Western Shoshone Educational Trust Fund

Welcome to the Western Shoshone Educational Trust Fund Website.  It is an honor to present this educational funding opportunity to you.

The Western Shoshone Educational Trust Fund was established via the Public Law 108-270 with the mission of distribution of educational assistance for the Western Shoshone People who were eligible for the Western Shoshone Claims Judgment Roll, and/or individuals who prove to be lineal descendant of an individual appearing on the said judgment roll, and who satisfies all eligibility criteria established by the committee.

This scholarship is designed to supplement your college funding.  On this website there are listings of other funding sources. Contact your school’s financial aid office to find out about “in-house” funding that you would be eligible for.  Additionally, it is always a good idea to check for tuition breaks for Native American students. 

We wish you the best in your academic endeavors!

Western Shoshone Education Trust Fund Administrative Committee

UPDATE

The committee is now accepting applications for the Winter 2018 semester for the Western Shoshone Educational Trust Fund. 

Next deadline is

January 15, 2018. 

The current application can be found on the Application & other Documents page.  

If you need assistance with your application, please contact your tribal representative or At-large representative found on the "About Us" page.

The next deadline is January 15, 2018 for the 2018 Spring Semester as noted on the application guidelines. Please review revised application (4/16) to note changes.

Please provide your application prior to the deadline since some applicants have not been selected due to incomplete data or records. 

Be sure to read the application guidelines to make sure that you have all documents.

2017 Fall Semester Recipients need to have grades submitted by the deadline to be considered for the 2018 Spring Semester. 

It is not an automatic continuation of funds. 

Continuing eligible student transcripts need the educational institute's letterhead or https address on the transcript to be accepted. 

Continuing Students also do not have to resend the whole application. 

All Students will need to provide a class schedule showing you have registered as a full-time student.   If there is a deadline problem, prior to the deadline, you will need to send us the school's schedule showing when you can register.

However, if you have a change of address or educational institute, you will need to submit an new application page to the committee at the post office or email address listed above.  

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 Timeline of the WSETF-AC Bylaws, guidelines and application:

Dec-April 2013          

Committee met to develop and finalized the WSETF-AC Bylaws, guidelines and application.

February 2013            

Committee submitted WSETF-AC Bylaws

April 2013                  

Committee submitted WSETF guidelines and application

June 2013                   

Committee notified of legal concerns from BIA

July 12, 2013              

Committee revised WSETF-AC Bylaws and submitted them to BIA

September 2013         

Solicitor’s Office contacted Chair and Committee revised recommendations and resubmitted them to the Solicitor’s Office.

November 2013         

Conference Call with BIA and no update was provided.    BIA to check into status. 

April 2014                  

Conference Call with BIA and no update was provided.    BIA to check into status.

May 29, 2014             

BIA email stating that the letter has been given to the Assistant Secretary for signature.

July 10, 2014              

Email to Tribal Chair people with a request from the committee to write letters of support to get WSETF-AC Bylaws, guidelines and application approved.

                                    Committee letter to Secretary of the Interior, Sally Jewell request an expedited approval.

July 24, 2014              

Kevin Washburn, Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs, letter approving WSETF-AC Bylaws with notation that the application form would need to be approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

August 22, 2014        

Jimmy Hastings office notifying  the  Committee that the application was in Washington and being forward to OMB along with a federal register notice.  This would take a 90 day process.

November 2014         

Email to J. Hastings at BIE and no update was provided.   

December 2014          

Email to J. Hastings at BIE and no update was provided.   

January 13, 2015        

Email to J. Hastings at BIE and no update was provided

January 29, 2015        

Chairman Virginia Sanchez visited and emailed to Senator Reid’s Washington office regarding OMB

February 12, 2015      

Communicated with Amanda Begay regarding OMB review and the Paperwork Reduction Act.

February 26, 2015      

Hastings notified Committee that there was no one in Sacramento BIE office that Committee had noted on the application and had intended to use Assistant to receive applications and maintain files. 

March 4, 2015            

Amanda Begay, BIA Office of Regulatory Affairs and Collaborative Action,   notified committee that our application had not been submitted to OMB.    Notified committee that the process was restarted and would be published in the Federal Register and solicit public comments for 60-days.

March 19, 2015          

Committee met & voted to remove BIA/BIE from application process. Committee notified BIA to withdraw application from OMB review.   Committee will administer the guidelines and application process in consultation with the Eastern & Western Agencies.