Since the pursuit of education is one of the most vital parts of healing, empowerment, self-esteem, and independence, many public and private organizations have established scholarships for survivors of crime to help get on the right track to a brighter future.
Due to the devastating impact of violent crimes on human development, many victims often suffer from long-term effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiousness, fearfulness, and other disturbing symptoms that make it difficult to function, let alone pursue a degree. Luckily, the following are 25 of the best scholarship opportunities that are available to provide crime survivors with the financial support and resources for recovery in pursuing their dreams.
1. Alice Barton Memorial Scholarship Program
Deadline: December 6th
Founded by the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence in honor of a well-known trial attorney and long-time supporter who survived domestic abuse, the Alice Barton Memorial Scholarship Program is designed to provide $1,000 to individual survivors of domestic violence in support of their education and/or job training efforts. Preference will be given to survivor applicants seeking their first college degree or technical job training and who have been referred by a local domestic violence program in Iowa.
Contact
Alice Barton Memorial Scholarship Program
3030 Merle Hay Road
Des Moines, IA 50310
(515) 244-8028
liza@icadv.org
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3. American Police Family Survivors Fund Scholarships
Deadline: March 31st
Each year, the American Federation of Police and Concerned Citizens (AFP&CC) offers the American Police Family Survivors Fund Scholarships for up to $4,000 for surviving sons and daughters of police officers tragically killed in the line of duty to attend a traditional four-year college or university in the United States. Eligible survivors must be enrolled in a minimum of six credits, maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher, and submit an official school transcript.
Contact
American Police Family Survivors Fund Scholarships
6350 Horizon Drive
Titusville, FL 32780
(321) 261-0911
loris@aphf.org
4. Arellano Scholarship for Survivors of Domestic Violence
Deadline: February 1st
At Arizona State University, the Arellano Scholarship for Survivors of Domestic Violence offers up to $2,000 to survivors of domestic violence who have been admitted to enroll as a full-time undergraduate student with at least 12 credit hours per semester at ASU. Qualified candidates must provide a letter of verification from a counselor or clergy member, have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, demonstrate financial need, and exhibit potential to continue with their college career in good standing.
Contact
Arellano Scholarship for Survivors of Domestic Violence
P.O. Box 2260
Tempe, AZ 85280
(480) 965-2041
seo@asu.edu
5. Catina Rose Memorial Foundation Scholarship
Deadline: May 31st
Sponsored by the Crime Victims United Charitable Foundation in honor of a brave young woman who was molested and later testified in court against her molester, the Catina Rose Memorial Foundation Scholarship is designed to assist young people who have are victim survivors of crime in affording higher education so that they may continue to heal. Applicants must be active in community service, be between the ages of 17 and 25, have no arrests or convictions, and have legal U.S. citizenship.
Contact
Catina Rose Memorial Foundation Scholarship
11400 Atwood Road
Auburn, CA 95603
(530) 885-9544
mail@crimevictimsunited.com
6. Children Impacted By Crime Scholarship Fund
Deadline: June 1st
With the goal of helping children whose life experiences place their educational opportunities in peril jeopardy, the Children Impacted By Crime Scholarship Fund awards multiple scholarships for up to $1,000 each to children who have been victimized by crime, either themselves or a member of their immediately family. Qualified candidates must be pursuing a degree at a two or four-year U.S. institution full-time, be 18 years old or over, and maintain a GPA of 2.5 or better.
Contact
Children Impacted By Crime Scholarship Fund
P.O. Box 10-S
Edgewater, FL 32132
(386) 202-4225
7. David B. Wright Memorial Foundation Scholarship
Deadline: April 10th
In memory of a cabinetmaker and a Marine Corps veteran who was fatally shot as the victim of a robbery attempt in 2009, the David B. Wright Memorial Foundation Scholarship is granted annually to provide financial support to survivors of violent crime and their families for pursuing a higher education degree for a brighter future. Preference will be given to extraordinary college-bound students who are majoring in the areas of human services, counseling, mathematics, science, engineering, or carpentry.
