1st Gen College Scholarship
Getting a college education can be an incredibly transformative experience, but financial barriers can limit opportunities and leave students vulnerable to debt.
Unlike some states, New Jersey does not offer a high level of broad, automatic merit-based scholarship opportunities for high-achieving students. As a result, many talented students must work harder to piece together financial resources for college. There are countless deserving students who have demonstrated initiative, resilience, and a strong work ethic through academics, employment, volunteer service, leadership, family responsibilities, and other meaningful contributions to their communities, yet they struggle to finance the pursuit of their dreams.
This scholarship aims to support one underrepresented student who is the first in their family to earn a college degree.
Any BIPOC, first-generation undergraduate student who is pursuing a four-year degree may apply for this scholarship opportunity if they are a New Jersey resident and have a 3.5 GPA or higher.
To apply, tell us about yourself, the challenges that have shaped you, the initiative you have shown, and how this scholarship will help you achieve your academic goals.
Tell us about yourself, the challenges and opportunities that have shaped you, and the initiative you have shown through academics, work, volunteer service, leadership, and/or family responsibilities. How would this scholarship help you achieve your educational goals? Note: The use of AI-generated writing is strongly discouraged, as we want to hear your authentic voice and personal story.
Explore All Kinds of Scholarships for All Kinds of Students
How it works
Bold.org is Built to Make Scholarships Feel Possible
Step 01
Start with your story
Bold.org helps students show donors who they are beyond a transcript.
Step 02
Where scholarships are awarded
Every scholarship is funded by donors and managed directly on Bold.org.
Step 03
Fund your future
Scholarship dollars are disbursed through Bold.org to help students pay for school.
FAQ
The application deadline is Oct 23, 2026. Winners will be announced on Nov 24, 2026.
Your privacy is a top priority on the Bold.org platform, and you can find our privacy policy in full here. You may opt out of communications from Bold.org at any time, and unless we’ve first notified you and gotten your consent, you’ll never receive communication from any third parties related to personal information you give us.
Award amounts per winner are designated by the donor. Check the award amount for a detailed breakdown.
The winner will be publicly announced on Nov 24, 2026. Prior to the announcement date, we may contact finalists with additional questions about their application. We will work with donors to review all applications according to the scholarship criteria. Winners will be chosen based on the merit of their application.
Award checks will be sent to the financial aid office of the winner's academic institution or future academic institution in their name to be applied to their tuition, and in the name of their institution (depending on the school's requirements). If the award is for a qualified educational non-tuition expense, we will work with the winner directly to distribute the award and make sure it goes towards qualified expenses.
Before we award the scholarship, the winner will be required to confirm their academic enrollment status. Depending on the circumstances, verification of Student ID and/or their most recent transcript will be required.
If you have any questions about this scholarship or the Bold.org platform, just email contact@bold.org and we’ll get back to you as quickly as we can.
Yes. The terms and conditions for this scholarship can be found here.
