Cross reference:
Best Practices and Model Programs: Access to Higher Education for Students Experiencing Homelessness
Information by Topic: Access to Higher Education for Students Experiencing Homelessness
Sample Forms and Materials: Access to Higher Education for Students Experiencing Homelessness
Best Practices and Model Programs: Access to Higher Education for Students Experiencing Homelessness
Information by Topic: Access to Higher Education for Students Experiencing Homelessness
Sample Forms and Materials: Access to Higher Education for Students Experiencing Homelessness
Scholarships for Higher Education
Having access to higher education is a key opportunity for young people experiencing homelessness to move towards financial stability for themselves as adults. The links below are intended to provide young people experiencing homelessness with ready access to scholarship information. In addition to the links below, NCHE recommends the following approaches to seeking funding for higher education:
- Do not provide personal information to any agency except the agency sponsoring the scholarship; include the requested information in the scholarship application and then submit the application directly to the sponsoring agency.
- Do not pay fees to receive information about scholarships or to apply for scholarships.
- Check with the higher education institution(s) where you are applying for information about scholarships they make available to their student body.
- Speak with your high school guidance counselor, who will likely have a list of scholarships sponsored by local or regional agencies in your state.
Scholarship Links
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation: Scholarships
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation provides college scholarships to thousands of low-income, minority students every year.
FinAid.org: Financial Aid and Scholarships for Undocumented Students
This webpage contains information about financial aid and scholarships for undocumented students. It provides a neutral, objective, and comprehensive summary of this topic and links to scholarships made available specifically to undocumented students.
FinAid.org: The SmartStudent™ Guide to Financial Aid
FinAid.org is the most comprehensive source of student financial aid information, advice, and tools, both on and off the web. Access to FinAid is free for all users and there is no charge to link to the site. The site includes a webpage dedicated specifically to the scholarship search process.
Get Ready for College: Resources for Undocumented Students
This webpage contains information about financial aid and scholarships for undocumented students and includes links to scholarships made available specifically to undocumented students.
Horatio Alger Association National and State Scholarship Programs
The Horatio Alger Association, in partnership with the Give Us Your Poor organization, offers college scholarships to homeless and at-risk students. The Horatio Alger Association provides approximately 1,000 scholarships each year to eligible students who have overcome adversity in their lives.
LeTendre Education Fund
The LeTendre Education Fund provides higher education scholarships for graduating homeless or formerly homeless students. This webpage provides more information about the scholarship and access to the scholarship application.
Orphan Foundation of America (OFA): Scholarships and Grants
OFA is the largest national nonprofit organization dedicated entirely to helping former foster youth obtain the academic and technical skills and competencies needed to thrive in today’s economy. This OFA webpage provides links to various sources for higher education scholarships for current and former foster youth..
Que Llueva Café Scholarship
This scholarship, sponsored by Chicano Organizing and Research in Education (CORE) provides financial assistance to college-bound, undocumented, Latino students. CORE seeks to support undocumented students that have met the rigorous academic requirements necessary to enter a secondary education program by providing financial support enabling the students to enter college.
Scholarships4School.com
The purpose of this free website is to provide students with the tools they need to make informed decisions about obtaining scholarships and other forms of financial aid. The website provides an overview of the scholarship process from beginning to end, starting with how to choose a college and finishing with how to keep earned scholarships. It also provides suggestions on searching for scholarhips online and provides links to scholarships for specific fields of study (such as nursing and law). Basic information about other funding sources, such as fellowships and student loans, is also given.
Secondary Education for Migrant Youth (SEMY): Scholarships for Migrant Youth
The Office of Secondary Education for Migrant Youth (SEMY) serves middle school and high school migrant students and educators. SEMY administers programs to ensure that migrant youth have an opportunity to graduate. Download their Scholarships for Migrant Youth And Scholarship Engines document from the SEMY homepage.
*Clicking on an external link will take you to a non-NCHE webpage or document. The external agency's privacy policy may differ from that of NCHE.
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The National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE) is associated with The SERVE Center at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Education, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. This website was produced with funding from the U.S. Department of Education, on contract no. ED-01-CO-0092/0001.