The AgStar Fund for Rural America, a corporate giving program of AgStar Financial Services, is offering $20,000 in scholarships to help students in rural areas continue their education. High school seniors in Freeborn County, along with AgStar’s service area in Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin, are encouraged to apply.

Fifteen scholarships of $1,000 each will be available for seniors who plan to continue their education and pursue careers in agricultural fields. In addition, the fund is awarding five $1,000 scholarships to high school seniors with an agricultural background who plan to continue their education in any field of study.

Applications are accepted through April 1.

Students will be awarded scholarships based on their academic record, vocational promise, community service and leadership qualities. Applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 or better. There will be four students chosen from each of AgStar’s five regions in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Applicants must be residents of one of the 69 counties within AgStar’s territory, including Freeborn County.

In addition to high school scholarships, AgStar also offers several other programs to support education in Freeborn County, including a scholar’s program for college students studying in an ag-related field, a grant for equipment in high school agriculture classrooms and tuition assistance for young and beginning farmers.

High school scholarships may be applied towards tuition at colleges, universities, technical or vocational schools. Students can get scholarship application forms online at AgStar.com.