Today finding a way to fund college can seem much more difficult than graduating from it once you get there. The student loan debt in the United States is now over $1 trillion. As a result, it can seem like attending college means being shackled with a lifetime of debt. The cost of college increases, the ability of families to cover the costs goes down and the whole situation comes to seem hopeless. Thankfully, there are options. Financial aid in the form of scholarships and grants have become essential. Without them, paying for college would be an impossible dream for the majority of Americans.
In Missouri, the Department of Higher Education and many other institutions have undertaken to combat this trend of rising college costs and the diminishing ability of Americans to pay. Students can now qualify for substantial financial aid. The following is a list of 35 scholarships and grants available to Missouri residents, along with important information about how to apply.
1. The Purdy Emerging Leaders Scholarship
This scholarship is sponsored by the Missouri Scholarship & Loan Foundation with the express purpose of making higher education more affordable for Missouri families. The scholarship is a merit-based award given to leaders who are in financial need. To qualify you need to be attending a four-year public Missouri school as a sophomore, junior or senior. You need to have at least a 3.0 GPA, and a recommendation from an instructor, counselor, or someone else in a similar position. The deadline is June 15.
2. Missouri Bankers Foundation Scholarship
Sponsored by the Missouri Bankers Association (AGC), the foundation is designed to help students afford university-level study of something related to Banking. In order to qualify for this scholarship, you need to be a current high school senior with a record demonstrating academic excellence. You also need to have financial need. Your application must be signed by the officer of an MBA member bank. Your application must be postmarked by March 11 to be considered.
3. EVERFI Financial Literacy Scholarship
Sponsored by the Missouri Bankers Association (AGC), this scholarship is intended to encourage financial responsibility and literacy. You must have financial need and be academically accomplished. To qualify you also need to plan on attending university or a junior college the fall after high school graduation. It is further required that you be either currently in the EverFi Financial Literacy Program or have already completed it. The bank officer sponsoring that program has to sign your application. The application needs to be postmarked by March 11 for consideration.
4. The Arthur G. Tesar Scholarship
The Arthur G. Tesar Scholarship is sponsored by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks. You’re required to go to either Missouri State University or Ozarks Technical College for this one. You need to have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 and have scored at least a 22 on the ACT. You also need to have demonstrated financial need. Preference is given to people not already receiving lots of scholarship money elsewhere. The deadline is March 18.
5. Missouri Mayflower Society Scholarship
This scholarship is sponsored by the Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Missouri. However, you don’t need to be a Mayflower descendant yourself. Instead, the scholarship is open to any Missouri resident who is a high school senior planning to begin post-secondary education in the fall after graduation. You will need to prove your citizenship and write an essay related to the topic chosen for that year. The deadline is March 1.
6. Public Service Officer or Employee’s Child Survivor Grant Program
This grant is sponsored by the Missouri Department of Higher Education. The program aims to give tuition assistance to public employees and their families in cases where the public employee was killed or disabled in the line of duty. This applies to all ‘public safety’ jobs, including police, firefighters, conservation officers, rangers, probation officers, etc. There is no deadline, but they encourage early submission.
7. Dr. Calvin L. Allen Minority Scholarship
This scholarship is sponsored by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks. The scholarship is given to Minority graduating seniors of Springfield Public High Schools. You must have a GPA of at least 3.0, a record for good attendance, and demonstrated financial need. Preference is given to students from Central High School and/or students who have been active with the Springfield Community Center. The deadline is March 18.
8. Dan L. Meisinger, Sr. Memorial Learn to Fly Scholarship
This scholarship is sponsored by the National Air Transportation Association. It’s open to Missouri students currently enrolled in a program related to aviation who have at least a 3.0 GPA. Direct applications will be accepted, but it’s recommended that you get an aviation professional to recommend you. The deadline is always the last Friday in November.
9. Friends of James Beard Scholarships
This scholarship is sponsored by the James Beard Foundation, a non-profit whose mission is to mission is to celebrate our diversity through through culinary education. There are some different scholarships offered by the James Beard Foundation, all of which require that you at least have an academic and professional interest in the culinary arts. The application deadline is May 22.
You can learn more about the Friends of James Beard Scholarships here.
10. Kids’ Chance of Missouri Scholarship
This scholarship is sponsored by Kids’ Chance of Missouri. This scholarship is given to students with a parent seriously injured or killed in a work-related injury eligible for compensation according to the Missouri Workers’ Compensation Law. The only other qualification is that you be going to an accredited post-secondary institution of any kind. It can be applied to any education-related expenses. The deadline is May 15.
