Scholarships for Grieving Youth and Young Adults

Many organizations recognize that your loss may negatively impact your ability to afford educational costs, and there are scholarships that can help.

• The Brave of Heart scholarship is honored to announce the final application cycle for family members of healthcare workers whose lives were lost in the fight against COVID-19. All eligible applicants will receive some level of award. Whether you are about to graduate from high school and head to college, considering continuing your education or registering for training that enhances your earning potential, the Brave of Heart Scholarship
  may be able to help. Up to $25,000.00 annually is available in funding, depending on an eligible applicant’s academic focus, student status, and other criteria. Application deadline is April 22, 2026 3:00 PM CT
• Life Happens sponsors the annual Life Lessons Scholarship Program for college students and college-bound high school seniors. Qualified entrants who submit essays or videos about how the death of a parent impacted their lives are eligible for scholarship money. Over $3.7 million dollars in college scholarships have been awarded over the years. Applications are accepted each year from February 1 to March 1.
• The Lisa Michelle Memorial Fund offers educational scholarships to students who have lost a parent/guardian, grandparent, sibling, or spouse to alcohol, drug, or prescription drug abuse. Fall 2026 Scholarship: Submissions open January 1, 2026 and deadline is May 31, 2026. Recipients notified by July 31, 2026.
• The Mesothelioma.com scholarship awards $4,000 annually to one student whose life has been impacted by cancer. Mesothelioma.com offers this scholarship to provide financial assistance to students in their pursuit of higher education. If you or a close loved one have battled a form of cancer, they want to hear your story.  Applications being accepted from November 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026 or 500 applications reached.
• Love to Know has put together a list of financial aid and scholarship opportunities for children who have a deceased parent.
• Owlcation has a great list of College Scholarships for children with a deceased parent.
• Bold.org is a site to create or apply to exclusive scholarships, fellowships, and grants. Click here to apply or nominate a student for a mental health awareness scholarship.
• EduBirdie has a great list of scholarships for students with Mental Health challenges.