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, college student, or non-traditional student.
• If you previously received an award (formerly called the “EIF Scholarship”) you 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. 
• The scholarship award is $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.) Screenshots are not 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.) Screenshots are not acceptable.
  
• The scholarship award is $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. (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.
• 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. on July 7 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 2023 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 2024 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.
• 500-word essay is required. In March 2020, The world as we knew it changed forever because of the COVID-19 Pandemic. This pandemic brought to light the struggles of everyday people regarding social and economic conditions, including healthcare, mental health services, education, employment, digital access, and more. In the United States, we were mandated to wear masks, schools became “remote learning” and many jobs were eliminated because businesses had to shut down, there were many restrictions implemented, and many lives were lost. Topic: “In 500 words or more, describe how the COVID-19 pandemic altered your views on Education, Healthcare, the Economy and the Community you live in.”
• 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 if you are interested in creating an account with a bank, credit union or other financial institution. Opportunity Home 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.
• Complete a one-page essay addressing the following Topic: “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.”

• 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.
• Only a select few will be awarded this memorial scholarship, the essay is important and will be scored on a rubric by the Education Committee.
• Joshua Longoria “Passion for Life” Scholarship recipients will be selected immediately following the selection of Opportunity Home Resident Scholarships. This means that the Opportunity Home Scholarship Education Committee will review and select candidates through a similar process as the Opportunity Home Resident Scholarship, and both awards will follow the same timeline.

• 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 2022-23 academic school year final report card.
• Complete the online application.

Grade	First Semester	Second Semester	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