Achieving Dreams: A Guide to Scholarship Opportunities
Many organizations and foundations offer scholarships to help students achieve their educational aspirations. These scholarships cater to diverse student populations, covering various fields of study and addressing different financial needs. This article explores the requirements and opportunities offered by several scholarship programs, including those focused on supporting undocumented students, single mothers, and students with financial needs.
"I Have A Dream" Foundation Scholarship
The "I Have A Dream" Foundation of Boulder County (IHDF) is dedicated to helping students achieve their academic dreams. The Post-Secondary Department serves students as they pursue college or other post-secondary pathways. Dreamer Scholars who qualify for and enroll in IHDF programming during their K-12 education are eligible for the "I Have a Dream" scholarship.
Eligibility and Requirements
To maintain scholarship eligibility, Dreamer Scholars must:
- Maintain active annual program participation at a specific site with a program director.
- Keep up-to-date annual agreements signed by their legal guardians.
- Enroll in a post-secondary program within one year of high school graduation.
- Complete IHDF’s online scholarship application annually.
Failure to meet these requirements will result in the loss of scholarship eligibility. After scholarship award notices are sent, IHDF disburses the funds to the college or program listed on the application, starting in July. IHDF never provides funds directly to the student. The college or program then applies and distributes the scholarship according to their policy.
TheDream.US Scholarships
TheDream.US scholarships support highly motivated undocumented students with or without Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or Temporary Protected Status (TPS) who aspire to a college education but cannot afford it. These students often lack access to federal and state aid and may face out-of-state tuition costs.
Read also: Applying for the Kang Dream Scholarship
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for TheDream.US scholarships, students generally must:
- Have come to the U.S. before the age of 16 and before Nov. 1, 2020.
- Qualify for in-state tuition at one of TheDream.US's Partner Colleges.
- Be admitted to one of their Opportunity Partner Colleges.
TheDream.US also offers private and online college options.
Achieving the Dream's DREAM Scholars Program
Achieving the Dream (ATD) Network institutions offer an experiential learning opportunity designed to enhance leadership, critical thinking, and networking skills. Up to eight students from participating institutions can become DREAM Scholars.
Benefits
Each DREAM Scholar receives a monetary award from Achieving the Dream to support their educational or personal journey. Scholars engage with community activists, education leaders, peers, and DREAM Scholar alumni. They also receive customized programming and exclusive networking sessions aligned with their goals. Each 2026 DREAM Scholar will receive a monetary award from Achieving the Dream to support their educational or personal journey.
Del Mar College Foundation Scholarships
Financial obstacles can significantly hinder student success. The Del Mar College Foundation addresses this by awarding scholarships to students.
Read also: Eligibility for Dream Award
Impact
For the 2025-2026 academic year, the DMC Foundation awarded over $2.85 million in scholarships to more than 1,430 students. The Foundation held a Scholarship Dinner on Oct. 30 to bring recipients and donors together, allowing scholars to express their gratitude to their benefactors. Del Mar College empowers students to achieve their dreams through quality programs, individual attention, outstanding instruction from faculty with real-world experience, and affordable costs. Del Mar College focuses on offering our students programs that match current or emerging career opportunities.
DREAMS Scholarship Program (Georgia)
The DREAMS (Dedicating Resources to Educationally Advance More Students) Scholarship Program in Georgia supports students with demonstrated financial need. It covers a portion of their college costs within the University System of Georgia (USG) and the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG).
Program Overview
DREAMS aims to be the need-based complement to the HOPE scholarship's merit-based solution. Initial philanthropic investments attract matching contributions from corporations and foundations. These funds are leveraged as a statewide challenge match for supporters of the 25 USG institutions and donors. Donor funds designated for individual institutions can be endowed at that institution, triggering a distribution from the endowed matching pool at USGF, doubling the scholarship payout.
Application Process
There is no separate application for DREAMS. Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be considered. Students should contact their institution's Financial Aid Office (FAO) for information, procedures, and deadlines.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for a DREAMS Scholarship, undergraduate students must:
Read also: Comprehensive Review of Dream Big Learning Academy
- Be a Georgia resident admitted into a USG or TCSG institution.
- Be enrolled at least half-time (6 hours) in an Associate's, Bachelor's, or Technical Degree program.
- Demonstrate unmet financial need after all other grants, scholarships, and loans are applied, as determined by the institution’s FAO and in compliance with USG DREAMS Scholarship requirements.
- Have applied for financial aid by completing the FAFSA.
- Have completed a personal finance/financial literacy certification module approved by USGF.
- Be employed at least part-time in a paid or volunteer position (including internship or military service).
- Not have received total financial aid exceeding tuition, fees, books, food, and housing, less Expected Family Contribution (EFC, or its equivalent).
Awards
The awards vary by institution and are subject to available funding. The specific award amounts are determined by each institution’s FAO in compliance with DREAMS Scholarship requirements.
Scholarships for Single Mothers (Utah)
Scholarships are available for single mothers residing in Utah who are pursuing education to improve their earning potential and provide for their families.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Be a single mother (single, widowed, divorced, or separated).
- Have physical custody of children under 18 or over 18 and still in high school (exceptions may be made in certain cases once the child(ren) has left the household).
- Be the only adult in the house with a child, or live with parents or relatives.
- Be a resident of Utah at the time of application (may attend online courses outside of Utah).
- Be a graduate of an accredited high school or have an equivalent GED.
- Be enrolled and accepted to a college, university (including graduate/doctoral programs), technical school, Bootcamp, or any education that will increase your earning potential to better provide for your family.
- Demonstrate financial need and have realistic and attainable educational goals.
- Have completed or are in the process of completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form (if you have attempted and do not qualify for FASFA, please let them know. You are still welcome to apply for the scholarship).
The foundation embraces diversity and inclusion within the single-mother population and does not discriminate based on color, race, ethnicity, or age.
Application Process
It is important to complete and submit the application in one sitting. Incomplete submissions cannot be processed. Applicants selected for the April 10th, 2026 scholarship are required to attend the Live Your Dream Golf Tournament at Sleepy Ridge Golf Course in Orem on Thursday, May 28th, to receive their award. For reconsideration on past applications, please complete the re-apply process.
"I Have A Dream" Foundation: Youth Participant Selection
Each “I Have A Dream” affiliate establishes a policy for selecting youth participants in a Dreamer Cohort.
Outreach
It is recommended to write a letter to the parents of all eligible children, introducing the “I Have A Dream” Program and inviting them to an informational meeting. The letter should be signed by someone familiar to the parents, such as the school principal, along with the Lead Sponsor, to lend legitimacy to the outreach. Follow-up with personal telephone calls or visits to invite parents to the meetings. Enlist the help of people the parents know, such as school employees, community center staff, or members of the tenants’ association, to spread the word about the program and ease parents’ concerns about its intentions and legitimacy.
Parent Orientation
Parent orientation meetings provide families a chance to learn about “I Have A Dream” and the opportunity to enroll their child. Offer at least two times to choose from to accommodate parent work schedules. The meetings include an introduction to Affiliate and Program staff, a question and answer time, and may include an introductory video or informational materials about the program's activities. The Program Director should review and become familiar with the enrollment packet, including the Agreement between parents/Dreamers and “I Have A Dream” and all consent forms.
Supporting Undocumented Immigrants
The topic of immigration has become a focal point in many discussions. Despite current sociopolitical debates, ethical principles established by the United Nations emphasize the importance of developing awareness and sensitivity to nuances stemming from age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, and socioeconomic status. It is essential to build bridges and remove barriers to access needed services for undocumented immigrants.
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