Ford Opportunity Scholars Program Opening Soon
Offered by The Ford Family Foundation
About This Scholarship
The Ford Family Foundation, established in 1957 by Roseburg Lumber founder Kenneth Ford and his wife Hallie, is one of Oregon's largest private foundations. Its Ford Opportunity Scholars Program is aimed squarely at nontraditional students: parents of any age — especially those parenting alone — and adult learners over 25 who face significant financial and other barriers to earning a degree.
The award is among the most generous in the country for returning students. Rather than a flat amount, it covers 90 percent of a recipient's unmet college costs, calculated from the school's full cost of attendance minus other grants and scholarships, up to $40,000 per year. Up to 90 new scholarships are awarded annually, renewable through four years of undergraduate study toward an associate degree or first bachelor's degree.
Applicants must be residents of Oregon or Siskiyou County, California, plan to enroll full-time at an eligible institution in their home state, hold no prior bachelor's degree, and have a Student Aid Index of 10,000 or less.
Eligibility
- Resident of Oregon or Siskiyou County, California
- Parent of any age (with special consideration for single parents) or an adult learner over 25 as of March 1
- No previously earned bachelor's degree; pursuing an associate or first bachelor's degree full-time at an eligible in-state institution
- Student Aid Index (SAI) of 10,000 or less, with demonstrated financial and social barriers to college
How To Apply
- Apply online at tfff.org during the annual window, which closes in early March (March 3 in the most recent cycle)
- File the FAFSA so your Student Aid Index is available, and complete the application's personal history and essay sections
- Finalists may complete an interview before scholars are selected; the award renews annually for up to four years
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Ford Opportunity Scholarship actually pay?
It covers 90 percent of your unmet college costs — the school's full cost of attendance (tuition, fees, room and board, and personal costs) minus other grants and scholarships — up to $40,000 per year, renewable for up to four years.
Do I have to be a single parent to qualify?
No. The program serves parents of any age, with particular focus on those parenting alone, and also non-parent adult learners over 25. All applicants must live in Oregon or Siskiyou County, California.