Frequently Asked Questions

  1. How much Opportunity 14 Scholarship might a student receive?
  2. How long can my child continue to receive the Opportunity 14 Scholarship?
  3. My child has already received other scholarships that will pay for her tuition, fees, and books. Can she just get the cash from Opportunity 14?
  4. Will my child have to pay back the Opportunity 14 Scholarship when he graduates?
  5. Is Opportunity 14 a government program?
  6. My daughter has completed the financial aide application and has been accepted to HCC. How will we find out if she's going to receive an Opportunity 14 Scholarship?
  7. My children are not very interested in college. Why is it so important for them to go?
  8. Why does my child have to attend school full time to get Opportunity 14 funds?
  9. My child graduated from high school more than a year ago. Can she still receive the Opportunity 14 Scholarship?
  10. What is the service learning requirement for students who receive the Opportunity 14 scholarship?
  11. Can the Opportunity 14 Scholarship be used to complete remedial courses?
  12. My child is an undocumented student. Why do we have to visit a financial aid office to apply for financial aid?




  1. How much Opportunity 14 Scholarship might a student receive?
    The amount of Opportunity 14 funds students qualify for depends on their family’s financial aid award. The scholarship was designed to assist students from low-income families who receive some financial aid but not enough to cover their tuition and books at HCC. Students therefore must be eligible to receive some amount of Pell Grant from the federal government (or, for undocumented students, some amount of state-funded TEXAS Grant support).

    To find out how much money your child can receive from O14, you must complete the application for financial aid at     www.fafsa.ed.gov (or, for undocumented students, visit the financial aid office at your local HCC campus). Opportunity 14 will make up the difference between the amount of government aid your child receives up to $1,500 per long semester and/or $1,000 per summer semester—for a maximum payout of $6,000 over three years.

    For example, if your child receives a Pell Grant for $500 for the year, Opportunity 14 will contribute $2,500 to reach $3,000. This is enough to pay for most students’ full-time HCC tuition, fees, and books.

    Students whose family income disqualifies them from receiving any amount of Pell Grant are not eligible to receive Opportunity 14.
  2. How long can my child continue to receive the Opportunity 14 Scholarship?
    Students can receive the Opportunity 14 Scholarship for up to three academic years, for a maximum payout of $6,000 total. How much your child receives each year will depend on your family’s financial aid assessment from year to year and on their having met the other requirements for the scholarship.
  3. My child has already received other scholarships that will pay for her tuition, fees, and books. Can she just get the cash from Opportunity 14?
    The Opportunity 14 Scholarship pays for tuition, fees, and books for students attending HCC. It does not pay for living expenses and will not be issued as cash to the recipient.
  4. Will my child have to pay back the Opportunity 14 Scholarship when he graduates?
    No. Your child must meet certain requirements in order to receive Opportunity 14 from year to year, but once he has graduated, he will have no other obligations.
  5. Is Opportunity 14 a government program?
    Not at all. The HCC Foundation uses the government financial aid applications only to determine the level of your family’s financial need. However, all the money to pay for Opportunity 14 scholarships has been donated by local community leaders who are passionate about making sure that every Houston-area young person gets a chance to go to college.
  6. My daughter has completed the financial aid application and has been accepted to HCC. How will we find out if she's going to receive an Opportunity 14 Scholarship?
    You will receive an e-mail from HCC’s Financial Aid office that explains all the financial aid and/or Opportunity 14 funds for which you are eligible.
  7. My children are not very interested in college. Why is it so important for them to go?
    Most jobs being created nowadays require some kind of post-high school education. There are simply few opportunities anymore that will allow a person to make a decent income without first going to college. HCC offers students a lot of options that they might find very interesting. For example, your child could attend HCC for two years and become a healthcare professional such as a nurse, a respiratory therapist, or a dental hygienist. Or your child could learn a career in other fields such as fashion design, audio technology, or automotive mechanics. More about career training opportunities at HCC.
  8. Why does my child have to attend school full time to get Opportunity 14 funds?
    Students who attend college full time are much more likely to complete their degree or certificate. And the best time to go to college full time is right out of high school, when most students still live at home with their parents. If your child absolutely cannot attend full time, then we invite him or her to apply for other scholarships offered by the HCC Foundation every spring. The application can be accessed in January at www.hccsfoundation.org.
  9. My child graduated from high school more than a year ago. Can she still receive the Opportunity 14 Scholarship?
    The Opportunity 14 Scholarship is available to students who attend HCC within one year of graduating from high school or who have completed the GED before their 20th birthday. Therefore your daughter will not be eligible to receive Opportunity 14 Scholarship funds. However, she may be eligible for federal financial aid, so the first thing she should do is apply for that at www.fafsa.ed.gov. She is also eligible to apply for the many other scholarships offered by the HCC Foundation. We accept online applications every January through May. Visit our website at www.hccsfoundation.org.
  10. What is the service learning requirement for students who receive the Opportunity 14 scholarship?
    Every student who accepts Opportunity 14 scholarship funds must commit to participating in a four-hour community service event sponsored by HCC’s Service Learning department. These events may include activities such as tutoring young children or community service for senior citizens. Your child will receive more information about service learning options via e-mail. Please note that O14 recipients who fail to participate in a qualified service learning event will not be eligible to receive future O14 funds the following year.
  11. Can the Opportunity 14 Scholarship be used to complete remedial courses?
    Yes. However, you should encourage your child to complete these courses as quickly as possible so he/she can begin taking regular credit courses. Remember that he/she may only receive the Opportunity 14 Scholarship for a maximum of three years.
  12. My child is an undocumented student. Why do we have to visit a financial aid office to apply for financial aid?
    The financial aid application at www.fafsa.ed.gov is run by the federal government, and the federal government limits its availability to United States citizens. However, the State of Texas does provide financial assistance to undocumented students. There is no online form for this application, but the financial aid officer at your local HCC campus will be happy to work with you to assess your family’s financial information and calculate the amount of financial aid for which your child might qualify. If your child received funds from the TEXAS Grant, the Opportunity 14 program may be able to supplement that award.

         To find the HCC campus nearest you, click here. To talk with an HCC financial aid 
         officer, please call 713-718-8550.