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Scholarships for First Person in Family to Attend College
As it is well known that almost all scholarships and grants in the globe, including US would bring a strategic mission, implemented by reducing a burden of costly tuition fees to students. Some scholarships for first person in family are awarded to needy students, based on numerous categories such as minority community, gender, religion or faith, region etc.
By acknowledging that access to higher educational degrees would signify measure of development and signal of progress in life, so families are apparently in dire need to send their first members to the best colleges and universities with a hope their graduated children will bring more opportunities to their families once they obtain a higher degree.
Therefore, to accommodate and realise parents’ expectation since some of the tuition fees are no longer affordable by them, various foundations/organisations in US will endeavour significantly not to let them down and disappointed, by awarding more scholarships to many eligible students as a way to reach success.
By awarding the scholarships, the first member to attend a college hopefully will persuade the remaining family members to pursue their education in higher degree with no need to think on how costly the educational expenses in American colleges are. That is the reason why almost of all scholarships available in US require proof of being in dire need of financial assistance.
The scholarship is often called First in Family Scholarships or First Generation Scholarships, awarded frequently to the first member in a family who attends a four year college-university. Arguably, the US has been considered one of the most countries that provide this type of scholarship to its students enrolling in colleges. Moreover, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in its study in 2010 indicated that 1 out of 6 students in colleges are the first generation students.
So if you are the first in your family to go to college, so you will have more chances to receive the scholarships provided by dozens of particular foundations/organizations or even by colleges and universities as long as you can demonstrate that you excel at your academic skills.
In fact, there are further typical elaborations for first person in family to attend as follows :
- Neither parent nor a sibling has ever enrolled in or attended college/university
- Neither parent has received a Bachelor’s or more higher degree.
For your information, like other types of scholarship, this scholarship will also require many factors a first generation to be considered as the recipient. For instance, many foundations and institutions will require applicants to be excellent in academic achievement, leadership skills, financial need levels, etc.
Scholarships for First Person in Family List
1. Coca-Cola First Generation Scholarship
The multination company, Coca Cola along with its foundation, has proudly awarded a scholarship named Coca-Cola First Generation to many students of the first members in family to attend colleges. Yet however, not all American citizens will be eligible to receive the scholarship since the foundation requires being a resident in Georgia. Yes, the Foundation has given financial assistance to 139 students in Georgia University since the last decade.
The scholarship of $5000 also requires students to prove their enrolment at University of Georgia with a 2.8 minimum GPA for the first year and 3.0 afterward). As the name of the scholarship indicates, applicants have no parents or siblings who have attended colleges. Last but not least, the scholarship will be also awarded based on financial needs
For further information regarding the scholarship, candidates can visit its website at www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org.
2. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Tribal College Scholarship
Despite the fact that the amount of the Inc. Tribal College Scholarship ($ 2750) is far less than that of the Coca-Cola First Generation Scholarship, yet it could be another alternative for students who happen to be the first members of the family who attend colleges. The scholarship is awarded by American Indian College Fund to only American Indian or Alaskan Native who happen to be the first family members who attend colleges.
Application will be open starting January 1, which the year’s application usually closes in May. For further information regarding the scholarship, candidates can visit its website at collegefund.org, or Email: scholarships@collegefund.org, phone: 800-776-3863.
3. Session College First-Generation Student Scholarship
The good thing about the scholarship is both international and US student will be able to apply the scholarship as long as they can prove that they are the first generation of their families who attend colleges/universities.
The $3000 scholarship is regularly provided by Sessions College for Professional Design, awarded to those who are interested in graphic design and web design. In addition, before receiving the scholarship, applicants must submit an Essay writing whose topic is determined by the Committee, yet most topic would be about ‘’First in My Family,’’ not exceeding 500 words.
If you are interested in applying the scholarship, luckily the scholarship is still open until June. Therefore, for more detail information please visit its website at www.sessions.edu.
4. Norman and Pat Hayes Scholarship
In honour of Norman and Pat Hayes, residents of Middletown, Ohio, who dedicated their life to education in the region, Middle Community Foundation awards a renewable $1000 to students annually graduating in Monroe or Middletown who happen to be the first generation in their families to pursue education in a higher degree. Despite very little amount, yet the scholarship may reduce a heavy burden of students in pay tuition fees.
Interestingly unlike other scholarship which require a high GPA, this scholarship requires applicants to have only a 2.0 minimum GPA. The opportunity to obtain the scholarship is open up to February. Therefore, applicants will recommended to visit the website at www.middletowncf.org.
5. Orange County Scholarship
The scholarship is only awarded to female students living in Orange County, Vermon who in parallel are the first generation in their families who are enrolled in colleges/universities. For sure, the 1000 $ scholarship is provided each year by Vermont Student Assistance Corporation to students with financial needs.
Annually, the application will be open on November 1, up to February 15. For further information, applicants may visit the Corporation’s website at www.vasc.org, Email info@vsac.org, and Phone: (800) 642-3177
Not only this scholarship, for undergraduate students living in Vermont, mainly in Caledonia County or residents in Peacham, can apply a $ 1000 Taigh Scholarship. The scholarship is also provided to those who are the first generation to pursue their education in colleges.
The third scholarship shall be taken into consideration by residents of Vermont is Upper Valle Scholarship as it is preferable to be given to those who are the first person in family.
6. Florida First Generation Matching Grant Program (FGMG)
Rather than a scholarship, the program is in fact a grant awarded by Florida Department of Education to students in high senior schools as well as undergraduate degree who are enrolled in at least six semester hours in an accredited university or college in Florida. In its website, the Department is committed to facilitating higher education access and services to students residing in Florida.
The $ 1224 grant has closed application in May. Yet however, the grand will be available each year. In order to be eligible, a student must prove that he is in need of financial assistance. Not only that, applicant is not allowed to be under any scholarships, grants or loans from other federal states.
For those interested in applying the grant, are able to find out more information at the Florida Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA), www. floridastudentfinancialaid.org.
7. CESDA Diversity Scholarship Application
As a matter of fact, recipients of the scholarship would include either a member of a minority group or a first-generation of a family who happens to attend college/university. Most importantly, applicants must reside in State of Colorado who will graduate from high senior schools. The provider of the scholarship is Colorado Educational Services and Development Association which is committed to awarding the scholarship each year.
In addition, applicants to become eligible to receive the 1000 $ scholarship must have a 2.8 minimum GPA or higher.
It is said that for this year, there are seven awards available. For those interested in applying the scholarships can visit the official website of the Colorado Association, www.cesda.org.
8. Other scholarships for the first Generation students in their families
We do believe there are a lot of scholarships out there not yet covered by this short article. The amount of the scholarships must vary from one another, and occasionally, as cited earlier, the scholarships are awarded based on region or states in US. Still, many governments of the federal states will try tremendously to find out solution for needy students to pursue their dreams by attending colleges or universities. In addition, various charity foundation and other non-governmental organizations will be likely to provide as many scholarships as possible.
The scholarships not mentioned yet in the article are Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, Cynthia E. Morgan Memorial Scholarship, Fontana Transport Inc. Scholarship Program, Odyssey Scholarships, and may more. Therefore, it will depend heavily to our seriousness to find out the related-information on the scholarships or grants through websites, etc.
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