The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans is dedicated to the powerful belief that hard work, honesty, and determination can conquer all obstacles. Hence they are offering Horatio Alger Scholarships that are funded through the generosity of the Association’s Members, Life Partners, and Friends of the Association. The Horatio Alger program is open to supporting promising young people with the resources and confidence needed to overcome adversity and pursue their dreams through higher education.
The Horatio Alger Scholarship Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., a 501(c) (3) nonprofit educational organization, was established in 1947 to dispel the mounting belief among our nation’s youth that the American Dream was no longer attainable.
What is the difference between the Horatio Alger State and National Scholarships?
The Horatio Alger State Scholarships award college-bound high schoolers who have overcome adversity to continue their education. If you are from a certain state and either live there or attend school there, you may be eligible for scholarships from the Horatio Alger Association’s state chapters.
The Horatio Alger National Scholarships are given to high school seniors who have shown commitment to furthering their education and have experienced difficulties in life. Across the U.S., including District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, the Horatio Alger Association offers scholarships to students on a national level.
The criteria for both scholarships is the same, however the Horatio Alger National Scholarships have an enlarged selection of eligibility.
Horatio Alger State Scholarships
Eligibility:
To eligible, the applicants must meet all the eligibility requirements:
- To qualify, a student must be attending an American high school full time as a junior and on track to graduate in 2024 with the intention of enrolling in an American college no later than fall of that year.
- Demonstrate a firm pledge to attain and finish a bachelor’s degree at an accredited non-profit public or private college in the United States (pupils may begin their studies at a two-year school before transferring to a four-year institution).
- You must show evidence of financial need (an adjusted gross family income of $55,000 or less is required)
- Participate in co-curricular and community service activities.
- Show resilience and determination in facing challenges.
- Achieving and keeping a Grade Point Average of 2.0 or higher is required.
- Have United States citizenship
How to Apply:
In order to apply, the applicant can submit application online by creating an account through the given link: https://scholars.horatioalger.org/about-our-scholarship-programs/state-scholarships/
The state scholarships are available in all 50 states plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico.
Supporting Documents:
During the application process you will be required to submit various documents. Here is a list of some of the required documents:
Your high school counselor will be required to submit The Certification Form.
Someone close to you will need to verify you Support Form which describes the adversities you have experienced.
To verify your parents income you have the option to submit a copy of the tax transcript which can be requested through the IRS website at http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-Transcript.
Applicants not born in the United States but who are United States citizens are required to verify their citizenship by uploading one of the following documents to their online application:
- A copy of the photo ID page from your United States issued passport which includes your full name; or
- A copy of your citizenship certificate. If you do not have a certificate but your parents are United States citizens please submit a copy of a parent’s citizenship certificate; or a copy of your Consular Report of Birth Abroad.
- If you were born in the United States, do not submit proof of citizenship.
Financial Aid and Award Money:
The Horatio Alger scholarship Association will provide $10,000 of per winning candidate.
Application Deadline:
- Only awardees will be notified. Application deadline is March 15th. Applicants for the spring (December 1 to March 15) will be announced in April.
Link for More Information:
https://scholars.horatioalger.org/about-our-scholarship-programs/state-scholarships/
Horatio Alger National Scholarships
The National Horatio Alger Scholarship Program is one of the major scholarship programs nationally that specifically assists high school students who have faced and overcome great obstacles in their young lives. The Horatio Alger program is available for students who have a commitment to use their college degrees in service to others.
Horatio Alger Scholarship Association was established in 1947 and began awarding scholarships in 1984. Since the first scholarship award the Association has awarded over $110 million in need-based aid to students who hope to pursue their American Dream. The National program currently awards 105 scholarships.
Eligibility:
To eligible, the national scholars must meet all the eligibility requirements:
- To qualify, a student must be attending an American high school full time as a junior and on track to graduate in 2024 with the intention of enrolling in an American college no later than fall of that year.
