First Gen FundFellowship

$1,000 First Gen Fellowship

This one has closed

Archived

Opportunity type

Fellowship

Funding

Fully Funded

Location

United States

Deadline

Archived

About this opportunity

The First Gen Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2024 by author and former White House aide Alejandra Campoverdi. It puts cash directly into the hands of first generation college students in the United States who are struggling financially, with no programme to attend and nothing asked in return beyond spending the money on your education. In 2026 it is making 50 awards of $1,000 each, $50,000 in total.

What you get:

A one time grant of $1,000 paid directly to you
Money you can spend on college fees, books, housing, basic needs, professional development activities and transport to school
One of 50 awards in 2026, $50,000 of hardship relief in total
Recognition as a First Gen Fellow, announced on National First Gen Day, November 8, 2026, on firstgen.org and on Instagram

Key dates:

Applications opened September 2, 2026 at 9am PT, 12pm ET
Applications close September 16, 2026 at 6pm PT, 9pm ET
Awardees contacted directly and announced November 8, 2026

More information:

The full eligibility criteria and the five step application process are published on the fellowship portal at fellowship.firstgen.org
The First Gen Fund says it cannot answer correspondence about individual applications or individual eligibility, so read the criteria carefully before you start
Applications submitted after the closing time will not be considered

Who can apply

Full time student currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program at an accredited US college or university
Domestic students only. International applicants are not eligible
Must identify as a first generation college student
Must be in good academic standing, meaning you meet your school's minimum GPA requirement and are not on academic probation
Must be at least 18 years old at the time of application
Must show significant financial hardship, through eligibility for a Pell Grant or other need based aid, or a personal statement explaining the hardship, or both
Funds must be used for educational expenses
First generation college students in the United States who are at least 18, enrolled full time in an undergraduate or graduate program at an accredited US college or university, in good academic standing, and facing significant financial hardship. Funding is limited to domestic students, so international students at US institutions are not eligible.

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Good to know

+$1,000, aimed squarely at first generation college students facing financial hardship.
+Free to apply, and there is no payment step anywhere in their five step process.
+First Gen Fund is a registered US nonprofit whose charitable status can be checked independently in the IRS registry.
+They publish their previous awardees by name and university, so you can see who has actually received it.

Worth checking yourself

!United States only, and you need to be a full time domestic student aged 18 or over.
!The deadline is 6pm Pacific, which is 9pm Eastern, on 16 September.
!This is a one off hardship grant rather than an ongoing programme, so it is money rather than a place on something.

LOT finds and checks opportunities from public sources. Always confirm details on the organiser’s own page before applying.

About this opportunity

What you get:

A one time grant of $1,000 paid directly to you
Money you can spend on college fees, books, housing, basic needs, professional development activities and transport to school
One of 50 awards in 2026, $50,000 of hardship relief in total
Recognition as a First Gen Fellow, announced on National First Gen Day, November 8, 2026, on firstgen.org and on Instagram

Key dates:

Applications opened September 2, 2026 at 9am PT, 12pm ET
Applications close September 16, 2026 at 6pm PT, 9pm ET
Awardees contacted directly and announced November 8, 2026

More information:

The full eligibility criteria and the five step application process are published on the fellowship portal at fellowship.firstgen.org
The First Gen Fund says it cannot answer correspondence about individual applications or individual eligibility, so read the criteria carefully before you start
Applications submitted after the closing time will not be considered

Who can apply

Full time student currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program at an accredited US college or university
Domestic students only. International applicants are not eligible
Must identify as a first generation college student
Must be in good academic standing, meaning you meet your school's minimum GPA requirement and are not on academic probation
Must be at least 18 years old at the time of application
Must show significant financial hardship, through eligibility for a Pell Grant or other need based aid, or a personal statement explaining the hardship, or both
Funds must be used for educational expenses
First generation college students in the United States who are at least 18, enrolled full time in an undergraduate or graduate program at an accredited US college or university, in good academic standing, and facing significant financial hardship. Funding is limited to domestic students, so international students at US institutions are not eligible.