Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon Portland Community College

Annual scholarship

What is a scholarship?

  • Scholarships are money that a student gets from a college or organization.
  • Scholarships are used to help pay for a student’s education.

What is the difference between a scholarship and a student loan?

  • A student loan is money that a student borrows to help pay for classes.
  • The student must pay back the money later.
  • When a student receives a scholarship, they do NOT pay any money back.

What is the ESOL Annual Scholarship?

  • The ESOL Annual Scholarship is only for students in the ESOL program at PCC.
  • It provides money to help pay for ESOL credit classes at PCC.

Which students can apply for the ESOL Annual Scholarship?

  • Students must have started the ESOL program at PCC in level 1-3.
  • They must be currently enrolled in levels 4-7.
  • They must have a C+ grade or higher in their ESOL classes.

How can I apply for this scholarship?

You’ll need to:

  • Complete the online scholarship application. (You will need your PCC user name and password)
  • Provide contact information (the names and email addresses) of two of your ESOL teachers who can write letters of recommendation for you.
  • Write three essays on three given topics.

Can you tell me more about the essays?

  • They must be no be more than 1.5 pages long, double spaced (this is about 350 words). But they can be shorter.
  • The three essay topics are:
    • Essay 1: What is your career goal and educational plan to meet this goal? What inspired you to choose this field of study and career?
    • Essay 2: Describe a significant challenge or change that has occurred in your life in the last ten years. How did you respond and what did you learn about yourself?
    • Essay 3: Describe something about yourself that you haven’t addressed already in your essays. Why is this important to you?

Can I get help with my essays?

  • One of the ESOL teachers may be available to mentor you. They will be able to help with the application process. This includes coaching you on your essays.
  • You can also get help with your essays at the Tutoring Center or Writing Center on your campus.
  • See a sample student essay

If you would like to apply for the ESOL Annual Scholarship:

  • Please email the contact person on your campus if you are interested.

Scholarship contacts