Scholarships for Seniors

Scholarships will be posted below as they become available and emails will be sent periodically via Naviance indicating the scholarship list has been updated.  Click on the scholarship name for instructions.  Students are responsible for meeting the deadlines of the scholarships.

Scholarship applications are also available through the Naviance website.  After signing in to Naviance, click on the "Colleges" tab, then scroll down and select "Scholarships."  All of the available scholarships are listed with links to their applications.

When supplemental materials such as transcripts and/or letters of recommendations are required, please submit these requests to the counseling office well in advance of the deadline to allow for processing.

Questions and/or concerns about scholarships can be directed to the Counseling Office or email scholarships@pearlriver.org. 

The New York State Scholarships for Academic Excellence program provides scholarship assistance to outstanding New York State high school graduates.  Each year, 8,000 scholarships are awarded - up to 2,000 scholarships of $1,500 and 6,000 scholarships of $500 to top scholars from registered New York State high schools.  Awards are based on certain academic criteria.  Recipients can also receive other non-loan student aid, but the total cannot exceed the cost of attendance. 

Selection Criteria

Due to the cancellation of Regents exams in 2020 and a number of Regents exams that were not administered in June 2021, for this year and the next few subsequent years, Pearl River High School winners will be selected based on students' class rank at the end of their junior year.

(Links to additional scholarship resources are available below this list.) 

Delta Kappa Gamma Society International: Alpha Eta Chapter Scholarship The Alpha Eta Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International is offering a $1,000 scholarship to a female high school senior graduating in June 2025 with plans to enter college in September 2025 to pursue a career in the field of education. Candidates must have at least a B average, demonstrated good conduct, and performed community service. A 500-word essay and two (2) letters of reference are mandatory. For an overview of the organization please visit www.dkg.org. Deadline for submission is April 25, 2025.

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Scholarships Multiple scholarships offered to Rockland County high school seniors of African descent who exemplify scholastic excellence, high ideals, and plan to attend an accredited college or university in the fall following their graduation year. Students must have a GPA of 80 or above to be considered for an award. Completed application form, documents verifying citizenship, letters of recommendation, SAT/ACT scores, high school transcript, and a short essay required. Personal interviews will be conducted. Application deadline is February 28, 2025. 

The Hagan Scholarship Designed to provide students with the opportunity to obtain a four-year education and graduate debt-free, this nationwide need-based scholarship will award up to $7,500 each semester for up to eight (8) consecutive semesters to high school seniors. Candidates should be high-achieving, goal driven students with financial need. Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or have a Permanent Resident Card, have a 3.5 cumulative GPA, plan to enroll at an accredited four-year college or university after graduation, and work 240 hours each year from January 1 until commencement of the fall semester in college. Federal Income Tax information and FAFSA SAR required. Please see brochure for a complete list of eligibility requirements. Application deadline is March 15, 2025.

Hudson Valley Magazine's Excellence in Nursing Scholarship $1,500 will be awarded to a motivated high school senior who plans to pursue a career in nursing. Transcript, two (2) letters of recommendation, SAT/ACT scores and a 500-700-word essay explaining why you want to be a nurse required. Applications must be postmarked by February 3, 2025.

Knights of Pythias, New City-Orangetown Lodge #854 Scholarship Knights of Pythias Rockland Scholarship Association annually presents a scholarship to one deserving graduating student from each public high school in Rockland County. We want to reward students who maintain at least a B- average while participating in community service thereby aiding those who are less fortunate. We focus our selection of deserving recipients on the essay the student writes to show how his or her community service reflects the Knights of Pythias precepts of friendship, charity and benevolence. Our decision will also be impacted by the candidate’s community service experiences, their ability to describe those experiences in writing and what they tell us they learned from the community service. This year our applications will be submitted using an on-line survey which the student will access. We recommend students write their essay using Word or notepad and paste them into the proper page on the scholarship application. The deadline for submission of both parts of this application (the application and the transcript) is April 1st, 2025. The scholarship presentation will take place on Tuesday May 13th, 2025. Each winner will be notified and will be asked to make a 3 minute speech accepting the scholarship and summarizing his or her experience.

Morning Music Club Scholarship Morning Music Club is holding its annual auditions for scholarship awards on Thursday, March 7, 2024 (snow date March 14) at the Rockland Conservatory of Music in Pearl River, 45 South Main Street. Auditions are open to seniors attending Rockland County high schools who intend to continue their music studies in college, university, or conservatory. Applicants do not have to major in Music to qualify. Please see application form for details. Applications must be postmarked to emailed no later than February 23, 2024. DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO MARCH 4, 2024.

Nyack Center Young Women of Leadership and Vision Scholarship A $1,000 scholarship is available to a graduating female residing in Rockland County who has performed substantial community service. All submissions must include a completed application form and an essay; two (2) letters of recommendation also required. Please see application instructions for additional details. Submissions must be received by March 1, 2025. 