Contact
David B. Wright Memorial Foundation Scholarship
P.O. Box 13222
Baltimore, MD 21203
(410) 812-2371
info@davidbwrightmemorialfoundation.org
8. Fairleigh-Dickinson Crime Recovery Education Initiative
Deadline: April 1st
Funded through the New Jersey State Office of Victim Witness Advocacy (SOVWA), Fairleigh-Dickinson University has established the Crime Recovery Education Initiative (CREI) to provide annual full-tuition scholarships for survivors of violent crime in Morris County to take academic classes in a safe and supportive higher education environment. As a non-residential program, the scholarship will pay for tuition, academic fees, and textbook expenses, but will not fund room and board, meal plans, or other extra-curricular expenses.
Contact
Fairleigh-Dickinson Crime Recovery Education Initiative
285 Madison Avenue Suite 302
Madison, NJ 07940
(973) 443-8729
bpeabody@fdu.edu
9. Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund
Deadline: May 15th
Through Scholarship America, the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund presents annual scholarships based on financial need to surviving dependent children, spouses, and domestic partners of 9/11 victims, including airplane crew and passengers, World Trade Center and Pentagon workers, relief workers, and law enforcement personnel killed in the terrorist attacks. Recipients must enroll in a post-secondary degree program at an accredited vocational school, two-year college, or four-year university in the U.S. by the age of 24.
Contact
Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund
One Scholarship Way
Saint Peter, MN 56082
(877) 862-0136
info@familiesoffreedom.org
10. GFWC Success for Survivors Scholarships
Deadline: January 31st
Administered through the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC), the Success for Survivors Scholarships award $2,500 to survivors of physical, sexual, emotional, and/or psychological intimate partner abuse who are seeking to obtain a post-secondary education to reshape their future. Eligible candidates must be permanent legal residents of the United States, be planning to enroll in an accredited public or private institution, and provide a recommendation from a licensed domestic violence agency and/or social worker.
Contact
GFWC Success for Survivors Scholarships
1734 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 347-3168
Programs@GFWC.org
11. Horatio Alger National Scholarship Program
Deadline: October 25th
As one of the largest college financial aid programs in the nation, the Horatio Alger National Scholarship Program has been created to specifically assist graduating high school students who have faced and overcome great adversity in their young lives, including victimization. Qualified applicants must be pursuing a bachelor’s degree at an accredited non-profit U.S. institution, demonstrate critical financial need, maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 or higher, and display integrity and perseverance by overcoming obstacles.
Contact
Horatio Alger National Scholarship Program
99 Canal Center Plaza Suite 320
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 684-9444
scholarships@horatioalger.org
12. Jacqueline Harrison Memorial Scholarship
Deadline: October 1st
With the mission of creating a sense of empowerment and self-esteem among victims of violent crimes, the Jacqueline Harrison Memorial Scholarship (JHMS) is awarded annually to financially assist college-bound students who themselves or whose parents were victims of a violent crime. Qualified students pursuing a bachelor’s degree must provide a current resume, 500-word personal essay, official transcript, three letters of recommendation, financial statement, and proof of a continuing participation in community service.
Contact
Jacqueline Harrison Memorial Scholarship
P.O. Box 416
Suitland, MD 20752
(202) 670-5467
jhmsfund@gmail.com
13. Judith Dawn Memorial Fund for the Arts
Deadline: February 28th
Funded through the Lake County Council Against Sexual Assault (LaCASA), the Judith Dawn Memorial Fund for the Arts provides up to $8,000 annually as financial assistance to survivors of sexual assault and abuse over the age of 16 who are residents of Lake, Cook, or McHenry Counties in Illinois or Kenosha County in Wisconsin. To be eligible, survivors must be pursuing a higher education degree in the expressive arts, including dance, film/video, graphic arts, music, photography, painting, sculpture, theatre, and writing/poetry.
