Education

• Must be a resident of a Opportunity Home housing assistance program (Housing Choice Voucher, Public Housing or Beacon Communities) at time of application (as stated on the lease), and the resident household must remain in good standing with Opportunity Home throughout the duration of the school year.
• Must be a graduating high school senior or a college student.
• If you previously received an award (previously called the “EIF Scholarship”) must not have received more than four awards. Opportunity Home Resident Scholarships are capped at five awards, for a maximum of five years.
• Must be enrolled as a full-time student, which is defined as 12 hours of undergraduate coursework or nine hours of graduate coursework.
• Must have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale. GPA scores will be used to rank qualifying candidates for a limited number of scholarships.
• As of 2021, the scholarship award is up to $1,500 for the school year. While GPA will be used to rank candidates, it will not be used to determine the scholarship award amount.

All eligibility and application requirements must be met for an application to be considered for a scholarship award. Applications must include ALL of the following:

• Online application with all sections completed. (Please mark “N/A” and do not leave any form fields blank.)
• Proof of full-time enrollment for the upcoming semester and/or school year. (Submit this document with your online application; legible PDF files and scanned images are acceptable.)
• Proof of GPA for the most recent semester and/or most recently completed school transcript. (Submit this document with your online application; unofficial transcripts are acceptable if submitted as legible PDF files and/or scanned images.)
  
• The scholarship award is an amount up to $1,500 for the school year, subject to availability and funding. The Opportunity Home Scholarship Committee will rank eligible candidates by GPA, and award only the top candidates who meet all other eligibility requirements.
• Applicants are eligible to apply for the Opportunity Home Resident Scholarship for up to a total of five (5) years. Previous scholarship winners must meet all eligibility requirements and submit a complete application to be considered for an award the following year. (Please note that moving forward, Opportunity Home will not utilize renewal applications or give preference to previous award winners.)
• The scholarship is a “no use restriction” award. This means that scholarship winners may use the funds however they choose; including, but not limited to, expenses for books, tuition, school supplies, etc.
• Award winners must attend the event described in the award letter. This event is scheduled to take place in August, and will include an awards ceremony and activities for award winners and their families. This is mandatory for all scholarship recipients (See requirements).
• All applications will be reviewed by the Opportunity Home Scholarship Committee, which will be composed of Opportunity Home staff who are not involved in the funding or administration of the Opportunity Home Resident Scholarship. Scholarships will be awarded to eligible candidates with the highest scores based on the Committee’s rubric, which is subject to their discretion and all applicable Opportunity Home policies.
• Submission of an application in no way guarantees that a scholarship will be awarded. (See “Eligibility” above for all application requirements.)
• Applicants are responsible for providing any changes to their bank account for receiving the award by direct deposit. Applicants are also responsible for notifying Opportunity Home of any changes to their contact information.
• All scholarship winners must adhere to all Opportunity Home Resident Scholarship rules and should remain in good standing with Opportunity Home housing. Failure to do so could result in possible termination of award funds (See Grievance Process).
• Scholarship winners must attend the processing appointment and photoshoot at Opportunity Home’s Central Office (818 S. Flores St., San Antonio, TX 78204). Winners will receive additional information about the processing appointment at the time of their selection.
  

All applicants MUST submit each of the following by 5 p.m. in order to be considered for a Opportunity Home Resident Scholarship:

• Complete an online application here.
• Official and/or certified high school transcript or General Equivalency Diploma (“GED”) certificate.
• Proof of full-time enrollment as reflected on unofficial transcripts and/or registration documents for the Fall 2022 Semester.
• Proof of full-time enrollment must be provided for each semester before any funds can be released. (See “Eligibility” above for additional information on proof of enrollment and eligibility for the Spring 2022 Semester.)
• PDFs and legible image (.png, .jpg, etc.) files will be accepted if they are unaltered.
• Proof of any completed community service and/or volunteer hours, if applicable. No additional community service hours are required, but Public Housing residents must continue to meet all community service requirements as stated within the lease.
• Please note students and/or household members may be required to complete community service hours as part of family obligations under the Opportunity Home Public Housing Lease. While community service hours are not required at the time of application, applicants who live in Public Housing should note that proof of completion may be required at a later date.
• Two letters of recommendation from individuals who are familiar with your educational and professional goals; including, but not limited to teachers, school counselors/administrators, supervisors from work or volunteering, community members or other non-family individuals.
• Each letter should include the recommender’s full name, position title, employer/organization, email address and phone number. Letters must be either attached as PDF or image files to your online application, or emailed directly from the recommender to scholarship@homesa.org.
• In order to process your application quickly, we ask that letters be sent electronically and not mailed.
• 500-word essay is required. Topic: “What does integrity mean to you? Describe a time in your life where you have demonstrated integrity. How will you lead by integrity in the future?”
  
