How To Get a Scholarship for Students With Deceased Parents

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All About the Scholarship for Students With Deceased Parents

Getting a higher education can be expensive. While one part of the tuition can be covered by financial aid and student jobs, on average, parents finance 44% of students’ costs from their income and savings.

The cost of education can become even a bigger issue when you lose a parent. Without that type of financial support, paying for your studies can become a challenge. What you should do in this situation is apply for a scholarship for students with deceased parents.

Learn more about where to find this type of aid and how you can get it.

What Is a Scholarship for Students With Deceased Parents?

While you’ve probably heard of scholarships for football players, international students, graduates, or veterans, there are also some less-known scholarships—including those for students with deceased parents.

Some students who lose a parent, or both of them, need to leave school or can’t enroll in college because they need to help their family financially. To encourage these students to get a degree, certain public and private organizations provide funds for their tuition. These college scholarships can come from governments, for- or non-profit organizations, foundations, philanthropists, and similar.

The Scholarship for Students With Deceased Parents You Can Apply For

Scholarships for students who have lost a parent can come with other eligibility requirements as well. To find scholarships that you qualify for, revise the following categories:

  1. National scholarships
  2. State-based scholarships
  3. School-based scholarships
  4. Scholarships for high school seniors
  5. Other scholarships

National Scholarships

Some of the national scholarships you can apply for as a student without a parent are:

ScholarshipMaximum AwardBasic Eligibility
Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation$30,000Children of Marines and eligible Navy Corpsmen who were killed during their service
LIFE Lessons Scholarship Program$15,000Students who have lost a parent or guardian
George Bartol Memorial Scholarship Fund$3,000Students whose parent passed away from a primary brain tumor or is battling a primary brain tumor
All About Pink Scholarship$1,000Biological, adoptive, or stepchildren of a parent who passed away from breast cancer

State-Based Scholarships

Certain scholarships are only given to students from specific states. You can inquire whether there are any such scholarships where you live. For starters, here are a few examples of state-specific scholarships:

ScholarshipMaximum AwardState
Educational Benefits for Children of Deceased Veterans and OthersThe award takes care of the cost of tuition and required feesDelaware
Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers and Firemen ScholarshipThe award covers the cost of tuition, required fees, and the average cost of campus housingMississippi
Beat the Odds Scholarship Program$4,000Oregon
LNESC Emergency Scholarship Fund$500California, Florida, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, or Texas

School-Based Scholarships

Universities and colleges also provide financial help for students in unfortunate situations. A few scholarships in this category are:

ScholarshipMaximum AwardSchool
David J. Ewing Scholarship FundThe amount variesUniversity of North Texas
Aretta J. Graham ScholarshipThe amount variesUniversity of Illinois
The Barbara S. Iannacone Memorial ScholarshipThe amount variesPenn State, Brandywine Campus
Crane Fund for Widows and Children ScholarshipThe amount variesIndiana University

Scholarships for High School Seniors

If you are a high school senior, you can look into scholarships that allow you to apply before you graduate. You can reserve some portion of the tuition right away and cover the rest of the cost during the college application or after enrolment. The scholarships you can get as a high school senior who suffered the loss of a parent are:

ScholarshipMaximum AwardBasic Eligibility
Rezvan Foundation ScholarshipUp to $100,000Students who lost a parent and are California residents
Beat the Odds Scholarship Program$4,000Students who lost a parent and are enrolled in an Oregon public high school
Regis L. Mullen Accident Injury Scholarship$2,500Students who lost a parent because of someone else’s negligence
American Police Hall of Fame Educational Scholarship$1,000 per year for up to four yearsChildren of a law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty

Other Scholarships

Students with deceased parents can look into other scholarships that aren’t tied to a school or state. You can find a few examples of such scholarships in the table below:

ScholarshipMaximum AwardEligibility
MedEvac Foundation International Children’s Scholarship$5,000Children who have lost a parent in an air medical or critical care ground transport accident
W.H. “Howie” McClennan Scholarship$2,500 each yearBiological or legally adopted children of firefighters who were killed in the line of duty
Breathing For Tomorrow Lung Cancer Scholarship$2,500Students whose parents passed away from lung cancer
Strong Arm Leukemia Scholarship$1,000Students whose parents passed away from leukemia

How To Find Scholarships for Students Who Have Lost a Parent

To surface every scholarship you are eligible for, you will need to dedicate time to meticulous research. You have to browse the web, contact different institutions, and similar.

Besides the aid that is provided to students with deceased parents, you should also consider other groups of scholarships you might qualify for, such as:

Think about what characterizes your situation, and you’ll come up with new ideas on where to look for scholarships. For example, you can look into scholarships for women, homeschoolers, or minorities and inquire whether students who lost a parent have priority.

If you want to automate the search and get a customized list of scholarships and grants, . We will pick out all scholarships you’re eligible for and help you to apply in a couple of minutes. For no-essay scholarships, only a few clicks are keeping you away from adding your name to the list of applicants.

The Application Process for Getting a Scholarship for Students With a Deceased Parent

Read what the application process for scholarships you are qualified for is with care. You will need to follow those specific instructions—including respecting their deadlines and submitting the necessary paperwork.

Among others, you will probably need to meet these requirements:

  • Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form
  • Fill out the form on the official website of the scholarship provider
  • Provide a high school or college transcript
  • Write a scholarship essay about how the situation in your family affected you
  • Supply letters of recommendation

Let the DoNotPay App Handle the Scholarship Search

Allow DoNotPay to take care of the tiring scholarship research process. All you need to do to get your list of available aid is:

  1. Find and choose the Apply for Scholarships product
  2. Answer a few questions that will help us find the best scholarships
  3. Apply for no-essay scholarships in the app

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