Investing in the Future: Scholarship Programs

The vision of our scholarship programs is to encourage and invest in youth while establishing an affirmative support network in order to prevent future homelessness and promote academic success, with a mission of ensuring homeless children and youth have access to the tools necessary to pursue and complete postsecondary education.

NAEHCY Scholars are academically determined and socially responsible students who have experienced homelessness and are actively pursuing their post-secondary education.

The NAEHCY Scholars Program awards individual scholarships to postsecondary students who have experienced homelessness* and are actively enrolled in their post-secondary education. Selected scholars are chosen from a pool of applicants who meet all eligibility criteria and submit all required materials by the deadline. 

Selected scholars are invited, encouraged, and financially supported to attend NAEHCY’s annual conference (November) where they participate in enrichment and professional development activities, share their experiences with NAEHCY stakeholders, and participate in an awards ceremony. 

NAEHCY Scholars are invited to participate in two additional convenings designed to support their educational journey and provide personal and professional enrichment as well as mentorship opportunities. 

Vision

Ensure homeless children and youth have access to the tools necessary to pursue and complete postsecondary education.

Encourage and invest in scholarship recipients while establishing an affirmative support network in order to prevent future homelessness and promote academic success.

• Promote and provide financial support for postsecondary education;
• Assure that youth have the information necessary to make sound financial decisions;
• Lead a collaborative network of community and educational partners aligned to support student preparation, transition, and progression towards degree completion;
• Develop a scholar association to provide mentoring and support to scholars throughout their college career; as well as transitioning into the workforce.

The 2025 NAEHCY Scholars Program application window is now open! Applicants are required to submit a personal essay, unofficial transcript, status verification letter, and at least one letter of recommendation.

*The applicant’s homeless status is defined by the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act, which defines a person considered to be homeless as one who “lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence.” This includes people living in shelters, cars, motels/hotels, campgrounds, or places not meant for human habitation. The definition includes children and youth who are living with friends/relatives temporarily (doubled-up) because they lack permanent housing.

Recognizing the transformative potential of education, NAEHCY has strategically expanded the reach of our scholarship initiatives. Now, by fostering a passion for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) fields, NAEHCY empowers younger students experiencing homelessness to explore their academic interests and unlock pathways to a brighter future – not just for themselves, but for their families as well.

The NAEHCY STEAM Star Scholarship for K-12 Students launched in 2024 and awards individual scholarships in the amount of $500 each, to be used to support K-12 scholars participating in academic competitions, art classes, dance, theater productions, or other STEAM-related out-of-school-time activities, camps, or related programming. 

Applications are currently closed, and inaugural recipients were notified in late February 2025. 

If you have any questions, please contact us at scholarship@naehcy.org.  Are you looking for additional scholarship resources? Let us help.