11. Missouri Higher Education Academic Scholarship
This award is sponsored by the Missouri Department of Higher Education. To qualify for the scholarship, you must be a Missouri resident and U.S. citizen. You also need to have scored within the top 3% of Missouri students on the ACT/SAT. You cannot be studying Theology or Divinity and must be starting college in the academic year following high school graduation. To find out if you are eligible you’ll need to login to the MDHE Student Portal.
12. Tortoise Young Entrepreneurs Scholarship
This award is sponsored by Tortoise Capital Advisors and is intended to encourage the next generation of entrepreneurs. Permanent Missouri residents qualify so long as they are enrolled full-time in an undergraduate program in either Missouri or Kansas. You also need to have a 3.3 GPA and a minimum ACT score of 24. In addition to the normal criteria for evaluation, your application will also be judged by your history of entrepreneurial success and activities. The deadline is April 1.
13. Access Missouri Financial Assistance Program
This is another grant program sponsored by the Missouri Department of Higher Education. To qualify you’ll need to be a U.S. citizen and Missouri resident, a full-time student at a participating undergraduate institution in Missouri, have financial need, and not be pursuing a degree in either Theology or Divinity. To apply you simply need to file your FAFSA by April 1 and then contact your school’s financial aid department or the MDHE.
14. Honorary Luke and Billie Snell Graduate Scholarship Award
This scholarship is sponsored by the American Concrete Institute. To be eligible, you need to have be currently enrolled in an undergraduate program within the boundaries of the ACI Missouri Chapter. You must also be in a department related to concrete materials, design, or construction. The deadline is April 1.
15. Missouri Torchbearers’ Endowment
This scholarship was created by the Missouri State Counsel Past Presidents, also known as the Torchbearers, but is now sponsored by Epsilon Sigma Alpha. ESA runs numerous scholarships in Missouri. To qualify you must be a Missouri resident with at least a 3.0 GPA. You’ll be judged primarily on your leadership ability. For the deadline, you’ll need to check the website when the application is open.
16. Marguerite Ross Barnett Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship is another award given by the Missouri Department of Higher Education. To qualify, you need to file your FAFSA by August 1, be enrolled part-time but at least half-time, work at least 20 hours a week, have financial need, and be a Missouri resident. You also can’t be enrolled in Theology or Divinity. To apply you need to submit the FAFSA on time and submit the employment verification to your participating school’s financial aid office.
17. William R. Kimel, P.E., Engineering Scholarship
This scholarship is sponsored by the National Society of Professional Engineers. The award is available to permanent residents of Missouri currently enrolled as a junior in an ABET-accredited engineering undergraduate program. your college program be either in Missouri or Kansas. Additionally, you’ll need two faculty recommendations. The deadline is March 1.
18. Nolan Moore Foundation Scholarship
This scholarship is sponsored by the Mid-America Printing and Imaging Association. The foundation is designed to encourage students to pursue education and a career in printing technology and management. The award amount varies with what year of undergrad you’re in, with seniors receiving the most. Missouri students enrolled in an accredited printing management or technology program. The deadline is March 1.
19. Kansas City, Missouri Opportunities Scholarship Fund
This scholarship is sponsored by the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation. To be eligible for this scholarship you need to be a resident of Kansas City, Missouri, between the ages of 17 and 25. You also need to already have either your GED or high school diploma. For consideration, your household income must also be at or below 80% of the median Kansas City income. You will also need a letter of recommendation from teacher, counselor, employer, or clergyman. The deadline is May 1.
20. Hubert Campbell Charitable Foundation Scholarship
This scholarship is given by the Hubert Campbell Charitable Foundation. It’s open to Missouri students who are high school seniors with at least a 3.0 GPA. You must have at least a 26 ACT score. You also must have financial need and be enrolled in an accredited Engineering, Health-related, or STEM Education program. The deadline is March 21.
21. SME Education Foundation Chapter 17 – St. Louis Scholarship
This scholarship is sponsored by SME. It’s for undergraduate students from within the boundaries of the St. Louis chapter who are enrolled in Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Technology or some other manufacturing-related department. You also must possess a GPA of at least 2.5. You must sign up on their website in order to apply.
22. Vietnam Veteran Survivor Grant
This grant is given by the Missouri Department of Higher Education. This grant serves spouses and children of men who served in the Vietnam War and died from exposure to chemicals. The serviceman needs to have been a Missouri resident when he left for Vietnam. You need to be enrolled or accepted at a participating Missouri postsecondary institution and not be pursuing a degree in Theology or Divinity.
23. St. Louis Area Mensa’s Health Minds Scholarship
This scholarship is sponsored by the Missouri Chapter of American Mensa. It’s intended for high school seniors and undergraduate college students from St. Louis. To apply you must be a member, and the best applicants in the local competition are also automatically considered for the national competition as well. You must have at least a 3.0 GPA and be in an accredited Mental Health-related program. Your application must be postmarked by March 16.
