11 Scholarships for Students Who Lost a Parent 2025

Losing a parent can be extremely difficult, and even more so if you're young. It can also make it more difficult to attend school, as you may have lost both the financial and emotional support needed to complete your education.

To help make things a little easier, many organizations offer scholarships for students who lost a parent. Scholarship recipients can use these funds to pay for their education and work toward their dream career path. Keep reading to discover the top scholarships for students who have lost a parent.

Can You Get a Scholarship if You've Lost a Parent?

You can absolutely get a scholarship if you've lost a parent. In fact, there are several scholarships specifically for students with a deceased parent.

Some scholarship opportunities are general, while others are for those who lost a parent due to specific circumstances. In addition to scholarships, you may qualify for enhanced need-based options, like grants.

Scholarships for Students With a Deceased Parent

Scholarships are available for a variety of things, but scholarships for students who lost a parent can be particularly important, as losing a parent sometimes means losing some amount of financial support. Below, we've highlighted several scholarships that can help students who have lost a parent.

1. James F. Byrnes Foundation Scholarship

The James F. Byrnes Foundation continues the public service work that James Francis Byrnes dedicated his life to. The James F. Byrnes Foundation Scholarships are for South Carolina residents who have lost one or both parents by death.

Additionally, students must be high school seniors planning to pursue a bachelor's degree at an accredited four-year institution and must demonstrate financial need. Recipients receive not just financial assistance but participate in Foundation activities and receive personal support.

Award amount: $5,000 per year

Deadline: February 6 of the scholarship year

2. Life Lessons Scholarship

The Life Lessons Scholarship is offered by Life Happens, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing educational information about insurance. The scholarship is for those who have experienced the death of a parent or legal guardian.

To apply for the Life Lessons Scholarship Program, you'll need to submit an essay or video about how the loss of a parent or guardian has impacted you. You'll also need to be between the ages of 17 and 24 pursuing an undergraduate or graduate program.

Award amount: Varies

Deadline: March 1 of each year

3. OFA/Casey Family Scholars Scholarship

The Casey Family Scholars Program is offered through Foster Care to Success (FCS). However, it isn't just for students who have been in foster care; the scholarship can also be for those who lost both parents before age 18 and were not subsequently adopted.

College students must be under 25 years of age and enrolled in or planning to enroll in an accredited college or university to apply. The scholarship application is open to high school seniors, undergraduate students, and graduate students.

Award amount: Up to $5,000

Deadline: For undergraduate students, the application is open twice a year, from March 1 to May 1 and from August 1 to October 1. For graduate students, the application is open from February 1 to April 1.

4. Eden Alaine Memorial Scholarship

Students who have lost a close family member, not just a parent, can apply for the Eden Alain Memoria Scholarship through Bold.org. Any high school, undergraduate, or graduate student who has lost an immediate family member may apply for this scholarship.

As part of the application, students must talk about the loved one who passed away and how that loss impacted their life. One scholarship is offered each year.

Award amount: $1,000

Deadline: March 5

5. Hope in Action Scholarship

Louisiana representative Julia Letlow established the Hope in Action Scholarship Fund after her husband passed away from COVID-19. The college scholarships are run through the Baton Rouge Area Foundation.

The scholarship award aims to help college-bound students who lost a parent to COVID. Students must reside in Louisana's 5th Congressional District to qualify.

Award amount: $12,500 per year for four years

Deadline: March 15

6. Heroes' Legacy Scholarship

The Heroes' Legacy Scholarship program is for dependent children of service members who have died or become disabled during active military service since September 11, 2001. This scholarship is offered through Fisher House, a nonprofit serving veterans and their families, and is sponsored by President Barack Obama as well as corporate and private donors.

Applicants must submit documents that verify the death (such as a death certificate), eligibility to receive Traumatic Service Members Group Life Insurance (TSLGI), or disability of the parent. It's open to high school students pursuing a post-secondary education as well as current college students.

