While the application deadline for the 1990-91 Penn State Academic Scholarships is not until April 2, students should start applying now, said a University financial aid director.

Applications, which can be picked up at the Office of Student Aid, 314 Shields, qualify students for all scholarships offered by the University, director Robert Evans said.

The Office of Student Aid acts as a centralized processing location, reviewing and sending applications to the students' respective colleges, Evans said.

Scholarship committees in each college then choose recipients, he added. Students should be notified of awards between March and September.

William Dulaney, chairman for the School of Communications scholarship committee, said the number of scholarship recipients in the school varies as the amount of funds changes.

Dan Grow, chairman for the College of Education scholarship committee, said that committee awards about 50 scholarships yearly.

The College of Education also works with external agencies to develop scholarships in education and teacher incentive programs, said Grow, coordinator for Certification and Education Services.

"Although we wish we could give more money from our school, we do supplement it," he said.

Some awards are given by the College of Education for summer study abroad programs and for the Spring Semester, Grow said, but most are for the Fall Semester.

Dulaney, associate dean for undergraduate education in the School of Communications, said qualifications for the school's scholarships are usually determined by the person or organization that donates the money, but the top two criteria are financial need and grade-point average.

Evans said University scholarships will give about $7 million to nearly 5,000 students.

More than 60 percent of the scholarships are based on merit, he said, so a GPA of between 2.5 and 3.0 is required by most colleges. A smaller percentage of scholarships are based on need, he said.

Students who apply for need-based scholarships must also complete the regular application for state and federal financial aid, Evans said.

Funds for University scholarships come from either annual donations or endowed funds, Evans said. As a result, some of the awards are renewable based on continued academic performance, he said.