You might be wondering, are there really scholarships for students who have lost a sibling? Yes, there are. And that’s the primary criteria needed to apply for this type of scholarship.
I know it is sad and unfortunate that this has happened. If you’ve lost a beloved sibling, and are left with the pain and heartbreak of navigating life without them, then you’re definitely going to want to read this article.
Scholarship Background & Eligibility Requirements
In addition to the emotional impact the loss of a sibling already has, it could also affect a family’s finances. Especially if it’s a long-term illness and the treatment bill is catered by the family.
When the other surviving sibling goes to college, the family does not have additional money or savings to pay for tuition fees and other expenses.
The circumstances surrounding the demise of a sibling could be a result of an accident or violent crime, apart from illness. Due to this, the student may qualify for financial support from several scholarship programs.
Local Scholarship Programs
Some scholarship programs assist students only from a particular community, state, or region without criteria regarding the cause of their sibling’s death; however, most scholarships have specific criteria based on the grounds of demise.
The requirement could also vary depending on the giver. For example, the JoJo D’Occhio Foundation offers help to students who plan to attend the University of Delaware. The requirements: applicants must be younger than 22 years of age and be the surviving sibling of a deceased individual.
To get more information on Local or state-specific scholarships, you can check the financial aid offices of the university you plan to apply.
Some of the illnesses or demise grounds that most scholarship organization base their criteria on are as follows:
Cancer
There are a lot of organizations that support the family members of cancer patients who passed away. These programs help families with college expenses cover the financial problem due to cancer treatments and medical care payments.
Examples of the programs include:
The Northwestern Mutual Childhood Cancer Sibling Scholarship Program
The Northwestern Mutual Foundation has an established scholarship program to assist siblings of persons who are still in treatment, survived, or have passed away from childhood cancer and plan to continue their education in college or vocational school programs.
This program is administered by the Scholarship America. The sponsor solely determines eligibility for this program, and eligible applications are reviewed by the Scholarship America’s evaluation team.
Requirements:
- Applicants must be siblings of someone who is either still in treatment, survived, or passed away from childhood cancer.
- Applicants must upload an affidavit signed by parents or legal guardians confirming their status of being related to the cancer patient or survivor.
- Applicants must be aged 25 and below, should be high school seniors or graduates, or plan to enroll in a full-time undergraduate study at an accredited two-year or four-year college, university or vocational school.
- Applicants should have a minimum GPA of 2.5 on a scale of 4.0.
Employees and children of employees of this foundation are ineligible to apply.
Other options are the SuperSibs! Scholarship Program that helps with the tuition fee of siblings of cancer patients. Applicants must be able to explain their families’ experience with cancer and the implications on their future goals and vision.
Also, Project Hope and Joy help bereaved siblings via its scholarship fund program.
RELATED:
Left-Handed Scholarship 2022/2023 for Students
Fully Sponsored Pilot Scholarship 2022
Violent Crime
Some scholarship programs offer awards to individuals who have experienced death in their families as a result of violent crimes.
An example of this is The Peyton Tuthill Foundation, which offers scholarship awards to family survivors of homicide victims. The program may cover other family members like the spouse, child, or sibling of the victim.
Other examples are:
- Children Impacted by Crime Scholarship Fund, which helps children who have been victimized by crime, either themselves or a member of their immediate family. The program funds multiple scholarship awards of up to $1,000 to each child affected by crime.
Applicants must be pursuing a full-time degree at an accredited two-year or four-year US institution, be 18 years of age or older, and maintain a grade point average 2.5 and above.
- David B Wright Memorial Foundation Scholarship is in memory of a cabinet maker Marine Corps veteran who was fatally shot dead at a robbery attempt in 2009.
The scholarship is granted annually to survivors of violent crimes and their families to provide financial support and help sponsor their higher education degrees.
Preference will be given to excellent college students majoring in human service, mathematics, science, carpentry, engineering, or counseling.
- Jacqueline Harrison Memorial Scholarship program works with the mission of creating a sense of empowerment among victims of violent crimes. It is awarded every year to victims or their families to help them go to college.
Applicants pursuing a bachelor’s degree program must provide a current resume, a 500-word personal essay, an official transcript, three letters of recommendation, a financial statement, and proof of continuous participation in volunteer work and community service.
The application deadline is the 1st of October.
- OVC Crime Victim/Survivor Scholarships
This scholarship program is sponsored by the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) and is awarded every year to surviving victims of violent crimes in the US.
The scholarship value is up to $5,000, given to students who want to apply for an undergraduate or graduate degree in a human service area or a related course with the goal of starting a career working with other crime victims.
Applicants must provide proof of at least one year of volunteer service with other victims, evidence of financial need, and provide genuine information about the experience and impact of the crime.
The application deadline is the 8th of June.
