General College Scholarships for Students Who Have Lost a Parent
There are many college scholarships for US students with a deceased parent, and I’ve listed them below. These scholarships are varied, and some cater to specific circumstances, such as the profession or cause of the parent’s death, or else the state where the student lives. Note: Some of the scholarship websites aren’t yet accepting applications for the 2025-2026 school year.
This scholarship is intended to offer financial support to students who are passionate about pursuing a medical degree, especially those with parents who are either battling or have lost their lives to a terminal illness.
$950
June 30
Any
Colwell Law Single Parent Scholarship
The scholarship awards $1,000 to a student, who is a single parent or the child of a single parent, pursuing a college education.
$1,000
May 31
Any
Eden Alaine Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship seeks to support students who have lost close family members and fought to continue pursuing their goals. Any high school, undergraduate, or graduate student who has lost an immediate family member may apply.
$1,000
March 5
Any
FOZA Scholarship for Awareness of Maternal Suicide
This scholarship will be awarded to a student who has lost a parent due to a maternal suicide related to postpartum depression.
$1,000
November 1
Any
Legacy Scholarship Program
The National Collegiate Cancer Foundation is proud to provide financial assistance to young adults pursuing their education who have lost a parent or guardian to cancer.
$1,000
May 17
Any
PinkRose Breast Cancer Scholarship
The PinkRoseFoundation provides scholarships to assist in the post-secondary education of children who have lost a parent to breast cancer.
$1,000
October 31
Any
Steve Kirton Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship aims to honor the memory of Stevie Kirton by supporting students who have lost a parent. Any high school student who has lost a parent and has at least a 3.5 GPA may apply for this scholarship opportunity.
$1,000
April 1
Any
The Hoggatt Injury Law Children of Injured Workers Scholarship
The scholarship is offered to the child of an employee who has been injured or killed in a work-related accident.
$1,000
Fall: June 24; Spring: Dec 9
Any
Victor Micolucci Scholarship
This scholarship is awarded to University of Florida, College of Pharmacy students demonstrating financial need with preference to students active in their professional organizations, community-oriented, orphans, and those without parental financial support.
$1,000
Not Stated
Any
The Recover Michiana Szweda Scholarship
This scholarship was established to help students pursuing higher education, be it a trade school or university, who have lost a parent to an overdose or related substance abuse.
$1,500
January 31
Any
Marion John Shepard, Jr. Scholarship
This scholarship supports students who have lost a parent so they can stay on track and complete their education. Any undergraduate student who has lost a parent and is pursuing a major related to education may apply.
$2,190
July 8
Any
George Bartol Memorial Scholarship Fund
The fund provides college scholarships to students whose parents have been diagnosed with brain cancer.
$3,000
October 1
Any
Malcolm R. Stacey Scholarship
This scholarship is for Jewish undergraduate and graduate students at any University of California school. Preference is given to Engineering/Aeronautical Engineering majors and orphans.
$3,000
Not Stated
Any
Jackanow Suicide Awareness Scholarship
Any undergraduate or graduate student at University of Arizona, Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, or Grand Canyon University who has lost a loved one to suicide may apply for this scholarship.
$3,465
May 30
Any
The Cove & McIntyre Hope and Healing Scholarship
This scholarship is open to Connecticut-based high school seniors who have experienced the death of a parent, guardian or sibling and are accepted into a higher education program.
$5,000
April 1
CT
The Redrick Leijon Nicholas Williams Scholarship
The scholarship is for an African/Black male, raised by a single mother, who is graduating high school, living in Los Angeles County and is seeking higher education.
$5,000
April 7
CA
Cat Zingano Overcoming Loss Scholarship
This scholarship will be awarded to a student who is fighting through their own loss of a close family member, legal guardian or loved one, and is in need of financial support for their education as they move forward.
$10,000
July 20
Any
Pasta Rose Scholarship
The Pasta Rose Scholarship is a yearly scholarship awarded to Brooklyn high school students who have lost a parent to cancer.
$10,000
June 15
NY
Frontline Families Scholarship Program
The Frontline Families Scholarship Fund was established to provide educational assistance to the surviving family members of frontline healthcare workers and volunteers who lost their lives in the fight against COVID-19.
$1,000 – $2,500
Feb 17
Any
Diane Dawson Memorial Scholarship
The scholarship provides financial assistance for young men and women in the greater Denver and Sacramento areas who have a parent or legal guardian with terminal cancer or other terminal illness, or who have lost a parent to a terminal disease during high school.
$1,000 – $3,000
March 14
CA, CO
Jennifer Casey Alderman Scholarship Award
A college scholarship will be awarded to a young adult living in IN, KY, OH or TN who lost a parent to metastatic breast cancer or has financial hardship due to a parent currently living with metastatic breast cancer.
$2,500 per year
April 15
IN, KY, OH, TN
The Quell Foundation Scholarships
The Quell Foundation offers scholarships to students who have experienced the loss of a parent, caregiver, or sibling to suicide; or the loss of a parent who served as a first responder (i.e. law enforcement, fire, EMS, dispatch, corrections) to a line of duty death or suicide.
