Education First Scholarships

Scholarship Sponsored by Education First

Overview
For the 2025–2026 high school year Education First will award college scholarships across its chapter cities. Each scholarship recipient will also have access to a professional college coach.

Awards
- In each chapter city we will grant two scholarships of $5,000 each.
- The Seattle awards have been increased to $10,000 apiece because of a contribution from a local foundation.

Who may apply
- Applicants must be graduating seniors enrolled at one of Education First’s participating high schools.
- We are not exclusively seeking perfect GPA students; preference is given to candidates who have demonstrated the ability to overcome challenges and show promise for success in college.
- Applicants selected through the review process will be invited to an interview prior to final selection.

Application timeline and process
- January: Applications go live on our website and students may begin completing them online.
- March: Completed online applications must be submitted by the published deadline. (Final deadline: March 13, 2026.)
- April: Candidates chosen for the next round will be notified and invited to interview. Interviews last about 20–30 minutes and are conducted by a panel of 2–3 board members who will learn more about the applicant’s motivations for pursuing a college degree.
- May/June: Scholarship recipients are announced. Many winners are acknowledged at their school’s Senior Awards Assembly.
- July: All scholarship recipients must fill out the required ONLINE QUESTIONNAIRE to specify their preferred scholarship payment schedule and/or enroll in the optional college coaching program.

Important note about eligible schools
Education First offers scholarships in each of the chapter cities listed on our site. Only seniors attending participating schools are eligible to apply.

How the scholarship is handled
- Since 1996, Education First has awarded more than $1,000,000 in scholarships.
- Awards remain valid for up to seven years following high school graduation and may be used for tuition or books.
- The scholarship payment is sent directly to the student’s college or university in the first term. This allows recipients to coordinate with their school’s financial aid office and decide how to apply the award across years or terms.
- If a different disbursement plan is needed to avoid negatively affecting a student’s financial aid package, recipients may request an alternative payout schedule.
- If a recipient transfers to another institution, they should request unused funds be returned to Education First so the award can be redirected to the new school.