You must receive your first DSF Scholarship award by December 31 of the year after you graduate high school to be considered for the scholarship in future terms. Â
For example, if you graduate high school in spring 2024, you must qualify for a DSF Scholarship award by December 31, 2025, or else you will not be considered for the DSF Scholarship in the future.
How do I renew my DSF Scholarship?Â
You must complete a short (10 minutes or less) renewal application for each school year that you wish to receive the DSF Scholarship. The renewal application for the upcoming school year becomes available in your DSF Student Portal account in February and closes on May 1.Â
Remember, in addition to submitting a renewal application, you must meet the following deadlines and requirements to maintain your DSF eligibility for the next school year:Â
- Complete your Student Success Requirements each termÂ
- Meet your college’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements by completing your courses and keeping your grades upÂ
- Finalize your college choice in the DSF Student Portal by July 15Â
- Complete your financial aid requirements (including your financial aid application[s] and any verification documents requested by your college) by July 15Â
- Enroll full-time each term, or get DSF’s advance approval for part-time enrollment – Learn moreÂ
Use the roadmap at the bottom of this page as a guide!Â
NOTE: You do NOT need to submit proof of your completed FAFSA or CASFA to DSF.Â
How long can I receive the DSF Scholarship?Â
The DSF Scholarship is renewable for up to 5 consecutive years. Your DSF eligibility period begins when you first apply and meet the requirements to become a DSF Finalist and are assigned to a DSF Cohort.
For example, new DSF applicants who become Finalists in 2024 are members of the 2024 Cohort. Their first year of eligibility is the 2024-25 school year, and they may continue to renew their DSF Scholarship through the 2028-29 school year.Â
Within your five-year period of DSF eligibility, there are limits to how long you can renew your DSF Scholarship at some college types:
| DSF College Partner Type | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Years 4-5 |
| 4-Year College/University | $ | $ | $ | $ |
| Community College | $ | $ | $ | No Award |
| Technical College | $ | $ | No Award | No Award |
| Not Enrolled/Did Not Apply | No Award | No Award | No Award | No Award |
What happens if I decide to take time off from school?Â
If you choose not to enroll for one or more academic terms after becoming a DSF Finalist, the time you take off from college is still counted towards your years of DSF eligibility, and you can’t get it back.Â
If I transfer to a different DSF College Partner, will my DSF Scholarship transfer to my new college?
If you transfer between school years, simply select your new college in your DSF Scholarship renewal application for the upcoming school year.
If you transfer in the middle of the school year, you must meet DSF’s requirements for a mid-year transfer and get DSF’s approval to transfer your scholarship to your new college. Learn more about transferring mid-year.
