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Metro guide

Rochester scholarships & local foundations

The Rochester metro area covers Monroe County in New York, with principal cities including Rochester, Pittsford and Brighton. We found 1 open scholarship whose official rules name a place in this area; the next to close is Rochester Area Community Foundation Consolidated Scholarship Application on Feb 28, 2027.

Updated

The IRS lists 2 community foundations with at least $1 million in assets based in the area’s principal cities; the largest is Rochester Area Community Foundation in Rochester ($511 million in assets). Community foundations hold hundreds of small donor-funded scholarships, often limited to graduates of specific high schools or residents of one county, and many use a single shared application each winter.

Statewide, 4 more open awards are limited to New York residents, and state aid includes Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). Federal Pell Grants stack on top for students who file the FAFSA. 11 union apprenticeship application windows in the area are on our windows tracker.

Where local money hides: ask your school counselor for the local scholarship bulletin (many high schools keep one), check employer and union awards from your parents’ workplaces, and look at service clubs (Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions) and credit unions near you. These awards rarely appear on national sites, which is why their applicant pools are small.

Scholarships naming the Rochester area (1)

132 days left

Rochester Area Community Foundation Consolidated Scholarship Application

$250 to $40,000 (some paid as $10,000 a year) · Rochester Area Community Foundation · High school senior / college student

Students in the Rochester, New York area; one consolidated application covers many of the foundation's scholarships.

Consolidated application runs Dec 1 – Feb 28 each year (2027: Feb 28).
NY

Community foundations in the Rochester area (2)

Rochester Area Community Foundation
Rochester, NY · $511 million in assets (IRS)
Find its scholarships ↗
Rochester Area Community Foundation Depository Inc
Rochester, NY · $5.4 million in assets (IRS)
Find its scholarships ↗

State aid for Rochester students

Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)
New York · NY Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC)

$1,000–$5,665 per year

Official page ↗

Statewide awards open to Rochester residents (4)

109 days left

Jimmy Rane Foundation Scholarship

$500 to $6,000 per year · Jimmy Rane Foundation · High school senior

High school seniors no older than 20 on Aug 1, 2027, living in AL, AR, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MD, MS, MO, NE, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV or DC; financial need is a major factor.

Application opens Dec 1, 2026; application and materials due Feb 5, 2027 (recommendations by Feb 10). No late applications.
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133 days left

First New York Federal Credit Union Scholarship

$2,500 (four awards) · First New York Federal Credit Union · High school senior

Graduating high school seniors who are First New York FCU members in good standing, plan to attend an accredited two- or four-year college and are active volunteers; transcript and 250-word essay required.

Applications due March 1, 2027; checks presented at the 2027 annual meeting.
NY
147 days left

Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley Scholarship Common Application

Varies by fund · Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley · High school senior / college student

Students in Dutchess, Putnam and Ulster Counties, New York; one common application for the foundation's scholarships.

Scholarships open Jan 1, 2027; deadline March 15, 2027.
NY
147 days left

UNICO National Scholarships

$2,000–$3,000 · UNICO Foundation · High school / college

Mostly for residents of states with UNICO chapters (CA, CT, DE, FL, IL, MA, MN, MO, NJ, NY, PA, TN, VA, WI); the Southern Italy Scholarship is open to all 50 states.

CAFLNY

Full New York guide → · All community foundations

Frequently asked questions

Are there local scholarships in Rochester?

Yes. 1 open scholarships on this site name a city or county in the Rochester area, and the IRS lists 2 community foundations based there.

How do community foundation scholarships work?

Donors set up funds with rules such as a specific high school, county, major or need. The foundation advertises them together, usually with one online application each winter or spring, and matches applicants to every fund they qualify for.

What state aid can Rochester students get?

Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). Most require the FAFSA.