24. A+ Scholarship
A+ is a Missouri Department of Higher Education program. This program provides college funding for students who’ve attended A+ participating high schools. You also have to be attending a post-secondary institution that participates in A+. You have to enter into a written agreement with your high school before graduating to qualify. You also need to have at least fifty hours of mentoring and over 95% attendance throughout high school. To apply you’ll need to file your FAFSA and then talk with financial aid at your school.
25. Missouri Education and Training Voucher Program Grant
This program is a federally funded and state-administered program designed to give foster kids a better shot at college. To qualify, you need to be eligible for Chafee services. You need to have had your adoption finalized after you turned 16, have less than $10,000 in total assets and have been accepted into an accredited post-secondary program. The money is given on a first come, first, serve basis.
26. The Greater Kansas City Alumnae Panhellenic
The Alumnae Panhellenic Association of Greater Kansas City sponsors this scholarship. In order for you to qualify, you have to be a member of the NPC sorority and be from the greater Kansas City area. You must be an undergraduate senior or a graduate student with at least 90 hours. You also need to have a GPA of at least 3.2 and be able to participate in a face-to-face interview in Kansas City on February 27th. The deadline is February 1.
27. Missouri Corn Scholarship
This scholarship is co-sponsored by both the Missouri Corn Growers Association and the Missouri Corn Merchandising Council. The scholarship is open to high school seniors and college juniors. To qualify you need to be from a rural area in Missouri and studying an Agronomy-related subject. If selected, you must help staff one of the Missouri Corn events. Applications are made available by December 15 at the latest.
28. Missouri State Fair Youth in Agriculture Scholarship
This scholarship is given by a competition at the Missouri State Fair. Missouri high school seniors who are active in FFA are eligible if they plan on pursuing Agriculture at an accredited Missouri college. An award is usually given to dozens of students. The competition is typically held in Sedalia, Missouri, every August. Contact the Missouri State Fair for precise details about when the competition will be hosted next and how to participate.
29. Jeanne Parker Honorarium Endowment
This grant was created by the Missouri State Council and sponsored by the Epsilon Sigma Alpha Foundation. The award is designed for students who have between a 3.0 and a 3.5 GPA. The factors determining who receives this scholarship are: financial need, scholastic ability and demonstrated leadership qualities. These factors are all weighed equally, and the deadline for this award is February 2nd.
30. Henry J. & Lucille J. Straus Scholarship
This scholarship is possible through a grant donation to Gainesville, Missouri, Public Schools. Students must be graduating from Gainesville High School, have at least a 3.2 GPA and have a minimum ACT score of 24. Additionally, you must be planning to attend a private school that you would otherwise not have been able to afford. The deadline is March 18.
31. J. Kenneth Awbery & Iva M. Awbery Scholarship
This scholarship is provided by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks. To be eligible, you must be a graduating high school senior from a public school in Taney County. You have to have financial need and have graduated in the top half of your class. You also need to be enrolled in either a two or four-year college and must exhibit the quality of good citizenship. The deadline is March 18.
32. Jack J. Isgur Foundation
The Isgur Foundation seeks to provide financial support for students studying Education at four-year colleges. To qualify you need to be entering your junior year of college and want to teach a subject in the humanities to kids in elementary or middle school. The preference is for students who want to teach eventually in rural, as opposed to metropolitan, Missouri districts. The deadline is May 15.
33. Samuel Smith Stewart Masonic Scholarship
This scholarship is sponsored by the Grand Lodge of Missouri. You don’t need to be a member, though. The scholarship is open to any Missouri high school graduates, irrespective of the program of enrollment, who have a GPA of at least 3.0 and an ACT score of at least 18. Whether you graduated from a public school, a private school or were home-schooled doesn’t matter. The deadline for your application is March 31.
34. Carrie D. Francke Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship is provided by the Women’s Network. It is given to women who are at least 21 years of age. To be eligible, you’ll need to be a Boone County, Missouri, resident with at least a 3.0 GPA. You can be either part-time or full-time, but you must be a sophomore attending currently attending either Stephens College, University of Missouri, Columbia College, William Woods University, Central Methodist University or Moberly Area Community College. The deadline for this award is April 13.
35. MCB Scholarship
This Missouri Council of the Blind sponsors this scholarship. The scholarship is awarded to Missouri residents who are legally blind and are enrolled in a post-secondary program. To qualify as legally blind, you must have a documented eyesight of 20/200 or worse in both eyes. Members of the Missouri Council of the Blind will receive 100% of the award whereas nonmembers will only receive 50%. The application must be turned into the Chairperson of the Scholarship Committee by May 1.
We’ve worked hard to include a variety of scholarship opportunities within our list. If you have any suggestions on additional scholarships, please feel free to leave them in the comments section.
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