Contract template

Scholarship agreement template

A scholarship agreement, or award acceptance form, is what a foundation, community group or business asks a winning student to sign before the money goes out. It sets the amount, how it's paid, the conditions for keeping it, and the student's permission for the school to confirm their grades. Read this one below, then open it in SignMaster and send it to each recipient.

Updated November 5, 2026 · 3 min read

The contract

Gray blanks are yours to fill in before you send. Each signer fills in the blanks in their color.

  • You, before sending
  • Scholarship recipient
  • Scholarship organization

Scholarship Agreement

Organization name (the "Organization") awards the Scholarship name to Recipient name (the "Recipient") on the terms of this Scholarship Agreement, dated Agreement date.

1. The award

The scholarship is Award amount for the Academic year academic year, paid Payment schedule directly to School name (the "School") and credited to the Recipient's student account. The Organization pays the School, not the Recipient, unless it agrees otherwise in writing.

2. Conditions

To receive each payment, the Recipient must:

  • Be enrolled Enrollment status required at the School in a program leading to a degree, diploma or certificate.
  • Keep a grade point average of at least Minimum GPA and remain in good academic and disciplinary standing.
  • Study Field of study, if the scholarship is limited to a field.

3. Proof of enrollment and grades

The Recipient will send proof of enrollment by Enrollment proof due and an unofficial transcript within Days after term for transcript days after each term ends.

The Recipient authorizes the School to disclose their enrollment status, credit hours, grades and grade point average to the Organization, for the sole purpose of confirming eligibility for this scholarship, for as long as the scholarship lasts. The School may also ask the Recipient to sign its own release form.

4. Renewal

The scholarship may be renewed for up to Years renewable more years, if the Recipient meets the conditions in section 2 and returns a short renewal form by Renewal deadline each year. Renewal also depends on the Organization having funds available, and each renewal is confirmed in writing.

5. Changes in enrollment

The Recipient will tell the Organization within Days to report changes days of withdrawing, transferring, taking a leave of absence or dropping below the required enrollment. Any unused amount the School refunds goes back to the Organization. The Organization will decide, in fairness to the Recipient, whether payments may continue at a new school or after a leave.

6. Taxes

Scholarship money used for tuition, required fees, and books and supplies a course requires is generally not taxable for a degree candidate. Amounts used for room, board, travel or optional items can be taxable income. The Organization doesn't give tax advice, and the Recipient will keep their own records and ask a tax adviser if unsure.

7. No service in return

This scholarship is a gift for education. It does not make the Recipient an employee of the Organization, and the Recipient owes no work or service in return.

8. Announcements and thank-you

The Organization may announce the Recipient's name, hometown and School as a scholarship winner. It may also share the Recipient's photo and story in its newsletter, website and social media if the Recipient ticks here: I agree. The Recipient will write a short thank-you letter to the scholarship's donors by Thank-you letter due.

9. Ending the scholarship

The Organization may stop future payments if the Recipient no longer meets the conditions, after giving written notice and a chance to explain. If the scholarship was won using false information, the Recipient will repay the amounts already paid.

10. General terms

This Agreement is governed by the laws of the state of State. It is the whole agreement about the scholarship, and electronic signatures on it count as originals.

Recipient contact details

Student ID number: Student ID Phone: Recipient phone Email: Recipient email

Permanent mailing address: Permanent address

I accept this scholarship on these terms, the information in my application was true, and I authorize the release of records described in section 3.

Scholarship recipient

SignaturePrinted nameDate signed

For the Organization

SignaturePrinted nameDate signed
Use this template

Opens it in SignMaster as a template you can edit and send.

A starting point, not legal advice. Have a lawyer review it for your state and situation.

On this page
  1. The contract
  2. Why winners sign an agreement
  3. What the template covers
  4. Mistakes scholarship committees make
  5. How to send it with SignMaster
  6. Awarding a whole class of scholars
  7. Questions

Why winners sign an agreement

A scholarship looks simple: a check and a handshake photo. But a multi-year or renewable award raises real questions. What GPA keeps it going? What happens if the student transfers or takes a semester off? Does unused money come back if they withdraw? Can you share their photo in the newsletter? A signed agreement answers all of that while everyone is happy, and gives the student the rules they need to keep the award.

It also gives you the records release. Under FERPA, a school generally needs a student's signed written consent before sharing grades with an outside scholarship provider, and that consent has to name the records, the purpose and who receives them.

What the template covers

  • The award: amount, academic year and schedule, paid to the school and credited to the student's account.
  • Conditions: enrollment status, minimum GPA, good standing and an optional field of study.
  • Proof and a records release: enrollment proof and transcripts, with a FERPA-style release that names the records, the purpose and you.
  • Renewal: how many years, the renewal form deadline, and a note that funds must be available.
  • Changes in enrollment: withdrawal, transfer or leave, and refunds back to you.
  • Taxes, and no service in return.
  • Announcements, a thank-you letter, and how the scholarship can end.

Mistakes scholarship committees make

  • Paying the student directly without a reason. Paying the school keeps the money tied to education costs and makes refunds on withdrawal straightforward.
  • Asking for work in return. A scholarship that requires service starts to look like pay. Keep it a gift, and say so.
  • A vague records release. FERPA consent must specify the records, the purpose and the recipient. Section 3 does that; some schools still want their own form too.
  • Promising renewal no matter what. Make renewal depend on the conditions and on funds being available, and confirm each year in writing.

About taxes on scholarships

The IRS treats scholarship money spent on tuition, required fees and required course materials as generally tax-free for degree candidates, while money spent on room and board can be taxable. Recipients should keep receipts and ask a tax adviser about their own situation.

How to send it with SignMaster

  1. 1

    Open the template

    Choose Use this template. The student signs first and your scholarship chair countersigns.

  2. 2

    Fill in the award terms

    Complete the gray blanks: organization, scholarship name, amount, academic year, payment schedule, enrollment status, GPA, report dates and renewal terms.

  3. 3

    Send it to the winner

    Enter the student's name and email. They fill in the blue blanks, their school, student ID and addresses, decide on photo sharing, and sign.

  4. 4

    Add a parent for younger students

    If a recipient is under 18, add a parent or guardian as a second signer in the template so they sign too. See get a parent's signature for a minor.

  5. 5

    Countersign and pay

    Once you countersign, everyone gets the signed PDF. Send a copy of the records release to the school's financial aid office with the first payment.

Awarding a whole class of scholars

When a committee picks a dozen winners at once, put them in a spreadsheet with each student's name, email, award amount and scholarship name, and use bulk send to send every agreement in one go. Each column fills the gray blank with the same label, such as Award amount. Afterwards, the template's Responses tab lists every recipient's school and student ID in one table.

Questions? Answers.

Should the scholarship be paid to the student or the school?

Most providers pay the school, which credits the student's account. It keeps the money for education costs and makes refunds simple if the student withdraws.

Is a scholarship taxable?

Amounts used for tuition, required fees, and books and supplies a course requires are generally tax-free for degree candidates. Money for room, board or travel can be taxable. Students should ask a tax adviser.

Can a student sign the records release electronically?

Yes. FERPA's rules allow signed and dated written consent in electronic form, as long as it identifies the person and shows they approved it. Some schools still ask for their own release form as well.

What if the recipient transfers schools?

Section 5 asks them to tell you within a set number of days, and lets you decide whether the scholarship can follow them.

Sources

  1. IRS Topic 421: Scholarships, fellowship grants, and other grants · irs.gov
  2. U.S. Department of Education: FERPA regulations (34 CFR Part 99) · studentprivacy.ed.gov

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