Last updated on August 25, 2025
Top First-Generation Scholarships to Apply for in August 2025
Updated:
August 25, 2025
Written by:
Elise
EliseExpert review by:
Dror Liebenthal
Dror LiebenthalBe the first in your family to graduate with these first-generation scholarships, hosted and awarded directly by Bold.org. Apply today with easy applications and no fees.
Bold.org scholarships featured by:
180 scholarships
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Future Women In STEM Scholarship
Funded byKeisha DurhamAmount
$1,040Deadline
Dec 01, 2025Education Level
AnyThis scholarship seeks to foster gender equity in male-dominated fields by supporting women who are pursuing STEM disciplines.- Education Level: High school senior or undergraduate student
- Gender: Female-identifying
- Field of Study: STEM
- Background: Member of a historically underrepresented group
1Bright Lights Scholarship
Funded byBria AlexanderAmount
$1,200Deadline
Dec 12, 2025Education Level
AnyThis scholarship aims to support students who have had to overcome obstacles in order to pursue a college education.- Education Level: High school or undergraduate student
- Identity: Underrepresented minority and/or first-generation college student
2Charles Cheesman's Student Debt Reduction Scholarship
Funded byCheesman FamilyAmount
$10,240Deadline
Nov 30, 2025Education Level
AnyThis scholarship will provide for college students or adults currently in a career, who have student debt. Students must be African American or Hispanic/Latino and first-generation students in order to apply.- Education Level: Undergraduate or graduate student, college graduate
- Race/Ethnicity: African American or Hispanic/Latino
- Debt Status: Has student loan debt
- Background: Was/is a first generation student
3Douglass M. Hamilton Memorial Scholarship
Funded byMarggi LowenbergAmount
$15,000Deadline
Only 28 days left!Education Level
AnyThis scholarship aims to honor the memory of the Hamilton family patriarch by helping low-income students pursue higher education.- Financial Status: Low-income
- State: Oregon
- Background: First-Generation College Student
4José Ventura and Margarita Melendez Mexican-American Scholarship Fund
Funded byBorders FamilyAmount
$3,000Deadline
Dec 01, 2025Education Level
AnyThis scholarship seeks to honor the memory of José Melendez by supporting students who are currently pursuing or looking to begin an undergraduate degree.- Education Level: High school graduate currently pursuing or looking to begin an undergraduate degree
- Identity: Mexican or Mexican-American
- Background: First-generation college student
- Experience: Work or significant volunteer experience
5Pete and Consuelo Hernandez Memorial Scholarship
Funded byHernandez FamilyAmount
$5,650Deadline
Jan 02, 2026Education Level
AnyThis scholarship aims to honor the life of Pete and Consuelo Hernandez by supporting underrepresented students pursuing higher education in California.- State: California
- Background: First-generation
- Identity: Underrepresented minority
- Education Level: High school senior or first-year undergraduate student
6Velazquez Social Sciences Scholarship
Funded byJorge VelazquezAmount
$1,100Deadline
Oct 27, 2025Education Level
AnyThis scholarship seeks to support students who are on a mission to achieve their full potential and make the world a better place through social services.- Background: First-generation college student
- Heritage: At least one parent of Puerto Rican descent
- GPA: 3.0 GPA or higher
- Education Level: High school senior
- Field of Study: Social work, psychology, sociology, political science, international relations, or criminal justice
7Jesus Baez-Santos Memorial Scholarship
Funded bySandra CruzAmount
$1,000Deadline
Only 5 days left!Education Level
AnyThis scholarship seeks to honor the memory of Jesus-Baez-Santos by supporting students who have faced obstacles when pursuing higher education.- Race: BIPOC
- Background: First-generation college student
- State: New York
- Education Level: High school senior or freshman undergraduate
8GraceFest Empowering Futures Scholarship
Funded byAdrienne NicholsAmount
$2,000Deadline
Only 8 days left!Education Level
AnyThis scholarship aims to support underprivileged mothers in Alabama so they can overcome the challenges they face and remain committed to their education and goals.- Background: Teen and/or single mother
- State: Alabama
- Education Level: High school graduate or undergraduate student
- Indentity: African-American/Black
9Dulce Vida First Generation Scholarship
Funded byThe Dulce VidaAmount
$1,000Deadline
Only 12 days left!Education Level
AnyThis scholarship seeks to support first-generation students so they can continue to go after their dreams despite their financial limitations.- Education Level: Undergraduate student
- School Name: University of Texas at San Antonio
- Background: First-generation college student
- GPA: 3.0 GPA or higher