• An additional essay is required to be considered for the $500 Joshua Longoria “Passion for Life” Memorial Scholarship. This is a one time award.

Payment Options for Award Winners

• Direct deposit is not required, but recommended. Opportunity Home recommends completing a direct deposit form, so if you are selected for an award, funds may be deposited electronically into a checking or savings account.
• If you would like to use direct deposit, you must complete the Opportunity Home Direct Deposit Form included within the online form or found here.
• You must also attach/email a copy of a voided check or a letter from your bank on the bank’s letterhead that verifies your full name on the account, account type (checking, savings, etc.), your account number and the bank’s routing number.
• Please email scholarship@homesa.org or reach out to your CDI Case Manager if you are interested in creating an account with a bank, credit union or other financial institution. CDI staff can provide resources and assistance to support you and your family’s financial empowerment.
• Paper check is an option on the online application. If selected, any paper checks will be mailed to the address on file with Opportunity Home, as shown on your lease.

• Must meet all eligibility requirements and submit all supporting documentation required for the Opportunity Home Resident Scholarship. See “Eligibility” and “2022 Application Checklist” for more information on all requirements and supporting documentation to be considered for a Opportunity Home Resident Scholarship.
• Address the following questions within the personal narrative submitted as part of your Opportunity Home Resident Scholarship Application:
  “Life encompasses many forms of difficulty. When obstacles are insurmountable, how will your chosen field instill a passion for life in those you will serve? Describe how overcoming difficulty will positively impact others who witness your work.””
• A separate essay and/or application is required for the Joshua Longoria “Passion for Life” Scholarship

• The Joshua Longoria “Passion for Life” Scholarship is an additional award that is open only to those selected for a Opportunity Home Resident Scholarship. To be considered for this award, you must apply for the Opportunity Home resident Scholarship and meet all additional eligibility criteria outlined above.
• No additional application or supporting documents are required to be considered for this additional award.
• The competition is very high for this additional award, and only five applicants will be selected.
• Joshua Longoria “Passion for Life” Scholarship winners will be selected immediately following the selection of Opportunity Home Resident Scholarships. This means that the Opportunity Home Scholarship Committee will review and select candidates through a similar process as the Opportunity Home Resident Scholarship, and both awards will follow the same timeline.
• See “2022 Scholarship Timeline” for more information on this year’s application deadlines, review and selection dates, and planned events for winners.

• REACH Awards are paid directly to the student by direct deposit, or Opportunity Home will issue a paper check.
• Opportunity Home staff will provide families with the necessary forms needed to receive payment once the application is submitted and approved.
• Applicant must be a resident within the Opportunity Home Public Housing or Housing Choice Voucher (HCV or “Section 8”) program.
• Student must be enrolled in elementary, middle or high school (grades K-12).
• Student must have earned one of the following grades: A, B, or all A/Bs.
• Eligibility for “perfect attendance” is based on the final report card: attendance record
• Upload a copy of the 2021-22 academic school year final report card.
• Complete the online application.

Grade	Fall 2021 Award Amount	Spring 2022 Award Amount	Maximum Award Amount
Perfect Attendance	$25	$25	$50
Honor Roll — All A’s	$25	$25	$50
All B’s	$10	$10	$20
All A/B’s	$15	$15	$30

June 24 | Deadline for all applications and required documents

July 15 | The REACH Award Committee will select eligible applicants. Award letters will be sent.

Aug. — Sept. | Award deposited to bank account and paper checks will be mailed.