Applications for the 2013 City of Cambridge Scholarship are being accepted to provide financial help to residents pursuing post-secondary education. The deadline for the application and supporting documentation is March 11.

The scholarships have awarded thousands of dollars to college-bound high school seniors and others who want to pursue higher education, thanks to the generosity of Cambridge residents, businesses and taxpayers who support the annual fund, said Ini Tomeu, the city’s public information officer.  In the past fiscal year, the city awarded 50 scholarships of $2,500 each.

Applications are available at Cambridge public schools, library branches and at City Hall or by  download from the city’s website via the links section at the bottom.

Applicants must be a resident of Cambridge of any age; and must be attending, have received admittance to or have an application pending at an accredited education institution beyond the high school level before the award date of May. The scholarship is paid directly to the institution and must be used during the 2013-14 academic year. Prior recipients are not eligible; the award is one time only.

The scholarship fund is administered by the city’s Finance Department. A Scholarship Committee made up of six Cambridge residents appointed by the city manager reviews and ranks each application. To ensure a fair review process, members do not see the name of an applicant, meaning each application is evaluated and ranked based on academic achievement, financial need, community and extracurricular activities and special circumstances.

To contribute to the fund and help others, make checks payable to the City of Cambridge Scholarship Fund and mail them to the Cambridge Scholarship Fund, City of Cambridge, P.O. Box 2005, Cambridge, MA 02139 or drop them off at the Finance Department Cashier’s window during regular business hours. Contribution forms can be downloaded from the city’s website.

For information, call Irene Kostakis at (617) 349-4220 or send e-mail to  [email protected].