Foundation for Orange County Public Schools Scholarships
The foundation distributes donor awards with varied criteria: some are limited by high school, district, program, career and technical education, service, need, or major. The 2026–27 listing includes examples of $1,000, $1,500, $2,000, $2,500, and $3,500 awards, but there is no universal amount or single residency rule for the full catalog.
About Foundation for Orange County Public Schools Scholarships
The Foundation for Orange County Public Schools (Foundation for OCPS) directs donations from families, businesses, and the community toward scholarships for students connected to the county’s public-school system. Its catalog is not one scholarship: it combines funds for different goals and recipients, from career and technical education and volunteer service to particular schools, activities, and financial circumstances. Each listing sets its own applicant group and materials.
The 2026–27 period for most opportunities opens November 16, 2026, and closes February 28, 2027. The portal lays out four steps: create an account, read each fund’s criteria, complete the application, and submit it. Many awards require a written or video essay; the foundation warns that essays generated with ChatGPT or other AI software will be disqualified. Check any video’s length and format requirements as well.
The varied criteria make searching worthwhile. The current list includes, among others, a $2,500 award for Black students pursuing vocational, two-year, or four-year study; a $1,500 fund for Edgewater High graduates; a $1,000 volunteer-service award; CTE awards for students at specified schools; and scholarships for debate, leadership, STEM, service, or financial need. These examples do not create one general amount available to every graduate.
Some opportunities are limited to seniors from particular schools while others cover OCPS students with different postsecondary plans. For example, one district award asks for a 3.7 unweighted GPA and admission to an out-of-state public college; another is open to district students with a 3.0 GPA and an interest in STEM or service. Check the exact location, grade, school, GPA, major, and college destination before writing an essay.
The foundation lists focpsscholarships@ocps.org and 407-317-3261; its office is at 445 West Amelia Street, Suite 901, Orlando, Florida 32801. Because criteria and amounts differ by fund, keep a checklist of each document and deadline and ask for clarification if a rule is unclear. Do not send one generic essay for every award: the organization asks students to explain their fit with that fund’s purpose.
Who it serves and what it can cover: The foundation distributes donor awards with varied criteria: some are limited by high school, district, program, career and technical education, service, need, or major. The 2026–27 listing includes examples of $1,000, $1,500, $2,000, $2,500, and $3,500 awards, but there is no universal amount or single residency rule for the full catalog.
How to apply or get help: The 2026–27 cycle for most scholarships opens November 16, 2026, and closes February 28, 2027. Questions: focpsscholarships@ocps.org; 407-317-3261. For case-specific questions, contact the program or financial-aid office named on its official page.
Community scholarship portfolio for eligible Orange County Public Schools students in Orlando, Florida