Opportunity 14 Scholarship Requirements
Residency Requirements
To be considered for Opportunity 14 funds, students must have resided within the HCC service area for at least one year. Financial Requirements: FAFSA Application
Opportunity 14 targets students whose families qualify for some financial aid, but not enough to pay for tuition, fees, and books at HCC. There is no scholarship application, but students must complete a financial aid application at www.fafsa.ed.gov (see below for information regarding undocumented students). Once the student has applied to HCC, his/her financial aid awards will automatically be assessed to determine whether he/she qualifies for Opportunity 14 funding. The HCC Financial Aid office will send an e-mail listing how much federal financial aid and/or Opportunity 14 funds are available to apply toward tuition and books. Amounts Available to Students
If a student qualifies for a Pell Grant award, Opportunity 14 will make up the difference between that amount and $3,000 per year. This $3,000 is usually sufficient to pay for a full-time HCC student’s tuition, fees, and books. Full-time students may receive Opportunity 14 funding for three academic years, for a maximum total award of $6,000. Opportunity 14 functions like a grant; students will not be required to repay it. Academic Requirements
The Opportunity 14 Scholarship is available to high school graduates within one year of receiving their diploma and to GED recipients within one year of earning their GED and prior to their 20th birthday. Students who receive O14 do not have to have an excellent academic record. If they meet the financial requirements, they will be eligible to receive O14 funding upon acceptance to HCC. However, to continue receiving the funding from semester to semester, the student must remain in school full time and maintain a 2.0 grade point average. Undocumented Students
Opportunity 14 funding is available to undocumented students. However, because undocumented students are not eligible for federal financial aid, Opportunity 14 awards will be made based on an undocumented student's receipt of TEXAS Grant funds. The process of applying for these funds is best completed with the assistance of a financial aid officer at the HCC campus nearest the student's home. Service Learning Requirements
Students who accept Opportunity 14 funding will be required to participate in a service learning project during their enrollment at HCC. We will communicate details of this requirement directly to the recipients. Sources of Opportunity 14 Scholarship Funding
All the money to pay for Opportunity 14 scholarships has been donated to the HCC Foundation by local community leaders who are passionate about making sure that every Houston-area young person gets a chance to go to college.
To speak with a financial aid advisor about Opportunity 14, please call 713-718-8550.
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