W.R. Hotchkiss Foundation Scholarship Program
The W.R. Hotchkiss Foundation is a unique program that is dedicated to providing scholarships to dependent children of qualifying Deluxe employees and retirees who plan to continue their education in college or vocational school programs.
W.R. Hotchkiss Foundation Scholarship Program
The W.R. Hotchkiss Foundation is a unique program that is dedicated to providing scholarships to dependent children of qualifying Deluxe employees and retirees who plan to continue their education in college or vocational school programs.
This program is administered by Scholarship America®, the nation’s largest designer and manager of scholarships and other education support programs for corporations, foundations, associations, and individuals. Eligibility for individual programs is determined at the sole discretion of the sponsor, and eligible applications are reviewed by Scholarship America’s evaluation team.
Eligibility
The W.R. Hotchkiss Foundation Scholarship Program is open to individuals ages 24 or under who meet the following criteria:
- Be a qualifying dependent*, age 24 and under, of a qualifying Deluxe employee** or retiree (as defined below).
- * A qualifying dependent must be one of the following:
- A biological or adopted child, a legal ward, or stepchild of a qualifying Deluxe employee or retiree; or
- A biological or adopted child, a legal ward, or stepchild of a recognized domestic partner of a qualifying Deluxe employee or retiree. A domestic partner must be recognized by Deluxe Corporation’s benefits office. If the relationship is not currently recognized in this manner, supporting documentation will be required.
- ** A qualifying Deluxe employee or retiree must be one of the following:
- A full-time employee (32 hours or more each week), who has been employed by Deluxe*** on a full-time basis and who remains employed by Deluxe at the time the award notifications are made by SAI.
- A participant in Deluxe’s long-term disability plan currently receiving long-term disability pay from the Deluxe-Sponsored insurance plan.
- A legacy qualified retiree who was hired/acquired prior to 2002, had at least 20 years of service, and age plus service equaled 75 at the time of termination from the company.
- A person who was a qualifying full-time employee (as defined above) on the date of his or her death so long as the employee’s qualifying dependent is eligible to apply for the Program within two years of the date of the employee’s death. Any such student will remain eligible to reapply for the Program for subsequent years in which they remain otherwise eligible.
- *** “Deluxe” refers to Deluxe Corporation and its affiliates and subsidiaries, as identified by the Sponsor.
- * A qualifying dependent must be one of the following:
- Be a high school senior/student in their final year of upper or higher secondary school, graduates, current technical or college/university undergraduate students.
- Plan to enroll in undergraduate study at an accredited two- or four-year college, university or vocational-technical school for the entire upcoming academic year.
Awards
If selected as a recipient, the student will receive a an award ranging from $10,000 to $15,000. Recipients attending service academies will receive a one-time $2,000 honorarium.
Financial need will be considered in determining the amount of each award. Financial need will be considered based upon the family’s ability to contribute to school costs.
Awards are for qualified education-related expenses only (tuition, fees, books, and required supplies/equipment). Awards amounts may be adjusted if award exceeds the cost of qualified education-related expenses.
Awards are for undergraduate study only. Scholarship recipients may attend any accredited two- or four-year college, university, or vocational/technical school.
Students enrolled in programs with accelerated or non-traditional schedules may contact SAI to discuss possible alternate timing of payments.
Enrollment must be in consecutive years. Notwithstanding, students may be considered for a one-time leave of absence, not to exceed one year, if a request is submitted in writing.
The Sponsor reserves the right to temporarily waive certain renewal requirements for individual scholarship recipients who are (1) facing a medical hardship or other exceptional circumstances, and (2) are making a good faith effort to fulfill the renewal requirements. SAI may recommend a waiver of renewal requirements to the Sponsor, and all such situations will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Awards may be renewed for up to three additional years or until the course of study is completed, terminated, or exceeds four years. Renewal is contingent upon satisfactory academic performance in a full-time course of study and continuation of the program by W.R. Hotchkiss Foundation.
Awards are for full-time undergraduate study only.
Selection of Recipients
Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of:
- Academic performance and future potential
- Demonstrated leadership and participation in school and community activities
- Work experience
- Statement of educational and career goals and objectives
- Unusual personal or family circumstances/overcoming obstacles
- An online recommendation
Selection of recipients is made by Scholarship America. In no instance does any officer or employee of W.R. Hotchkiss Foundation play a part in the selection. All applicants agree to accept the decision as final.
Not all applicants to the program will be selected as recipients. Students may reapply to the program each year they meet eligibility requirements.
Notification
All applicants will be notified in April.
Notifications are sent via email. When setting up your account, avoid using a school or work email. Instead, use an active, personal email address that you will continue to have access to.
Please make sure to add studentsupport@scholarshipamerica.org as well as the program email address as safe senders in your email contact list.
Payment of Scholarships
Scholarship America processes scholarship payments on behalf of W.R. Hotchkiss Foundation. Payment is made in early August.
Requirements
As part of your application, you must upload the following:
- A current, complete transcript of grades. Grade reports are not accepted. Transcripts must display:
- Student name
- School name
- Grades
- Credit hours for each course and term in which each course was taken.
- English translations for all non-English documents, if applicable.
NOTE: If you are providing SAT or ACT test scores, and those scores are not listed on your high school transcript, you will need to upload a copy of your test score report(s) separately. If you are uploading a college transcript, those scores are not required.
One online recommendation form must be submitted on your behalf no later than February 4, 2026 at 3:00 PM Central Time.
Your application is not complete unless all required materials are submitted electronically.
Frequently Asked Questions
