Academic Scholarships

The Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture Academic Scholarship and Financial Aid Program provides competitive, merit-based financial assistance to students who enroll for full-time study. These scholarships are based solely on academic achievement and promise.

Students must complete the NCTA online admission application, meet admission requirements and submit their high school transcript to NCTA for consideration. No separate application is required to be considered for these scholarships

Jean and Richard Rawson Scholarship

The Jean and Richard Rawson Scholarship is awarded to incoming Nebraska resident students that graduate from high school with a 3.0 GPA or higher. The Rawson Scholarship award levels are:
4.00 CGPA - $2,500 Rawson Scholarship
3.99 - 3.50 CGPA - $2,000 Rawson Scholarship
3.49 - 3.00 CGPA - $1,500 Rawson Scholarship

  • The scholarship can be renewed at the corresponding award level as long as the minimum cumulative grade point average is maintained, enrollment is at least full time (12 hrs) and 24 or more credit hours are successfully completed each academic year.
  • Eligibility will be reviewed once a year after spring semester and renewal levels will be based on the cumulative GPA and hours at that time.
  • Students with a Bachelor's or graduate degree are not eligible.
  • This scholarship is available for the academic year only.

Foundation Scholarships:

A number of scholarships are made possible through the efforts of the University Foundation and the generosity of alumni and friends of NCTA. A committee selects these scholarship recipients each year based on the criteria established when the fund was set up.

The following scholarships do not require a separate application but are awarded using information from a student's initial admission application or academic record at NCTA:

  • Tim Sheehan Memorial Scholarship
  • Chandra Castle Memorial Scholarship
  • Stanley and Hope Tryon NCTA Scholarship
  • Sylvia Clawson English Memorial for the Fred & Edna Hecht Scholarship
  • Lancaster County Farm Bureau NCTA Scholarship
  • Sharon Beebe Lytle Scholarship
  • Samuel S & Ruth S Kamino DVM Scholarship
  • Dr C L & Lydia Miller Memorial Scholarship
  • Nebr. College of Technical Ag-Veterinary Technology SS
  • Jack McCaffery Memorial Scholarship
  • Curtis Aggie NCTA Scholarship
  • Doug and Stephanie Block Family NCTA Scholarship
  • Wayne & Fern Wolgamott Memorial Scholarship
  • Don Ringstmeyer Memorial Scholarship
  • Arrow Seed Company Scholarship
  • Frances Jorgensen Student Support NCTA
  • NCTA Scholarship
  • NCTA Endowed Scholarship
  • Gudmundsen NCTA Scholarship

The following scholarship requires a separate application and essay:

  • Glenn Jurgens Memorial Scholarship

Purpose: The primary purpose of this scholarship is to provide support and encouragement for deserving Nebraska students to attend NCTA who may otherwise not have the funds to do so. The $1,000 (or more) scholarship award ($500 per semester) is for tuition and school expenses for the first academic year at NCTA. It is renewable for a second year by maintaining an accumulative grade point average of 3.0 or otherwise approved by the Committee.

The scholarship is available to any Nebraska resident student pursuing a degree in an agriculture-related field of study at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture (NCTA) in Curtis, Nebraska. Application for the 2024-2025 academic year is due to the NCTA Dean’s Office by Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. To apply, click on Glenn Jurgens Memorial Scholarship Application.

Activity Scholarships

The Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture Activity Scholarship Programs were created for students involved in team or club activities. To be considered for an Activity Scholarship, students must show excellence in their respective areas of activity. Activity scholarships may be awarded to students competing in Rodeo, Livestock Judging, and Trap. Scholarship recommendations are made by the head coach of his or her team.

NCTA Aggie Scholarship:

The NCTA Aggie Scholarship is up to $2000 per year. This scholarship is awarded to incoming freshmen or transfer students that graduate from high school with a 2.5 CGPA or higher. Candidates should be leaders with experience, activities and talents that show a strong interest in the agriculture programs and teams promoted at NCTA. Students must be nominated by an NCTA coach or administrator, complete the NCTA online admission application, meet admission requirements and submit their high school (and college) transcripts by April 1 to receive full consideration. If funds are available, students may be considered after April 1 on a first come, first complete basis. Students must be a US citizen to be eligible.