Contact
Judith Dawn Memorial Fund for the Arts
4275 Old Grand Avenue
Gurnee, IL 60031
(847) 244-1187
14. Ken Eaton Memorial Foundation Scholarship
Deadline: April 15th
Founded in memory of a beloved father who was murdered in an anti-gay hate crime in Des Moines, Iowa in 1988, the Ken Eaton Memorial Foundation Scholarship is designed to encourage young surviving victims of hate crimes to pursue their dream of quality higher education. Although the program is currently only open to students at St. Anthony’s School, Dowling High School, Drake University, and Brody Middle School, the foundation will be eventually expanding to the state and national level as it grows.
Contact
Ken Eaton Memorial Foundation Scholarship
921 East 23rd Street
Des Moines, IA 50317
(515) 262-9581
keneatonfoundat@aol.com
15. Kennedy Foundation Scholarships for Victims
Deadline: April 21st
Founded on the belief that education inspires hope and independence, the Kennedy Foundation Scholarships for Victims have been created to cover the full tuition costs of attending on-campus undergraduate courses full-time at Howard University in Washington, DC for survivors of domestic violence. For consideration, applicants must submit an online application, attach a short 250-word essay on professional goals, and agree to serve as a role model in the on-campus DMV community.
Contact
Kennedy Foundation Scholarships for Victims
12138 Central Avenue Suite 665
Mitchellville, MD 20721
(240) 893-0018
kennedyfoundation@yahoo.com
16. Kimberlee J. Godshall Memorial Scholarship
Deadline: May 1st
Offered by the Beginning Over Foundation in memory of a woman who lost her life at the hands of her husband in 2002, the Kimberlee J. Godshall Memorial Scholarship is granted for $1,000 to graduating high school seniors in Northampton or Lehigh County, PA who are domestic violence survivors and/or are planning to enter a field that will service domestic violence victims. Anyone interested in applying must submit a 500-word essay relating their personal experiences with overcoming domestic violence.
Contact
Kimberlee J. Godshall Memorial Scholarship
P.O. Box 3223
Easton, PA 18043
(610) 438-9112
heidi@beginningover.org
17. This scholarship has been removed at the request of the scholarship sponsor. Check back soon for our replacement.
18. OVC Crime Victim/Survivor Scholarships
Deadline: June 8th
Sponsored by the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), the Crime Victim/Survivor Scholarships are presented annually for up to $5,000 to surviving victims of violent crimes in the United States who are seeking an undergraduate or graduate degree in a human services area with the goal of starting a rewarding career working with other victims of crime. Applicants must have at least one year of volunteer service with other victims, demonstrate financial need, and provide information about their victimization.
Contact
OVC Crime Victim/Survivor Scholarships
9300 Lee Highway
Fairfax, VA 22031
(866) 682-8822
TTAC@ovcttac.org
19. Peyton Tuthill Foundation Hearts of Hope Scholarship
Deadline: May 1st
In memory of 23-year-old woman who was sexually assaulted, tortured, and murdered by an unsupervised probationer in 1999, the Peyton Tuthill Foundation Hearts of Hope Scholarship is available annually to homicide survivors and victims of crime who are enrolling as full-time undergraduate students at an approved U.S. institution. Applicants must have completed one year of grief counseling, have been the victim of a crime that occurred at least 18 months prior to submission, and possess a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better.
Contact
Peyton Tuthill Foundation Hearts of Hope Scholarship
P.O. Box 3144
Tallahassee, FL 32303
info@peytontuthill.org
20. Phoenix Education Grant for Burn Survivors
Deadline: June 30th
In honor of a teacher named Barbara Kammerer Quayle who was badly burned in an automobile accident in 1977, the Phoenix Education Grant (PEG) is the first national scholarship endowment fund created to provide financial support to young burn survivor students who have been accepted to an accredited two or four-year institution. Selection will be based on academic achievement, essay responses, letters of recommendation, financial need, and perseverance.