Award amount: Varies

Deadline: TBD for the 2026-27 school year. Applications will open in December of 2025.

7. W. H. ''Howie'' McClennan Scholarship

The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) offers the W. H. ''Howie'' McClennan scholarship each year. This scholarship is for children of firefighters killed in the line of duty who are planning to attend an institution of higher education.

Awards are based on financial need, aptitude promise, and demonstrated academic achievement. Students will need to submit an official copy of their school transcript that includes their GPA, a brief personal statement, and two letters of recommendation.

Award amount: $2,500 per year

Deadline: February 1

8. SAGE Secure Scholarship

The SAGE Secure Scholarship is offered by the SAGE Scholars Educational Foundation. These are scholarships for kids who lost a parent due to an accidental death.

The scholarship is open to students who attend one of the 445 SAGE Scholars member colleges and universities nationwide. Students must submit a death certificate as proof that their parent's death was due to accidental bodily injury.

Award amount: Up to $5,000

Deadline: Not listed

9. Jackanow Suicide Awareness Scholarship

Unfortunately, suicide is a leading cause of death in the U.S. To help students who have lost a parent or loved one to suicide, Bold.org hosts the Jackanow Suicide Awareness Scholarship.

Any undergraduate or graduate student at the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, or Northern Arizona University who has lost a loved one to suicide can apply. Students must complete an essay with the following prompt: ''Tell us who you lost to suicide, how the experience impacted your life, how you overcame the loss, and what you learned from the experience.''

Award amount: $4,815

Deadline: June 30

10. Brad Hinshaw Memorial Scholarship

Another scholarship offered on the Bold.org platform is the Brad Hinshaw Memorial Scholarship. This is a scholarship for students who lost a parent to cancer.

High school seniors or undergraduate students who have lost a parent to cancer may apply for this scholarship if they have at least a 3.0 GPA. Students must write an essay talking about their favorite thing about the parent they lost and how their passing has affected them.

Award amount: $600

Deadline: May 15

11. Toby Merrill Scholarship

The Toby Merrill Scholarship is for students who have a loved one who is battling or has passed away from cancer. As part of the application, students must submit a letter of recommendation and attend a personal interview with members of the Toby Merrill Scholarship Fund board.

Applicants are chosen based on their academic, athletic, and leadership achievements, as well as the quality of their character. Financial need based on household income or deceased or ill parents or guardians is also a factor.

Award amount: $9,700 per year for four years

Deadline: TBD for 2026

FAQs About Deceased Parent Scholarships and Financial Aid

Trying to deal with financial aid on top of grappling with the death of a parent can be hard. We've answered some frequently asked questions about scholarships for students with a deceased parent to help you out.

Do You Get More Financial Aid if You Have a Deceased Parent?

In some cases, having a deceased parent can help you get more financial aid. As we demonstrated above, there are multiple scholarships for students with one parent deceased.

Additionally, losing a parent may increase your eligibility for need-based financial aid. All students should fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to find out what they qualify for.

When your FAFSA has been processed, you'll receive a Student Aid Index (SAI) based on your financial need. If the parent who passed away was a significant contributor to your household expenses, that SAI could be higher and allow you to access more need-based aid.

Can You Get a Scholarship for Not Having a Dad?

All of the scholarships listed above can be used by students whose father passed away. If you don't have a dad, but not because he passed away, there are other options.

Look for scholarship opportunities for children from single-parent households or those who were raised by single mothers. These can help you pay for college, even if your dad can't.

How Can I Get Financial Aid Without My Parents?

The process of getting financial aid without your parents will depend on why you're trying to obtain aid without them.

If your parents have passed away and you have not been adopted, you can fill out the FAFSA without their information. If you are estranged from your parents, you may be able to fill out the FAFSA without them, but it will depend on the circumstances of your estrangement.

Find an Affordable College Degree Program

Put your scholarships to use by exploring the affordable degree programs featured on Learn.org. Reach out to individual scholarship organizations to learn more about requirements and application deadlines.