In 2017, the Florida Prepaid College Foundation expanded our scholarship offerings to include a program dedicated just for incoming first generation freshman college students. The objective of the First Generation Challenge Match Scholarship Program is to support the efforts of higher education through scholarship funding for first generation students who aspire to attend a Florida College or University.
Florida State University and the University of North Florida participated in the 2017 pilot program, leading to the statewide expansion to all Florida public higher education institutions. To date, 14 institutions have joined with the Florida Prepaid College Foundation to match more than 80 First Generation scholarships at their respective institutions. The University of Florida matched 30 First Generation student scholarships to kick off the Foundation's 30th anniversary.
Interested foundations and 501(c)(3) organizations may apply for matching funds throughout the calendar year. Scholarships must be awarded to qualified first generation students who are in the 12th grade and have been accepted by an approved Florida educational institution.