Process #1: Scholarship

Academic Scholarship Requirements

(United States and Canada only)

NOTE: THE ONLINE SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION and RECOMMENDATION SUBMISSION PROCESS FOR 2024 IS NOW CLOSED. PLEASE COME BACK AND VISIT US IN 2025!

In memory of Kae Sumner-Einfeldt, Virginia Linquist-Winker, Robert Rader and Carolyn Goldstein – Tall Clubs International Foundation awards annual scholarships to deserving High School Seniors in North America (United States and Canada only). TCI Foundation receives scholarship nominations from Tall Club International’s local member clubs and members-at-large across North America. From this pool of nominations, the recipients are selected to receive a $1000 scholarship award from Tall Clubs International Foundation, Inc. (Note: Membership in a local club is NOT required).

In order to be accepted as a potential scholarship recipient, all applicants MUST meet ALL the following requirements:

Height: Meet the minimum height requirements for membership in Tall Clubs International—5′ 10″ (178 cm) for women and 6′ 2″ (188 cm) for men — in stocking feet. Note: TCI and TCI Foundation reserves the right to ‘measure’ an applicant’s height upon request.
Age: Be under the age of 21 when entering your first year of college.
College Entrance: Be entering your first year of higher education.
College: Must intend to enter an accredited United States or Canadian college/university as a full-time student.
Funding: Must use the funds, if awarded, for attending that college/university.
Enrollment: Agrees that enrollment must be completed within the current calendar year.
General Release: Sign a general release form allowing your Member Club – Member-At-Large and TCI Foundation to publish your information if you win a TCI Foundation Scholarship. A blank General Release form can be found here: General Release Form (Blank).

Residence: Request sponsorship from an active TCI Member Tall Club participating in the Scholarship Program in your state/province of residence — or — have a TCI Member-at-Large participating in the Scholarship Program in your state/province of residence. When you submit your scholarship application form to the ‘correct’ sponsor – you are officially ‘requesting’ that they sponsor you for the scholarship. There is no need to contact them first.
- North America Residents only: TCI Foundation gives scholarships to United States and Canada residents only.
- California Residents: There are six (6) clubs that exist in California. Please choose the correct club based on the ‘County’ in which you reside.
- Canada Residents: There are three (3) clubs that exist in Canada. Please choose the correct club based on the ‘Province’ in which you reside.
- New York Residents: There are three (3) clubs that exist in New York. Please choose the correct club based on the ‘County’ in which you reside.
- Washington DC Residents: Please choose ‘District of Columbia‘ option under Member Tall Clubs.
- Wisconsin Residents: Please choose:
  - West Wisconsin: choose “Mad Town Talls” option under Member Tall Club.
  - East Wisconsin: choose “Tall Club of Milwaukee” option under Member Tall Club.
- Illinois Residents: Please refer to the following URL for Paramount Tall Club Sponsorship: Scholarship Information – Paramount Tall Club of Chicago (tallclubchicago.org)

Potential Sponsor in your State/Province of residence:

Comment

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Each TCI Member club or Member-At-Large may choose to submit (2) separate scholarship recipients based on the following 2 types offered:

Merit: This type of scholarship is based on an 80-point total as follows:

Activities. (20 points) – Activities you performed during 9th through 12th grade will be evaluated in depth, according to the following categories (if applicable):

- Academic
- Athletic
- Community Service
- Volunteer Service
- Personal Accomplishments
- School Club Memberships
- School Offices Held
- Employment
Essay entitled ”What Being Tall Means to Me’‘ must be submitted in .PDF Format. The essay should have a minimum of 550 words – and – maximum of 650 words and must fit on one (1) typewritten page. Essay will be read and evaluated for content and grammar. (20 points)
Official Transcript Grades will be analyzed. Transcripts MUST be current and include grades from ALL courses taken during your entire high school experience (9th thru 12th grades) – including the Fall Semester grades of your 12th grade (senior) year. You ‘may’ submit an ‘unofficial’ transcript when you submit your application. However, if you are chosen as a ‘FINALIST‘ – we REQUIRE that your transcripts MUST be officially signed/embossed/certified by your high school administrator. (20 points)
Recommendations (2) will be reviewed in detail. 2 Recommendation Rating Sheets and 2 Letters of Recommendations are required. (10 points for each recommendation) –
- Two (2) separate recommendations are required and MUST be uploaded before you submit your scholarship application.
- 1st Recommendation: The first recommendation MUST be from a teacher or school administrator.
- 2nd Recommendation: The second recommendation can be from a teacher, coach or clergy, etc.
- Each recommendation MUST have two (2) files:
  - A Recommendation Rating Form filled out and signed by your reference. A blank copy of the Recommendation Rating Sheet is attached here: Recommendation Rating Form (Blank).
  - A Recommendation Letter from your reference. Recommendation Letter must be on Organization Letterhead and signed by that Reference.

