Scholarships around the world for first-generation students

As universities recognise the importance of diversity and inclusion in attracting the most talented students and breaking down barriers to higher education, the number of scholarships for minority groups has also increased, including scholarships for first-generation students.  

Exact definitions of first-generation can vary according to each university or scholarship organisation, but if you’re the first person in your immediate family to attend university or neither of your parents went to university, you could be eligible for financial aid.  

Below is a list of a number of scholarships for first-generation students, including popular study destinations such as the UK and US. Although some of these scholarships may already be closed for this year’s entry, it’s worth checking this page throughout the year when applications re-open.  

Scholarships in the UK: 

• First Generation Scholarship Programme – This programme, offered by Manchester Metropolitan University, provides practical support and guidance to students in sixth form to help them transition to university. If you progress onto a full-time undergraduate degree at Manchester Met, you’ll receive financial and continued professional support throughout your studies. This includes a First Generation bursary of £1,500, and access to a range of exclusive opportunities to support your career readiness. Applications are open to UK students from the north- west (the counties of Lancashire, Cumbria, Cheshire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester).  

• Golden Scholarship – LSE is offering one scholarship to a female student from the UK. Once you’ve received an offer for admission, you’ll need to submit a scholarship application form, along with an academic reference and supporting documents, which may include a personal statement. The deadline for applications is 1 June 2023.  

• York Opportunity Scholarship – These scholarships are designed to assist students at the University of York who have faced significant challenges to their education goals. Each scholarship is worth a total of £3,300, paid in annual instalments of £1,100 for three years. This scholarship isn’t exclusively for first-generation students, but additional criteria does include students who are first in their family to attend higher education. The full list of requirements can be found here.  

• The Dentons Bursary – In collaboration with Dentons, a global law firm, the School of Law at Queen Mary, University of London, is awarding an annual bursary of £6,500 for students in their first year of a three- or four- year LLB programme. As well as being the first member of their family to attend university, applicants must also be be a permanent resident in either the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Newham, Redbridge, Waltham Forest or Barking and Dagenham, and have a household income of £42,600 per year or less. Application details will be announced soon on the website.  

• John Crook Scholarships – A  unique opportunity for students with exceptional academic achievement to study at St John’s College at the University of Cambridge. Scholars are admitted as affiliated students and take the more advanced parts of a Cambridge degree course to qualify for a Cambridge BA (Hons) in two years instead of the usual three. The scholarship may cover the full cost of your studies, including tuition fees and living costs, depending on your financial circumstances. 

Scholarships in the US: 

• Odyssey Scholarship Programme – This programme at the University of Chicago provides academic, social, and career support to students who are from lower-income families or the first in their families to attend university. Odyssey Scholars are selected on the basis of financial need and family circumstances and will be eligible for additional funding for study abroad and other costs such as health insurance. Students must apply for need-based financial aid in order to be considered for the Odyssey Scholarship. 

• APIA Scholarship Programme – Open to AANHPI (Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander) undergraduates attending any accredited US university or college. Scholarship amounts range from US$2,500 one-year awards to US$20,000 multi-year awards. The organisation has a special focus on supporting AANHPI students who live at or below the poverty line, are in the first generation of their family to attend university or come from communities that have been underrepresented on college campuses due to limited access and opportunity. 

• First Generation Scholarship – Undergraduates at the University of Colorado Boulder can apply for this programme, which awards US$4,000 and US$8,000 to residents and non-residents respectively. This scholarship is open to students who have financial need and whose parents or legal guardians do not have a bachelor's degree. During the first year, recipients are required to participate in the First Generation Scholars Program, offered through the university’s Center for Inclusion & Social Change.  

• First in Family Scholarship – This programme by the Farash Foundation provides financial support for tuition, room and board, textbooks, and mandatory fees. A condition of the scholarship is that all recipients are required to undertake community service with local nonprofit organisations. Additionally, recipients are given opportunities to interact with each other – as a group, and at a variety of programmes, performances and sporting events. You can find information on which universities offer this scholarship here.  

• IFSA First-Generation Scholarship – Winners of this scholarship receive up to US$2,500 to help them cover the cost of airfare, visas, passports, and housing. As well as financial support for university, students can also study abroad on a January, summer, semester, or year- long IFSA programme. Applications are open twice a year, with the next deadline on 1 March 2023.  

Scholarships in Australia & New Zealand:  

• First in the Family Scholarships – Eight scholarships are up for grabs for students commencing a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Melbourne. AUD$10,000 is awarded annually for each year of the degree (three years). Recipients of the scholarship will automatically be admitted into the Abernethy Scholars Program, which provides unique opportunities such as mentoring programmes and leadership events.  

• Grigg Family Access to Education Scholarship – This scholarship at Deakin University supports students who are from a remote or regional home location and the first in their family to reach university. Up to AUD$5,000 is awarded each year for up to three years.  

• Hills First in Family Scholarship – Designed to assist New Zealand citizens or permanent residents for up to four years of study in any discipline at the University of Auckland.  

• WSU ‘First’ in Family’ Scholarship – Three awards, each worth NZD$1,000, are on offer for full-time undergraduate students at the University of Waikato. Students from any subject discipline can apply for the scholarship.  

• Graduate Women Wellington, First in Family Scholarship – Open to female students (including cis-gendered and trans-gendered) at the Victoria University of Wellington. The number of scholarships available and amount awarded is subject to funding each year. Preference will be given to students who, because of financial hardship, may not otherwise be able to undertake a university degree.  

Scholarships in Canada:  

• Ontario First Generation Bursary – A scholarship which assists students attending a publicly-assisted college or university in Ontario only. Bursary amounts range from CAN$1,000 to CAN$3,500, but the exact amount will be determined by your chosen school. Top-ranked institutions such as the University of Toronto offer this scholarship – further details can be found here.