Twenty-one scholarship were awarded to Eastern PA Conference students in 2020 by the UMC General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM). The board’s Office of Loans and Scholarships reports that over 2,100 students received $5.6 million in total financial assistance for 2020.

Many of those scholarships are funded in part by churchwide Special Sunday offerings, including those received on Native American Sunday, World Communion Sunday and UM Student Day. Others sources include gifts, annuities and endowments GBHEM has invested and administered for decades.

Students who are members of The United Methodist Church may apply for a Fall 2021 GBHEM scholarship online from Dec. 15 to March 24, 2021. The application is online.

Student loans are also available at interest rates as low as 3.75% (lower than federal educational loan rates) with a creditworthy cosigner. UM student loan helps can help fill the gap in funding for a student and their parents. The UM Student Spring Loan application is open Dec.10 through May at www.gbhem.org/loanapplication.