Legacy: This type of scholarship is based on an 80-point total as follows:

Relative: Applicant must be a ‘direct relative‘ who is/was a Tall Clubs International current or past member in good standing for a minimum of 10 years. A ‘direct relative’ includes the following family members:
- Father
- Mother
- Grandfather (Maternal or Paternal)
- Grandmother (Maternal or Paternal)
- Uncle (Maternal or Paternal)
- Aunt (Maternal or Paternal)

Additional Requirements: All the same requirements listed above for ‘Merit’ applicants apply to ‘Legacy‘ applicants as well.

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Important Submission Deadlines

2025 Scholarship Year:

(Note: Deadlines below are FIRM! Your Scholarship application will be rejected if submitted after deadlines stated below).

January 1, 2025: Scholarship Applications will be open for submission by potential applicants to local TCI Affiliate Member Clubs or Members-At-Large.
March 1, 2025 at 11:59 pm (PST): (Critical Date for Students)
- Completed Student Scholarship Applications submitted by Student MUST be submitted before this date.
- Application Review: The local Member Club or Member-At-Large that is responsible for your geographic area will act as your sponsor and review your submitted application.
- Application Disposition: When the sponsor has chosen a winner, your sponsor will notify you if you have won/lost at the local level.
April 1, 2025:
- Finalists: If you are chosen as the Finalist by your sponsoring Member Club or Member-at-Large, your sponsor will officially submit your application to TCI Foundation for review by this date.
- TCI Foundation Review and Evaluation: During the month of April 2025 – the TCI Foundation Scholarship Committee will evaluate and select scholarship winners.
May 1, 2025 (or sooner – if available):
- Sponsoring Member Club or Member-At-Large Scholarship Coordinator will be informed of this year’s TCI Foundation scholarship winners beginning on May 1, 2025 (or earlier if available).
- Sponsoring Member Club or Member-At-Large Scholarship Coordinator will inform you if you have officially won a TCI Foundation scholarship.
- Sponsoring Member Club or Member-At-Large Scholarship Coordinator will send an email to the winning applicant to confirm your final college of choice prior to sending a scholarship check.
- Scholarship Payment: Your scholarship check will be sent out sometime in May-June 2025. The check will be made payable to both you and your confirmed college of choice.
July, 2025: Official TCI Foundation Scholarship Winners will be announced to Tall Club International at the Awards Banquet at the Tall Clubs International Convention.

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When you are ready to officially submit your application – please make sure you have:

PDF Documents: All the required documents (excluding photo) mentioned above (PDF format only).
Photo: A current wallet size photo. Please do NOT submit photos in bathing suits. Please submit a more ‘professional’ photo that shows your face. Photos should be submitted in JPG format.
Reference Contact Information: The correct contact information including name and email address for your two (2) scholarship references. (Scholarship references will be sent directly to your reference via email. When they have filled out the evaluation – they will submit the reference back to us directly – and we will attach those references to your application for consideration!)

NOW – you are READY TO GO! You can start the application process at the following URL: Process #2: Scholarship – Application Form (tallclubfoundation.org)

Good luck! If you have any questions or need further assistance on applying for this scholarship, please email your sponsoring Member Club or sponsoring Member-At-Large in your state/province of residence FIRST.

If you have any other questions, you may send an email to tcifoundationscholarships@gmail.com to obtain guidance.

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