Cancer Scholarships

Blood cancer patients or survivors diagnosed at age 25 or younger who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents may apply for up to $7,500 in tuition and tuition-related fees for one year of virtual or in-person vocational, trade, two-year, or four-year undergraduate education in the U.S. Graduate programs are ineligible. Full-time or part-time enrollment is accepted. Applications open August 3 and close September 30 at 1:00 p.m. ET for the following academic year.

Medical students, residents, fellows, and doctoral trainees who are first authors on high-quality ASCO meeting abstracts may apply for Merit Awards at the time of abstract submission. Applicants must provide a CV and a letter from their program director confirming enrollment. Recipients receive $1,000, complimentary meeting registration, and access to reserved hotel blocks. A limited number of awards are granted based on scientific merit and donor funding preferences. Candidates must opt in during the abstract submission process for each ASCO meeting cycle. Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation, funds Merit Awards to recognize promising trainee research at ASCO meetings.

Graduating U.S. high school seniors (public, private, or home-schooled) planning post-secondary study who have led the fight against cancer in their personal lives, families, or communities may apply. Up to ten $1,000 awards are granted; financial need is not considered. Submit a 60 to 90 second video explaining your experience (ending with "Peace out, cancer") plus a brief online application by the April deadline.

High school seniors or current college students who are U.S. citizens with a cancer diagnosis and California residency (or enrollment at a California college) may apply for the ERC Cancer Scholarship Fund on an ongoing basis. Scholarships up to $1,000 each are distributed on a rolling basis with no fixed application deadline. Recipients may use awards for tuition, living expenses, books, and related costs. Qualified applicants must be accepted to or enrolled in an accredited two- or four-year higher education institution.

Bold.org exclusive award from the Strides 4 Gianluca 4 Nonno campaign for high school seniors, undergraduates, or graduate students diagnosed with cancer, currently in treatment, or cancer survivors. One $1,000 winner. Requires a 1,000–1,300 word essay on how cancer shaped goals plus a photo upload. Apply on Bold.org. Deadline Apr 19, 2027; winners announced May 20, 2027.

U.S. students in grades 9-12 personally affected by cancer, either their own diagnosis or a loved one's, may submit an original English essay up to 1,500 words about that experience. Twenty winners each receive a $1,000 cash prize. Essays must be the author's own work. Poems, fiction, and essays about pets are not accepted. Winners attend a virtual reception to read their essays and must complete an IRS W-9 form. Each student may win only once. Cancer Pathways has run this teen writing contest since 2006 to encourage honest reflection on the cancer experience.

U.S. citizens or permanent residents age 25 and under who are siblings of childhood cancer patients, survivors, or deceased patients may apply for full-time undergraduate or vocational study. Up to 25 renewable awards of $5,000 are granted annually. A minimum 2.5 GPA is required. Submit the Scholarship America application with a parent or guardian affidavit. Applications for the 2027-28 academic year open December 1, 2026, with a deadline of February 2, 2027. The Northwestern Mutual Foundation administers the program.

Childhood cancer survivors enrolled in or accepted to an accredited U.S. undergraduate or graduate program may apply for one of three Sofia Blanco College Scholarships through Sofia's Hope. Recipients receive $2,000 for tuition or room and board plus a laptop or tablet (first-time awardees only). Submit the application with short essays, physician letter, recommendation, and acceptance letter by the March deadline. Sofia's Hope honors Sofia Blanco and supports survivors pursuing higher education.

Kansas-born graduate students performing cancer research in a Johnson Cancer Research Center member laboratory, who graduated from a Kansas high school and are committed to a cancer-research career, may apply for the Kansas Graduate Cancer Research Scholarship and Support Award. Award amounts vary and may cover tuition, living stipends, and educational expenses. Applications are student-submitted through the center's funding process.

Siblings of childhood cancer survivors, current patients, or patients who did not survive may apply for one of three Gabriela Blanco scholarships from Sofia's Hope. Applicants must have lived in the same household as the patient during treatment and be enrolled in or accepted to an accredited U.S. undergraduate or graduate program. Each of the three awards provides $2,000 for tuition and/or room and board, plus a laptop or tablet. Funds are paid directly to the recipient's college or university. Submit the full application with a physician's letter verifying the sibling's medical history, at least one academic recommendation, and a 500-word essay on how childhood cancer impacted your life and career goals.