The First Gen Fund is accepting applications for the First Gen Fellowship 2026, which will award 50 grants of $1,000 each to first-generation college students in the United States who are experiencing significant financial hardship. Applications opened on September 2, 2026, and must be submitted by September 16, 2026.
Key facts
- The fellowship will select 50 recipients in 2026.
- Each award is worth $1,000, for a total of $50,000 in funding.
- Applicants must be full-time undergraduate or graduate students at an accredited U.S. college or university.
- International applicants are not eligible; the program limits funding to domestic students.
- Awardees will be announced on National First-Gen Day, November 8, 2026, via the First Gen Fund’s Instagram account and website.
What does this fellowship mean for students?
The grant is meant to provide direct financial hardship relief, not just tuition support. The funding can be used for fees, books, housing, basic needs, professional development activities and school-related transportation, giving recipients flexibility to cover expenses that can affect whether they can continue their studies.
Applicants must also meet several eligibility rules: they must be at least 18 years old, in good academic standing, identify as first-generation college students, and show significant financial hardship through either need-based aid eligibility or a personal statement.
How do students apply?
The application process is online. Applicants register, log in, create the application, save drafts as needed, and then submit the application as final before the deadline. The organization says late applications will not be considered.
The deadline is listed as September 16, 2026, at 9:00 PM Eastern Time on the application portal and 6:00 PM Pacific Time on the main fellowship page; both refer to the same cutoff time.
Why does the program matter?
First-generation students can face financial pressures that go beyond tuition. By allowing awards to be used for a broader set of education-related costs, the fellowship is designed to help students manage immediate expenses that may otherwise interrupt their studies.
When are winners announced?
Selected awardees will be contacted directly and publicly announced on November 8, 2026, which is National First-Gen Day. The First Gen Fund says the announcement will appear on its Instagram account, @firstgenfund, and on its website.
