Many students are the primary financial providers for their households at some point, either because of circumstance or choice. For many students, this means taking on an even greater load of responsibilities. When it comes to college expenses, these can be doubly challenging for a student whose parents have been diagnosed with cancer.
Cancer is the second-leading cause of death for people ages 18 to 39, and the cost of treatment can be staggering for family members without extensive savings and health insurance. Fortunately, there are several scholarships available, such as scholarships for cancer caregivers, scholarships for leukemia survivors, ovarian cancer scholarships, and lung cancer scholarships, that cater specifically to students with parents who have been diagnosed with cancer, survived cancer, or died due to cancer. These are just some of the best options out there if you’re a student whose parents have been diagnosed with cancer and need funding in order to complete your education.
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Scholarships for students with terminally ill parents
Whether you are looking for cancer survivor scholarships in 2022/2023 or scholarships for students with deceased parents from cancer, here are the 10 best scholarships for students with parents with cancer:
1. American Cancer Society Scholarship for Students With a Parent Diagnosed With Cancer
Students who have had a parent diagnosed with cancer within the last three years are eligible to apply for the American Cancer Society Scholarship for Students with a Parent Diagnosed with Cancer. The ACS offers a range of scholarships for students with a parent who has or had cancer. The ACS awards between $500 and $2,000 each to students pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees. There are no GPA or financial requirements to apply, but students must be able to show that they have taken on an increased responsibility due to their parent’s illness. The ACS awards each scholarship on a rolling basis, so applications are accepted year-round. The ACS also offers a number of other scholarships that are geared specifically toward students with parents who have cancer, including a scholarship for nursing students, a scholarship for students in health care administration, and a scholarship for students in a health-related field of study. All of these scholarships offer smaller awards than the standard scholarship for students with a parent who has had cancer. Students who have been affected by any type of cancer are also eligible to apply for a scholarship from the ACS.
2. Gates Millennium Scholars Program
Gates Millennium Scholars, a program that provides financial assistance to minority students, offers a scholarship for students whose parents have been diagnosed with cancer. The Boren Scholarship, as it’s officially known, is open to students who are studying abroad. Boren Scholarship recipients also receive an additional stipend during the academic year to cover travel costs and other expenses related to their studies. While the award amount varies depending on financial need, it is expected to be at least $7,500. Eligible students must be U.S. citizens who are the first in their family to attend college, have a parent who has been diagnosed with cancer and commit to studying in a critical language or in a non-English-speaking country. The application deadline is December of each year.
3. Bright Focus Foundation Scholarships
Bright Focus Foundation’s scholarships are open to students who have been diagnosed with cancer, either themselves or a parent, as well as students who have a parent who’s been diagnosed with diabetes. Scholarship awards are $2,000 and are available for both undergraduate and graduate students. Bright Focus Foundation also offers an annual essay contest for young adults who have been diagnosed with cancer. The top prize for this contest is $10,000. The essay contest is open to students between the ages of 16 and 24 who have been diagnosed with cancer, their parents have been diagnosed with cancer, or a grandparent has been diagnosed with cancer. The essay contest deadline is in October each year.
4. Caring Organization for Recognition and Education of the Elderly (CORE) Scholarship
The CORE Scholarship is intended for students who have had a parent diagnosed with cancer within the last five years. Students must be pursuing a degree in a health-related field and be able to show that their parent’s illness has required them to take on greater responsibility at home. The CORE Scholarship awards $2,000 to $5,000 for undergraduate students and $2,000 for graduate students. The application deadline is April of each year.
5. Children of Police Officers Foundation (CPOF) Scholarships
The CPOF provides several different scholarships for dependent children of police officers. One of these scholarships, the Cancer Survivor Scholarship, is open to students whose parents have been diagnosed with cancer. The Cancer Survivor Scholarship is available to undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students. The CPOF Cancer Survivor Scholarship awards between $500 and $1,000. The application deadline is May of each year.
6. Colon Cancer Alliance Annual Scholarship
The Colon Cancer Alliance, an organization dedicated to preventing and curing colon cancer, offers an annual scholarship to undergraduate and graduate students who have endured the loss of a parent to colon cancer. The Colon Cancer Alliance Scholarship awards $2,000 to students in all fields of study. The application deadline is March of each year.
7. Shutter fly Caregivers Scholarships
Shutterfly’s Caregivers Scholarship Program is open to students who are currently serving as primary caregivers to an ill or disabled family member. The Caregivers Scholarship Program awards $2,000 to undergraduate students and $3,000 to graduate students. The application process requires you to write a 500-word essay describing the challenges you face as a caregiver, how the school has been affected, and your plans for the future. The Caregivers Scholarship Program is open to students at all levels of education. The application deadline is April of each year.
8. Solid Ground Caregivers Scholarship Program
The Solid Ground Caregivers Scholarship Program gives money to undergraduate and graduate students who have been the main caregiver for a sick or disabled family member for at least 12 months in a row. The Solid Ground Caregivers Scholarship Program awards between $500 and $5,000 to students. In order to apply, you have to write a short essay and a short written statement about the challenges of being a caregiver and how it has changed you. The Solid Ground Caregivers Scholarship Program is open to students at all levels of education. The application deadline is May of each year.
9. Phoenix scholar program
The Phoenix Scholar Program helps pay for college for students who have lost a parent to something that can’t be cured, like a terminal illness, an accident, or a death in combat. Students must be accepted to a four-year college that is recognized by the government and be able to show that the death of a parent has hurt their finances. The Phoenix Scholar Program awards $50,000 to $100,000 to each selected student. Students must send in a written application, an essay, and letters of recommendation as part of the application process. The Phoenix Scholar Program is open to students at all levels of education. The application deadline is May of each year.
10. Care package program
The Care Package Program is a collaboration between students and brands. Students who take part in the program can earn gift cards by filling out surveys and doing other market research activities. The Care Package Program has a scholarship program that gives students who have been told they have cancer small gift cards. Students at any level of schooling can apply for the Care Package Scholarship. Students who have been told they have cancer are given $200 gift cards. As part of the application process, students must write a short essay about how cancer has affected them. The Care Package Scholarship Program is open to students at all levels of education. The application deadline is April of each year.
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Summary
The financial burden of cancer can be overwhelming for anyone, but it can be especially challenging for young adults who are just beginning their careers and have limited financial resources of their own.
In addition to covering their own expenses, many of these young people are also responsible for assisting their parents with daily tasks and medical bills. Fortunately, there are many scholarships available that cater specifically to students with a parent who has been diagnosed with cancer.
These awards are often easier to qualify for than general scholarships and may provide smaller amounts of funding than other awards, making them more manageable for students who are struggling financially. This is why we carefully compiled this list of the 10 best scholarships for students with parents with cancer, and we hope it helps.