Scholarships for Cancer and More PDF print email

Inheritance of Hope Legacy Scholarship

  • $1,000 scholarship awarded to a college-bound high school senior who is living with a parent who has a life-threatening illness. 
  • Entire application can be submitted online.  For more information, click here.
  • Click here to watch videos of past Inheritance of Hope Legacy Scholarship finalists and winners.





Athletes Kickin' Cancer
$1,000 scholarship awarded to a senior high school athlete who has a parent who is fighting cancer or has fought the battle of cancer during the past four years and who will be playing the sport for their college.  Priority is given to Alabama residents, but all are eligible to apply.  Coaches must submit nomination to scholarship@athleteskickincancer.com by April 30.  For more information, click here.

Barbara Palo Foster Memorial Scholarship
The Barbara Palo Foster Memorial Scholarship provides a $2,500 scholarship to college students who have lost a parent to cancer or whose parent is currently fighting cancer. Applicants must be age 35 or younger at the time of application and be currently attending or accepted to a 2-year or 4-year college, university or training program (including graduate and professional schools). Applicants must be seeking a college degree in nursing. Applicants must demonstrate an interest in patient education, medically underserved communities and/or women's health issues. Recipients are required to complete 25 hours of community service. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of financial need, medical hardship, dedication to community service, commitment to educational and professional goals, and a demonstration of how the applicant has used their cancer experience to impact the lives of other young adults affected by cancer. The deadline is in May 1. For more information, click here.

Dream Hope Believe Foundation
Dream Hope Believe Foundation offers financial assistance to children and young people who have lost a parent to cancer through a variety of grants and scholarships. Grants can cover a wide variety of things, but examples would include daycare services, school costs or tuition, healthcare services, and many other things that a child may require.  For more information, click here.

Environmental Research Center Cancer Scholarship Fund
Purpose: These scholarships are available to provide financial assistance to college students in their pursuit of a higher education who have previously or are currently diagnosed with cancer. High school seniors or current college students are eligible for these scholarships.

Award: Scholarships, up to $1000 each, will be awarded on an ongoing basis to students who qualify.

Eligibility: Any person who meets the following requirements is eligible to apply:
  • Qualified applicants must be students who will be, or who already have been, accepted to an accredited two or four year higher education institution.
  • Can provide verification of a diagnosis of cancer.
  • Must be a United States Citizen.
  • Must currently maintain residency in the State of California.

For more information, click here.

George Bartol Memorial Scholarship
Scholarships for children ages 18-23, who have a parent with a brain tumor or who have lost a parent to a brain tumor and are currently attending a 2 or 4 year college full-time.  For more information, click here.

Jackie Spellman Scholarship Foundation
The Jackie Spellman Scholarship Foundation awards annual scholarships to help improve the quality of life for those affected by leukemia or lymphoma.  The focus of the scholarship is on supporting secondary education (undergraduate and graduate studies) for leukemia or lymphoma patients and/or children, siblings, or parents of leukemia or lymphoma patients.  This scholarship is offered nationwide to United States citizens.  The Foundation will award up to 10 scholarships annually that range between $1,000 and $3,000.  The scholarships are renewable to qualified recipients.  For more information, click here.

LIFE Lessons Essay Contest for Students
The Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education is sponsoring a scholarship for college-bound high school seniors and current college students, ages 17-24, who have suffered the death of a parent or guardian. Candidates must submit a written essay of up to 500 words or a short three-minute video essay about how the loss affected them emotionally and financially. The essay should indicate whether having (or not having) life, health and other forms of insurance helped stabilize family finances and cover college costs. The grand prize winner of the written essay contents will receive a $5,000 scholarship. There are also $1,000 scholarships for the four first place winners and $500 scholarships for the 14 runners-up. The 5 first prize winners of the video essay will receive $1,000 scholarships. There is also a bonus prize of $4,000. The deadline is April 20. Participants can enter online or call 1-202-465-5000 x106 to request a paper entry form. For more information, write to Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education, 2175 K Street, NW Suite 250, Washington, DC 20037 or send email to scholarship@lifefdn.org.  For more information, click here.

Marilyn Yetso Memorial Scholarship
The Marilyn Yetso Memorial Scholarship provides a $2,500 scholarship to college students who have lost a parent to cancer or whose parent is currently fighting cancer. The parent or guardian must have been diagnosed while the applicant was between the ages of 15 and 35. Applicants must be age 35 or younger at the time of application and be currently attending or accepted to a 2-year or 4-year college, university or vocational program (including graduate and professional schools). Recipients are required to complete 25 hours of community service. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of financial need, medical hardship, dedication to community service, commitment to educational and professional goals, and a demonstration of how the applicant has used their cancer experience to impact the lives of other young adults affected by cancer. The applicant must have been diagnosed with cancer since reaching age 15. The deadline is in May 1. Send email to scholarship@ulmanfund.org to request an application. For more information, click here.

