Scholarships for First-Generation Students

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MSU Foundation Scholarships

MSU Foundation Scholarships are made possible through private gifts to the University made by individuals, groups or companies. They are awarded to students each year based on a wide range of criteria: college, major/minor, high school attended, outstanding academic achievement, leadership, financial need, etc.

The Search Tool will allow you to view available scholarships. You may search using keywords or the category search filter option, however you cannot apply for scholarships using the Search Tool.

For more information, including how to apply for all Foundation Scholarship opportunities by the March 1 deadline, please visit the MSU Foundation Scholarships.

Scholarships for First Generation Students

To find scholarships for first generation students, go to the MSU Foundation Scholarships' Search Tool and type 'first generation' into the Keyword Search field. This will bring up all the scholarships that mention 'first generation' in their description.

To apply for these scholarships and more, complete the MSU Foundation Annual Scholarship Application no later than March 1 for the following academic year. Learn how to apply on the MSU Foundation Scholarships page.

Education Abroad Scholarship

CAST's Education Abroad First-Generation Student Scholarship Application. Next deadline to submit this application is October 15, 2025.

Other scholarship opportunity

TIAA offers a scholarship to support first-generation undergraduate students who plan to continue their education. Scholarship amount ranges from $5000 to $10,000 and can be used for any education-related expenses. Learn more from MSU's Human Resources blog post. Next application program will open in January 2026.