COF Undergrad Scholarships

To be eligible to receive a scholarship award ALL students must:

• Maintain enrollment during Fall, Winter, and Spring terms. Some CoF scholarships do not require full-time (12+ credits) enrollment but all require at least 6+ OSU credits without an approved petition.
• The College of Forestry must be on record as your primary college (students with a double degree do not need the CoF as their primary college).
• Make reasonable and continued progress toward your declared College of Forestry major while receiving a scholarship.
• If dual enrolled in the Degree Partnership Program, at least 6 of the minimum 12 required per term credits must be at OSU. You must provide proof of your community college registration for each term you are dual enrolled.
• Maintain high academic standards (at least a 2.5 OSU Accumulative GPA for continuing students; minimum GPA expectations are similar for first-year students and transfer students).

2025–26 College of Forestry Scholarships Awarded

Scholarship awards for the 2025–26 academic year have been distributed to both new and continuing students enrolled in the College of Forestry. Students who were not selected in the initial round remain under consideration for potential late awards, which may be granted based on the availability of additional funding.

2026-2027 Scholarship Application Dates and Deadlines

November 1, 2025
The Oregon State University scholarship search and application system, ScholarDollars, opens. Students are encouraged to log in with ONID credentials to complete the OSU general scholarship application and College of Forestry scholarship application.

February 15, 2026
This is the deadline to apply for general OSU scholarships in ScholarDollars.

March 1, 2026
The College of Forestry online scholarship application process closes for incoming first-year and continuing students. The online application must be completed in its entirety and submitted by this date. Late applications will not be accepted.

August 1, 2026
The College of Forestry online scholarship application process closes for incoming transfer students. The online application must be completed in its entirety and submitted by this date. Late applications will not be accepted.

• Scholarship awards for first year and continuing students will be announced in April 2026. If you have not received an award offer, then you were not selected to receive a College of Forestry scholarship at this time.
• New Transfer student scholarship awards will be announced in August of 2026.

• To apply for College of Forestry scholarships, you must be either a current OSU student in the College of Forestry, or be admitted to OSU for the 2026-27 academic year.
• You will need your ONID username and password to complete the application. To obtain your ONID username and password, visit the ONID website.
• Complete the general OSU application and the College of Forestry application. Log in to ScholarDollars to get started.
• Although not a requirement, it is recommended that you complete the FAFSA. This will help determine your financial need. 

• Scholarship offers will be made towards the end of April 2026 for the 2026-27 academic year. If you are offered a scholarship, you will receive an email notification to log in to ScholarDollars and accept it and upload a Thank You letter.
• The College of Forestry makes awards throughout the year if funding is available. If you remain eligible, your application will remain on file and will be considered for future funding if it becomes available.
• Scholarship offers are made via ScholarDollar email notifications to your Oregon State email address. Please log in to ScholarDollars if your circumstances change to see if you are eligible to apply for new or additional awards.
• If you are awarded a College of Forestry Scholarship, you will be asked to submit a Thank You letter to a living donor (or the CoF Scholarship Committee if there is not a living donor). A Thank You letter template is supplied for you to complete. Scholarships are made possible BECAUSE of our generous donors and you are encouraged to take time to submit a Thank You letter that reflects how the scholarship impacts you and what receiving it means for you and your education. If you need help writing a Thank You letter, you are encouraged to visit the writing center or stop by Student Services. 

• You must submit an application each year that you wish to be considered for a scholarship. Scholarships do not automatically renew, meaning if you are awarded a scholarship in one academic year, you are not guaranteed to receive a scholarship offer the following year.
  ScholarDollars will match you with scholarships that you are eligible for. Note that some scholarships have specific criteria set by donors (degree program, class level, financial need, etc.)
• The application process requires you to three short essays. It is recommended that you write these essays in a text editor program, such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs, to check for grammar and spelling errors.
• Complete each step in the application process to be sure your application is complete. You may save your application while in progress, but once it has been submitted you cannot make edits or changes.
• First-year scholarships are very competitive as students have not yet proven success at the college or university level (especially in forestry coursework). Please apply again the next year as you may be surprised what a successful first year in your forestry studies can bring to you by way of scholarship funding from the College of Forestry.

• Students who are not offered scholarships will remain in the pool for available scholarship funds as long as they maintain eligibility. Later offer awards are not guaranteed and are dependent on available funds.

  If you have questions regarding the process or your eligibility, please direct them to (541) 737-1593 or email Student Services.

OSU Scholarship Office 
OSU Financial Aid Office
Benton Community Foundation
National and Global Scholarship Advising
FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
ORSAA (Oregon Student Aid Application)
Scholarships for current OSU students
Oregon Opportunity Grant
Oregon Tribal Student Grant
OSAC Scholarship Catalog

1. Please describe your educational goals, and how you see your enrollment in the College of Forestry facilitating those accomplishments. Please limit your response to 300 words or less.
2. Please describe any relevant activities and achievements you feel contribute to your success as a student and professional. How do these activities and achievements actively support your success? (Examples could be club and organization involvement; employment; volunteer work; honors or awards, etc.) Please limit your response to 300 words or less.
3. Please describe your current financial situation and how you plan to pay your educational costs in the upcoming year. If receiving a scholarship would lessen your need to earn outside income while you work toward the completion of your degree, please clearly address this in your response. You also may include information about any significant family or personal challenges or unusual circumstances that may affect your ability to pay for college. Please limit your response to 300 words or less.
4. Are you now, or have you ever been a resident of the following Oregon counties (drop down menu of Oregon counties)?
5. Are you a member of the Society of American Foresters (either the OSU Student Chapter or the regional or national organization)?
6. If you are member of the Society of American Foresters, please describe the positions/roles you have held and the activities in which you have been involved.
7. Have you ever worked as a wildland firefighter?
8. If you have worked as a wildland firefighter, please indicate which crew you worked on and/or what ranger station you were attached to.
9. Does your family own any small woodlands?
10. If your family does own small woodlands, please enter the acreage and the current use of those woodlands.
11. If your academic or career goals involve fire management (prevention, ecology, restoration, etc.), please describe your interest areas and goals related to fire and fire management.
12. Are you an honorably discharged veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces?
13. If you are an honorably discharged veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, with which branch did you serve?
14. Are you the child or grandchild of a full-time or retired professional employee with the Oregon Department of Forestry, the Oregon Department of Fisheries & Wildlife, or the Oregon State Police?
15. If you are the child or grandchild of a full-time or retired professional employee with the Oregon Department of Forestry, the Oregon Department of Fisheries & Wildlife, or the Oregon State Police, what is the employee's relationship to you?

• The 2026-2027 FAFSA Form is now available for all students and contributors. Complete the form to apply for financial aid for college, career school or graduate school.
• Filling out the FAFSA form.
   

The College of Forestry Scholarship Petition is an opportunity to request a change in the terms and conditions of your scholarship award, which you may not be able to meet due to unexpected circumstances.