Scholarships for Student Caregivers

Nearly 50 million people serve as caregivers for an adult in the United States, approximately one in five of whom provide unpaid care, according to a May 2020 report by AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving. Family caregiving responsibilities can spread generations, with many young people helping to care for a senior loved one while also pursuing their education. Student caregivers provide an average of over 20 hours per week of caregiving, making it difficult to balance the responsibilities of school, caregiving, and oftentimes an additional job.

With so much on their plate already, student caregivers typically don’t have much free time to research scholarships. To help make the process of finding scholarships easier for these hardworking student caregivers, we’ve compiled this list of 9 scholarships for family and student caregivers. The below scholarships may help caregivers finance the college tuition, books, and extracurricular experiences.

Available Student-Caregiver Scholarships

Caring.com Scholarship

Description: The Caring.com Student-Caregiver Scholarship provides financial assistance for students who are serving as a caregiver for an older adult while enrolled in college.

Award Amount: Two students receive $1,500 each to be used towards tuition and/or books.

Eligibility: College students must be enrolled full-time at an accredited two-or-four-year college or university. Full-time high school seniors who are registered to attend an accredited institution the following semester are also welcome to apply.

Application Details: Applicants must fill out an online application form and complete three short essays. The essay questions are as follows:

Who are you caring for and how are you involved as their caregiver?
How has your role as a caregiver influenced the decision for your major/career path?
How would this scholarship be helpful to you in your current student-caregiving role?

Deadline: The application period for the 2020 scholarship is open until December 31st, 2020 at 11:59 PM PST. Winners will be selected by January 31st, 2021.

Where to Apply: Visit Caring.com’s Scholarship page for more information or go directly to the Caring.com Student-Caregiver Scholarship Application.

180 Medical Ron Howell Caregiver College Scholarship

Description: The Ron Howell Caregiver College Scholarship is intended to assist full-time caregivers who are also pursuing a college degree.

Award Amount: $1,000 to one student

Eligibility: Applicants must be the primary, unpaid caregiver for a loved one who requires consistent in-home care. Eligible students must be enrolled in a U.S. college or university to pursue their Associate’s, bachelor’s, or graduate degree in the fall of the application year.

Application Details: Applicants must complete an application form and submit their most recent transcript and college acceptance letter. They must also submit either a 750-word essay or a 5-minute video telling their caregiving story.

Deadline: The deadline for the 2020 award has passed. Applications for the 2021 scholarship will open on January 1, 2021.

Where to Apply: Visit the 180 Medical website for more information and the application form.

Eldercare Support Foundation Scholarship

Description: The Eldercare Support Foundation’s General Studies Scholarship offers an award to any student pursuing further education in a field related to long-term care. The organization also offers professional scholarships for nurses and management personnel currently working in long-term care.

Award Amount: $500 to one student

Eligibility: To be eligible for the General Studies Scholarship, applicants must be enrolled or soon-to-be enrolled in any educational program related to long-term care.

Application Details: Applicants must complete an application packet, a minimum of one letter of recommendation, and a 1-2 page personal statement about the applicant’s interest in pursuing an education and career in long-term care.

Deadline: The 2020 deadline has passed. The deadline for next year’s award will be announced in early 2021.

Where to Apply: Visit the Eldercare Support Foundation website for more information about the scholarships. An application link will be available on the website when applications for 2021 open.

Hope for the Warriors Military Caregiver Scholarship

Description: Hope for the Warriors offers four different scholarships for student-caregivers. The scholarships are intended to “celebrate and reward” spouses and caregivers of post-9/11 veterans.

Award Amount: Awards range from $1,500-$2,500 depending on the scholarship.

Eligibility: Applicants must be married to and/or caring full-time for a post-9/11 veteran who sustained a combat-related injury. Applicants must also be pursuing one of the following educational programs:

Associate’s degree or entry-level classes or training
Bachelor’s degree
Masters of Social Work
Graduate or post-graduate degree

Application Details: Interested applicants should complete the online application form and questionnaire. They will also be asked to submit proof of their spouse’s injury, one letter of recommendation, and a personal essay.

Deadline: September 30, 2020

Where to Apply: Visit the Hope for the Warriors website for more details about the scholarships and a link to the application form.

AFA Teens for Alzheimer’s Awareness Scholarship

Description: The AFA Teens for Alzheimer’s Awareness Scholarship is a yearly essay contest. Numerous winners are selected, totaling tens of thousands of dollars in awards.

Award Amount: $400-$5,000. One student each is chosen for the grand, first, and second-place prizes, while multiple students may receive the runners up and honorable mentions prizes.

Eligibility: Those who have first-hand experience with Alzheimer’s, whether through caregiving or volunteer experience, are welcome to submit essays. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and have plans to attend a college or university within 12 months of submitting their scholarship application.

Application Details: Essays should be 1,200-1,500 words and describe the applicant’s experience with Alzheimer’s disease, how it has impacted their lives and/or community, and what they have learned from the experience.

Deadline: The application deadline for 2021 has not yet been announced.

Where to Apply: Students should visit the AFA Teens website for information on submitting their essays.

California Assisted Living Association Scholarship

Description: The California Assisted Living Association (CALA) offers two scholarships per year, each with multiple award recipients, to enable students to attend one of its conferences free of charge.

Award Amount: Registration for a 3-day CALA conference and tradeshow (a $950 value). Students who present financial need may be able to receive assistance with lodging and travel costs.

Eligibility: Applicants must be a student or recent graduate of a college or university in California.

Application Details: Students must complete an application form and submit a transcript, one letter of recommendation, and a resume.

Deadline: The deadline for the fall 2020 conference is October 2, 2020. The application for the spring CALA conference has not yet been announced.

Where to Apply: Visit the California Assisted Living Association website to download the application form.

Road Scholar Caregiver Grants

Description: Road Scholar’s Caregiver Grants are intended to provide family caregivers with a chance for respite. It provides financial assistance paying for a Road Scholar learning adventure.

Award Amount: Up to $1,500, to be used towards any Road Scholar program that costs up to $2,000.

Eligibility: This scholarship is for unpaid primary caregivers over the age of 50. Applicants must provide daily care and support for an elderly family member and live in the United States.

Application Details: Interested caregivers must complete an online application. Applicants will be asked to include a 250-500 word personal statement about their desire to attend a Road Scholar program and how the experience can positively affect them as a caregiver.

Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Road Scholar encourages applicants to submit their applications at least 3 months prior to the program start date.

Where to Apply: More information and the application form can be found on the Road Scholar website.