Despite originality and creativity, novelty has inherent drawbacks. Chief among these is a notable absence of footsteps to follow and having no mold or model of basic strategies for success and forward progress.
Such realities are the same reasons why would-be scholars with families that have no college degree holders face huge obstacles to their own academic advancement. Besides sources of practical guidance, they often lack pecuniary resources due to direct correlation between income and education levels.
As such, those looking to escape a cycle of low earnings via higher learning are often caught in a cruel catch-22. Fortunately, detours exist to bypass barriers frequently encountered by family pioneers of Academia. Begin all quests for best funding solutions in the list below of scholarships for first-generation students.
1. Bay Area Minority Law Student Scholarship Program
DEADLINE: May 11
The Bar Association of San Francisco, or BASF, sponsors this fund that makes renewable annual awards of $10,000 to assist deserving legal scholars at economic disadvantage of underrepresented groups in the legal profession.
Applicants must have/be:
o African American, Asian, Hispanic, Native Alaskan, Native American, or Pacific Islander
o Attend a Bay Area law school accredited by the American Bar Association, or ABA
o Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average, or GPA, of 3.5
Contact
301 Battery Street, 3rd Floor
Bar Association of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA 94111
Email: nbrittonsnyder@sfbar.org
For updates, see http://www.sfbar.org/jdc/diversity/educational-programs/scholarships.aspx#anchor02.
2. Bernard & Audre Rapoport McLennan Community College First Generation Scholars
DEADLINE: Contact sponsor
The McLennan Community College First Generation College Student Initiative, or MCC-FGCSI, is on a mission to instill a collegiate mindset into promising local scholars without parental example, especially in the African American and Hispanic communities. Toward this end, it makes up to 18 renewable annual awards of $4,000 to assist deserving MCC students cover attendance costs.
Primary influential selections factors include:
o First-generation status
o High academic potential, as evidenced by high school grades, standardized admissions test scores, and writing sample quality
o Cognizance of current events
Contact
Bernard & Audre Rapoport McLennan Community College First Generation Scholars
Crystal Anthony, FGCSI Coordinator
Phone: 254-299-8597
Email: canthony@mclennan.edu
Learn more at http://www.mclennan.edu/firstgen/.
3. Buick Achievers Scholarship Program
DEADLINE: Contact sponsor
General Motors Foundation, or GMF, sponsors this program that makes 100 renewable annual awards of up to $25,000 and 1,000 one-time awards of $2,000 to assist undergraduates pursuing automotive careers.
Applicants must have/be:
o A high school senior or graduate or current undergraduate student
o Enroll full-time in an accredited four-year U.S. institution for the entire academic year of award, excluding online and proprietary schools
o Major in a field with a focus on engineering or specific design or business-related disciplines, per GMF criteria
o Demonstrated interest in an automotive or related career
o U.S. citizenship with permanent U.S. or Puerto Rican residency
o Demonstrated academic achievement and financial need
o Maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA
Contact
Buick Achievers Scholarship Program
To request notification of next application acceptance period, enter personal contact information at http://www.buickachievers.com/.
4. Carol A. Hurley Memorial Scholarship
DEADLINE: March 8
Jointly sponsored by Vermont Student Assistance Corporation, or VSAC, and the family of the named honoree and former VSAC outreach counselor dedicated to helping first-generation college entrants, this fund makes at least one annual award of $1,000.
Applicants must have/be:
o Attending an accredited school eligible for Title IV federal financial aid such as Pell Grants and PLUS loans
o Graduate of a high school listed at http://www.vsac.org/ebook/VSAC%20scholarships%20booklet%20for%20Vermonters/files/assets/basic-html/page25.html.
o A minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA
o Demonstrated financial need
o Demonstrated school and/or community involvement
Contact
Carol A. Hurley Memorial Scholarship
Vermont Student Assistance Corporation
10 East Allen Street
PO Box 2000
Winooski, VT 05404
Phone: 888-253-4819 or 802-654-3798
5. Catawba College’s First Family Scholarships
DEADLINE: February 10
Touted as the most prestigious scholarship available at North Carolina’s Catawba College, application is by invitation only. Prior acceptance by Catawba is a mandatory prerequisite to be invited. Invitees must then provide an educator recommendation along with other required materials by the deadline. Such exclusivity is fully justified by renewable full-tuition awards.