10Victoria Johnson Minority Women in STEM Scholarship
Funded byVictoria JohnsonAmount
$500Deadline
Only 18 days left!Education Level
AnyThis scholarship seeks to support graduating or soon-to-be graduating undergraduate and graduate STEM students as they pursue professional programs.- Education Level: High school senior or undergraduate student
- Gender: Female-identifying
- Race: BIPOC
- Background: First-generation college student
- Field of Study: STEM
11Xavier M. Monroe Heart of Gold Memorial Scholarship
Funded byDelta Beta Psi Sorority, Inc.Amount
$500Deadline
Only 21 days left!Education Level
AnyThis scholarship aims to honor the life of Xavier M. Monroe by supporting underrepresented students on their path to higher education.- Education Level: High school or undergraduate student
- Race: African American
12USMC Sgt. Owen J. Lennon Memorial Scholarship
Funded byLennon FamilyAmount
$750Deadline
Sep 29, 2025Education Level
AnyIn honor of Owen J. Lennon, this scholarship will support a student in achieving their educational goals.- Education Level: High school student
- State: New York
- Experience: Volunteering experience
- Desired Career Field: Medicine, education, public health, or another field that benefits others
13John Walker and Christine Horton Education Scholarship
Funded byDouglas HortonAmount
$1,400Deadline
Oct 01, 2025Education Level
AnyThis scholarship seeks to honor the memories of John Walker and Christine Horton by supporting students in NC.- Education Level: High school or undergraduate student
- State: North Carolina
- Identity: Underrepresented minority and/or first-generation student
- Background: Experience working with children and non-profit/volunteering experience
14Alberta Bean Memorial Scholarship
Funded byBreanna LeeAmount
$1,000Deadline
Oct 01, 2025Education Level
AnyThis scholarship aims to honor the life of Alberta Bean by supporting students who are the first in their families to pursue college degrees.- Education Level: High school senior or undergraduate student
- Background: First-generation college student
- State: Missouri
- GPA: 3.0 or above
15Clarice Kanouse Memorial Scholarship
Funded byTrista BudzynskiAmount
$2,000Deadline
Oct 10, 2025Education Level
AnyThis scholarship aims to support low-income students from challenging backgrounds who are pursuing their dreams of higher education.- State: Michigan
- Financial Status: Low-income
- Education Level: High school or undergraduate student
- Field of Study: Nursing
16Catrina Celestine Aquilino Memorial Scholarship
Funded byJeanne AquilinoAmount
$500Deadline
Oct 11, 2025Education Level
AnyThis scholarship seeks to honor Catrina’s legacy by supporting students pursuing law and/or healthcare so that they can complete their education and help those who are oppressed.- Education Level: Undergraduate or graduate student
- Background: First-generation student
- Citizenship Status: US Citizen
- Field of Interest: Law and/or medicine or healthcare
17Cybersecurity for Your Community Scholarship
Funded byDavid DominguezAmount
$500Deadline
Oct 24, 2025Education Level
AnyThis scholarship seeks to make college more affordable by supporting students who are pursuing higher education.- Education Level: Undergraduate student
- Background: From an underrepresented group (BIPOC, first-generation college student, woman, LGBTQ+, disabled)
- Interest: Cybersecurity
18You Deserve It Scholarship
Funded byThe Art of ScholarshipsAmount
$1,000Deadline
Oct 28, 2025Education Level
AnyThis scholarship seeks to support students who are pursuing higher education so they can afford the expenses they’ll encounter.- Education Level: High school student
- State: New York
- Background: Low-income and/or first-generation to go to college
19I Can and I Will Scholarship
Funded byKosmond RussellAmount
$500Deadline
Nov 06, 2025Education Level
AnyThis scholarship aims to support students who have overcome challenges in order to pursue higher education.- Education Level: High school senior or undergraduate student
- GPA: 3.5 or higher
- Race/ethnicity: BIPOC
- Background: First-generation student
- Experience: Community or extracurricular activities
- History: Directly or indirectly impacted by a mental or physical disability
20Dennis A. Hall Memorial Scholarship for the Creative Arts
Funded byJeremy HallAmount
$1,000Deadline
Nov 12, 2025Education Level
AnyThis scholarship aims to honor the memory of Dennis A. Hall by supporting students who share his love for the creative arts.- Education Level: High school senior
- Field of Study: Creative arts (physical medium)
- Background: Nature lover
21Equity Elevate Scholarship
Funded byJ. EvansAmount
$4,000Deadline
Nov 16, 2025Education Level
AnyThis scholarship seeks to support underserved students who are continuing to fight for their education despite the obstacles they face.- Education Level: High school senior or undergraduate student
- Race: BIPOC
- Background: First-generation college student
