About Us

• FASFA: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the form you need to fill out to get any financial aid from the federal government to help pay for college. Each year, over 13 million students who file the FAFSA get more than $120 billion in grants, work-study, and low-interest loans from the U.S. Department of Education.
  • Type of Funding: Grants, Loans, Federal Work Study
  • Eligibility: U.S citizen or permanent resident
  • Deadline: Jan 1st (priority deadline)
  • Enrollment requirement: Full time (at least 12 credits) or Part time (6-11 credits)
  • Resources: FAFSA Resources

The State of Florida provide diverse scholarships. Students must submit a completed Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) to OSFA for programs denoted by an asterisk (*). In order to apply for State Scholarship & Grant Programs, a student must first Create a Student Account. After logging into your account, you may proceed to complete the FFAA. For more information and scholarship visit Florida Student Scholarship and Grant Programs. 

• Florida Bright Futures*: The Bright Futures program offers merit-based scholarships to Florida residents who stay in Florida for college or vocational school
  • Type of Funding: Grant
  • Eligibility: Varies
  • Deadline: August 31 after high school graduation
  • Enrollment requirement: Full time (at least 12 credits) or Part time (6-11 credits)
  • Resources: Bright Futures Resources

• Benacquisto Scholarship Program: The William L. Boyd, IV, Effective Access to Student Education Program provides tuition assistance to Florida undergraduate students attending an eligible private, non-profit Florida college or university.
  • Type of Funding: Grant
  • Eligibility: Meet Florida’s general eligibility requirements for receipt of state aid
  • Deadline: Each participating institution determines application procedures, deadlines and student eligibility
  • Enrollment requirement: Full time (at least 12 credits)

• Effective Access to Student Education: The William L. Boyd, IV, Effective Access to Student Education Program provides tuition assistance to Florida undergraduate students attending an eligible private, non-profit Florida college or university.
  • Type of Funding: Grant
  • Eligibility: Meet Florida’s general eligibility requirements for receipt of state aid
  • Deadline: Each participating institution determines application procedures, deadlines and student eligibility
  • Enrollment requirement: Full time (at least 12 credits)

• First Generation Matching Grant: Need-based grant program available to degree-seeking, resident, undergraduate students who demonstrate substantial financial need, and are enrolled in eligible participating postsecondary institutions.
  • Type of Funding: Grant
  • Eligibility: Students have a parent(s) who has not earned a baccalaureate or higher degree
  • Deadline: Each participating institution determines application procedures, deadlines and student eligibility
  • Enrollment requirement: Full time (at least 12 credits) or Part time (6-11 credits)

• Florida Farmworker Student Scholarship*: Need-based merit scholarship that provides financial assistance to a maximum of 50 eligible students who are farmworkers or children of farmworkers. Students who attend a public postsecondary institution will receive an award equal to the amount required to pay tuition and specified fees.
  • Type of Funding: Grant
  • Eligibility: Students who are farmworkers (or children of farmworkers), as defined in section 420.503, Florida Statutes
  • Deadline: April 1st
  • Enrollment requirement: Full time (at least 12 credits)

• José Martí Scholarship Challenge Grant*: The José Martí Scholarship Challenge Grant Fund is a need-based merit scholarship that provides financial assistance to eligible students of Hispanic origin who will attend Florida public or eligible private institutions.
  • Type of Funding: Grant
  • Eligibility: Hispanic origin
  • Deadline: April 1st
  • Enrollment requirement: Full time (at least 12 credits)

• Florida Saving Plans
  • Florida Prepaid College Plan: It lets you lock in college plan prices and prepay your kid’s college tuition at any public college or university in Florida.The State of Florida guarantees the money, so you will never lose what you put into it. A fully funded plan wholly covers the costs of tuition (and dormitory fees if eligible) even if the cost of tuition rises higher than anticipated by the time your child attends college. It’s a safe, low-risk investment in your child’s future.
  • Florida's 529 Savings Plan: The plan works like an investment account—your money rises and falls with the stock market. In a 529 plan, your money grows tax-free—assuming you use it for qualifying educational expenses.

Need help to decide which plan is better for your family? Check out this very useful article with more details: Florida Prepaid College Plan – Learn How it Works (studentdebtrelief.us)

Pinellas County provides diverse scholarships. In Pinellas County we believe every public school student should graduate with clear aspirations for their future—and the full capacity to pursue them. In support of these initiatives, the Pinellas Education Foundation is proud to offer numerous scholarships and grants based on academic achievement, talent and financial need.

