The Horatio Alger Career and Technical Scholarship Program is administered by the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring individuals who exemplify perseverance and a commitment to the American Dream. This scholarship program supports students who have overcome significant adversity and are pursuing technical or career education pathways at accredited, nonprofit institutions across the United States.
The core objective of the program is to remove financial barriers for students aiming to obtain associate degrees, certificates, or diplomas that lead directly to employment. Recipients of the national program are awarded $2,500, with approximately 300 scholarships available annually. Additional regional and specialized awards are offered, including the John Hardin Hudiburg Scholarship ($4,000, 1 recipient), the John Rollins Scholarship ($2,500, 8 recipients), the Valencia College Scholarship ($2,500, 16 recipients), and the Warren Webster Scholarship ($2,500, 4 recipients). Funds may be used for tuition, fees, books, and required supplies, and are disbursed directly to the recipient’s institution.
Eligibility criteria are consistent across most scholarship tracks. Applicants must be U.S. citizens under the age of 35, demonstrate financial need with household income not exceeding $100,000, and have completed high school (or equivalent) by July 1. Applicants must enroll by September in a non-profit, accredited U.S. community college or trade school for a program that leads directly to employment. Enrollment in prerequisite-only coursework disqualifies applicants. Specific awards have geographic or institutional restrictions, such as those limited to students in Delaware or at Valencia College in Orlando, FL, or those attending particular Ohio institutions.
The application process opens each year on March 15 and closes June 15. The scholarship is recurring annually. There are no pre-application requirements or multi-stage submission processes. The online application includes eligibility confirmation and documentation of financial need, but additional required components are not explicitly listed.
Evaluation is focused on demonstrated financial need, perseverance through adversity, and alignment with the goals of career or technical education. The program emphasizes assisting underserved youth, and school officials are encouraged to promote the scholarship widely. Contact for inquiries is available at cte@horatioalger.org, with applicant phone support at 844-422-4200 and recipient support at 800-684-9040.
Notifications about awards are not time-stamped in the source material, but due to the regular annual cycle, future applications are expected to follow the same March 15 to June 15 timeline. There is no indication of indirect costs, matching requirements, or additional restrictions on the use of funds beyond the institutional disbursement requirement. The scholarship serves as a significant opportunity for financially disadvantaged students seeking employment-ready credentials through technical or career education.