MaryEllen Locher Foundation
The MaryEllen Locher Foundation is a national fund established by a mother diagnosed with breast cancer who once worried about her own child's education.  The Foundation provides scholarships for secondary education to children who have lost a parent to breast cancer and children of breast cancer survivors.  For more information, click here.

Maryland Community Cancer Scholarship
The Maryland Community Cancer Scholarship Award recognizes the dreams, challenges, and triumphs of young adults affected by cancer.  Founded in Columbia, MD in 1997, the UCF encourages Maryland residents impacted by cancer to pursue higher education.  For more information, click here.

Michael A. Hunter Memorial Scholarship
The Michael A. Hunter Memorial Scholarship Fund awards annual scholarships to help improve the quality of life for those affected by leukemia or lymphoma.  The focus of the scholarship is on supporting secondary education for leukemia or lymphoma patients and/or children of non-surviving leukemia or lymphoma patients.  This scholarship is offered nationwide.  For more information, click here.

Miles of Hope (Hudson Valley, NY)
The purpose of the Miles of Hope Breast Cancer Foundation Scholarship is to assist graduating high school students whose lives have been affected by breast cancer.  Students must reside within one of the eight New york State counites covered by the Miles of Hope Breast Cancer Foundation: Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Westchester, and Ulster.  Each year, eight $1,000 scholarships are awarded.  For more information, click here.

National Collegiate Cancer Foundation
The National Collegiate Cancer Foundation sponsors an annual nonrenewable $1,000 scholarship for college students whose lives have been impacted by cancer and who are seeking to continue their higher education while still undergoing treatment. Applicants must be college students between the ages of 18 and 35. Recipients are selected on the basis of financial need, an essay, recommendations, cancer story, and demonstrating a "Will Win" attitude. The deadline is October 1. For more information, call 1-717-215-0943 or write to National Collegiate Cancer Foundation, Scholarship Committee, PO Box 14521, Silver Spring, MD 20911, or send email to info@collegiatecancer.org.

No Wooden Nickels
Provides scholarship assistance to students of cancer families to help offset the expense of continuing an education, acquiring a trade or needed skill, or other academic-related expenses.  For more information, click here.

Pink Ribbon Scholarship
Pink Ribbon Scholarships are awarded annually to a graduating high school senior whose mother or father is a breast cancer survivor or died from breast cancer. The application deadline is March 2.  For more information, click here.

PinkRose Foundation
The PinkRose Foundation Inc. provides $1,000 scholarships for college students who have lost a parent or legal guardian to breast cancer. The scholarships help the children embark on personal growth and start to overcome the grief caused by breast cancer. Candidates must be at least 18 years old and under the age of 25. US citizenship or permanent residency is required, as is a high school diploma or equivalent. The deadline is August 31. Scholarship applications can be obtained from www.pinkrose.org/scholarship.html. For more information, write to The PinkRose Foundation Inc., PO Box 4025, Dedham, MA02027, call 1-781-710-6268, or send email to info@pinkrose.org.

Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation awards up to seven scholarships of up to $10,000 per year to graduating high school seniors and current college students who are 25 years old or younger and who have lost a parent to breast cancer. Candidates who are already in college must have a college GPA of at least 2.8 on a 4.0 scale. Candidates must plan to attend a state college or university in the state where they reside. Candidates must be US citizens or permanent residents. The application deadline is in mid-November. (The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation also funds doctoral dissertation awards, postdoctoral fellowships and grants for cancer research.) For more information, write to The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Attn: Grants Dept. -- College Scholarship, 5005 LBJ Freeway, Suite #250, Dallas, TX 75244, call 1-972-855-1616, send email to ccombs@komen.org, or click here.

Vera Yip Memorial Scholarship Award
The Vera Yip Memorial Scholarship Award was established to support the financial needs of young adults who are impacted by cancer and seeking higher education. Vera was committed to promoting a love of learning and helped to inspire and empower others to pursue their personal, educational and professional dreams in the face of adversity. These awards seek to honor the applicant who best demonstrates the courage, determination, motivation and dedication that Vera displayed during her lifetime.  For more information, click here.

If you have any additional information regarding scholarships for families affected by a parent's life-threatening illness,
please share with us.  Thank you!