Scholarships

Applicant Requirements:

• Be a citizen or legal resident of the United States.

• Be a North Carolina resident for at least one year prior to applying, unless you are a blood relative of Mrs. Fawn Watson or if you or either of your parents has been or presently are members of the Oak Dale Baptist Church, White Pond Baptist Church, the Five Fork Baptist Church, all of the Robeson Baptist Association.

• Be accepted for full-time enrollment in a degree program at any institution of higher education. (“Full-time” is as defined by the educational institution you plan to attend.)

• Be a member of a church affiliated with Provision and/or the Baptist State Convention of NC.

• Exhibit high moral character, dedication to family, church and community.

• Exhibit consistent academic achievements.

• Submit two current letters of reference (cannot be from relatives.) One letter must be from your pastor. If your pastor is related to you, please submit a letter of reference from another pastoral staff person at the church.  All letters need to have an actual signature. Letters are to be submitted online with your application.  Hard copies should not be mailed to our office.

• Submit a copy of your most recent transcript available.  An unofficial copy will be accepted.  Your transcript should be submitted online with your application.

• Submit the application by the close of business on August 31 to the Provision Ministry Impact Committee. Close of business is 5 p.m. Monday – Thursday and 12 p.m. on Friday. Note: If August 31 falls on the weekend, the Monday following August 31 will be the deadline. The deadline will be listed below in the application section.

Scholarship Guidelines:

• Be awarded on an annual basis. Scholarships are NOT automatically renewed. Students must apply each year to be considered for scholarship assistance.  Scholarships can be awarded for a maximum of four years during undergraduate studies and a maximum of three years during graduate studies.

• Be awarded to one or more eligible recipients at the discretion of the committee and in amounts determined solely by the committee based on demonstrated need and academic achievements. The committee reserves the right to make no scholarships in any one year.

• Be awarded to recipients who are enrolled in a full-time degree program.

• Be awarded based on a scholarship award ranging between $500 minimum and $2,500 maximum.

• Be issued to the schools at the beginning of the term or semester for which they are made, only after written verification of enrollment has been provided to Provision. This verification should be sent via email to scholarships@provision.org. One-half of the funds will be available for the fall and the remaining half for the spring.

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Spring 2027 Scholarship Session (New)
In addition to our annual scholarship cycle, Provision is offering a second scholarship application session for Spring 2027 only. This session is designed for students who missed the January 1–May 1 application window, as well as new or incoming students beginning their studies in Spring 2027.
 

This session applies to all five Provision scholarships: The Bullard Family Scholarship, The Luther H. Butler Scholarship for NC Baptist Students, The Mildred Frances Thomas Music Scholarship, The Martha Watson Scholarship, and The Nell J. Clary Scholarship. Applicants should review the eligibility requirements and guidelines for each scholarship(s) prior to selecting the one they apply for.

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Key Dates:​

• Applications open: August 1, 2026

• Applications close: August 31, 2026, at 5 p.m.

• Provision Ministry Impact Committee review: September 2026

• Award notifications sent: first week of October 2026

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Please note the following:​

• Awards made under this session cover the Spring 2027 semester only (one semester). Because it funds one semester rather than a full year, the award range is $250–$1,500, compared to the standard cycle's $500–$2,500 (which covers fall and spring combined). Funds will not be split between fall and spring.

• Students awarded any Provision scholarship during the January-May 2026 application cycle are not eligible to apply for the Spring 2027 session.

• As with the standard cycle, students may apply for only one scholarship. The Committee will only accept the first submission received; all other submissions will be disregarded.

• All other eligibility requirements and application materials (letters of reference, transcript, etc.) listed for each scholarship above apply to this session.

• All inquiries relating to this session should be sent via email to scholarships@provision.org.

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Application:

• If you have read and understand the requirements and guidelines above and agree you meet the criteria for the Martha Watson Scholarship, then you are eligible to apply. Note: You will be required to check that you have read and understand these requirements and guidelines.

• A second application session for a Spring 2027 semester-only Bullard Scholarship award will open August 1, 2026, and close August 31, 2026, at 5 p.m. This session is open to students who did not apply during the January–May window, as well as new or incoming students. The Provision Ministry Impact Committee will review applications in September 2026, and award notifications will be sent the first week of October 2026. Students awarded any Provision scholarship during the January-May 2026 application cycle are not eligible to apply for the Spring 2027 session.