A number of organizations offer college scholarships for pediatric cancer survivors. Explore individual scholarships, scholarship directories and other resources here.
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Individual Scholarships Expand answer
- Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation: Awards scholarships to cancer survivors younger than 21. This is an essay competition. The deadline is in early April.
- APHON Scholarship: Central PA APHON is able to provide monetary support to individuals who have received treatment at Penn State Children’s Hospital for a hematological disorder or cancer and are planning to obtain a post high-school education. Contact your social worker for an application.
- Brian Morden Memorial Scholarship: Applicants should be U.S. citizens and high school graduates. Their higher education course of study should include either music, some aspect of technology or medicine. Applications are due in March.
- Cameron Siemers Foundation for Hope: Provides grants to young adults 18 to 28 years old who are diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, including cancer. The “life grants” are intended to be used to fulfill a dream or pay for a project that will make a difference in the recipient’s life and the lives of others. This award is focused on community service.
- Cancer Survivor Fund: Provides scholarships for both undergraduate education and new prosthetics to cancer survivors. Requires an essay and volunteer commitment.
- Cancer For College: Applications are taken between Nov. 1 and Jan. 31 each year. No age restrictions; applicant must be a cancer survivor. Several scholarships are available through one application.
- Christine B Foundation: Student must be a high school graduate enrolling or enrolled as a college undergraduate. Student must be attending a college in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut or New York.
- Eagles Fly For Leukemia: Must be a childhood cancer survivor of any type of cancer. This program offers one full-tuition scholarship to St. Joseph’s and one full-tuition scholarship to Drexel, as well as other scholarships of a maximum of $3,000.
- Faith, Hope, and Love Jesus Inc.: Must have or have had a blood disorder or cancer diagnosed before the age of 18. Applications are due by May 1.
- Howard Honigfeld Scholarship: The applicant must be a cancer survivor, graduating from high school by June of the year of application, or be currently enrolled in college working toward their undergraduate degree. Minimum GPA of 2.5.
- Jackie Spellman Scholarship Foundation: Open to U.S. citizens who have been impacted in some way by leukemia or lymphoma, either as survivors, individuals diagnosed with leukemia or lymphoma, or individuals who have a member of their immediate family who has or had leukemia or lymphoma while living in the same household. Eligible students include high school seniors or those attending community college, a four-year university or graduate school. Student must have a minimum un-weighted 3.0 GPA.
- John Foy & Associates Strong Arm Leukemia Scholarship: Applicant must be a college student who has battled leukemia or whose life has been affected by it.
- Kallan’s Klan: Kallan’s Klan offers a scholarship to a pediatric brain tumor survivor who received most of their treatment at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center/Penn State Children’s Hospital/Penn State Cancer Institute. This will provide those survivors some financial assistance to pursue any post-secondary education. A second scholarship is available to those who graduated from East Pennsboro School District who are pursuing a degree in elementary education.
- Kids-4-Kids with Cancer: Applicants must have been diagnosed with cancer before their 18th birthday.
- Marna’s Pal Memorial Scholarship: Student must be between 17 and 24 years old. They must be attending a two- or four-year college or university to receive the award. The student must have experienced cancer themselves or had a sibling or parent who experienced cancer. The student must live and/or attend school in New Jersey.
- Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance: Applicant must have battled cancer at any point in their lives, not limited to mesothelioma, or must have a parent, sibling, immediate family member or close friend who has battled or is currently fighting cancer.
- Michael Hunter Memorial Scholarship: Limited to survivors of leukemia and lymphoma.
- Nicki Leach Foundation: Provides college and daily living scholarships for cancer survivors 18 to 30 years old. Applications open in October. This scholarship may not be available nationwide.
- National Children’s Cancer Society (Beyond the Cure Scholarships): Applicant must be a survivor of cancer or a high grade or anaplastic brain tumor who is younger than 25 and who was diagnosed before the age of 18.
- National Collegiate Cancer Foundation: Applications open in March. Must be a survivor between 18 and 35 years old and accepted into a bachelor’s or graduate program.
- Northwestern Mutual Childhood Cancer Survivor Scholarship: Applications open each December. Applicants must be cancer survivors, 25 and younger, who have been diagnosed by a physician as having had treatment for and survived cancer. A sibling scholarship is also available.
- Patient Advocate Foundation: Provides scholarships for survivors of cancer and other life-threatening medical issues who are younger than 25 and who have been diagnosed or treated for a chronic disease within the last five years.
- Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation: For those diagnosed with a brain tumor before the age of 19.
- Simon Cancer Foundation: Applicants must be enrolled in a four-year university or college in the United States.
- Toby Merrill Scholarship: Tuition scholarship for bachelor’s-level students or high school students enrolled in a private institution. Students must have been impacted in some way by a cancer diagnosis, either personally or through a family member’s diagnosis. The goal is to reduce the multigenerational impact of a cancer diagnosis in the family.
- Transplant Recipient International Organization (TRIO) Scholarship Program: Must be a solid organ or bone marrow candidate, recipient, donor or an immediate family member (defined as parent, child, spouse or sibling). Must be a TRIO member (joining fee is $20).
- Ulman Fund: Numerous scholarships sponsored by this organization. Apply for all by completing the same application. Applicants must have been between 15 and 39 years old during their own diagnosis/treatment or during the diagnosis/treatment of their parent or sibling. Each scholarship has its own specific criteria.
Scholarship Searches and Lists Expand answer
- American Childhood Cancer Organization: Offers a scholarship section on their website.
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP): Extensive list of scholarships and search engines.
- FinAid Cancer Scholarships Free search of scholarships. All listed cancer-specific scholarships that are still active are listed in the individual scholarships section of this page.
- Ped-Onc Resource Center: Offers a list of scholarships for cancer survivors.
- The SAM Fund: Nonprofit organization created to assist young adult survivors of cancer with a successful transition into their post-treatment life, by providing financial support through the distribution of grants and scholarships.
Financial Aid and College Counseling Expand answer
- George Washington University School of Education: Modules and other resources for learning how to navigate college applications, financial aid, essay writing, interviewing, etc.
- National Grace Foundation: Free college admissions and financial aid counseling to high-school and college-aged students and their families who are affected by pediatric cancer. The National GRACE Foundation presents college financial aid nights at cancer clinics and also provides families with one-on-one counseling.
Resources Expand answer
- Affordable Colleges Online: Article regarding helpful resources for cancer survivors.
- American Cancer Society: Resource searches based on diagnosis.
- American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO): Extensive list of resources for scholarships and other financial information, as well as reliable information on disease and survivorship.
- Livestrong: Extensive resources for financial, fertility, education, health, etc.
- National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship: Information on employment rights, etc.
- PA Career Link: Job training resources, resume writing, other helpful counseling regarding employment.
- PA Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR): Provides employment and training assistance to patients who have experienced significant health events and/or disabilities.
- Stupid Cancer: Financial assistance lists for college scholarships and daily living expenses.
- U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: Enforces Federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. These laws protect you against employment discrimination.