The Rising Scholars Program at UCF is designed to support students who have been justice-impacted — whether through incarceration, probation, or the incarceration of a family member—by providing resources, mentorship, and advocacy to help them thrive in higher education. Each year, the program offers a $1,000 scholarship to a current UCF student. The scholarship is awarded in the spring semester and dispersed in the following academic year.

Selection Criteria

  • Applicant must be enrolled as a full-time undergraduate or graduate student at UCF
  • Applicant needs to have at least one more year at UCF
  • Minimum 2.0 overall GPA
  • The committee looks for evidence of a strong commitment to Higher Education in Prison
  • The scholarship is intended for students who are formerly incarcerated, justice-impacted, or interested in criminal justice

Deadline

April 1 at 11:59 p.m.

More Info

Awards and scholarships are considered a resource and must be included as a part of a student’s financial aid cost of attendance. If a scholarship exceeds your financial cost of attendance, a reduction to your financial aid may occur.

If you have questions or concerns, contact Keri Watson (407-823-2676 or keri.watson@ucf.edu)

Apply

Rising Scholars Program Scholarship

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

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Tell us about your personal background and interest in higher education in prison or criminal justice.