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 In order for an applicant to be considered, the student must: 

1. Be a U.S. citizen at the time of application.  (Resident alien status will not suffice.)
2. Qualify for financial need in the form of government grants.  Applicants must have an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of $5,711.00 or less as it appears on their FAFSA Student Aid Report (SAR).
3. Be enrolled in a school in the state in which the student resides. 

**Possible exceptions:

a) online learning programs that are based out of state

b)  programs attended by adult students who make a permanent move to another state and who are no longer dependents of their parents for income tax purposes

c) students who commute to or attend an institution that is geographically close, but across state lines (e.g. states contiguous to Washington, D.C. might be considered to be suburbs of Washington, D.C).  Merely attending a school in a neighboring state would not suffice.

d) students who attend a program in a neighboring state that offers in state tuition rates for those students whose home state colleges or universities do not offer certain programs (e.g. certain medical, dental, and veterinary schools).

4. Demonstrate an outstanding combination of class rank and standardized test scores.  Standardized test scores must be in the top 15% of nation-wide scores. 

**Possible exceptions:

a) junior college transfer students, with 45 credit hours or more, who are not required to take either the SAT or ACT test in order to be admitted to their undergraduate programs, provided they will be attending a four year college or university and have exceptionally high grades

b) students attending graduate programs that do not require a standardized test for admission

c) postgraduate students who are admitted to graduate programs without a standardized test because of exemplary performance at the undergraduate level

d) students enrolled in the second phase of certain combined degree programs that do not required a standardized test before entering the advanced degree program (e.g. Presidential Scholars BS/MD programs that do not require the MCAT, certain BS/PharmD programs that do not require the PCAT, etc.).

5. Not be seeking a law degree

**Applicants asserting one of the exceptions must provide supporting documentation with their applications.

Interest-Free Loans, Not Scholarships

Awards from the Evalee C. Schwarz Charitable Trust for Education are loans, not scholarships, and therefore must be repaid (see repayment section below). The loans are interest-free for their duration, and there are no fees incident to these loans.

Size of Loans

Loan amounts generally range from $5,000 to $15,000, with a $60,000 lifetime cap per student.

Disbursement of Funds

Applicants approved will be contacted prior to fund disbursement to verify continued need for funds. Loans will be paid directly to the student in one lump sum.

Repayment

Repayment begins one year after graduation, or one year after discontinuation of school. Repayment is structured over a ten year period, and is calculated on an increasing sliding payment scale:

Year 1 = 1% of the loan amount(s) divided by 12 months
Year 2 = 3% of the loan amount(s) divided by 12 months
Year 3 = 5% of the loan amount(s) divided by 12 months
Year 4 = 7% of the loan amount(s) divided by 12 months
Year 5 = 9% of the loan amount(s) divided by 12 months
Year 6 = 11% of the loan amount(s) divided by 12 months
Year 7 = 13% of the loan amount(s) divided by 12 months
Year 8 = 15% of the loan amount(s) divided by 12 months
Year 9 = 17% of the loan amount(s) divided by 12 months
Year 10 = 19% of the loan amount(s) divided by 12 months