GNCU Scholarship Program

The Greater Nevada Credit Union Scholarship Program helps more people pursue their undergraduate, technical, or trade school education goals. We’ve proudly awarded $795,500 in scholarships to 511 recipients since the program began in 2000.

Applications are open through March 20! See full details below.

GNCU Membership is Open to All Ages!

Kids can build their first savings the rewarding way with an I Can Save account, offering 6.00% APY as it grows to $2,500.¹

Teens and young adults, ages 14 – 24, can also take advantage of our free Student Cash Back Checking account, which lets them earn up to $60 a year from purchases.²

2026-2027 Greater Nevada Credit Union Scholarship Program

The 2026-2027 Greater Nevada Credit Union Scholarship Program is available to applicants who will be attending technical schools, colleges, universities, community colleges, and accredited trade and vocational schools in the 2026-2027 academic year.

Selection of recipients will prioritize demonstrated financial need, while also considering academic performance, active participation in school and community activities, and strong letters of recommendation from educators, career professionals, and community leaders.

Guidelines:

• Recipients are not limited to only attending schools located in Nevada.
• Scholarship funds will be paid in two $1,000 installments (Fall 2026 and Spring 2027) directly to the school of the recipient’s choice.
• Scholarship monies may be used for tuition, course registration, special classes, laboratory fees, room and board, textbooks, and class materials.
• Recipients will be limited to receiving only one scholarship and will not be eligible for this program in subsequent years. See exception below under Eligibility.
• Recipients must earn a minimum of 24 credits per academic year, Fall and Spring semesters, and maintain full-time enrollment throughout each semester. For trade/vocational school enrollment, the student must be considered full-time status based on accreditation requirements.

Application Eligibility and Requirements:

• Applicants must be a Greater Nevada member or the child, spouse, parent, grandparents, or legal guardian of a Greater Nevada member.
• Has not previously been awarded a Greater Nevada Credit Union Scholarship.
• Greater Nevada may, at its discretion, award a second continuing scholarship to a student who has had a successful preceding academic year and has demonstrated financial need.
• Recipients must be enrolled as full-time students during the 2026-2027 school year.
• Applicants must be 24 years or younger at the time of the application deadline. For those applicants aged 25 and above, please use the Adult-specific application.
• Recipients must be seeking an undergraduate degree. Postgraduate programs are not eligible, such as master’s and doctoral programs.
• Greater Nevada employees, volunteers, directors, committee members, and their families will not be eligible for this program.

The following documents must be submitted with your completed application:

• Personal Statement: This statement should showcase your academic interests, career aspirations, and extracurricular involvement. Detail your passion for your chosen field of study and how your academic pursuits align with your career goals. Describe your contributions to your school and community through clubs, organizations, volunteer work, or other meaningful activities. Additionally, share any relevant work experience, including internships, part-time jobs, or volunteer roles, and explain how these experiences have shaped your personal and professional growth. Please limit your statement to a maximum of 5,000 characters.
• Copy of your most recent college/high school transcript, or GED verification.
• Minimum of two (2) letters of recommendation, preferably dated 2025 to 2026, from school and community leaders. (letters authored by family members will not be considered)

Prepare Before You Apply!

Before starting your online scholarship application, please ensure you have all the required materials ready. The application will time out, and incomplete submissions cannot be saved.

We strongly recommend reviewing the application in advance to familiarize yourself with the questions and ensure you have all the necessary information before beginning. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Recent Transcripts
• Personal Statement
• Two Letters of Recommendation (see explanation above)
• Student’s Annual Income
• Family Members’ Annual Income (parent(s) or guardian(s), as required)
• Personal or Legal Guardian’s Greater Nevada Credit Union Member Account Number

Gather these materials in advance and review the application beforehand to ensure a smooth and complete submission in one session.

Completed applications must be mailed, submitted electronically, or hand delivered to a GNCU branch by 5:00 PM PT on Friday, March 20. Mailed applications must be postmarked by that date.

Ages 24 Years and Younger Scholarships

IMPORTANT: Online applications can’t be saved and must be completed in one session. We highly recommend downloading the PDF version of the application to your computer to see the information you need to gather before starting.

Apply Online Download Scholarship Application (PDF)

Ages 25 Years and Older Scholarships

IMPORTANT: Online applications can’t be saved and must be completed in one session. We highly recommend downloading the PDF version of the application to your computer to see the information you need to gather before starting.

Apply Online Download Scholarship Application (PDF)

Interested in learning when applications open each year, plus other news and offer updates from Greater Nevada? You can sign up to receive our newsletter, or you can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, or LinkedIn.

¹ APY (Annual Percentage Yield) effective January 1, 2025, and subject to change without notice. I Can Save account rate tiers are as follows: 6.00% APY applies to balances of $0.01 – $2,500.00 if qualifications are met during the monthly qualification cycle. 0.05% APY applies when the balance is $2,500.01 and greater, or to all balances if monthly qualifications are not met. Dividends will be credited to your account and compounded every month. Monthly qualifications are at least one deposit must post and clear, and the total of all deposits must be less than $200.00. Limit of one I Can Save account per member. Periodic withdrawals are not allowed on this account. Only a withdrawal of the entire balance is allowed, which will result in the closure of this account. Once closed, another I Can Save account will not be allowed for a period of two years from the date of account closure.

² Student Cash Back Checking is available to students enrolled in school, aged 14 – 24 years old. Students must be available to present a student ID or substitute evidence of enrollment. Up to $5.00 in cash back monthly based on 2.00% cash back on all signature and PIN-based debit card purchases on the first $250.00 in point of sales transactions per month when qualifications are met. Monthly qualifications are 6 debit card purchases must post and clear, and account statements must be delivered via eStatements. “Qualification Cycle” means a period beginning one day prior to the first of the month and ending one day prior to the last day of the month (ex. July 31 – August 30 for August statement). Transactions may take one or more business days from the transaction date to post to an account from the date the transaction is made. Membership requirements apply. Available to personal accounts only.