Pennsylvania Scholarships

Students in western Pennsylvania, primarily the Greater Pittsburgh area, who are pursuing two- or four-year college, trade school, or graduate programs can use one GrantInterface portal to apply. Individual donor funds carry different criteria for geography, field of study, financial need, and school affiliation. Awards typically range from $500 to $30,000 depending on the matched fund. The 2026-27 cycle is closed; applications reopen in January 2027 for the 2027-28 academic year. The Pittsburgh Foundation administers roughly 375 donor scholarship funds awarding nearly $3 million annually and also partners with Scholarship America for additional opportunities.

Individual Black artists age 18 and older with a primary residence in Allegheny, Beaver, or Westmoreland County for at least 18 months may apply. Applicants need a documented history of at least two years producing or presenting Black art advancing the African diaspora. Emerging, mid-career, and established professional artists are eligible. Project Support grants provide up to $50,000 over two years ($25,000 per year) for projects aligned with advancing Black arts in the Pittsburgh region. Applications were due June 24, 2026 by 5 p.m. through The Pittsburgh Foundation's online portal. Pre-application assistance was available through No Box Engagements in May and June. Advancing Black Arts in Pittsburgh is managed by The Pittsburgh Foundation with support from The Heinz Endowments, continuing a regional initiative dating to 1988.

FCFP administers more than 135 scholarships totaling over $410,000 for students in Bradford, Centre, Clinton, Columbia, Juniata, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, and Union counties. Graduating high school seniors and nontraditional students apply through the online portal at fcfpartnership.org. Awards range from $200 to $20,000 depending on fund criteria matched through the common application. Check the website each cycle for opening dates and the published deadline for the upcoming academic year.

The High School Leadership Award Scholarship provides $20,000 over four years to first-year Widener undergraduates from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, or Delaware who received a Widener High School Leadership Award. Students are nominated by their high school principal or administrator rather than applying directly. Award recipients who enroll at Widener automatically receive the scholarship and join the Apogee Scholars Program managed by the Office of Student Engagement. The program recognizes regional high school juniors and seniors for leadership potential. Scholarship funds apply to tuition for full-time undergraduate day students during their first eight semesters at Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania.

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.

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.

Pennsylvania's annual 529 Day promotion in May awards six regional $5,529 deposits into PA 529 Guaranteed Savings or Investment Plan accounts. Pennsylvania residents who contribute at least $10 to a new or existing PA 529 account during May are eligible, including qualifying Ugift or gift-card contributions meeting the minimum. Official rules are published at pa529.com/529day each year; this is an application-based savings promotion rather than entitlement aid.

Pennsylvania undergraduate students who experienced foster care at age 16 or older, including adoption or permanent legal custodianship after age 16, and are under age 26 by July 1 may qualify for need-based aid toward eligible postsecondary study. Students may receive up to $5,000 per academic year. Awards are contingent on federal funding and may not exceed cost of attendance minus other aid. The grant may be used for up to five years of undergraduate study at least half time at Title IV eligible institutions. File the FAFSA annually and submit a mailed PHEAA Chafee Education and Training Grant application with required documentation. The Chafee ETG helps Pennsylvania foster youth transition to adulthood through postsecondary education.

Pennsylvania residents, or students enrolled in Pennsylvania accredited programs, pursuing horticulture, nursery production, landscape contracting, or a strongly related field may apply for PLNA Foundation scholarships. Awards are up to $5,000 per recipient, applied to tuition, books, or educational supplies for the current academic year. Candidates must be in the second year of a two-year program or the junior or senior year of a four-year program, with a 2.5 cumulative GPA and 3.0 major GPA. Demonstrated ability to apply classroom knowledge through special projects or activities is considered. Apply by May 1.

Female high school seniors residing in Pennsylvania zip codes 177 through 187 or 195 through 196 who will enroll as first-year students in an ABET-accredited engineering program may apply. Scholarships of up to $5,000 are awarded based on academic achievement, extracurricular and leadership activities, an evaluation form, and an original essay. Contact swe_lv@swe.org for the current application deadline. SWE Lehigh Valley has distributed scholarships since 2001 with funds from area businesses.