Home / Scholarships / First-generation
Read how each sponsor defines first-generation before ruling yourself in or out. It may ask about a parent’s completed degree rather than whether anyone in your family ever attended college. This category is a place to start looking; it doesn’t replace that eligibility check. If the wording doesn’t fit your family situation, ask the sponsor.
10 scholarships in our database
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
$165,000
Dec 9, 2026 · Community college · Undergraduate transfer
The Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship supports high-achieving community college students moving to a selective four-year college. It can provide up to $55,000 per year for up to three years, after institutional aid, along with advising and transfer support. Th…
The Gates Scholarship
$80,000
Sep 15, 2026 · High school senior
The Gates Scholarship is a last-dollar award for outstanding, Pell-eligible incoming freshmen. It covers the cost of attendance that grants and other aid do not — tuition, housing, books, and a laptop. Selection weighs academics, leadership, and financial need. You will need a…
Hagan Scholarship Foundation
$60,000
Dec 1, 2026 · High school senior
The Hagan Scholarship is a nationwide need-based merit award for high school seniors who plan to attend a four-year college. The 2027–28 application opens September 1, 2026 and closes December 1, 2026. The program can provide up to $7,500 per semester for eight semesters, plus…
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
$55,000
Nov 11, 2026 · High school senior
The Cooke College Scholarship is one of the largest undergraduate awards for high-achieving students with financial need. It can pay up to $55,000 a year toward tuition, living costs, books, and required fees at four-year colleges. Applicants are U.S. high school seniors gradu…
Jackie Robinson Foundation
$30,000
Jan 14, 2027 at 5 p.m. ET · High school senior
The Jackie Robinson Foundation scholarship is a four-year award for minority high school seniors, with mentoring and leadership programming attached. Financial need and a strong academic record both matter. Recipients attend the foundation’s extra requirements — this is not a…
Horatio Alger Association
$25,000
Oct 25, 2026 · High school senior
Horatio Alger scholarships go to students who have faced significant adversity and still plan to go to college. National awards can reach $25,000; state programs add more seats. The association looks for critical financial need, perseverance, and a record of work or family res…
Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation
$20,000
Oct 31, 2026 · High school senior
Coca-Cola Scholars is a national merit-and-service award for U.S. high school seniors. One hundred fifty students receive $20,000 over four years. They fund people who already lead — clubs, jobs, family care — not only the ones with a polished résumé. The packet is activities,…
Michael & Susan Dell Foundation
$20,000
Dec 1, 2026 · High school senior
Dell Scholars is built for students who already did the hard part: finishing an approved college-readiness program (Avid, Upward Bound, and others on their list) while dealing with personal challenges. The award is $20,000 plus a laptop and textbook credits, with advising that…
Hispanic Scholarship Fund
$5,000
Feb 15, 2027 · High school senior · Undergraduate · Graduate
HSF is the largest scholarship organization supporting Hispanic American students. Awards typically range from $500 to $5,000 and can be renewed. High school seniors, undergraduates, and graduate students of Hispanic heritage may apply. You will complete a profile, essays, and…
$5,000
Varies by partner fund; many close in spring · High school senior · Undergraduate
UNCF is a portal, not a single scholarship. One profile puts you in front of hundreds of partner funds for Black students — some tied to HBCUs, some open more broadly. Award sizes vary. You will still write essays and upload transcripts, but you do it once instead of twenty ti…
Create a profile to organize your details and application plans. 10 awards in this list.
Create your profileEvery setup question is optional