• Pinellas Education Foundation (Traditional Scholarship): Each year, the Foundation awards more than $700,000 in scholarships ranging from $500 to $5,000 to high school graduating seniors in the Pinellas County Public School system. Students only need to fill out one application to match their needs and future interests with over 120 scholarship opportunities!
  • Type of Funding: Multiple Scholarships
  • Eligibility: High school graduating seniors in the Pinellas County Public School system
  • Deadline: January 31st
  • Enrollment requirement: Varies
  • Resources: Pinellas Education Foundation Resources

• Jump Start: The Pinellas Education Foundation is offering Jump Start Scholarships for graduating students who demonstrate financial need and meet the eligibility requirements. Recipients receive a 1-Year Florida Prepaid College Plan valued at over $3,100 to attend a Florida public college, university, or technical college.
  • Type of Funding: Scholarship
  • Eligibility: Meet Florida’s general eligibility requirements for receipt of state aid
  • Deadline: March 10
  • Enrollment requirement: Full time (at least 12 credits) or Part time (6-11 credits)
  • Resources: Jump Start Resources

• College Fund Pinellas

• NEW! PATHe to USF Scholarship:  This scholarship is for Pinellas County students who plan to attend USF St. Petersburg
  • Type of Funding: Scholarship
  • Eligibility: 
    • Be a graduate of a Pinellas County high school (within the last 2 years)
    • Be admitted into USF St Petersburg.
    • Be admitted as a freshman (including dual enrollment, early college, early admission admissions, and Collegiate high school) for Summer or Fall 2024
    • Be enrolled for a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester.
    • Be enrolled at USF St. Petersburg with at least 75% of the classes taken at this campus each semester
  • Deadline: May 15th 
  • Enrollment requirement: Full time (at least 12 credits)

• Blue and Gold Scholarship: Scholarships to eligible PATHe students who participate in the 2+2 program offered between SPC and USF St. Petersburg campus. 
  • Type of Funding: Scholarship
  • Eligibility: PATHe student transferring to USF St. Peterburg campus
  • Deadline: An initial application is not required
  • Enrollment requirement: Full time (at least 12 credits)

• FUSE Scholarship: This scholarship helps low-income students enrolled in the FUSE program. FUSE is a seamless transfer program between the University of South Florida and eight Florida state colleges. Each student will receive up to $5,500 to support degree completion. 
  • Type of Funding: Scholarship
  • Eligibility: Being in the FUSE program
  • Deadline: An initial application is not required

• Latin American/Caribbean Scholarship: This is a program that allows Latin American and Caribbean students to qualify for in-state tuition.
  • Type of Funding: Residency exception
  • Eligibility:
    • Be a citizen of a Latin American or Caribbean nation (Complete the LAC request form and provide a copy of your active passport from a Latin American or Caribbean nation).
    • Receive a qualifying scholarship of at least $500 per semester. The qualifying scholarship must be funded from State of Florida funds appropriated to State of Florida Universities or from federally authorized scholarships. Universities may use equal matching funds from private businesses, foundations, and public agencies.
    • Be registered full-time each term, including the summer semester (i.e. enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours as an undergraduate or 9 hours as a graduate student).
    • Maintain a 2.0 institutional Grade Point Average (GPA) as an undergraduate student or a 3.0 institutional GPA as a graduate student.
  • Deadline: An initial application is not required
  • Enrollment requirement: Full time (at least 12 credits) 

• SPC Foundation Scholarships: Each year, SPC awards students millions of dollars in scholarships through the SPC Foundation, corporations, private donors, the State of Florida and the college itself. Scholarships can reward you for academic excellence, talent and achievement in a variety of areas, such as the arts or athletics. Best of all, they don't need to be repaid. 
  • Type of Funding: Scholarship
  • Eligibility: Varies
  • Deadline: Summer-Feb 15/ Fall –March 15/ Spring TBD
  • Enrollment requirement: Full time (at least 12 credits) or Part time (6-11 credits)
  • Resources: SPC Scholarships Resources

• USF Foundation Scholarships: Scholarships are based on academic merit, extracurricular activities (e.g., community service organizations, ROTC, Robotics, etc.), talents, or demographics. Some scholarships consider financial need and will require that you complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  • Type of Funding: Scholarship
  • Eligibility: Varies
  • Deadline: Feb 1 (priority deadline)
  • Enrollment requirement: Full time (at least 12 credits) or Part time (6-11 credits)