- Demonstrate a firm pledge to attain and finish a bachelor’s degree at an accredited non-profit public or private college in the United States (pupils may begin their studies at a two-year school before transferring to a four-year institution).
- You must show evidence of financial need (an adjusted gross family income of $55,000 or less is required)
- Participate in co-curricular, community service and extracurricular activities.
- Show resilience and determination in facing challenges.
- Achieving and keeping a Grade Point Average of 2.0 or higher is required.
- Have United States citizenship
How to Apply:
When applying for the Horatio Alger Scholarship scholarship, the national scholars candidates must login themselves. If they have no account, they must create the new account.
You can click here to start the National scholarship application
Supporting Documents:
All high school juniors who apply for the Horatio Alger scholarship are required to submit additional supporting documentation. For more information about the supporting documents you can visit the FAQ section
Submitting Details:
These documents and forms must be submitted online. Documents submitted by mail, email or fax will not be accepted.
Financial Aid and Award Money:
The Horatio Alger scholarship Fund Association will provide $25,000 of per winning candidate at the national level.
Application Deadline:
The application deadline is March 15, 2023.
Link for More Information:
https://www.horatioalger.org/scholarships/program_national.cfm
Horatio Alger Career & Technical Scholarship
Horatio Alger National Career & Technical Scholarship Program is created by The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans. To be applying for the scholarship applicants will be enrolled in the eligible program in fall 2024 and under the age of 30. The scholarship is designed to support deserving young people overcome their adversity and pursue their dreams through higher education. 500 awards each of $2,500 will be given to the deserving candidates.
Horatio Alger Association Members and Friends have been funding need-based college scholarships to support deserving students overcome their adversity and pursue their dreams through higher education.
Eligibility:
This scholarship is available for:
- Graduated from high school (or obtained a GED)
- Will be enrolled in a qualified program for Fall 2024.
- Demonstrate dedication to achieving a career or vocational program at an approved non-profit post-secondary institution in the United States.
- Showing a substantial requirement for financial aid (must be qualified for the Federal Pell grant according to the FAFSA document)
- Showed determination in facing challenges
- Must be younger than 30
- Have United States citizenship
How to Apply:
Candidates must register & login through the given link, to be entered in the scholarship program:
Financial Aid Programs and Award Money:
500 awards up to $2,500 each will be given to pursue a career or technical certificate/degree.
Check the scholarship page to verify if there are scholarships still available.
This scholarship is for scholars pursuing an Associate level or technical degree/certificate (2 year or less program) at a not-for-profit school.
Application Deadline:
In March, the Horatio Alger Career & Technical Education Scholarship application will become available and scholarships will be granted on a rolling basis with the first ones awarded in July. If any scholarships remain unawarded, the application will stay open until they are all given out.
Link for More Information:
https://scholars.horatioalger.org/scholarships/about-our-scholarship-programs/technical/
Horatio Alger Targeted Scholarships
In addition to State and National scholarships, the Horatio Alger Association provides various scholarships for specific groups of people. Scholarships that focus on certain groups of students are available to help reduce the obstacles they face when pursuing higher education. The Horatio Alger Association offers scholarships that are specifically tailored to certain students, such as:
- Students with high academic achievements, involvement in extracurricular activities, and a commitment to higher education are highly encouraged to apply for the Distinguished Scholars Program.
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The Horatio Alger Military Veterans Scholarship Program provides educational funding for military veterans from the US.
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The Horatio Alger Teacher Program supports students aiming for a teaching career.
- The Horatio Alger First Generation Scholarship Program provides funding to those who are the first in their families to go to college.
These scholarships are also based on the same criteria of Horatio Alger National and State Scholarships but with a specific focus on certain group of students.
Link for More Information:
Horatio Alger targeted scholarships
Contact Information for any of the available college scholarship programs:
If you do not find an answer to your question, email scholarships-at-horatioalger.org or call toll-free at (844) HAA-4200, Monday-Friday, 9:00-5:00 Eastern Time.
