More Hillsborough Students Eligible For $5,000 Scholarships

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — The profound impact of the coronavirus pandemic has increased the number of Hillsborough County students struggling to afford to attend college. Hillsborough County Social Services and the Community Action Board are partnering again this year to offer scholarships of up to $5,000 to eligible students. In response to the impacts of the coronavirus, the program will feature expanded eligibility criteria this year.

The Community Action Board Scholarship Program broadened its household income eligibility from 125 percent to 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines and lowered the GPA requirement from 2.5 to 2.0. The changes to the program requirements aim to help students who struggled academically because of the pandemic’s unprecedented impacts on schools as well as students from households that saw a reduction in annual income.

The scholarships, worth up to $5,000, are awarded to students to help alleviate some of the financial burden of college tuition so they can focus on furthering their education, not paying bills. This includes first-time students and students returning to school. The scholarships can be used at trade schools, community colleges or four-year universities.

Over the past five years, 295 scholarships have been awarded to deserving high school and college students across Hillsborough County, totaling about $1.29 million.

Applications for the 2021 scholarships will be accepted through Wednesday, March 31. Recipients will be notified in writing before the start of the fall semester.

Applicants must meet these eligibility requirements to be awarded a scholarship:

• Be between the ages of 16 and 24, and have a high school diploma or GED equivalent (16-year-olds may apply if they are graduating seniors)
• Reside in Hillsborough County
• Have a minimum GPA of 2.0
• Household income must fall within 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines

The following criteria will also be used to evaluate applicants:

• Community service and school involvement
• Academic record (transcript)
• Essay response
• Panel interview participation

Application materials can be downloaded from the county's scholarship application page.

Detailed instructions on how to apply can also be found on the page. Students may submit completed applications online only.

For questions, contact Irina White at 813-272-5074.