BNSF News

BNSF Scholarship Program Set to Begin 2011-2012 Applicant Year

2010-10-28

It's nearly time for high school seniors to apply for college scholarships, including those offered through the BNSF Foundation Scholarship Program.

The foundation will award up to 40 scholarships for the 2011-2012 college year.

Who is eligible?

Eligible candidates include high school seniors who are the dependent sons, daughters or stepchildren of full-time BNSF employees or of retired, furloughed, disabled or deceased employees of BNSF or its predecessor railroads.

Full-time employees must have at least two years of service as of Jan. 1, 2011, and must still be employed by BNSF when winners are selected in April. Retired, disabled or deceased employees must have completed the two-year requirement prior to ending their service with BNSF.

Eligible students must have taken the SAT in their junior year.

When may students begin the application process?

The online application process begins Jan. 1, 2011, at the International Scholarship and Tuition Services (ISTS) link: https://aim.applyists.net/BNSF.

When are submissions due?
Completed applications must be submitted no later than April 1, 2011. The student or applicant is responsible for making sure his or her application is complete, including all required documentation. Since the foundation does not keep track of students' progress or the completeness of an application, applicants should follow up with ISTS with questions.

An accurate and complete submission is part of the competition for the scholarship awards. ISTS may not contact students who have incomplete submissions as there are many more applications submitted than there are scholarships available.

What does the scholarship provide?

Up to 40 scholarships of at least $2,500 each will be awarded to full-time students enrolled in accredited four-year colleges/universities in the United States. Of these, up to 10 scholarships, at $5,000 each, are available through the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). If not all of the NMSC scholarships are awarded, the balance will be converted to ISTS scholarships at $2,500 each.

All of the scholarships are renewable for three additional years, with satisfactory academic progress. The BNSF Foundation National Merit winners are selected by the NMSC, and neither BNSF nor the foundation has input in the selection of winners.

Who is eligible for National Merit scholarships?

To be eligible for the National Merit scholarships, students must have taken the PSAT in their junior year. The NMSC notifies sponsors, such as BNSF, about award acceptances and provides scholarship certificates for presentation to winners. Neither BNSF nor the foundation has input in the section of winners.

How are winners selected?

For the scholarships handled by ISTS, winners are selected largely on the basis of academic merit with consideration for past academic performance, leadership of and participation in school and community activities, and an essay. ACT or SAT scores are acceptable. Guidance counselors routinely supply the required test scores on the high school records accompanying the applications.

As mandated by federal law, neither BNSF nor the BNSF Foundation has any input in the selection of winners. All winners are screened, reviewed and selected by independent parties through ISTS or NMSC. The foundation is unaware of who has applied until a preliminary list of winners is sent to the foundation for confirmation of eligibility based on the parent's employment status as described in the "Who is Eligible?" question above.

Can more than one scholarship be awarded to an individual?

No. A student cannot win more than one scholarship funded by the BNSF Foundation.

Since neither award is guaranteed, it is recommended that National Merit Finalists apply for the scholarships handled by ISTS. Students who win a National Merit scholarship are automatically withdrawn from consideration for scholarships handled by ISTS.

How do I apply?

All applications are submitted online. ISTS no longer accepts or uses paper applications.

To apply for the scholarship, go directly to the ISTS website and follow the instructions. If you are asked to enter a program key, please use BNSF.

Contact Information for ISTS

• Mail: BNSF College Scholarship Program, c/o ISTS, P.O. Box 23737, Nashville, TN 37202-3737
• Fax: 615-320-3151
• Website: https://aim.applyists.net/BNSF
• E-mail: info@applyists.net

BNSF Headquarters

BNSF Railway Company
2650 Lou Menk Dr. 2nd Floor
P.O. Box 961057
Fort Worth, TX 76161-0057
Phone: (817) 352-1000

For more information on the company and its transportation solutions, visit the BNSF Web site at www.bnsf.com