• Hispanic Scholarship Fund
  The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) empowers students and parents with the knowledge and resources to successfully complete a higher education, while providing support services and scholarships to as many exceptional students, Scholars, and Alumni as possible.
• Sunshine Opportunity Scholarships
  The Sunshine Opportunity Scholarships are worth up to $25,000 over four years of in-state undergraduate study at public universities in Florida, South Carolina and North Carolina. Up to 10 scholarships are awarded annually. Application period: December 1 to March 2.
• The Gates Scholarship
  Awarded to 300 minority high school seniors every year who exhibit strong leadership skills and academic records and who demonstrate great financial need. Funds cover the remaining cost of attendance after expected family contribution and other awards.
• Coca-Cola Scholars Program
  Each year, scholarships of $20,000 per person are awarded to 150 students based on their academic merits, leadership skills and service. Smaller awards are also available.
• Society of Women Engineers Scholarships
  A range of awards are given to support women interested in careers in engineering, computer science and engineering technology.
• Google Scholarships
  Google offers a variety of specific scholarships for women, underrepresented
  minority students and those with disabilities looking to study computer science.
• Dell Scholars Program
  Recipients get $20,000, a laptop and credits for textbooks. The award is
  directed toward low-income students who have overcome challenges and "are better than their numbers indicate," according to the scholarship foundation's website.
• UNCF Scholarships
  More than 10,000 African-American students receive some form of aid each year
  through several scholarship options, such as those for people pursuing the STEM fields – science, technology, engineering and math – or aspiring entrepreneurs.
• Elks National Foundation Most Valuable Student Scholarship
  Four-year scholarships are awarded to 500 high school seniors based on academics, leadership and financial need. Most receive $4,000 each, while 20 finalists receive between $20,000 and $50,000 total.
• Cooke College Scholarship Program
  Scholarships of up to $40,000 per year are awarded to high-achieving high school students with financial need as selected by the education-focused Jack Kent Cooke Foundation.
• Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship
  The Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship is a highly selective scholarship for the nation’s top community college students seeking to complete their bachelor’s degrees at four-year colleges or universities.

Think you can’t afford to study abroad? Scholarships are available each year for Study Abroad programs. Please see your financial aid advisor to discuss how study abroad scholarships may affect your financial aid.

• Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship
  Students holding a federal Pell Grant at the time of application to the scholarship or during the study abroad period may be eligible for a grant of up to $5,000. All Pell Grant students may apply. Please note: 1) The student’s study abroad project must be at least four weeks long; 2) Preference is given to science courses and non European countries. The deadline for this scholarship is listed on the link and it varies per semester of program.
• TBOWIT Study Abroad Scholarship
  This scholarship is designed to help support a deserving Tampa Bay student in an international study or study abroad opportunity.
• Boren Scholarship
  Students wishing to do an intensive language study abroad for at least one semester may be eligible for an award of up to $10,000. Those doing a STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) summer study abroad program of at least eight weeks may be eligible for up to $8,000. Please note: programs in Western Europe, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand are not eligible.
• College Consortium for International Studies (CCIS) Scholarships 
  CCIS help you navigate the confusing world of government financial aid and scholarships. They provide simple steps and resources, including scholarship for specific universities abroad.
• Critical Language Scholarship
  The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program is an immersive summer opportunity for American college and university students to learn languages essential to America's engagement with the world. The deadline for this scholarship is November 15 annually.
• International Student Video Contest 
  Create and submit an original video by October 13th to be considered for our $4,000 grand prize!
• Fund for International Service Learning
  FISL is a non-profit organization that awards scholarships to students enrolled in an international service-learning program. (What is service-learning?)
• International Study Abroad (ISA) Scholarships
  ISA provides diverse scholarship to ignite personal growth through a wide range of affordable education abroad opportunities with a commitment to exceptional support for all participants and their institutions. The deadline for this scholarship is listed on the link and it varies per semester of program.
  
• Phi Kappa Phi Study Abroad Grants
  Fifty $1,000 grants are awarded each year to help support undergraduates as they seek knowledge and experience in their academic fields by studying abroad. The deadline for this scholarship is listed on the link and it varies per program.
• Institue of International Education (IIE) Study Abroad Funding Tool
  This resource features detailed descriptions of hundreds of study abroad scholarships, fellowships, grants, and paid internships for U.S. undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate students, and professionals.

