Up to $4,000 in scholarships will be awarded
Scholarship Purpose & Requirements
Purpose: Support electric cooperative members and their dependents in pursuing Trade School certificates.
Applicant Qualifications:
- Applicants can be a high school graduate, current Trade School enrollee or post-undergraduate student
- Applicants must attend an accredited program
- Applicants must be a permanent residential member of an Ohio electric distribution cooperative or their dependents
- Employees of Ohio electric distribution cooperatives and their dependent are eligible
- Commercial members and their dependents are not eligible unless they are also residential members
- Must have a GPA of 2.5 or above on a 4.0 scale
- High School Seniors are evaluated based on the cumulative GPA listed on their high school transcript
- The Scholarship Committee reserves the right to request a final high school transcript
- Trade School or undergraduate students are evaluated based on the cumulative GPA listed on their Trade School or college/university transcript
- High School Seniors are evaluated based on the cumulative GPA listed on their high school transcript
- Full ride scholarship recipients are not eligible (tuition, room, board and books)
- Previous winners of Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives statewide scholarships (excluding local co-ops) are not eligible
Application Requirements:
- Complete online scholarship application
- Two essays with a word limit of 250 words per prompt (Essays must be completed without assistance)
- Prompt One: Educational and career goals
- Prompt two: Cooperative Knowledge
- Transcript
- One 500-word recommendation letter from a non-family member
- Proof of enrollment; official course schedule or program transcript
*Winners will be required to provide after notification of being named a recipient*
Additional Guidance:
- All materials are due by March 13, 2026
- All materials must be submitted via the online form via the OEC website
- Scholarships must be claimed within the first academic year after proof of enrollment. Extensions may be granted for just cause if requested in writing before June 1, 2026
- If winners cannot fulfill their enrollment obligation, the awards are forfeited
- Judging is based on scholastic record, essays and recommendation letter
- Accepted applications will receive a confirmation email from oecyouth@ohioec.org
- Scholarship recipients will receive notification of selection April 13, 2026
For questions, please contact oecyouth@ohioec.org
