Applications for 2025-2026
The Benjamin and Fredora K. Wolf Memorial Foundation supports low-income, first-generation college students who graduated from Philadelphia district or charter high schools. A scholarship starts in the college student's freshmen year and is renewable annually until graduation. Scholarships for the 2025-26 school year will be $1,900 ($950 each semester).
First-time applicants must be:
- Graduate of a Philadelphia School District high school or charter high school.
- Philadelphia city resident.
- Student Aid Index (SAI) less than $2,000.
- Neither parent/guardian attended college.
- Took high-school algebra and received minimum grade C.
- Unconditional acceptance to an accredited college/university as full-time student.
- Full completion of our application and submission of supporting documents
- Deadline: May 15, 2025 at midnight.
To begin, go to first-time application below: click "guidelines" for requirements or "submit" to start an application. Click here to resume work on your saved unfinished application.
Renewal Students must be:
- Previous recipient of a Wolf scholarship.
- Enrolled at an accredited U.S. college or university.
- Eligible academically (full-time course load and minimum 2.0 GPA each semester. Exceptions allowed in some situations if you contact us -- use message function in your account.)
- Deadline: June 30, 2025
To renew, go to renewal application below: click "guidelines" for requirements or "submit" to begin an application. Click here to resume work on a saved unfinished application.
We are thrilled you are interested in our scholarship. The amount will be $1,900 total for the 2025-26 academic year ($950 per semester) and will be renewable each subsequent year until you graduate, assuming you continue to meet our eligibility criteria.
Deadline: Thursday, May 15, 2025 at midnight.
Eligibility:
- Graduate of a School District of Philadelphia high school (with preference to citywide and neighborhood schools) or Philadelphia charter school.
- Philadelphia city resident.
- Student Aid Index amount is less than $2,000 according to the FAFSA Submission Summary or an alternative EFC calculator. (Typically this means an adjusted gross income of less than $70,000.)
- Neither parent/guardian attended college.
- Took high-school algebra and received minimum grade C.
- Unconditional acceptance to an accredited college/university as full-time student.
- Full completion of our application and submission of supporting documents by the deadline.
You will need these documents (in electronic uploadable form):
- Official high school transcript grades 9-11.
- Official report card for first half of 12th grade.
- Acceptance letter from your chosen college.
- Financial Aid Award letter from your chosen college.
- The FAFSA Submission Summary including the SAI (Student Aid Index) (obtainable here) or the EFC report from College Board calculator (obtainable here).
- Name and email address of a non-relative who will be asked to submit a recommendation or reference letter (such as a teacher, coach, counselor, community or clergy leader).
- Copy of your personal essay submitted to your chosen college.
Instructions:
- Plan 20-40 minutes to complete the first-time application. If you cannot finish in one sitting, click "Save Draft" and return to finish by May 15, 2025.
- To start the application, you first must create a Submittable account. When creating your account, you should use a personal email such as gmail or yahoo that you can control and access throughout college, and not a school or job email. The Wolf Foundation will communicate with you through this email, including delivery of funds throughout your years in college.
- Before starting the application, you must complete one of these two steps:
- For most applicants: Complete the FAFSA (here) and download the portion of the FAFSA Submission Summary that displays the SAI (Student Aid Index) ... Or
- For applicants who lack Social Security Number: complete alternative EFC calculator (here).
- On the application form, use the same email address you used for your Submittable account.
- Be prepared to write short answers (100-150 words) to each of these questions:
- Describe one personal trait that enabled you to accomplish a goal or get through a situation.
- Think about a failure or a goal you did not reach; what did you learn from the experience?
- After full completion, click "Submit" and check your email for confirmation.
We are honored to continue supporting your college education. The deadline to renew is June 30, 2025 at midnight. If you cannot finish in one sitting, click "Save Draft" and return to finish by June 30. After full completion (including upload of spring transcript and fall roster if available), click "Submit" and check your email for confirmation.
To continue receiving our scholarship in the coming academic year, you must have:
- Previously received a Wolf scholarship.
- Enrollment at an accredited U.S. college or university.
- Completion of full-time course-load with minimum 2.0 GPA each semester. Exceptions allowed in some situations if you contact us -- use message function in your account.
To complete this application, please be prepared to upload:
- Final transcript from the 2025 Spring semester showing GPA and number of credits earned for each course.
- Roster of registered courses for next Fall semester showing titles of courses and number of credits for each course. If roster is not yet available, please finish our application anyway. As soon as you receive your roster before classes start, upload it to your Submittable account. We will not send your grant without receiving your roster.
Instructions:
- On this form, please enter the email address that you use for your Submittable login.
- If you cannot finish this form in one sitting, click "Save Draft" and return by June 30 midnight to finish. After full completion (transcript and roster), click "Submit" and check your email for confirmation.