The Philadelphia Foundation’s 2025 Common Scholarship Application provides an opportunity for students to apply for multiple scholarships through a single application process. Designed to streamline access to funding, the Common Application is open to graduating high school seniors and current undergraduate students. Eligible applicants must complete one application and respond to one or more essay prompts based on their individual eligibility and scholarship matches.
To qualify, students must either reside in the Greater Philadelphia region—which includes Bucks, Chester, Montgomery, Delaware, and Philadelphia counties in Pennsylvania, and Burlington and Camden counties in New Jersey—or be enrolled at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) if they are a resident of any U.S. state. Applicants must also demonstrate financial need and be accepted or enrolled at an accredited college, university, vocational, or technical program.
Scholarship awards range from $500 to $5,000 and are determined annually based on a competitive selection process. All awarded scholarship funds must be applied exclusively toward tuition expenses. Each scholarship may have specific eligibility criteria beyond the general requirements, which are taken into account during the application review.
The application for the 2025 scholarship cycle closes at 11:59 PM (midnight) on May 26, 2025. Students may preview the application and are encouraged to apply early to ensure submission before the deadline. Scholarship applicants must use the SmarterSelect platform to submit and manage their applications.