• Golden Door Scholars: Golden Door Scholars provides DACAmented & undocumented students with the financial aid and support needed to invest in their education and define their futures. More than scholarships, GDS is a vibrant and determined community that offers comprehensive support including career readiness programs, mentorship, and intentional programming, going beyond financial assistance.
  • Type of Funding: Scholarship
  • Eligibility:
    • Applicants must have one of the following documentation or immigration statuses
      • DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals)
      • Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
      • U-1 Visa
      • Pending Asylum case open with USCIS
      • Pending Refugee
      • Undocumented, foreign-born people who do not possess a valid visa or other recognized immigration documentation in the United States
    • Applicants must have high financial need
    • Applicants can be high school seniors, recent high school graduates, current college/community college students, or obtained a GED (General Education Development) certificate from a United States Program
    • Applicants must live in the United States for at least four (4) years before applying for the Golden Door Scholarship
    • For high school seniors, applicants must have an unweighted high school GPA of 3.2
    • For college transfers, applicants must have a college GPA of 3.0 and a high school GPA of 3.2 or a GED
    • Please note that if you are a US citizen, permanent resident,  or F1 visa holder (International Student), you are NOT eligible for the Golden Door Scholarship at this time
    • If you are a visa holder, please elaborate on your visa type and whether you can receive federal funding or in-state tuition in your application submission. If you aren’t sure whether you’re eligible, email info@goldendoorscholars.org
  • Deadline: 
    • August 4, 2023: Applications open
    • October 1, 2023: Applications close
    • October 2023: Applications are reviewed
    • Early November 2023:Final candidates are interviewed
    • Late November 2023 - Award calls
  • Enrollment requirement: Varies

• Immigrants Rising: Immigrants Rising provides a list of scholarships and fellowships that don’t require proof of U.S. citizenship for you! The list has general application eligibility requirements, including education level, region/state, and immigration status (e.g. DACA, TPS, in-state tuition eligibility). Only opportunities with due dates within the next 120 days are shown in the list.
  • Type of Funding: Scholarships
  • Eligibility: Varies
  • Deadline: Varies
  • Enrollment requirement: Varies

• The Dream US: The National Scholarship (TNS) and The Opportunity Scholarship (TOS)
  • TheDream.US scholarships are for highly motivated undocumented students who want nothing more than to get a college education but are unable to afford the cost. They have no access to federal aid, limited access to state aid, and they sometimes face paying out-of-state tuition. The National Scholarship (TNS) is for current high school seniors, high school graduates, or current or previously enrolled college/university students. The Opportunity Scholarship (TOS) is for
    students who live in targeted, locked-out states where they cannot get in-state tuition. Your eligibility for both is based on where you live.
    • Type of Funding: Scholarship
    • Eligibility:
      • TNS: Immigrant students with or without DACA or TPS who came to the U.S. before the age of 16 and before Nov. 1, 2017. and qualify for in-state tuition at one of our Partner Colleges
      • TOS: Immigrant students with or without DACA or TPS who came to the U.S. before the age of 16 and before Nov. 1, 2017 and be admitted to one of our Opportunity Partner Colleges
      • GPA and additional requirements
    • Deadline:
      • TNS: February 29, 2024
      • TOS: January 31, 2024
    • Enrollment requirement: Full-time in an associate or bachelor’s degree program at a Partner College in your state
      
      
• Maldef Scholarship Resource Guide: 
  • Type of Funding: Scholarship
  • Eligibility: Varies
  • Deadline: Varies
  • Enrollment requirement: Varies

• Denes I. Bardos Award:
  • Type of Funding: Award
  • Eligibility:
    • Immigrants currently residing in the United States.
    • Students in their final year of high school or students enrolled in an undergraduate degree program within the past 6 months.
    • immigration history and financial need play a central role in awards
  • Deadline: May 1
  • Enrollment requirement: 
    • Awards are issued in recognition of past achievements and not restricted to finance any particular activities (award winners may use the funds in any manner which they see fit)

• Scholarship Search for Asylum Seekers
  • Type of Funding: Varies
  • Eligibility: Varies
  • Deadline: Varies
  • Enrollment requirement: Varies

Maximizing your scholarship opportunities requires strategic planning and access to the right resources. This section provides valuable tips to enhance your scholarship application process.

• Scholarship Tips:
  • Apply early
  • Apply often
  • Complete the FAFSA
  • Have an email dedicated to scholarship only so you don’t miss anything.
  • Gather needed materials ahead of time (i.e. letter of recommendations & essay drafts)
  • Create an essay draft you can use for multiple scholarships. Work smarter not harder with your essay!
    
    
• Additional Scholarship Search Resources: Several free credible national scholarship search sites toassist you with your search.
  • FinAid on the Web
  • The College Board
  • FastWeb
  • International Scholarships
  • Scholarships and Financial Aid Resources for Hispanic Students

• Scholarship Legitimacy: In order to check the legitimacy of a financial aid consultant or scholarship search organization, visit these Web sites.
  • US Department of Education
  • Better Business Bureau 
  • FTC: Avoiding Scams and Fraud