecticut
• Be applying for, or currently in College
• Be a full time student in an undergraduate degree conferring program or a part time student in a Master's or Doctorate Program
• Cannot have previously received more than four Foundation scholarships

The scholarship committee evaluates all of the submitted materials with emphasis given to financial need and student academic performance. Eighty percent (80%) of the total potential score is decided on an objective basis through the use of pre-established rating criteria approved by the Foundation's Board of Directors. The remaining twenty percent (20%) is scored on a more subjective basis. This is where a student's application is vital to the selection process. Often the determining factor or factors in awarding a scholarship is found in the dissection of the application. The Committee discusses these factors and a scholarship may be awarded on the basis of a student's overall academic excellence or on the student's acute financial needs.

Financial need is determined by income level. Transcript scores are based on grade point average. These two factors carry the greatest weight in the evaluation process. The SAT scores are given the second highest consideration. The items scored on a subjective basis are the essays, the preparation of the application form, and finally the two letters of recommendation.

Our mailing address is:
The Portuguese Foundation
P.O. Box 331441
West Hartford, CT 06133-1441

The Scholarship Committee: Jose P. Bravado "Zak", Manuel da Silva Goulart, and Gabriel R. Serrano.