$2,500 – $5,000
March 14
Any
The Jane Calmes ALS Scholarship Fund
The scholarship fund is available to students whose ability to cover the costs is severely compromised as a result of their family’s financial burden of ALS, either from having a diagnosis of ALS themselves, or having a parent, guardian, or family member (living or deceased) diagnosed with ALS.
$5,000 per year
May 20
Any
James F. Byrnes Scholarship
This scholarship is offered to North Carolina high school seniors who have lost one or both parents by death. Applicants must have financial need and a satisfactory scholastic record. Award recipients are expected to participate in three activities per year.
$5,000 per year
January 25
NC
Iris-Samuel Rothman Scholarship
The scholarship is for a male student accepted to or enrolled at a New England college or university and who has lost both of his parents. Also eligible is a young man who has lost his mother AND does not have a father available to him.
$500 – $5,000
Not Stated
CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT
Toby Merrill Scholarship
This scholarship is awarded to students excelling in the areas of academics, athletics, leadership and demonstrating high character traits such as kindness and strength during times of adversity. Special consideration will be made for candidates who are experiencing personal or family issues related to cancer or bereavement.
$9,700 per year
February 1
Any
The Lisa Michelle Memorial Fund
The LMM Fund provides scholarships to students who have lost a parent/guardian, grandparent, sibling, or spouse to drug, alcohol, or prescription drug abuse.
Varies from $250 to $1,000
Fall: May 1; Spring: Nov 30
Any
Rezvan Foundation Scholarship
The mission of The Rezvan Foundation is to support the academic pursuits of exceptionally talented young students who have spent time in foster care or are orphaned.
Tuition up to $100,000 over four years
March 15
Any
Barbara S. Iannacone Memorial Award
This scholarship is awarded to Pennsylvania State University, Brandywine students who show promise of outstanding academic success and who have overcome adversity. First preference is given to students who have suffered the loss of a father.
Not Stated
Not Stated
Any
Connie B. Howard Scholarship
The scholarship is awarded to a Spartanburg Methodist College student who has lost one or both parents and, if there is a remaining parent, that parent has not remarried.
Not Stated
Not Stated
Any
Rodney D. Hanson Scholarship
This scholarship is awarded to Ohio University students who reside in Belmont County, have a major of education/pre-law and have experienced the death of a parent.
Not Stated
Not Stated
Any
Encore Victims of Drunk Driving Scholarship
Scholarship is open to students who are the victim of a drunk driving accident or a child, dependent or spouse of a victim of a drunk driving accident.
Not Stated
May 15
Any
Rewritten Scholarship
Rewritten provides scholarships and personalized, Christ-centered mentoring support to help fatherless, at-risk youth become confident, skilled, thriving adults.
Not Stated
April 30
Any
SFM Foundation Scholarship
SFM Foundation scholarships are available to students with a parent who was disabled or fatally injured while working for Minnesota or Iowa employers.
Up to $15,000 per year
March 31
MN, IA
The Nancy Jaynes Memorial Scholarship
The scholarship is awarded to Indiana high school seniors who have lost a parent to breast cancer or have a parent currently undergoing breast cancer treatment and will be attending an Indiana college/university or post-secondary technical school.
Up to $2,500
January 27
IN
Brave of Heart Scholarship
The Brave of Heart Fund provides scholarship funding to families of front line healthcare workers, volunteers, and support staff whose lives were lost in the fight against COVID-19.
Up to $25,000 per year
October 7
Any
Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts Scholarships
The Foundation offers four scholarships for graduating high school seniors in Western Massachusetts students who have a deceased parent.
Up to $3,000
April 7
MA
Foster Care to Success Sponsored Scholarships
FC2S partners with organizations, foundations, and individuals to deliver scholarships to foster youth across the country. Foster Care to Success has awarded over $15M to 2,000 students in all 50 states since 2000.
Up to $5,000 per year
July 31
Any
Macy’s Emergency Scholarship Fund
The fund provides scholarships to students facing economic hardship from circumstances including death of an immediate family member. Limited to residents of California, Florida, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Puerto Rico, or Texas.
Up to $500
Rolling
CA, FL, MO, NM, NY, OH, PR, TX
Arnold Trust Fund Award
The scholarship is awarded to University of Iowa students who are orphans not over the age of 25 and who are residents of Linn County, Iowa. The award is based on financial need.
Varies
Not Stated
IA
Kids’ Chance
Kids’ Chance provides scholarships through state organizations to the children of workers who have been seriously or fatally injured on the job.
Varies
Not Stated
Any
The ASSP Foundation Family Scholarship Fund
This scholarship is available to spouses and children of individuals who lost their lives in a workplace incident.
Varies
Rolling
Any
David J. Ewing Scholarship
This scholarship honors the memory of David J. Ewing, former Director of Human Resources, and benefits students who seek success in life despite the death of a parent.
