The Center for Scholarship Administration

The Center for Scholarship Administration (CSA) provides corporations, foundations, trust funds, and individual philanthropists scholarship selection and administration management that is experienced, professional, and cost efficient while lending the program an integrity not inherent in internal selection committees.

History of CSA

• In 1954 the South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities instituted its first scholarship administration as a special service to a donor. In the intervening years the service has grown and expanded to include additional company-sponsored scholarship programs. The programs were developed and tailored to meet the unique needs of each of the organizations served. Because of the interest in the program and the potential for more growth, The Center for Scholarship Administration (CSA) was established as a separate organization designed solely for administering scholarships.
• Currently, the Center for Scholarship Administration awards over $10,000,000 annually in scholarship funds. Funds are given for scholarships and scholarship endowment programs. Recipients are attending more than 1000 leading public and private colleges and universities. CSA, an independent, non-profit, scholarship administrative service, in conjunction with leading businesses, individuals, and trust funds, awards scholarship dollars every year to deserving students. Tuition, fees, and room and board expenses have increased to meet the demands for rising costs in academic programs, plant maintenance and renovation, equipment purchases, and innumerable other necessities. The largest growing single institutional budget item is financial aid for students. Escalating costs are keeping deserving students away from an education and diverting them into the workforce unprepared for the future. CSA's goal is to help these students by providing a unique opportunity for corporations, foundations and trust funds to offer scholarship funds to worthy students.
• The cost of higher education, public and private, is rising at an alarming rate. State/federal assistance has not kept pace and, as a result, many young people are being priced out of the market. The establishment of a company-sponsored scholarship program offers your organization a unique opportunity to assist your employees as well as your community. A corporate scholarship program allows you to help offset higher education costs while providing an invaluable fringe benefit package.

Administrative Services

• The Center for Scholarship Administration offers the following services to their clients. Clients are free to choose the services they feel will benefit their program.
• CSA staff writes a set of operating procedures for the administration of a scholarship program, based on the desires of the donor. CSA annually reviews those guidelines, advising the donor with regard to updating any requirements.
• CSA distributes these operating procedures to appropriate individuals per instructions from donor.
• CSA designs and distributes application packets. Application packets are also available online at www.csascholars.org.
• CSA receives and processes application packets.
• CSA handles all correspondence and any special circumstances and questions from applicants, the family, and/or high school and college administrators.
• CSA has computer programs designed to assist in evaluating academic and financial materials received from applicants.
• CSA enlists the aid of a Scholarship Selection Committee.
• CSA notifies the donor of the names and addresses of the current year winners. The donor then notifies these winners of their selection in whatever manner they choose.
• CSA follows up with additional forms and information for the winners.
• CSA requests information from prior scholarship winners and determines eligibility for renewal.
• CSA notifies renewal recipients of decisions.
• CSA notifies unsuccessful candidates.
• CSA maintains and reviews records on all recipients annually.
• CSA provides an annual report to donor on progress of students.
• CSA bills donor. Checks are issued to colleges upon receipt of required materials.

For more information on our organization, please contact us by calling 1-864-268-3363 (Monday through Thursday: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm). We can also be reached by fax 1-864-268-7160. If you have questions regarding new programs or questions regarding administrative services, contact allison@csascholars.org.