Unlock Your Future With Senior Scholarships
Are you a senior high school student in Hillsborough County with big dreams of attending a university, community college, or technical school? Hillsborough Education Foundation is here to help make those dreams a reality! We offer a wide range of scholarships, from $500 to $20,000, designed to support students like you on your educational journey. In 2025 alone, we awarded over $1.1 million in scholarships!
Our scholarships consider various criteria, including:
- Field of study
- GPA
- ACT score
- SAT score
- Financial need
- Challenges overcome
- Community service
- Extracurricular activities
Each scholarship is unique, offering opportunities that cater to students from all walks of life. This ensures that every student has the chance to find one that fits their needs.
scholarships application portal
The scholarship application window is now closed.
Scholarship recipients will be notified of their award(s) by April 30, 2026.
Want to learn more? Watch the Senior Scholarships 101 webinar or click here to view the slides.
“This opportunity not only alleviates the financial burden on my family but also brings us immense pride and joy. Attending USF has been a lifelong dream, and your generous support has made it a reality.“
– Matthew Major, Student (pictured left)
FAQs
Over 100 named scholarships are available.
Yes. By completing one general application, the system will
match you with the scholarships you may qualify for. You may
then be prompted to complete a few additional short-answer
questions for specific opportunities.
October 1st.
January 31st.
Not typically. However, if your scholarship is for a Florida Prepaid
Plan, a social security number must be provided for the plan to
be issued.
High school seniors residing in and attending school in
Hillsborough County.
Yes.
Yes. There are several scholarships available for seniors planning
to attend technical colleges or trade schools after graduation.
No. About half of our scholarships are based on financial need
while the other half are awarded based on merit or other
qualifications.
If eligible for financial need you’ll be required to upload
documentation that demonstrates eligibility for one of the
following:
– Free/Reduced Lunch
– Medicaid
– SNAP
– TANF
– Housing Assistance
– WIC
Most of the scholarships do not require letters of
recommendation, however there are a few that do. You would
only be asked to upload letters of recommendation for
scholarships you qualify for.
Most importantly, you should make sure your essay thoroughly
answers the question being asked.
Yes. You can edit it through January 31st; after that date you
cannot make any changes to your application.
A minimum of three reviewers evaluate each scholarship
application utilizing a standardized scoring rubric; they include
donors and community volunteers.
Scholarship notifications are sent via email in April.
To claim your scholarship funds you’ll need to submit an
enrollment verification document, college ID, and a thank you
letter written to your donor.
You can claim your funds by clicking HERE.
A check will be sent directly to the school and they will apply it to
the student’s account.
Most scholarship funds may be used for approved educational
expenses such as tuition, books, fees, housing, and meal plans.
Some awards have specific restrictions (such as tuition-only or
books-only), which are clearly outlined in each scholarship’s
description.
Have questions? Please contact:
Angie Anthony
Director of Scholarships and Grant Programs
Hillsborough Education Foundation
813-574-0273
aanthony@educationfoundation.com
