Frequently Asked Questions About Scholarships

Need-Based Scholarship Questions

For Student Opportunity Fund questions, please contact the Customer Service and Student Opportunity Fund Manager at 888-837-5205, ext. 2425 or via email at jsinor@outwardbound.org.

For questions regarding scholarship partnerships or the Pinnacle Scholarship Program, please contact the Pinnacle Program Coordinator at 888-837-5204, ext. 2390 or via email at pinnacle@outwardbound.org.

Questions regarding any course run by our North Carolina School (course numbers beginning with N, X, or Y) can be sent directly to the school at 800-878-5258, via email at info@ncobs.org, or on the web at www.ncobs.org.

For all other scholarship questions, please contact the Scholarship Administrator at 888-837-5204, ext 2433 or via email at scholarships@outwardbound.org.

Who do I contact if I have additional scholarship questions or if need assistance in filling out the application?
For Student Opportunity Fund questions, please contact the Senior Scholarship Awards Coordinator at 888-837-5204, ext. 2433 or via email at scholarships@outwardbound.org.

Which scholarship programs are open to the general public?
The Student Opportunity Fund is our only need-based scholarship open to the general public. This program provides partial tuition support to students based on financial need. The Outward Bound Leadership Scholarship and the Marmot Leadership Scholarship are our merit-based offerings open to the general public.

Can I apply for the Pinnacle Scholarship?
The Pinnacle Scholarship Program works exclusively with youth from partnering community-based organizations. This scholarship program is not open to the general public.

Student Opportunity Fund Questions

What does a scholarship cover? How much of the course cost will the scholarship cover? Is there a scholarship that covers all the costs?
Scholarships are applied to tuition only and typically do not exceed 50% of course tuition. If you qualify, the average award is 20-30% of course tuition. Students are responsible for covering fees, travel expenses, clothing costs, and other costs incurred. We are unable to cover fees or outside expenses through our Student Opportunity Fund.

Is there a deadline for applying for a scholarship?
There is no set deadline for scholarships through the Student Opportunity Fund; however, scholarships are awarded on a first come, first served basis. We review applications as soon as the course schedule is available and accept applications until we have depleted all available funding.

How much scholarship assistance can I receive?
The maximum award is typically 50% of course tuition. If you qualify, the average award is 20-30% of course tuition. The size of the scholarship award is based on financial factors as well as the course that you are attending. Each candidate must submit a complete scholarship application for review. It is not possible to "predict" the amount of the scholarship award without viewing the required financial documents.

Can adults apply for a scholarship?
Yes. Adults can apply for scholarship, but the typical award usually does not exceed 30% of course tuition. For reference, the majority of our funding is designated for youth.

Are there financial restrictions as to who can apply for a scholarship?
Anyone is welcome to apply for a scholarship, however, please consider the following guidelines before submitting an application. We typically do not award scholarships to families with an Adjusted Gross Income over $70,000. If your Income per Household Member (Adjusted Gross Income divided by Number of Household Members) is more than $20,000, you likely will not qualify for scholarship assistance with Outward Bound. We understand that personal circumstances and choices may affect your financial situation, so please feel free to submit an application, keeping in mind the above guidelines.

Will my scholarship transfer if I transfer courses?
No. Your application will need to be re-submitted to the Scholarship Committee for review if you switch courses.

Are there any courses not eligible for scholarship?
We do not offer scholarships on the Maine to Bermuda Schooner and Maine to Nova Scotia Schooner Sailing courses. We also do not offer scholarships on the University of Chicago courses. Some courses and course areas have less funding available, so scholarship amounts may vary on these courses.

Can I apply for a scholarship on a course with a waitlist?
No. We do not accept scholarship applications from students on the waitlist.

Can I apply for a scholarship after I have paid the balance?
No. Scholarship applicants should indicate that they are applying for scholarship at the time of enrollment.

What is the timeline for applying for a scholarship? Do I have to choose a course before I apply for a scholarship? When and how will I hear back about my scholarship?
Your Scholarship Application and supporting documents will be due with the rest of your Outward Bound Application Packet. You will receive this information after you enroll on a course. Your Scholarship Application is reviewed for the course that you are enrolled on. After we receive your Scholarship Application and supporting documents, your application will be submitted to the Scholarship Committee. Review of your application can take up to a week but normally takes 2-3 business days. We will then notify you of the award amount, if any, via email (using the email address on file) and you will have 3 business days to accept or decline the offer.

If I accept a scholarship offer, when is the balance of my tuition due?
If you accept your scholarship more than 60 days from course start, a $400 tuition deposit is due immediately and the balance is due 60 days from course start. If you accept your scholarship offer within 60 days of course start, your balance is due at that time.

If I am under 21, but self-supporting, do I still need to provide my parents'financial information and obtain their signatures?
Yes, you are required by law to do so. If you are under 21 and self-supporting we still need this information but encourage you to explain in the explanation of financial need what your financial circumstances are and the fact that your parents do not support you. Please note, if your parents are paying for your college tuition, we assume that they are supporting you.

Who would be put under "Amount of Aid from Other Sources"?
Aunty Betty, other family, friends, school, religious organization, etc.

What is the Federal Tax Return(s) (1040 Tax Form and associated Schedules and Forms)?
This is the document that the federal government requires to record regarding your income and taxes. Please click here for an example. If you are submitting a tax form that does not represent your current financial situation, we ask that you explain any differences in the Explanation of Financial Need section of the Scholarship Application.

What if I don't file taxes?
Explain why you do not file taxes in the Explanation of Financial Need and attach appropriate documentation.

What if I am in foster care or a ward of the state?
If the applicant is a ward of the state or in foster care, please submit verification/documentation. Please include how much funding the child receives from the state and if there are additional funding sources available to put towards the course. We typically do not require information on foster parents unless they provide additional support for the child.

Are scholarships available to international students?
Yes. We do accept applications from international students. We ask that you list all financial information in US dollars on the application. We also ask that you explain financial situations in your country that may be different from the US. The more information we have regarding your financial situation, the better we are able to assess your application.

Merit-Based Scholarship Questions

Can I apply for a Leadership Award?
Leadership Awards are awarded through partnering high schools. This scholarship program is not open to the general public.

Are there merit-based scholarships available to students that are not with a partnering organization?
We have two merit-based scholarships available each year. Please see the information on the Outward Bound and Marmot Leadership Scholarships.

Why do I have to fill out the financial information section and send in my tax forms for the Outward Bound Leadership Scholarship?
We ask for this information in case you do not receive the Outward Bound Leadership Scholarship and want to be considered for one of our need based scholarships instead.