- South Carolina Victim Assistance Network Scholarships
Every semester, the South Carolina Victim Assistance Network partner with the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation to offer scholarships to female survivors of violent crimes who need financial assistance to cover their tuition fees and educational expenses at a graduate or undergraduate level.
The scholarship value is up to $3,500. The recipients will be chosen based on academic promise, financial need, active, consistent involvement in campus/community activities, and the Alpha Chi Omega chapter leadership.
The deadline is the 1st of October and the 1st of May annually.
Other similar scholarship programs include Tree Climbers Survivor Scholarship Foundation, Voices for Victims of Violent Crimes Scholarship, Women’s Independence Scholarship Program, Peyton Tuthill Foundation Hearts of Hope Scholarship, Kennedy Foundation Scholarships for Victims, etc.
9/11 Scholarship Programs
This scholarship is offered to families affected by the 9/11 attacks on the 19th of September, 2001. There are several scholarship programs awarded for this course.
One of such is the scholarship program sponsored by the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund, which helps affected families in need of financial assistance to pay for college education.
It has awarded more than $100 million need-based scholarships to families of the 9/11 terrorist attack victims. The scholarship program generally provides financial support to domestic partners, spouses, siblings, and dependents of the 9/11 victims.
Applicants must attend an accredited two-year or four-year college, institutions, trade, or training schools.
Applicants must be able to provide proof of financial dependence on a sibling or family member who died as a result of the 9/11 attacks.
Other examples are:
- Twin Tower Orphan Fund Scholarship program – It was founded on the 11th of September, 2001, for the sole purpose of providing financial assistance to families whose children were orphaned in the terrorist attack on the said day.
It is awarded to students between the ages of 18 and 22 who lost one or both parents in the attacks. Either as a passenger, onboard the hijacked airline, or was in the World Trade Centre or the Pentagon.
The application deadline varies.
- The CFA Institute 11 September Memorial scholarship program.
This program is for students who are either the spouse, child, or domestic partner of a victim killed or permanently disabled as a result of the events of September 11, 2001. Eligibility is based on these criteria.
Full-time and part-time students can apply for this funding for up to $25,000 based on the level of the student’s financial needs. Recipients may choose to attend any accredited institution of their choice, but courses must be in the direction of business ethics, accounting, economics, or finance.
Beneficiaries can receive the scholarship award annually for a maximum of five years.
This program is sponsored by Scholarship Management Services – a division of Scholarship America, the Chartered Financial analyst – a global association of investment professionals, the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute, and the Research Foundation.
- The Needham September 11 scholarship Fund
A major investment banking and asset management firm – the Needham and Company, established this scholarship program to provide financially for the surviving children of victims who died at the World Trade Centre on the 11th of September, 2001, to help fund their educational expenses.
It also covers the children and spouses of rescue workers who were killed on duty at Ground Zero and the survivors of military members who lost their lives or were permanently disabled due to the ongoing ‘war on terror.’
Funds are provided to individuals and families in need. The scholarship value is up to $125,000 per family. Recipients must be currently attending or be accepted into an accredited private high school, college or university.
The primary criteria for application are financial need and community service work involvement; however, merits are also evaluated.
Other requirements include; a personal essay stating their academic goals and how this scholarship program will help them achieve them after filling out the application form online.
The Impact And Effect Of Losing A Sibling
Losing a sibling can adversely affect the survivor’s health, behavior, self-esteem, behavior pattern, and development. They can be troubled throughout their lives by the reminders and painful upsurges of sadness around the date of their death.
Siblings who shared a room together or spent most of their time together tend to be most affected. They could experience a feeling of guilt, vulnerability, and repetitive mood swings if not correctly dealt with.
Grief is often a life-long journey, and getting additional support is essential to healing well. Having support from friends, family, and a community who have also experienced grief allows you to express yourself to someone who has been there.
Conclusion
Everyone goes through grief differently and at their own pace. Give yourself time to heal and allow help from well-meaning people who are willing to help make the journey easier. It is rather an unfortunate event to lose a sibling, and that is why these scholarship programs are available.
It definitely will not turn back the hand of time, but it will help families and dependents of the deceased in the long run to secure their future.
FAQs
Does Wisconsin Madison give scholarships?
Yes, almost every department and school at Wisconsin Madison offers financial aid. Apply to the institution, get accepted, and browse through the scholarship options available to you.
What is the Hope scholarship in Florida?
The Hope Scholarship is for students from kindergarten to grade 12 enrolled in a Florida, public school who have been bullied, assaulted, or harassed to transfer to another public or private school.
Is there a scholarship for children who lost one or both parents?
Yes, there are several scholarship programs available for this purpose.
What is the bill Gate Scholarship?
The Gates Scholarship is a highly competitive scholarship for outstanding high school seniors from low-income families.