2025 Rockland Business Women's Network Scholarship Application A $2,000 scholarship will be awarded to a candidate who identifies as female graduating from high school and enrolling in a certified undergraduate program in Fall 2024. A 500-word essay, one (1) recommendation letter, community service hours and official transcript required. A minimum of a “B” (3.0) average is also required for all applicants. Applications must be received by March 14, 2025. Official transcripts and teacher letters of recommendation will be emailed separately to RBWN by the PRHS Counseling Department. For this reason, all requests must be emailed to guidance@pearlriver.org by March 10, 2025 or we cannot guarantee your supporting documents will be submitted by the scholarship deadline. 

Robert “Beans” Capello Educational Scholarship A $1,500 scholarship is available to an active member or a child or grandchild of an active member or previously active deceased member of a Rockland County Fire Department. (If relation is with a deceased member, the member must have been active at their time of death.) Completed application form, high school transcript, community service activities, list of school awards/honors, and a 250-word essay required. The winning candidate must attend a scholarship presentation at host fire department meeting. Application deadline is March 31, 2025.

Rockland County Music Educators Association (RCMEA) Senior Music Scholarship Sponsored by music teachers in Rockland County, this scholarship is available for students planning a career in music. NYSSMA scores, two (2) letters of recommendation, and digital audio or video of musical abilities are required. Scholarship is intended for students who will be attending an accredited 4-year college or university with a major in music. Deadline is March 30, 2025.

Rockland Negro Scholarship Fund Scholarship (RNSF) Awarded to graduating seniors of Rockland County of African-American descent. Official transcript, letter of recommendation and essay required. See application for details. Applications are due no later than Friday, February 28, 2025.

Rolling Thunder NY3 Tony Schembri Memorial Scholarship In honor of Tony Schembri, a veteran and co-founder of Rolling Thunder NY Chapter 3, a $500 scholarship is available for high school seniors. Prospective scholarship applicants should write an essay of approximately 500 words. The theme of your essay should center on: How and why the efforts and sacrifices of the American soldier/military veteran are so important. Your essay should be based on the ideas you have formed from either reading of history or from the veterans you know personally as family or friends. See application for additional details. Visit https://www.rollingthunderny3.org/tony-schembri-scholarship to see past winners. Please contact suziq433@yahoo.com with any questions. Deadline for submission is April 1, 2025.

The essay will be evaluated based upon context and the conventions of standard written English. Structure and grammatical syntax will be considered as part of the selections process. Attention must be given to the written form of the essay. Paragraph structure must include an introduction, body paragraph and conclusion. Submission should be 12-point font, double spaced.

SeniorCare.com Aging Matters Scholarship  For the 7th consecutive year, SeniorCare.com will be awarding an annual college scholarship to an individual who best demonstrates why "Aging Matters" to them. A $1500 scholarship will be given annually to a selected student who currently cares for an aging loved one, works within the senior community or intends to pursue a career that will have an impact on the elder population. Open to high school seniors in good academic standing planning to enroll as a full-time freshman in a 2- or 4-year accredited college or university. The recipient will demonstrate a unique and admirable understanding and desire to show that "Aging Matters" to them. All applicants can get more information and apply online at https://www.seniorcare.com/scholarship/. Application deadline is May 15, 2025.

Tri-State Consortium Kathleen Reilly Scholarship Pearl River School District will nominate one high school senior with demonstrated character, leadership, and academic achievement for a chance to win a $2,500 annual Tri-State Consortium Kathleen Reilly Scholarship. Seniors who wish to be nominated must submit a completed application form, transcript (unofficial is acceptable), and resumé highlighting leadership and community service activities. In addition, a 500-word essay or a 3-minute video or podcast describing how you are a “social connector” who strives to bring others together and form networks of relationships in service to making the world a better place is also required. Please be sure to read the instructions carefully. Application forms and supporting materials must be submitted to the Counseling Office (videos can be emailed to guidance@pearlriver.org) no later than March 3, 2025 at 12:00pm. Late submissions will not be considered.

United Women of Rockland Scholarship The United Women of Rockland is awarding five scholarships, each valued at $2,000, to assist students in pursuing higher education, whether at a college or trade school. This scholarship is uniquely dedicated to students whose mothers have faced a devastating health diagnosis or have passed away due to one. Key details are as follows: Eligibility: Graduating seniors residing in Rockland County / Award Amount: $2,000 per scholarship (five available; 1 to a resident of each town). Criteria: Grades are not a determining factor. The deadline to apply is March 15, 2025.

William V. Harris Memorial Scholarship Two (2) $500 awards available to graduating seniors. Scholarship is based upon contributions to the community. Essay, intentions for future, two (2) letters of recommendation and a list of extracurricular activities are all required. Completed applications with required documents must be submitted to the Counseling Office by May 9, 2025.