2026 Access to Higher Education Scholarship
At The A.W. Smith Law Firm, P.C., we believe that education opens doors of opportunity, and every student deserves the chance to walk through them. Yet today, numerous barriers continue to block the path to higher education for many promising students. This pressing national challenge demands our immediate attention and action. This is why we’re proud to announce the Access to Higher Education Scholarship. The purpose of the Access to Higher Education Scholarship is to illuminate the real-world challenges that keep students from pursuing their educational dreams. We seek perspectives from students themselves on the most significant hurdles facing potential college students, along with innovative solutions to overcome them. From financial pressures to systemic inequities, we want to hear your insights on how we can transform the education system to create truly equal opportunities for college attendance.
Application Deadline: December 31, 2026
Award Amount: $1,000
Eligibility
- The scholarship is open to any current high school senior, vocational student, college student or graduate student who is a legal resident of the United States residing in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia and who is enrolled in a vocational program or two to four year post-secondary institution.
- Employees of A.W. Smith Law Firm, P.C. , their immediate families (parent, child, sibling, and spouse), and persons living in the same households of such individuals (whether related or not), are not eligible to participate in the competition.
- Candidates for this scholarship should have a minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher and be in good overall academic standing.
Application Requirements
- The candidate must submit a 750-1,000 word essay response to the prompt: discuss the many factors that prevent people from having access to higher education and the ways to address them. What can be done to make higher education accessible to everyone seeking it?
- Please note that all essays will be checked for AI writing. If AI writing is deemed present in the essay, the application will be denied.
- The candidate must submit a professional resumé that lists their experience, both professional and academic.
- The candidate must submit a transcript from their current school. First-year college students, graduate students, or individuals who have recently transferred schools may submit an unofficial transcript from their current school, as well as the most recent official transcript from their prior school. High school students can submit proof of acceptance to their college or university.
- Preference will be given to students either from or attending secondary school in the state.
The recipient of the Access to Higher Education Scholarship will be chosen during the month following the scholarship deadline.
For all scholarship-related inquiries, please use this contact form. We are unable to answer scholarship questions by phone, email, or through any other contact forms listed on this website.
Please complete the submission form below to submit your application.