Contact
Phoenix Education Grant for Burn Survivors
1835 RW Berends Drive SW
Grand Rapids, MI 49519
(616) 458-2773
susan@phoenix-society.org
21. South Carolina Victim Assistance Network Scholarships
Deadline: October 1st and May 1st
Each semester, the South Carolina Victim Assistance Network partners with the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation to provide annually scholarships for up to $3,500 each to female survivors of violent crimes who demonstrate financial need for assistance in covering tuition expenses for undergraduate, graduate, or continuing education courses in South Carolina. Recipients will be chosen based on academic promise, Alpha Chi Omega chapter leadership, involvement in campus/community activities, and financial need.
Contact
South Carolina Victim Assistance Network Scholarships
113 Executive Point Blvd.
Columbia, SC 29210
(803) 750-1200 ext. 111
joy@scvan.org
22. Tree Climbers Survivor Scholarship Foundation
Deadline: April 1st
Annually, the Tree Climbers Survivor Scholarship Foundation offers multiple awards ranging in value from $1,000 to $10,000 for young survivors of childhood sexual abuse who want to pursue a degree for working with other abused children and/or adults in the rewarding fields of nursing, social work, child development, criminal justice, psychology, or counseling. Applicants must be current Tree Climbers members, have a high school diploma or GED equivalent, and submit three letters of recommendation.
Contact
Tree Climbers Survivor Scholarship Foundation
23931 Janbeall Court
Clarksburg, MD 20871
roxine@treeclimbersinc.org
23. Twin Towers Orphan Fund Scholarships
Deadline: Varies
Founded on September 11, 2001 for the sole purpose of providing educational assistance to the children who were orphaned in the terrorist-caused disasters on this infamous day, the Twin Towers Orphan Fund Scholarships are awarded to financially students between the ages of 18 and 22 who lost one or both parents in the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, or on-board the four hijacked airliners. As a need-based program, eligibility will be based on qualified individuals’ ability to pay the costs of attending an accredited U.S. institution of higher learning.
Contact
Twin Towers Orphan Fund Scholarships
10010 Rosedale Highway Suite 3
Bakersfield, CA 93312
(661) 633-9076
benefits@ttof.org
24. Voices for Victims of Violent Crimes Scholarship
Deadline: April 27th
Administered through the Colorado Department of Corrections (DOC), the Voices for Victims of Violent Crimes Scholarship is granted annually for $3,000 to crime victims or their survivors between the ages of 18 and 23 who will be furthering their education at any post-secondary institution in the United States. Eligible candidates must qualify for federal financial aid, be a victim of a violent crime committed in Colorado, and have a minimum high school GPA of 2.5 or higher.
Contact
Voices for Victims of Violent Crimes Scholarship
625 East Evans Avenue
Denver, CO 80210
(303) 777-0112
voicesofvictims@aol.com
25. Women’s Independence Scholarship Program
Deadline: Ongoing
In collaboration with the Sunshine Lady Foundation, the Women’s Independence Scholarship Program is designed to provide financial assistance to women who are direct survivors of intimate partner abuse and have been parted from an abusive partner for at least one year. Eligible candidates must be U.S. citizens, have been accepted into an accredited U.S. institution, demonstrate critical need for assistance, and have sought services from a domestic violence agency for at least six consecutive months.
Contact
Women’s Independence Scholarship Program
4900 Randall Parkway Suite H
Wilmington, NC 28403
(910) 397-7742
nancy@wispinc.org
Overall, recent reports have shown alarming statistics that children who are victimized by violent crimes have one of the highest rates of ending up in a life of crime themselves. While individuals who are victims of crimes themselves usually struggle to conquer many obstacles for putting their lives back together, others who suffer the tragic loss of a parent from a crime also must deal with opportunities being violently removed from their lives. If you have beaten the odds to overcome adversity as a young victim, be sure to check out these 25 great scholarships for survivors of crime for achieving a brighter future!