Applicants must have/be:
o Minimum aggregate SAT math and reading sub-score of 1100 or ACT composite score of 25
o A minimum 3.5 minimum GPA
o An entering freshman
Contact
Catawba College’s First Family Scholarships
Catawba College Financial Aid Office
2300 W Innes St
Salisbury, NC 28144
Phone: (704) 637-4416 or 1-800-CATAWBA
Email: finaid@catawba.edu
6. Cesar Chavez Memorial Leadership Award
DEADLINE: Contact sponsor
The Cesar Chavez Latino Scholarship Fund and PepsiCo jointly sponsor this scholarship that makes 11 annual awards of up to $5,000 to assist Latino scholars pursue higher education in Arizona.
Applicants must have/be:
o Of Latino descent
o Attend an accredited Arizona postsecondary institution
o Demonstrated academic excellence, extracurricular activity leadership, and commitment to volunteerism
o Demonstrated financial need
Contact
Cesar Chavez Memorial Leadership Award
Cesar Chavez Foundation Education Institute
Phone: (213) 362-0260
Email: edu@chavezfoundation.org
7. Choose Your Future Scholarship
DEADLINE: Varies
Designed as a clearinghouse of college preparation resources for Chicago high school students, Chooseyourfuture.org provides an exhaustive list of strategic scholarships that assist special-needs scholars.
As eligibility criteria and deadlines vary widely among dozens of featured programs, learn more details at http://www.chooseyourfuture.org/scholarships.
Contact
Choose Your Future Scholarship
Chicago Public Schools
Office of College and Career Preparation
125 S. Clark St., 12th Floor
Chicago, IL 60603
Phone: (773) 553-2108
8. Coca-Cola First Generation Scholarship
DEADLINE: October 31
Chosen recipients get annual awards of $5,000, renewable for up to four academic years as well as support for smooth transitions to college life and career development advice.
Applicants must have/be:
o A full-time freshman
o A minimum 3.0 GPA
o A first-generation student, as defined by having no parent or sibling who ever attended college
Applications must be submitted to appropriate institutional office.
Contact
Coca-Cola First Generation Scholarship
Coca-Cola Scholars Program
Phone: 800-306-2653
Email: scholars@coca-cola.com
9. CU Leadership, Excellence, Achievement, & Diversity Scholarship, or CU-LEAD
DEADLINE: Contact sponsor
Sponsored by University of Colorado at Boulder, First Generations Scholars is among many holistic CU-LEAD initiatives that provide personal development, academic advisement, and community engagement for recipients. Annual awards are $200 to $2,000, based on unmet financial need and may be renewed for up to 10 academic semesters.
Applicants must have/be:
o Colorado residency
o Parents with no postsecondary education, training, or certification of any kind
o Enrolled in a CU-Boulder undergraduate degree program
o Demonstrated financial need
Contact
CU Leadership, Excellence, Achievement, & Diversity Scholarship
Justina Boyd, 1st Gen Co-Coordinator
Phone: 303-492-7194
Email: Justina.Boyd@colorado.edu
10. Cynthia E. Morgan Memorial Scholarship
DEADLINE: February 25
For the upcoming academic year, this memorial scholarship promises an annual award of $1,000 to a first-generation Maryland medical student.
Applicants must have/be:
o Current Maryland residency
o Currently or planning to attend an accredited Maryland postsecondary institution
o The first immediate family member to attend an accredited Maryland postsecondary school
o Plan to pursue a medical or medical-related career
Contact
Cynthia E. Morgan Memorial Scholarship
5516 Maudes Way
White Marsh, MD 21162
Email: administrator@cemsfund.com
Apply at www.cemsfund.com.
11. Patty & Melvin Alperin First Generation Scholarship
DEADLINE: May 1
Sponsor Rhode Island Foundation makes renewable annual award(s) of $1,000 to first-generation in its served state.
Applicants must have/be:
o A Rhode Island high school senior
o Parents who are non-college graduates
o Accepted by or attending an accredited postsecondary school
o Demonstrated financial need
Contact
Patty & Melvin Alperin First Generation Scholarship
Alison Jackson
Phone: (401) 427-4010
Email: ajackson@rifoundation.org
Apply at https://www.grantrequest.com/SID_983?SA=SNA&FID=35214.
12. Fannie & Sam Constantino First Generation Scholarship Program
DEADLINE: January 15
Sponsored by Rochester, New York-based St. John Fisher College, or Fisher, this fund makes 24 renewable annual awards to first-generation freshmen. Amounts are based on financial need and range from $5,000 to half-tuition and half of on-campus room and board.
Applicants must have/be:
o A first-generation student whose parents are not college graduates
o A high school senior planning to enroll at Fisher the next fall
o File a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, by February 15
o Meet standing Fisher admission criteria of minimum high school GPA of 3.0 and combined SAT math and reading score of 1000 or higher.
