The Miami Foundation scholarship programs

The Miami Foundation lists nine public scholarships and says applications for the 2027–28 academic year will open on December 1, 2026. This is not one award with universal rules: the foundation’s FAQ explains that individual scholarships may have school, major, GPA, financial-need, or community-involvement requirements. Living in Miami-Dade alone does not establish eligibility.

One prominent option is Venture Miami, developed with the City of Miami. The foundation describes it as tuition-gap support for City of Miami or Little Haiti residents accepted into STEM or designated high-demand programs at one of six participating institutions. For college-credit programs, its page requires U.S. citizenship or permanent residence, a minimum 2.5 GPA, acceptance at a participating institution, and Pell Grant eligibility; vocational pathways have their own criteria.

There is a calendar discrepancy to resolve before preparing an application: the general scholarships page says the next Venture Miami application opens October 20, 2026, while the fund’s dedicated page says “application is now open” and still displays opening and closing dates from 2026. The broader 2027–28 scholarship cycle is listed as opening December 1. Check the linked portal and current guidelines to identify the correct window for your program; do not treat an old date as a current deadline.

Start by checking the address: the program warns that the City of Miami covers only part of the county, so not every Miami-Dade resident lives within city limits; Little Haiti residency is reviewed by address. Then confirm that the school and field appear on the list, assemble your file, and check whether your award requires FAFSA, transcripts, essays, or other documents. Amounts and renewal rules vary by fund, so compare the complete aid offer with tuition and total cost of attendance before deciding.

Official program information and application