  • The scholarship can be renewed if the minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.500 is maintained and 12 or more credit hours are successfully completed each semester.
  • Eligibility will be reviewed at the end of each semester and the NCTA Dean's Tuition Scholarship can be used for a total of 2 years.
  • Recipients must maintain good standing, as identified by the team or organization, at all times.
  • This scholarship is available for the academic year only.
  • Applicants who are eligible for the NCTA Dean's Tuition Scholarship, NCTA Aggie Scholarship and/or Rawson Scholarship will be awarded the scholarship which results in the highest award.

NCTA Dean's Tuition Scholarship

The NCTA Dean's Tuition Scholarship is up to $4000 per year. This scholarship is awarded to incoming freshmen or transfer students that graduate from high school with a 3.0 CGPA or higher and have an ACT score of 18. Candidates should be leaders with experience, activities and talents that show a strong interest in the agriculture programs and teams promoted at NCTA. Students must be nominated by an NCTA coach or administrator, complete the NCTA online admission application, meet admission requirements and submit their high school (and college) transcripts by April 1 to receive full consideration. If funds are available, students may be considered after April 1 on a first come, first complete basis. Students must be a US citizen to be eligible.

  • The scholarship can be renewed if the minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 is maintained and 12 or more credit hours are successfully completed each semester.
  • Eligibility will be reviewed at the end of each semester and the NCTA Dean's Tuition Scholarship can be used for a total of 2 years.
  • Recipients must maintain good standing, as identified by the team or organization, at all times.
  • This scholarship is available for the academic year only.
  • Applicants who are eligible for the NCTA Dean's Tuition Scholarship, NCTA Aggie Scholarship and/or Rawson Scholarship will be awarded the scholarship which results in the highest award.

Outside NCTA Scholarship Opportunities

Susan T. Buffett Scholarship – for scholarship information and an application go to the buffettscholarships.org website.

Farm Credit Services of America Scholarship – for scholarship information go to the Farm Credit Service of America website. The 2023-2024 scholarship application application is available now at FCSAmerica application. Deadline is April 15, 2023.

National Corn Growers Association Scholarship – for scholarship information and an application go to the National Corn Growers Association Scholarship website.

Nebraska Cattlemen Foundation Youth Scholarships – the Nebraska Cattlemen Foundation (NCF) offers scholarships to qualified youth in Nebraska who have an interest in the beef industry.  These scholarships are provided through contributions received by NCF.  All NCTA students are eligible to apply.  The Jim and Helen Gran Scholarship is specifically for an NCTA student studying agriculture.  Application and information is available at: https://nebraskacattlemen.org/about/foundation/

The Nebraska Chapter of the Soil & Water Conservation Society and the Nebraska Soil & Water Conservation Foundation have available up to six $1,000 scholarships to be awarded – for scholarship information and an application go to the Nebraska SWCS Chapter website.

The Nebraska Cooperative Council Education Foundation has available the Michael S. Turner Scholarship Program which provides two $2,000 scholarships to students majoring in agribusiness or ag production systems – for scholarship information and an application go to the Nebraska Cooperative Council Education Foundation Scholarship website. Applications are now being accepted for the 2024-2025 academic year thru April 15, 2024.

Nebraska Rural Radio Foundation Scholarship – for scholarship information and an application go to the Nebraska Farm Bureau website.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Panhandle Research and Extension Center has available three $1,000 scholarships to students majoring in agriculture, agriculture technology or a related degree emphasizing agriculture who attended high school in the Panhandle of Nebraska in one of the following counties: Banner, Blaine, Box Butte, Cherry, Cheyenne, Dawes, Deuel, Garden, Grant, Hooker, Kimball, Morrill, Scottsbluff, Sheridan, Sioux and Thomas – for scholarship information and an application go to the Panhandle Research and Extension Center Student Scholarship website.

The NVMA Centennial Scholarship fund has a new veterinary technician student scholarship this year - the Gaines Family Veterinary Technology Scholarship. This scholarship is for students going into their second year of tech school. For scholarship information and an application go to the Gaines Family Veterinary Technology Scholarship website.

Scholarship Search Programs

The Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture is not affiliated with any of the organizations nor do we determine eligibility for these scholarships, information required can vary. Please view the details of the programs you are interested in and contact the organization listed, as the college does not accept applications for these scholarships. If you receive an external scholarship, please report the scholarship in MyNCTA.