Beat Cancer Today is excited to offer Beat Cancer Today Pediatric Cancer Survivor Scholarships and Beat Cancer Today Pediatric Cancer Sibling Scholarships! New for 2019, we now also have low-income scholarships available. Founded by parents of kids fighting cancer, Beat Cancer Today understands the financial burden that is placed on families. We have established these scholarships as a way to provide financial assistance to survivors and siblings of individuals who have been diagnosed with pediatric cancer. The scholarships help qualified applicants pursue post-secondary education from accredited educational institutions.

Each scholarship is in the amount of $2,500 or $5,000 for "Low-Income Scholarships". Scholarship applications, rules and guidelines, and frequently asked questions can be found below.

Donor support is important to the ongoing success of our scholarship program!

The more scholarship funds we can raise, the more we can award each year! Remember, Beat Cancer Today is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, so donations are tax deductible. Thank you for your support of kids fighting cancer and their families!

FAQs:

Q: Who qualifies?

A: For the Survivor Scholarship, survivors of a form of pediatric cancer aged 16-26 with a home address in Iowa are eligible to apply. For the Sibling Scholarship, siblings of patients who have been diagnosed with a form of pediatric cancer aged 16-26 with a home address in Iowa are eligible to apply. A sibling includes a biological sibling and an adopted sibling, including half-blood and step-siblings.

Q: When are applications due?

A: Applications for 2019 awards are due no later than Friday, April 26, 2019. Awardees will be announced in June.

Q: Is financial need a requirement for applying for the Survivor or Sibling Scholarships?

A: No, financial need is not part of the selection criteria for the $2,500 Survivor or Sibling Scholarships, but financial need IS a requirement for the $5,000 Low-Income Scholarships.

Q: What financial need requirement exists for the Low-Income Survivor or Low-Income Sibling Scholarships?

A: Low-Income Scholarships are for students who come from a household that falls at or below 300% of the current year Federal Poverty Guidelines. For 2019, that includes households with incomes at or below $64,000 for a household of 3, $77,000 for a household of 4, or $90,000 for a household of 5.

Q: Is this only for students attending a four-year college?

A: No, these scholarships are for those applicants enrolled (or plans to enroll) full-time or half-time at an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, vocational school, an accredited advanced degree program, or accredited certification course related to the applicant's career.

Q: How are scholarship winners selected?

A: The selection criteria listed on the scholarship application form and corresponding essay and letters of recommendation are designed to give the Selection Committee ample resources to select the scholarship winner in an objective and non-discriminatory manner. The scholarship winners will be selected based on the applicant(s) who best exemplify Beat Cancer Today’s charitable purposes.

Q: How are scholarship winners recognized?

A: Beat Cancer Today may ask to recognize scholarship winners publicly, however, we would not differentiate low-income scholarship awardees. Only Beat Cancer Today Board Members and the Selection Committee will know which scholarship awardees are financial need-based and which ones are not.

Q: How are scholarship funds distributed?

A: The award will be paid directly to the educational institution under the recipient's name. This way, the award recipient will not be required to report the scholarship as gross income if the award is used for tuition and fees and/or required course books and equipment. Any other use of the scholarship (i.e. room and board, living expenses) would need to be included in the recipient’s gross income.

Q: What is required to apply?

A: 1) Certified copy of most recent available academic transcript 2) 500-1000 word essay 3) Video application (optional) 4) Two letters of recommendation. For the Low-Income Scholarships, last year's tax return is required to verify the household's adjusted gross income. See applications below for full details.

Download the Sibling Application [PDF] | [DOC]

Download the Survivor Application [PDF] | [DOC]

Download the Sibling Low-Income Application [PDF] | [DOC]

Download the Survivor Low-Income Application [PDF] | [DOC]

View the Sibling Scholarship Rules and Guidelines [PDF]

View the Survivor Scholarship Rules and Guidelines [PDF]

View the Sibling Low-Income Scholarship Rules and Guidelines [PDF]

View the Survivor Low-Income Scholarship Rules and Guidelines [PDF]

Beat Cancer Today, Inc is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in the State of Iowa, our Tax ID is: 46-0582681