- Must be a resident of Broward, Palm Beach or Miami-Dade County. Please note that Broward County applicants will receive priority.
- Possess a high school diploma or a GED.
- Unweighted grade point average (GPA) of a 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. College students must be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours to be eligible.
- Must meet at least one of the following. If selected to receive the scholarship, you will need to provide supporting documentation:
- Former, or current foster care youth
- A ward or dependent of the courts
- Former, or currently in relative/non-relative care
- Active in the Fostering Panther Pride program at Florida International University
- Former Broward County ICON program participant
- Acceptance into an accredited 2 or 4 year post-secondary institution.
- Transcripts and SAT/ACT scores.
- Two letters of recommendation. One letter needs to be from a school staff member.
- Copy of the Student Aid Report (SAR) from your Free Application for Federal Financial Aid (FAFSA). You may complete the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The SAR will be reviewed only for the purpose of assessing your financial need, and will be treated as confidential information.
- Completion of required essays.
- Completion of the Scholarship Candidate Agreement.
If awarded the HANDY Book Scholarship, the student will be awarded $500 for the first semester of attendance. The monies can only be used to purchase books and supplies available for purchase in the respective school’s bookstore. The scholarship will then be awarded as follows for subsequent terms based on the following criteria:
| ⇛ | 2.0 – 2.5 GPA | $150 |
| ⇛ | 2.51 – 3.0 GPA | $300 |
| ⇛ | 3.01 + GPA | $500 |
Note: the maximum award for the academic year is $1,000. The scholarship will not be awarded during the summer semester.
Please read and follow the instructions carefully prior to submitting your application. If you chose not to upload your supporting documents online, please make sure that you include the HANDY Scholarship Check List when you mail your documents. All applicants will be notified by August 1st if they are to be awarded the scholarship.