Connecticut Scholarships

U.S. citizens pursuing campus-based study in the 2027-2028 academic year may apply to one or more stand-alone UNICO Foundation scholarships if they meet each fund's criteria. Most require Italian descent; several funds are open to all ethnicities. Award sizes vary by named fund, from about $1,000 to $10,000, covering high school seniors, undergraduates, graduate entrants, nursing, medical school, study abroad in Italy, and field-specific awards. Online applications are due March 15, 2027 for the 2027-2028 academic year. Applicants generally must reside in or hold chapter sponsorship from listed states (California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, or Wisconsin), with limited exceptions. UNICO National is an Italian-American service organization whose foundation promotes education, culture, and charitable projects nationwide.

Current Fairfield County, Connecticut residents diagnosed with cancer who are planning or attending an accredited post-high school institution may apply. Awards typically range up to $7,500 based on financial need, outstanding loans, and family circumstances; the number of recipients varies. Submit the application, transcript, recommendation letter, doctor's statement, photograph, and signed publicity release by April 1. Selection may include an interview weighing financial status, academics, and community involvement. The Susan Fund provides financial and emotional support to students facing the costs of cancer treatment and higher education.

Undergraduate students with at least one year of college completed, or graduate students, at accredited U.S. institutions whose daily lives are guided by spiritual values may apply. Preference goes to candidates residing in or attending schools in Connecticut, DC, Delaware, Maryland, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. Grants typically range from $5,000 to $7,000 and may be renewed for subsequent years. Apply with three autobiographical essays, three letters of recommendation, an official transcript, and an in-person interview. Applicants must also demonstrate financial need. Albert and Toni Roothbert established the Fund to support students whose actions reflect strong moral and spiritual values.

Undergraduate students of Armenian descent who are permanent residents of New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut and attend a U.S. college full time may apply. Applicants must demonstrate financial need and be in good academic standing. Awards range from $1,000 to $6,000 per academic year through the Hazaros Tabakoğlu, Hagop/Arousiag/Arpy Kashmanian, and Anni P. Nalbandian Memorial funds. Direct application through The New York Community Trust; the annual spring cycle recurs each year (2025 cycle closed). Contact the scholarships administrator for the next opening. The New York Community Trust has administered Armenian heritage scholarships since 1996.

Female Connecticut residents who are high school seniors or recent graduates entering their first year of college may apply. One $5,000 scholarship is awarded. Submit the online application, official transcript, and a 1,000-word essay. The recipient must attend the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The award honors Eileen Kraus, the first woman to lead a major regional financial institution and a founding chairman of the Hall of Fame board.

The Mortensen Scholarship provides Hartford campus undergraduates awards ranging from one thousand to five thousand dollars per year based on demonstrated financial need and academic achievement, with preference for Hartford residents. Continuing UConn Hartford students apply through the campus scholarship portal by April 10 for the following academic year. Recipients are selected by committee and notified via UConn email in June. Funds may be distributed among multiple qualified applicants depending on available resources each cycle.

Connecticut residents with financial need who complete the FAFSA by February 15 may qualify for the Roberta B. Willis Need-Based Grant for full-time or half-time study at Connecticut public or nonprofit private colleges. Award amounts vary based on demonstrated need, enrollment status, and program cost. Wesleyan University and Yale University are excluded. Awards are offered for two- or four-year programs. The program is Connecticut's state-funded need-based grant for residents pursuing higher education in the state.

U.S. citizens or permanent residents of Polish descent who are women entering the first, second, or third year of an M.D. program at an accredited U.S. medical school may apply. First preference goes to Massachusetts residents, then to New England applicants if no Massachusetts candidates qualify. The award is a non-renewable $3,500 scholarship. There is a $40 application fee.

The Good Neighbor Scholarship awards fifteen hundred dollars to incoming Ithaca College students residing in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, or Connecticut. This initiative highlights the college's appreciation for neighboring-state students and affirms its belief in regional collaboration and opportunity beyond New York borders. The scholarship supports eligible incoming undergraduates who bring diverse perspectives from nearby states to the Ithaca campus. Recipients must maintain full-time enrollment and satisfactory academic progress. The award is part of Ithaca's regional recruitment scholarships designed to make private college education accessible to qualified students from surrounding states.

Connecticut students entering their freshman year at a technical program, community college, or four-year college or university who are active in support, education, or advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community may apply. The annual Helen and Bob Brill Scholarship is $1,000. An essay and recommendations are part of the application process through PFLAG Hartford. Helen and Bob Brill co-founded PFLAG Hartford in 1981. The scholarship is funded by local donors who support PFLAG's mission.