19 Scholarships for First-Generation Students (September 2025)
Community Foundation of Bartholomew County
Jackson Laboratory
Anthony Ihedoha Anaebere Memorial Scholarship Fund
Pittsburgh Foundation
Pittsburgh Foundation
Community Foundation of Northern Nevada
Community Foundation of North Central Washington
Cravens-Johnson
Alaska Community Foundation
The Troy Foundation
Greater Houston Community Foundation
Mitchell Institute
Colorado Educational Services and Development Association
Rhode Island Foundation
Hispanic Scholarship Consortium
OCA (formerly Organization of Chinese Americans)
Hacking Law Practice LLC
National Council of Jewish Women - Los Angeles
Frequently Asked Questions
What are first-generation scholarships?
First-generation, or first-gen, scholarships are financial awards or grants specifically designed to support students who are the first in their families to pursue higher education. These scholarships aim to break down barriers and provide opportunities for students whose parents or guardians did not attend college, enabling them to achieve their academic aspirations and create a path for future generations.
What scholarships are available for first-gen students?
There are 19 scholarships available for first-gen students as of September 2025. You can find tens of first-gen scholarships available for high school senior, college senior, high school junior, and college juniors. Some prominent first-gen scholarships for students include The Reverend Dr. William R. Laws Memorial Scholarship, the Jackson Laboratory Scholarship, and the Anthony Ihedoha Anaebere, Sr. Memorial Scholarship. You can find first-gen scholarships for pursuing your four-year, vocational, two-year, post-graduate, or bachelor's.
How do I find scholarships for first-generation students?
You can find scholarship financial aid for going to college as a first-generation student by using a scholarship search engine like Scholarships That Work, which has 19 first-gen scholarships with an average award amount of $4,842. You can also find scholarships for first-gen students by inquiring with organizations that offer first-gen scholarships, like the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County, the Jackson Laboratory, the Anthony Ihedoha Anaebere Memorial Scholarship Fund, or the Pittsburgh Foundation.
How do I apply for scholarships as a first-generation student?
To apply for scholarships as a first-gen student, you will need to fill out the scholarship application form on the scholarship page. For one of these scholarships, you will need to submit an essay. Several first-gen scholarship require a resume, and a few awards require letters of recommendation. The GPA requirements for first-gen scholarship vary between a 2.5 and 3.5 minimum GPA. One first-gen scholarship require nomination from a teacher or coach.
What are the best scholarships for first-generation students?
Some of the best first-gen scholarships are the Eugene J. Andolsek Memorial Scholarship, the I Can Change My Life Scholarship Fund, the GIAR Grandmother s First-Generation Scholarship, the Ronald Dean Estes Scholarship, and the Cravens-Johnson First Generation Scholarship. The best scholarships for first-gen students will be listed at the top of this page.
Who is eligible to apply for first-generation scholarships?
All students who are the first in their family to pursue a higher educational degree (i.e. whose parents have not received a college degree) are eligible to apply for the scholarships on this page. Other eligibility requirements for first-gen scholarships may vary, so be sure to read the scholarship listing carefully. Five scholarships for first-generation students are specifically open to applicants who identify as Asian, Minority, Native American or Alaska Native, Hispanic, or Black students. There is one scholarship first-gen scholarships for disabled students with md. You may also be eligible for one first-generation award if you have MD. Of these scholarships, one require community service participation. Plus, one scholarship for students who are the first in their family to go to college require extracurricular involvement. There are 19 scholarships specifically for first-generation college students who are the first in their family to attend university. Also, there are one scholarships for first-gen students specifically for applicants who identify as women or female. One of these scholarships for specifically for LGBTQ+ applicants. For military-affiliated students, there are two scholarships for students who are the first in their family to go to college specifically available to you.
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