What is the Dream.US Scholarship for first-time college students?

I'm a first-generation high school junior who's hearing about the Dream.US Scholarship. What does this scholarship cover, and what are the requirements to apply? Is it meant for first-time college students like me?

The Dream.US Scholarship is indeed primarily designed for first-time college students, and it caters to DREAMers, which refers to individuals who came to the U.S. at a young age without documentation. It aims to support these students in their pursuit of a college education because they are often ineligible for federal funding due to their immigration status.

Now on to the specifics. The Dream.US Scholarship offers two kinds of scholarships: the National Scholarship for high school or community college graduates, and the Opportunity Scholarship for students from targeted, locked-out states where they cannot pursue a college education due to state limitations. If you live in a state that allows DREAMers to attend college, you would be applying for the National Scholarship.

The National Scholarship offers up to $33,000 for a bachelor’s degree. This covers tuition and fees at one of their Partner Colleges. The Opportunity Scholarship provides up to $100,000 to cover tuition, fees, on-campus housing, and meals for a bachelor’s degree.

Now, let's talk about eligibility criteria. To qualify for Dream.US Scholarship, you need to:

1. Qualify for either the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) or TPS (Temporary Protected Status);

2. Be a high school senior or high school graduate/international school graduate with no enrollment or credits at a 4-year college/university;

3. Demonstrate significant financial need;

4. Have a minimum GPA of 2.5 for high school students and 3.0 for community college students.

5. Show a willingness to commit to lawfulness and truthfulness in all your citizenship and immigration statuses in your Dream.US application.

Remember, each scholarship has additional unique requirements. Therefore, it’s important to extensively review the information on their website before submitting your application. The application window typically opens in November, with a deadline in February. It's best to begin gathering required materials and starting the application as soon as possible. The scholarship program is highly competitive, so ensure your application is as strong as it can be.