The Martha Watson Scholarship

Requirements and Guidelines 

Applicant Requirements: 

1. Be a Citizen or Legal Resident of the United States.
2. Be a North Carolina resident for at least one year prior to making application, unless you are a blood relative of Mrs. Fawn Watson or if you or either of your parents has been or presently are members of the Oak Dale Baptist Church, White Pond Baptist Church or the Five Fork Baptist Church, all of the Robeson Baptist Association.
3. Be accepted for full-time enrollment in a degree program at any institution of higher education. ("Full-time" is as defined by the educational institution you plan to attend.)
4. Be a member of a church affiliated with the North Carolina Baptist Foundation, Incorporated and/or the Baptist State Convention of NC.
5. Exhibit high moral character, dedication to family, church and community.
6. Exhibit consistent academic achievements.
7. Submit two current letters of reference (cannot be from relatives.) One letter must be from your pastor.  If your pastor is related to you, please submit a letter of reference from another pastoral staff person at the church.  It is required for the letters to be signed.  If both reference letters are not signed, your application will NOT be considered for a scholarship.  Letters are to be submitted online with your application.  Hard copies should NOT be mailed to our office.
8. Submit a copy of your most recent transcript available.  An unofficial copy will be accepted.  Your transcript should be submitted online with your application.
9. Submit a copy of your FAFSA Electronic Student Aid Report (SAR) to establish a definite need for financial assistance. Please make sure that we can see your full name and your Expected Family Contribution (EFC).   IMPORTANT:  Click here to see the report format the committee will accept.  If your report does not look like this example, or if information is incomplete, then your application will be disregarded.  You may use your prior year's report so long as the expiration date has not passed.  If you are planning to apply and submit a current year form, please allow up to FIVE business days to receive the SAR report from FASFA.  We will not accept late information due to poor planning.    The SAR report should be submitted online with your application.
10. Submit application by the close of business on February 15 of each year to the NC Baptist Foundation Denominational Relations Committee. NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE.  Close of business is 5 p.m. Monday - Thursday and 12 p.m. on Friday.  NOTE:  If February 15 falls on the weekend, the Monday following February 15 will be the deadline.  The deadline will be listed below in the application section.

Scholarship Guidelines: 

1. Be awarded on an annual basis. Scholarships are NOT automatically renewed. Students must apply each year to be considered for scholarship assistance.  Scholarships can be awarded for a maximum of four years during undergraduate studies and a maximum of three years during graduate studies.
2. Be awarded to one or more eligible recipients at the discretion of the committee and in amounts determined solely by the committee based on demonstrated need and academic achievements. The committee reserves the right to make no scholarships in any one year.
3. Be awarded to recipients who are enrolled in a full-time degree program.
4. Be awarded based on a scholarship award ranging between $500 minimum and $2,500 maximum.
5. Be issued to the schools at the beginning of the term or semester for which they are made, only after written certification of enrollment has been provided to the Foundation. This certification should be sent via email to scholarships@ncbaptistfoundation.org. One-half of the funds will be available for the fall and the remaining half for the spring.

Please note the following: 

• Students applying for the Watson Scholarship may not apply for the Bullard Scholarship, Butler Scholarship or the Thomas Scholarship.  The committee will only accept the first submission received.  All other submissions will be disregarded.
• If you are attending Campbell University, Chowan University, Gardner-Webb University, Mars Hill University, Meredith College or Wingate University please apply for the Butler Scholarship.
• You will be able to complete the application in sections and save your work to complete at a later time, if needed.
• If you do complete the application in sections, do not attach your transcript, reference letters or FAFSA SAR until you are ready to submit.
• Do not upload files directly from a cloud based storage as this could result in the committee not being able to view your attachments.
• All inquiries relating to this scholarship should be sent via email to scholarships@ncbaptistfoundation.org.
• The scholarship application will open up online on January 1 and will end at the close of business on February 15 of each year.  Close of business is 5 p.m. Monday - Thursday and 12 p.m. on Friday.  NOTE:  If February 15 falls on the weekend, the Monday following February 15 will be the deadline.  The deadline will be listed below with the link to the application each year.
• Notifications regarding scholarship awards will be made on or before April 15 of each year.

Application: 

If you have read and understand the requirements and guidelines above and agree you meet the criteria for The Martha Watson Scholarship, then you are eligible to apply.   NOTE:  You will be required to check that you have read and understand these requirements and guidelines.

The 2020 - 2021 application will be open on January 1, 2020.  The deadline to submit an application will be Monday, February 17, 2020 at 5 p.m.  NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE.