The Southwest Burley Tobacco Scholarship application is currently available online and will be closed as of midnight
January 23, 2010.

Southside Tobacco Loan Forgiveness Program will open March 1, 2010.

The Southside Virginia Tobacco Scholarship/Loan program is designed to provide a stimulus for economic revitalization within the tobacco region by encouraging native Southside Virginians to return to work in a Southside locality.

The 2010-2011 Southside Tobacco Loan Forgiveness Program application process will open March 1, 2010. You are invited to apply at that time and submit the required support documentation in a timely manner.  Applications will be awarded on a first come, first served basis after all eligibility requirements have been met and ALL support documents received.

An applicant portal has been established to assist you in determining your current status.  Go to www.tobacco.swcenter.edu and select the Create A New Account link under the Applicant Portal heading.  Once you have created your account, select the Login link and enter your new username and password.  Selecting the Documents Received link will allow you to view the dates your support documentation and SAF were received.  Applications are considered complete once the online applications and all supporting documentation have been received. Supporting documentations includes the PromNote, Agreement, Transcript, and the IRF.  Once the eligibility letter has been received by the applicant and the online workshop completed, the SAF and the FA10 schedules are due. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Eligible localities: Amelia, Appomattox, Bedford, Brunswick, Buckingham, Campbell, Charlotte, Cumberland, Dinwiddie, Franklin, Greensville, Halifax, Henry, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nottoway, Patrick, Pittsylvania, Prince Edward, Sussex, Bedford City, Danville, Emporia and Martinsville.

Please review the criteria (pdf) for the Southside Virginia Tobacco Scholarship/Loan Program.

The Southwest Burley Tobacco Scholarship program is available to Burley tobacco growers, quota holders, workers and family members residing in one of the Southwest counties.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Eligible localities: Bland, Buchanan, Carroll, Dickenson, Floyd, Grayson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise and Wythe.

Please review the criteria (pdf) for the Southwest Virginia Burley Tobacco Scholarship Program.

Applicants who have submitted all support documentation will have their applications evaluated and an eligibility letter mailed within 20 working days after completion.  The date the last support document is stamped RECEIVED will determine when an eligibility letter will be mailed.

Eligibility letters will include information regarding the online workshop requirement for undergraduate award recipients and provide the website address for the Student Authorization Form (SAF) to graduate award recipients.  Undergraduate award recipients will be given instructions on how to access the Student Authorization Form (SAF) in the checklist for their online workshop.  THE SAF MUST BE RETURNED TO THE VA TOBACCO SCHOLARSHIP/LOAN PROGRAMS OFFICE IN A TIMELY MANNER.  It is the responsibility of the award recipient to insure that this document is returned.  To guarantee receipt of this documentation, the award recipient should request a signature of the person who received the document.

When the SAF is received, the college or university will be notified of the award and an official award letter will be mailed to the award recipient. 

All participating colleges and universities will receive a listing of applicants whose application is completed prior to the start of the Fall 10 semester.  Student Authorization Forms will be submitted to the colleges on a weekly basis untill all funds are awarded.

Most colleges and universities do not invoice until after the last drop/add dates for the institution.  The award recipient should check with his/her Financial Aid Office to determine if this award will be posted as “pending” or if he/she is responsible for paying the tuition and fees and then waiting for reimbursement.  The VA Tobacco Scholarship/Loan Programs office accepts no responsibility for late fees that are applied to an award recipient’s account. 

Once an invoice is received in the VA Tobacco Scholarship/Loan Programs office, payment will be requested from UVA, our fiscal agent.  Once payment is requested, the general time lapse is 7-10 days before payment reaches the college or university.

For additional information, please visit the Southwest Burley and Southside Loan Program website or contact the VA Tobacco Scholarships Office at tobacco@swcenter.edu or via telephone to (276) 619-4378.

Pat Ball
Southwest Burley Tobacco Scholarships Assistant
Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center
P. O. Box 1987
One Partnership Circle
Abingdon, VA 24212-1987
Phone: (276) 619-4378
Fax: (276) 619-4309
tobacco@swcenter.edu

Paul “Arnie” Farrar II
Southside Tobacco Loan Forgiveness Program Coordinator
Southern Virginia Higher Education Center
820 Bruce Street
South Boston, VA  24592
Phone: (434) 572-5484
pfarrar@swcenter.edu

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