For Students
Founded in 1978, the Greater Worcester Community Foundation's scholarship program has become the largest source of scholarship support for students from the Worcester County area.
We work with donors to create scholarship funds that support college-bound high school graduates. Since its founding in 1978:
- 140 funds have been created
- 9,943 awards have been distributed
- $14.8 million granted
The majority of our scholarships are awarded to current high school seniors who live in the 60 cities and towns that make up Worcester County. Applicants should intend to enroll full-time in an undergraduate two or four-year degree program at an accredited college or university. However, exceptions do apply and we encourage applicants to review our website closely and contact scholar@greaterworcester.org if they have any questions about eligibility.
This scholarship is not merely monetary support- it is a powerful reminder that there are those who are willing to help people like me reach our full potential. I am committed to utilizing this chance to the fullest and giving back to my community in return.
- William J. Short 2025 Scholarship Recipient

Scholarship Yearbooks
Our annual scholarship yearbook celebrates the Worcester County students receiving a scholarship through Greater Worcester Community Foundation.

Questions?
Contact Amaris Gonzalez
Program Officer for Youth and Families
508-755-0980
Start a Scholarship Fund
Visit the page below if you are interested in starting your own scholarship fund to support Worcester County students.

2025 Awardee
Carrick Foundation Scholarship
Erin Picanso, an alum of GWCF’s Youth for Community Improvement program and graduate of Worcester’s North High School, is heading to Williams College to study Economics. The grandchild of immigrants, Erin worked three jobs throughout high school in an effort to break a generational cycle of poverty. Her future path became unexpectedly clear in 10th grade, when she found herself on the receiving end of a legal threat from Lin-Manuel Miranda’s team—an encounter that sparked her fascination with intellectual property law. Now, she hopes to help innovators, artists, and businesses protect their ideas while being fairly compensated for their work in a rapidly changing digital world.