10 Awesome Scholarships for Homeschoolers
What’s Covered:
Every year, over 2 million US students are educated at home. Many students and parents feel that a home-based education is beneficial to them, but can feel challenged when preparing for college. As many scholarships are increasingly competitive, it can seem like all the essays and applications aren’t yielding any results.
As a homeschooled student or parent, looking for scholarships for homeschoolers can be like finding a needle in a haystack. This list is here to help. Before you take a look at these scholarships, make sure you complete the FAFSA and a CSS profile. These are some of the easiest ways to get aid for college! Done with those? Let’s take a look at some more scholarships for homeschooled students.
10 Great Scholarships for Homeschoolers
1. State of the Arts Scholarship
Amount: $1000
Deadline: March 1 every year
Eligibility: Applicants must be homeschooled for all four years of high school, demonstrate experience in the arts, and enter into an educational program in an art school, college, or university no later than the fall semester after graduating high school
Application Requirements: Application, references, an autobiography, homeschool transcript, artistic accomplishments to date transcript, and a portfolio of 10 pages or less (or a CD/DVD 5 minutes or less)
Offered by the Home Education Recognition Organization (HERO), the State of the Arts Scholarship awards homeschooled students studying performing or visual arts at the post-secondary level. It considers dance, music, theater, and studio art. Applicants are preferred who have shown experience and interest in the arts. HERO offers several scholarships for homeschoolers, all of which can be completed with one application.
2. Homeschool Advocacy Project UW Scholarship
Amount: $1000
Deadline: March 31 every year
Eligibility: Students must have earned their diploma through a homeschool program and be accepted to the University of Washington
Application Requirements: 3-4 page essay on one of several prompts
The Homeschool Advocacy Project is a student organization at the University of Washington at Seattle. They hope to raise awareness about homeschooling while helping homeschoolers to develop leadership skills as they transition to post-secondary education. This scholarship is one of the ways The Homeschool Advocacy Project achieves their goals. A committee evaluates application essays based on content, structure, mechanics, and evidence.
3. Morgan R. Gray Memorial Fund
Amount: Up to $1000
Deadline: March 3 every year
Eligibility: Homeschooled students living in Rowan County, NC OR a member of the Rowan County Home School Association (RCHSA)
Application Requirements: Homeschool transcript, extracurricular transcript, personal value statement, personal references
Offered by the Foundation for the Carolinas and Rowan County Homeschool Association, this is an annual award for homeschooled students. The students must attend an accredited university the fall after graduation.
4. Emmett Comer College Scholarship Fund
Amount: $1000
Deadline: March 31 every year
Eligibility: Students must have been homeschooled and attend their post-secondary education in Washington State
Application Requirements: Application, homeschool transcript, and an essay.
The Emmett Comer Scholarship, sponsored by the Washington Homeschool Organization, is named after one of Washington state’s well-known homeschool advocates. To apply for this scholarship, students must submit an essay related to their homeschool experience. These essays are reviewed by an unbiased panel, so student names should not be included. All materials are then mailed to the committee in Seattle.
5. Hope Scholarship Program for Homeschooled Students
Amount: Up to $3000 with a $150 book allowance per semester
Deadline: Varies
Eligibility: Students must be homeschooled, attend USG, TCSG, or a private HOPE eligible college or university, and earn at least a 3.0 GPA their freshman year
Application Requirements: FAFSA
The HOPE program stands for “Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally”, and is administered by the Georgia Student Finance Commission. This is a merit-based award for high-achieving homeschooled students who have demonstrated academic achievement. HOPE suggests submitting the FAFSA as early as possible for consideration.
6. Craig Dickinson Memorial Scholarship
Amount: $1000
Deadline: March 1 every year
Eligibility: Applicants must be homeschooled at least two years of high school and plan to enter an educational program in the fall
Application Requirements: Application, references, autobiography, homeschool transcript, and selected test scores
Offered by the Homeschool Education Recognition Organization (HERO), the Craig Dickinson Memorial Scholarship awards a homeschooled student who has academically excelled. They must have attended homeschool for at least two years in high school and plan to enter an educational program in the fall. This is a one-time scholarship, and academics are strongly considered.
