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Extra Entries Based on Family Income

Students whose families earn less than $60,000 a year have more chances to earn scholarships.

BigFuture Scholarships are open to all students but half of all awards are reserved for students who qualify as lower-income. Any student can either automatically qualify or self-identify that they qualify as lower income, if any of these apply:

Received or used a fee waiver from College Board for one of our assessments
Attends a high school where 75% or more of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch
Annual family income is less than $60,000

If you do not automatically qualify as low-income but your family earns $60,000 or less annually, please self-identify by completing the following steps:

Login to your BigFuture Dashboard
If you are currently eligible for BigFuture Scholarships, you will see a module at the top with your current entries and a link that reads: Earn Double Entries
Click that link and complete the brief form

FAQ

Does my family income affect my chances?

Each time a student completes a step, they automatically earn one entry into the monthly scholarship drawing for a $40,000 and $500 scholarship. Students who qualify as lower income earn two entries to each monthly scholarship drawing when they complete a step. Students may opt out of the drawings at bigfuturescholarships.org/opt-out.

How do I automatically qualify for extra entries?

A student automatically qualifies for extra entries when they complete a step to qualify for drawings for BigFuture Scholarships, if they:

Have received a fee waiver from College Board for one of our assessments
Attend a high school where 75% or more of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

When a student automatically qualifies for extra entries, there are no further action required for the students.

How do I self-identify that I qualify for extra entries?

If a student does not automatically qualify for extra entries, they may self-identify that they qualify for extra entries. If the student's annual family income is less than $60,000 or if they qualify for a fee waiver, they should self-identify through this form here. When a student who self-identifies as lower income is selected for a scholarship, they may be asked to verify income using a secure document system.

Who's eligible for fee waivers?

Students can talk to their school counselor about receiving a fee waiver from College Board, if any of these statements apply to them:

You're enrolled in or eligible to participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).
Your annual family income falls within the Income Eligibility Guidelines set by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service.
You're enrolled in a federal, state, or local program that aids students from low-income families (e.g., Federal TRIO programs such as Upward Bound).
Your family receives public assistance.
You live in federally subsidized public housing or a foster home, or are homeless.
You're a ward of the state or an orphan.