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First in Family Scholarships

The road to a college degree is paved with countless detours for the average student, but if you are the first in your family to choose that path, you can anticipate more obstacles in your academic endeavors. Rest assured, there is ample financial support for those who qualify.

As a first-generation student, you are likely to be challenged with navigating the college process without the learning curve that comes from having a college graduate family member to lean on. Parents who do not have much first-hand experience or insight on how to maximize your financial aid package or the importance of internship opportunities, and networking can be difficult. While figuring out how to balance a full course load, a part-time job, and social life are skills you will develop along the way, most colleges and quite a few organizations offer scholarships specifically for first-generation students to help them thrive in higher education.

Saint Mary’s University, for example, started their First-Generation Initiative that offers access and financial support to first-generation students. The University of Iowa provides the First Generation Iowa program to first in family students, the University of Colorado Boulder has the First Generation Grant and Texas A&M University offers the Regents’ Scholarship.

Wherever you are in your college journey, Scholarships.com can help you reach your destination. Below is a list of some popular first-generation scholarships from our database of over 2.7 million awards. You can find even more scholarships by conducting a free college scholarship search and be well on your way to starting a new family tradition.

Arnold White Memorial Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 3/15/2018
  • Amount: $1,250
  • The Arnold White Memorial Scholarship is offered to Lyons, Fairbury, or Lincoln Nebraska high school seniors, or former graduates of these schools. Applicants must be attending or plan to attend a two- or four-year college, and demonstrate financial need. Preference is given to first-generation college students.

    For more information or to apply, please visit the scholarship provider's [...] More

Becas Univision Scholarships

  • Application Deadline: Varies
  • Amount: $5,000
  • UnivisionScreen Shot is offering 34 scholarships ($5,000 each) to students in high school, transferring from community college, and current college students.

    Deadlines:
    -Priority consideration I: Application due January 31st; recommendation due January 31st
    -Priority consideration II: Application due February 28th; recommendation due February 28th
    -General scholarship deadline: Application [...] More

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program

  • Application Deadline: 3/1/2018
  • Amount: $5,000
  • The prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and is open to all U.S. citizen undergraduates, in good academic standing, who meet the following criteria:

    - The applicant must be receiving a Federal Pell Grant or provide proof that he/she will be receiving a Pell Grant at the time of [...] More

Benjamin and Patricia Allen Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 2/2/2018
  • Amount: Varies
  • Preference is given to first-generation students (defined as a student whose parents have not graduated from and institute of higher education with a four-year degree).

    This scholarship is given on behalf of Benjamin and Patricia Allen in honor of their dedication to the College of Business. This scholarship is funded by the Allens, University Faculty and Staff, business leaders, and the [...] More

Carol A. Hurley Memorial Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 3/4/2018
  • Amount: $1,000
  • This scholarship was established by the friends, family, and colleagues of Carol Hurley, a VSAC outreach counselor who helped first-generation college-bound students prepare for college.

    Eligibility:
    -Attend an accredited school approved for federal Title IV funding
    -Graduate of one of the following high schools: Randolph Area Vocational Center, Randolph Union High School, Rochester Union [...] More

Coca-Cola First Generation Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 5/31/2017
  • Amount: $5,000
  • Native American/Alaska Native undergraduate students attending tribal colleges and universities are eligible to apply for both the American Indian College Fund Full Circle Scholarship Program and the American Indian College Fund TCU Scholarship Program.

    Minimum general eligibility requirements for both scholarships include:
    -U.S. citizenship
    -Enrollment in an accredited tribal college or [...] More

Colorado Christian University First Generation Minority Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: Varies
  • Amount: Varies
  • The First Generation Minority Student Scholarship is available for students enrolled in the College of Undergraduate Studies. This scholarship provides an opportunity for minority students whose parents did not attend college to complete a Christian college degree. CCU will support the students through a series of academic, personal, mentoring, and leadership development activities. The selection [...] More

Colorado Mesa University's First Generation Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: Varies
  • Amount: $1,000
  • Colorado Mesa University offers small class sizes, state-of-the-art facilities, and expert faculty who take an interest in your success. A CMU education is a great value, and we stand by our commitment to keep higher education affordable. Last year, we awarded more than $73 million in financial aid and scholarships to 75% of the student body.

    CMU's First Generation Scholarship is valued at [...] More

Cynthia E. Morgan Memorial Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 2/25/2018
  • Amount: $1,000
  • This scholarship was established in 2005 in the name of Cynthia E. Morgan, who passed away in October 2004 after a courageous, but all-too-brief, fight with stomach cancer. It has been established in an attempt to aid select college students in paying for their post-secondary education. This year’s scholarship is set at $1,000.