- Parental Status: Single mother
22STEAM Generator Scholarship
Funded byFrancis Rei IsraelAmount
$3,100Deadline
Nov 30, 2025Education Level
AnyThis scholarship aims to make college more accessible to students with no family background in higher education so they can have the same opportunities as their peers.- Education Level: Bachelor's or master's degree
- Field of Study: STEAM
- Background: First or second-generation immigrant or other underrepresented minority
23Phoenix Opportunity Award
Funded byLong John NguyenAmount
$500Deadline
Nov 30, 2025Education Level
AnyThis scholarship will support first-generation college students from low-income backgrounds.- Education Level: High school senior or undergraduate
- Background: First-generation college student and low-income
24Mireya TJ Manigault Memorial Scholarship
Funded byTanyaAmount
$3,000Deadline
Dec 11, 2025Education Level
AnyThis scholarship aims to honor the memory of Mireya TJ Manigault by supporting underrepresented students who are passionate about pursuing higher education.- Education Level: High school senior, undergraduate, or graduate student
- State: New York or California
- Race: BIPOC
- Background: First-generation college student
- Experience: Non-profit experience
25Christian J. Vazquez - Acts 20:35 Scholarship
Funded byChristian VazquezAmount
$1,000Deadline
Dec 14, 2025Education Level
AnyThis scholarship aims to support Christian students so they can pursue their educational goals and go on to impactful lives.- Education Level: High school senior or undergraduate student
- Financial Status: Low-income
- Religion: Christian
- Ethnicity: Latinx
- Background: First-Generation College Student
- State: Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota, Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Florida, Nebraska or Illinois
26The F.O.O. Scholarship
Funded byFaith SeawellAmount
$500Deadline
Dec 15, 2025Education Level
AnyThis scholarship aims to foster equity and opportunity, transforming lives and communities to create a brighter, more inclusive future for generations to come.- Education Level: Undergraduate student
- Financial Status: Low-income student
- Background: BIPOC, first-generation college student, Pell Grant recipient, or international visa holder
27Sharon L. Smartt Memorial Scholarship
Funded byDebrah Smartt HenryAmount
$500Deadline
Dec 30, 2025Education Level
AnyThis scholarship aims to honor the memory of Sharon L. Smartt by supporting students who are pursuing the humanities.- Education Level: High school or undergraduate student
- Gender: Female-identifying
- State: California, Oregon, or Washington
- Field of Study: Humanities (English, history, etc.)
- Background: FGLI (first-generation, low-income)
28Bick First Generation Scholarship
Funded byBick Charitable FoundationAmount
$30,000Deadline
Dec 31, 2025Education Level
AnyThis scholarship aims to honor the courage, resilience, and hope of first-generation students who are first in their families to take the bold step toward higher education.- Education Level: High school student or enrolled in college or trade school
- Background: First-generation college student
29Appalachian Region Vocational Scholarship
Funded byDaelyn ChaneyAmount
$1,000Deadline
Jan 01, 2026Education Level
AnyThis scholarship will support a student in the Appalachian region who is pursuing a career in STEM.- Education Level: High school or undergraduate
- Type of Education: Trade or vocational
- State: Kentucky, West Virginia, or Virginia
- Major/Career of Interest: STEM
- Background: First generation college student
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Frequently Asked Questions
Am I a first-gen student if my parents started college but didn't complete their degrees?
Yes! As long as your parents did not graduate or receive any college degree, including an associate's or bachelor's, you qualify as a first-generation student. Your parents may have taken college courses and obtained college credit, but that is different from formally graduating and receiving a college diploma.
Do I qualify for first-gen scholarships if my siblings attended college but my parents did not earn a bachelor's degree?
Yes, you may still be eligible for first-generation scholarship opportunities if your immediate family members—specifically your parents—have not earned a bachelor’s degree. Many colleges define first-gen scholarships based solely on your parents’ education, so it's important to carefully review the additional criteria of each scholarship application.
Can I receive federal and state grants in addition to first-gen scholarships?
Yes, you can often combine first-generation scholarship opportunities with federal and state grants to support your college journey. Being the first person in your family to pursue a degree can open doors to multiple funding sources designed to help future generations break barriers in higher education.