Contact
Fannie & Sam Constantino First Generation Scholarship Program
Freshman Admissions
Phone: (585) 385-8064
Email: admissions@sjfc.edu
Apply at https://forms.sjfc.edu/first-generation-scholarship-application/?utm_source=go.sjfc.edu&utm_medium=urlshortener.
13. P. Doug Laughlin Family Scholarship
DEADLINE: Contact sponsor
College Parents of America, or CPA, sponsors this scholarship that makes renewable annual awards of $1,000 to outstanding first-generation college students.
Applicants must have/be:
o A high school senior
o Rank within upper 50 percent of graduating class
o First family member to attend college
o Pursue a first bachelor’s degree
o CPA membership
o Maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA
Contact
P. Doug Laughlin Family Scholarship
2200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 102-396
Arlington, VA. 22201
(888) 761-6702
14. First Generation Inner-City Scholarships – Culinary Institute of America, or CIA
DEADLINE: N/A
Self-professed training mecca for culinary stars, CIA provides this fund that makes eight annual renewable awards of full tuition to first-generation aspiring culinarians.
Applicants must have/be:
o Residency in a major U.S. metropolis
o A first-generation college student, as defined by both parents being non-graduates of any college or university
o A minimum 3.0 GPA
o Demonstrated financial need, by virtue of FAFSA data
No separate application form is necessary, as students are automatically considered by the CIA Financial Aid Office.
Contact
First Generation Inner-City Scholarships – Culinary Institute of America
Student Financial & Registration Services
1946 Campus Drive
Hyde Park, NY 12538
Phone: 845-451-1500
Email: SFRS@culinary.edu
15. Florida First Generation Matching Grant, or FFGMG
DEADLINE: Contact administrator
FFGMG is a need-based state-funded program that assists first-generation Florida undergraduates with renewable annual awards equal to unmet financial need.
Applicants must have/be:
o A Florida resident
o A U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
o No previous baccalaureate or higher degree
o Accepted by or attending a Florida institution listed at ww.flbog.org/aboutsus/universities/ or www.fldoe.org/cc/colleges.asp
o Demonstrated financial need by eligibility for a Florida Public Student Assistance Grant and FAFSA data
o Enroll in at least six credits per term in a degree program
o Be a first-generation student, by virtue of neither parent having earned a baccalaureate degree or residing with and receiving support from just one parent who has no baccalaureate degree
Contact
Florida First Generation Matching Grant
Phone: 1-888-827-2004
Email: osfa@fldoe.org
16. Human Capital Scholarship
DEADLINE: March
The Asian Pacific Fund makes awards of $1,500 to assist needy minority students cover costs of attending the University of California, or UC.
Applicants must have/be:
o Full-time entering freshmen at UC
o A minimum 2.7 GPA
o Of low-income economic status
o African American, Asian American, Latino, or other underrepresented minority
Liberal arts majors receive preferential consideration.
Contact
Human Capital Scholarship
Asian Pacific Fund
465 California Street, Suite 809
San Francisco CA 94104
Phone: 415-395-9985
Email: info@asianpacificfund.org
17. Institute for Study Abroad at Butler University First Generation College Student Program, or ISFA-Butler
DEADLINE: October 1 for spring term, March 1 for fall term
Since its 1988 founding, IFSA-Butler has strived to reverse the low study abroad rate among first-generation students by awarding up to $2,500 for airfare, VISA and passport, and housing costs for up to a year of studies in a foreign country.
Applicants must have/be:
o A minimum 2.7 GPA
o A first-generation college student
Strong preference is given to candidates who apply for one of four IFSA-Butler Spotlight Programs distinguished for academic quality, pre-professional support, and affordability.
Contact
IFSA-Butler First Generation College Student Program
Becki Niccum
Phone: 317-940-3077
Email: bniccum@ifsa-butler.org
18. I’m First Scholarship
DEADLINE: Contact sponsor
Nominated among 2012 Scholarship Providers of the Year, Center for Study Opportunity makes four-year renewable annual awards of $2,000 to first-year generation students.
Applicants must have/be:
o Current home school or high school seniors in the U.S.
o First-generation college students, by virtue of neither parent having earned a four-year college degree
o Attend an I’m First Partner College
o Demonstrated need for financial and academic support
o Exhibit strong writing and blogging skills
o Demonstrated leadership and community service experience or commitment and commitment to expanding first-generation educational opportunities
Contact
I’m First Scholarship
Krista D’Amelio
Phone: (301) 363-4551
Email: krista@imfirst.org
19. Wisconsin Talent Incentive Program Grants, or TIP
DEADLINE: Open
TIP grants help neediest Wisconsans at greatest educational disadvantage get higher learning with lower debt loads.