Varies
April 1
Any
MaryEllen Locher Foundation Scholarship
Scholarships are given to the children of breast cancer patients–either survivors, those currently in treatment, or deceased. Scholarships are limited to students residing within a 50-mile radius of Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Varies
February 21
TN
Life Lessons Scholarship Program
This scholarship program is open to students who have experienced the death of a parent or legal guardian with no or inadequate life insurance. Applications accepted starting Feb 1.
Varies from $5K to $15K
March 1
Any
MissionSquare Retirement Memorial Scholarship Fund
The Scholarship Fund honors education, health care, not-for-profit, public safety, and local and state government employees who died while in service to their communities by providing their surviving children or spouses with financial assistance for post-secondary education.
Up to a maximum lifetime amount of $10,000
April 1
Any
Law Enforcement Officers’ Dependents Scholarship
LEO provides scholarships to any public college, university, or technical institute in Arkansas for dependents and spouses of Arkansas law enforcement officers, firefighters, foresters, correctional officers, Community Punishment Department or Transportation Department employees, and teachers, who were killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty.
In-state tuition, on-campus room charges, and mandatory fees
July 1
AR
Flight 3407 Memorial Scholarship
Scholarship for families who lost loved ones as a direct result of the crash of Continental Airlines Flight 3407 in Clarence, New York on February 12, 2009 cover the cost of attending college in New York State.
Cost of attendance
Rolling
NY
Kelly Lynn Lutz Memorial Scholarship Foundation
The KLL Memorial Foundation offers financial and emotional support to students in Kansas or Missouri who have lost a parent to cancer before the age of 22.
$2,000 per year
January 10
KS, MO
Grant Program for Dependents of Correctional Officers
This grant provides financial assistance for study at ISAC-approved Illinois colleges to spouses and children of State of Illinois Department of Corrections officers who were killed or became at least 90 percent disabled in the line of duty.
Tuition & fees
Full Year: October 1; Spring & Summer:
March 1; Summer:
June 15
IL
Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program & Jean B. Cryor Memorial Scholarship Program
The program provides financial assistance to eligible Maryland children and surviving spouses of the following who died or were permanently disabled in the line of duty: school employee, member of the US Armed Forces, victim of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks or public safety employee.
Tuition and mandatory fees of a MD public school
July 15
MD
Missouri Public Service Officer or Employee’s Child Survivor Grant Program
This program provides tuition assistance to certain Missouri public safety officers and employees and their families if the employee is killed or permanently and totally disabled in the line of duty.
Tuition
Rolling
MO
Kids’ Chance Scholarship Program
This scholarship is available to children of Missouri workers who were seriously injured or died in a work-related accident covered and compensated by workers’ compensation.
Up to $6,500 per year
April 30
MO
Texas Mutual Scholarship
The Texas Mutual scholarship program provides tuition assistance to the children and/or spouse of a person who was employed by a Texas Mutual policyholder and died as a result of a compensable work-related accident.
Up to $6,600 per year
Fall: June 30; Spring: Oct 31
TX
Air Line Pilots Association Scholarship
The program awards one 4-year undergraduate college scholarship each year to the child of a medically retired, long-term disabled, or deceased pilot member of the Air Line Pilots Association.
$15,000 per year
April 1
Any
Texas Surviving Spouse and Children of Certain Deceased Public Servants (Employees)
Texas institutions of higher education waive tuition for eligible survivors of the following public servants: peace officers; probation officers; parole officers; jailers; correctional employees; emergency medical service workers; fire fighters; certain chaplains; certain employees of the Parks and Wildlife Department, the Department of Aging and Disability Services or Department of State Health Services.
Tuition & fees
Not Stated
TX
NEW! Curtis Holloway Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship seeks to honor the life of Curtis Holloway by supporting a student who has lost a parent or lives in a single-parent household. Any high school student or undergraduate student at a four-year college who has lost a parent or lives in a single-parent household may apply for this scholarship.
$1,000
May 18
Any
NEW! Brent P. Poor Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship offers college tuition assistance to children who have lost a parent. Applicants must be the child of a widow/widower who has never remarried and must be enrolling/enrolled as a full-time college student in Louisiana or Texas.
$1,000 per semester
January 31
LA, TX
NEW! CancerCare Young Professionals Committee Scholarship
The program awards one-time scholarships to young adults who have recently lost a parent or guardian to cancer. Scholarship recipients must have a home residence of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut or Pennsylvania.
$2,500
TBD
CT, NJ, NY, PA
NEW! Brad Hinshaw Memorial Scholarship
Any high school senior or undergraduate student who has lost a parent to cancer may apply for this scholarship if they have at least a 3.0 GPA.
Thank you for this website! I am wondering when scholarhship applications will become available for the 2026-2027 school year. I recently lost my husband and we are trying to figure out how to afford college for my son.
Hi Sheri! I haven’t updated the list for this year yet, but plan to do so by the end of February. So it really depends on the scholarship. Some scholarships are open year round, while others only accept applications during specific timeframes. Generally most of the list from last year should still be valid for this upcoming school year, but a few scholarships, particularly those listed on Bold.org tend to be one-time scholarships. Hope this helps for now.
Alisa
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