The Opportunity Rising Scholarship is for current high school and General Education Development (GED) students who are under 19 years of age and are enrolling in an institution of higher learning for the Fall Semester of the upcoming school year.
Please read the requirements of eligibility to apply:
Eligibility requirements are:
- Student must reside in DHA’s public housing or participate in DHA’s Housing Choice Voucher Program
- Become a graduate with a high school diploma or GED of the current year
- Enroll in an institution of higher learning for the Fall Semester of the upcoming school year
- Must complete this application in its entirety
To apply for this scholarship, students submit the following:
- Completed scholarship packet
- One recommendation letter (letters can be from an employer, community representative, or school official)
- Copy of SAT/ACT scores and GPA, or transcript
- A photograph (headshot only)
- Completed “Let’s Talk About You” section
- Typed 500-word essay on the topic: The Opportunity Rising Foundation is committed to empowering education by providing funding to students who are typically under-represented in higher education. Describe your education goals and how you will use higher education to seek better life opportunities.
Each essay will be judged on:
- Quality of content
- Ability to captivate the reader
- Originality
- Correct grammar usage (punctuation and spelling)
- Overall presentation
The deadline to apply is Friday, April 24, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.