    Eligibility:
    -Be a current resident of the state of Maryland
    -Be [...] More

Fontana Transport Inc Scholars Program

  • Application Deadline: 3/15/2018
  • Amount: $5,000
  • Fontana Transport Inc. is a family owned trucking company based out of Southern California whose owners are passionate about higher education and to be able to help future leaders in their community pursue a higher education degree.

    The Fontana Transport Inc. Scholars Program is open to underrepresented, low-income and first-generation college-bound students. Students must be pursuing an [...] More

HEEF Architecture and Engineering Scholarships

  • Application Deadline: 1/19/2018
  • Amount: $3,000
  • HEEF scholarships are based on a combination of low-income family background, academic achievement, and involvement in extracurricular activities, community volunteer work, church service or work-employment. Graduating high school seniors with a minimum 3.0 GPA, who have been accepted into an accredited four- or five-year program in architecture or engineering may apply. Second-year community [...] More

HEEF Arts Scholarship Program

  • Application Deadline: 1/19/2018
  • Amount: $2,000
  • Students must enroll in a four-year college and major in: art, dance, drama, music, performance art, video, visual arts, new media or related major. May be renewable based on available funding.

    Eligibility:
    -Latino/a who has lived in Orange County (OC), CA for the past six (6) years
    -An OC public or private high school graduate who enrolls full-time at a four-year college or an OC community [...] More

HEEF Mike Corona Foundation Law Enforcement Scholarships

  • Application Deadline: 1/19/2018
  • Amount: $3,000
  • HEEF scholarships are based on a combination of low-income family background, academic achievement, and involvement in extracurricular activities, community volunteer work, church service or work-employment. The HEEF Mike Corona Foundation Law Enforcement Scholarships are intended to provide support for graduating Orange County high school seniors or transfer students interested in pursuing a [...] More

Layton Family Foundation

  • Application Deadline: 2/15/2018
  • Amount: $1,000
  • High school seniors residing in Shelby County (Ohio) and attending a school in Shelby County (Ohio) who will be a first-generation student (neither parent has a bachelor's degree or higher). You must have a minimum 2.5 GPA and will be enrolling as a full-time student in an accredited college or university in the coming academic year. The required essay cannot exceed 500 words.

    For more [...] More

Odyssey Scholarships

  • Application Deadline: Varies
  • Amount: Varies
  • Thanks to an extremely generous gift of $100 million from an anonymous alumnus, we are now able to offer an even more competitive financial aid package to many of our students. The Odyssey Scholarship program provides enhanced academic, social, and career support to students from lower-income families or who are the first in their families to attend college. Odyssey Scholars are selected on the [...] More

Taigh Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 3/4/2018
  • Amount: $1,000
  • The Taigh (a Gaelic term for "home or dwelling") Scholarship was established to inspire and encourage residents of Peacham, Vermont, to pursue a post-secondary education. The donors of this scholarship understand the challenges that students from rural areas face, particularly those who are the first in their family to attend post-secondary school. It is the donors' intent that this scholarship [...] More

TELACU College Success Program Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: Varies
  • Amount: $5,000
  • Administered by the TELACU Education Foundation, the College Success Program was created in 1983 to develop and empower new generations of leaders in the communities it serves. The Program is funded by TELACU and the generous contributions of our partners - corporations, colleges, and universities, non-profit organizations and individuals - who have joined us over the past 30 years in advancing [...] More

The David C. Lizárraga Fellowship

  • Application Deadline: 2/26/2018
  • Amount: Varies
  • Through The David C. Lizárraga Fellowship, TELACU recognizes graduate students who demonstrate the potential and commitment to advance TELACU's mission of building self-sufficient communities through economic empowerment.

    Applicants must be a first-generation college student, pursuing a master's degree in business administration or engineering (students pursuing other graduate degrees may also [...] More

University of Colorado Boulder First Generation Grant

  • Application Deadline: Varies
  • Amount: $8,000
  • The First Generation Grant is awarded to Colorado residents whose parents do not have any education or technical training beyond high school. Additionally, students awarded with the First Generation Grant have the opportunity to participate in the First Generation scholars program. The award amount is $100 - $1,000 per semester depending on financial need, and can be renewed if certain criteria [...] More

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Tribal College Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 5/31/2017
  • Amount: $2,750
  • Native American/Alaska Native undergraduate students attending tribal colleges and universities are eligible to apply for both the American Indian College Fund Full Circle Scholarship Program and the American Indian College Fund TCU Scholarship Program.

    Minimum general eligibility requirements for both scholarships include:
    -U.S. citizenship
    -Enrollment in an accredited tribal college or [...] More

Last Reviewed: May 2017

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