top banner
supporting the education of children and youth experiencing homelessness
nche home about nche what's new? nche products and resources legislation
information by topic online forum state/local resources best practices disaster planning
information by topic
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

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

external webpage icon Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation: Scholarships
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation provides college scholarships to thousands of low-income, minority students every year.
external webpage icon Coca-Cola First Generation Scholarship Program
The Coca-Cola First Generation Scholarship program has awarded more than $19 million in scholarships to support students who are the first in their immediate families to go to college. The program has reached more than 1,000 students at approximately 400 U.S. campuses. Interested students should contact the school they are planning to attend to ask whether a Coca-Cola First Generation Scholarship is in place, and if so, how to apply.
external webpage icon College Board: Advising Undocumented Students
This webpage from the College Board provides information about access to higher education for undocumented students, including details on state laws and a listing of scholarships available to students regardless of their immigration status.
external webpage icon College Board: Scholarship Search
This webpage from the College Board provides a searchable database of scholarships, other financial aid, and internships from more than 2,200 programs nationwide.
external webpage icon Fastweb
Fastweb is an excellent online resource for paying and preparing for college. Fastweb provides students with the resources to realize their educational pursuits, from the time they begin their college search in high school to the day they land their first job after graduation. Fastweb members are matched to relevant scholarship opportunities completely free of charge. With roughly 1.5 million scholarships worth over $3.4 billion, there are scholarships for every student's educational goals, activities, and interests.
external webpage icon 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.
external webpage icon 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.
external webpage icon Foster Care to Success (FC2S): Scholarships and Grants
This FC2s webpage provides links to various sources for higher education scholarships for current and former foster youth.
external webpage icon 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.
external webpage icon 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.
external webpage icon 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.
external webpage icon 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.
external webpage icon 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. This SEMY webpage includes information about scholarships available for migrant youth.
external webpage icon U.S. Department of Education: Finding and Applying for Scholarhips
This webpage from Federal Student Aid is a one-stop shop for gathering scholarship search tips and searching for different types of aid for higher education.


To view .pdf files, you must have the Adobe Reader program, available for free downloading at http://www.adobe.com/
*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.
NCHE Home | About NCHE | What's New? | NCHE Products and Resources | Legislation
Information by Topic | Online Forum | State/Local Resources | Best Practices | Disaster Planning
Site Map | Search

serve center logouncg logo
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.
search contact nche site map national center for homeless education the serve center nche logo