Applicants must have/be:
o Wisconsin residency
o A first-time college freshman or Continuing TIP sophomore applicant
o Enrolled at least half-time
o Attend an accredited Wisconsin postsecondary school
o Meet at least one Financial Need criterion of public assistance recipient, low income, or unemployment
o Meet at least one Nontraditional/Disadvantaged criterion of first-generation student status, former incarceration, special academic support needs, ADA-defined disability, or detrimental academic and environmental background
Contact
Wisconsin Talent Incentive Program TIP Grants
Mohini Moholkar
Phone: (414) 227-4358
20. Regents’ Scholarship – Texas A&M
DEADLINE: N/A
Annual awards of $5,000 are made to 600 ambitious Texas A&M University students that may be renewed up to four years without regard for other financial assistance.
Applicants must have/be:
o A first-generation college student, by virtue of neither parent having a bachelor’s degree
o FAFSA-verified adjusted gross income below $40,000
o Maintain satisfactory academic progress
o Complete 30 credits per academic award year
Contact
Regents’ Scholarship – Texas A&M
The Pavilion 200, Spence Street
1252 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843
Learn more at https://scholarships.tamu.edu
21. Saint Mary’s University First-Generation Initiative Scholarship, or FGI
DEADLINE: Contact sponsor
FGI has a design of providing educational access and support to smooth first-generation student transitions into Academia. Its exceptional efforts include full payment of tuition, textbook, room and board, and technology fees in addition to extensive non-economic educational support.
Applicants must have/be:
o First family member to attend college
o Minimum 3.0 GPA
o Demonstrated financial need
o Demonstrated leadership potential
Contact
Saint Mary’s University First-Generation Initiative Scholarship
Jane Anderson, Ph.D., Director
700 Terrace Heights #23
Winona, MN 55987
Phone: (800) 635-5987, ext. 6621 or (507) 457-6621
Email: janders1@smumn.edu
22. Sallie Mae First in My Family Scholarship
DEADLINE: February 16
Jointly sponsored by the Hispanic College Fund, or HSF, and Sallie Mae Foundation, this fund makes annual awards of $500 to $5,000 that assist promising Hispanic students.
Applicants must have/be:
o Of Hispanic descent or ethnicity
o First family member to attend college
o Demonstrated financial need
o A minimum 3.0 GPA
o An undergraduate college student
Contact
Sallie Mae First in My Family Scholarship
Auri Duarte, HCF Program Manager
Phone: (202) 296-5400
Email: hcf-info@hispanicfund.org
23. Student Support Services Scholars Academy, or SSS
DEADLINE: Contact sponsor
A U.S. Department of Education initiative, SSS seeks to enable academic excellence by UC Berkeley first-generation students of modest means. Awards consist of special grants that partially offset student loan debt.
Applicants must have/be:
o A first-generation student, by virtue of neither parent having a four-year college degree
o A freshman or sophomore attending UC Berkeley
o Low-income per Department of Education guidelines at
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/trio/incomelevels.html
Contact
Student Support Services Scholars Academy, or SSS
Javane Strong, Assistant Director
2515 Channing Way #2410
Berkeley, CA 94720
Phone: (510) 643-6287
Email: jastrong@berkeley.edu
24. Taigh Scholarship
DEADLINE: Contact administrator
A group of Vermonters established this fund to facilitate educational access by first-generation college students in remote areas of their state. Number and amount of annual awards vary.
Applicants must have/be:
o Attending an accredited Title IV-approved institution
o Caledonia County residents
o Demonstrated financial need
o Exhibit strong education and work ethics
Contact
Taigh Scholarship
10 East Allen Street
PO Box 2000
Winooski, VT 05404
Phone: 888-253-4819 or 802-654-3798
25. TELACU David C. Lizarraga Fellowship
DEADLINE: Contact administrator
This collaborative effort by TELACU Educational Foundation and Toyota is designed to meet exponential growth in demand for Latino professionals. It meets that end with several hundred annual awards of $5,000 to graduate students of desired ethnicity and educational major.
Applicants must have/be:
o A first-generation college student
o Of Latino ethnic origin
o Pursuing a graduate degree in engineering or business administration
o A minimum 2.5 GPA
o Maintain full-time enrollment throughout entire academic year of award
o Demonstrated financial need
Contact
TELACU David C. Lizarraga Fellowship
5400 E Olympic Blvd., 3rd Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90022
Phone: 323-721-1655
Email: collegesuccess@TELACU.com