7. Homeschooler’s Support Association Scholarship
Amount: $1000
Deadline: March 31 every year
Eligibility: Students must be members of the Washington Homeschool Organization, live in Washington state, and plan on attending a four-year educational program
Application Requirements: Application form, homeschool transcript, essay, college Declaration of Intent
The Homeschooler’s Support Association Scholarship is awarded by the Washington Homeschool Organization in memory of its founders, Vicky Diamond, Janice Hedin, Pam Nash, Janene Irish, Angie Rogers, and Sue Smith. Its goal is to reward high-achieving homeschool students and help them ease the financial burden of college. To enter, students submit a 500-word essay explaining either their contributions to their community or their community’s contributions to their homeschool education.
8. Cypress Homeschool Association Scholarship
Amount: Up to $2000
Deadline: May 15 every year
Eligibility: Students must be homeschooled for at least three years, live in Texas, be a member of the Cypress Homeschool Association, and plan to attend a two or four-year educational institution the fall after graduation
Application Requirements: Homeschool transcripts
The Cypress Homeschool Association comprises around 300 families in the Cypress area of Texas. They inspire collaboration and innovation in students and parents, and seek to make homeschooling a well-rounded experience for everyone involved. The scholarship is awarded to one student every year who has demonstrated qualities of leadership, academic intelligence, and strong moral character.
9. The Sandra Hancock Scholarship
Amount: $500
Deadline: March 1 every year
Eligibility: Applicants must be homeschooled for all four years of high school and plan to enter an educational or missions program in the fall
Application Requirements: Application, references, transcript of service experience, homeschool transcript, and autobiography
Named for the founder of the New Covenant School, the Sandra Hancock Scholarship is offered by the Home Education Recognition Organization (HERO). This scholarship is awarded to the homeschool student whose autobiography exemplifies the benefits of home education. For this award, you must highlight how home education has shaped your experience as a student, and what it means to you.
10. Mason Lighthouse Scholarship
Amount: $1000
Deadline: March 1 each year
Eligibility: Students must be homeschooled for all four years of high school and plan to enter into an educational or missions program in the fall
Application Requirements: Application, references, transcript of service experience, homeschool transcript, and autobiography
Offered by the Home Education Recognition Organization (HERO), the Mason Lighthouse Scholarship awards students who have exhibited service to their homeschool, church, or community. This is a one-time award, and takes into account a student’s application, service experience, references, transcript, and autobiography. The student must enter into an educational program or missions program the fall after they graduate high school.
3 Tips for Applying for Scholarships
1. Start early!
All scholarships have deadlines, usually in the winter or spring before graduation. It’s important to make sure you are being proactive when you’re applying so that you don’t miss out. You want to be sure you are researching and filling out applications well before the deadline so that when it comes, you’re already good to go! That way you can spend the end of your senior year enjoying all the wrap-up festivities, not stressing about college money.
2. Look close to home!
National programs are great, and they often give large rewards, but they usually attract a large number of applicants. Local scholarships tend to have a much smaller applicant pool, making it easier for you to stand out and impress! These awards tend to be smaller than the more well-known scholarships, but you have a much better chance of wowing the committee. You can also personalize the application to where you’re from, showing how your community has impacted you. Check out your state, county, and college for specific scholarships they offer!
3. Make a plan!
The last few months of your senior year are going to be extremely hectic, and you need to be organized so you don’t miss anything. As early as possible, you should get a planner and use it! If you’re not a paper and pencil person, there are plenty of free online planners and apps you can use. Write down application deadlines for schools and scholarships, along with your high school’s end-of-year activities. This will help you stay organized and on top of things!
