scholarships

Future Chefs offers scholarships, employment assistance, and professional coaching to participating youth and their parents.

Scholarships awarded by Future Chefs are made possible through private donations and collaborative partnerships with Bunker Hill Community College, New England Culinary Institute, the American Institute of Wine and Food, Southern New Hampshire University, Les Dames d'Escoffier and the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts.

The scholarships listed below are not awarded through the Future Chefs™ program, but we encourage students and their families to research many avenues of financial support.

Bunker Hill Community College President's High School Scholarship
Eligibility: Graduating senior from each of the high schools participating, nominated by his/her high school headmaster.
Deadline: Nomination Deadline May 30, 2011
Award: In-state tuition and fees up to 12 credits for the fall semester

Christian Herter Memorial Scholarship
Eligibility: Students must be enrolled in a public or private secondary school in Massachusetts. Grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. Exhibit difficult personal circumstances, high financial need, and strong academic promise to continue education beyond the secondary level. Enroll as a full-time undergraduate student in an eligible program as defined by the institution. FAFSA.
Deadline: March 2011
Award: Up to $15,000

City of Boston Scholarship Fund
Eligibility: Must be a legal resident of Boston for at least two years as of January 1; must graduate from high school or have completed the G.E.D.; must be seeking study at a two to four year accredited post-secondary institution within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Deadline: January
Award: Varies

Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund
Eligibility: Must be applying to an accredited two or four year college. Must be a U.S. resident. Additional consideration is given to students with financial need.
Deadline: Varies
Award: $8,000

Edwards Scholarship
Eligibility: Student must be under 25 years of age and have been a City of Boston resident at least since the beginning of junior year in high school; must attend (or be in the process of attending) an accredited institution of higher education in pursuit of an associate or higher degree. Financial need, maintain (at least) a C or 2.0 GPA.
Deadline: March 1, 2009
Award: $250 to $5,000 granted for one year, but may be received up to six times

Elsie Frank Scholarship
Eligibility: Applicants must be high school seniors.
Deadline: Aprill 2011
Award: $5,000 for first place winner

Gates Millenium Scholarship
Eligibility: Are African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian Pacific Islander American or Hispanic American Are a citizen -Have attained a cumulative GPA of 3.3 on a 4.00 scale Will be entering a U.S. accredited college full time as a Freshman in the fall Have demonstrated leadership abilities through participation in community service or extracurricular activities Meet the Federal Pell Grant eligibility criteria.
Deadline: January 12, 2011
Award: Varies

Henry David Thoreau Scholarship
Eligibility: Candidates for the Henry David Thoreau Scholarship must be Massachusetts residents. The candidates must also be enrolled in, then be graduated from, a high school in Massachusetts, and begin college studies in the same year that they apply for a scholarship.
Deadline: February 1, 2011
Award: $30,000, to be distributed $7,500 per year

Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship
Eligibility: Minority high school senior accepted by a two or four-year college or university; U.S. citizen; SAT/ACT scores, leadership potential, financial need.
Deadline: March 15, 2011
Award: Up to $7,500 annually, renewable for four years

John Gyles Education Awards
Eligibility: Applicants must be enrolled full-time at (or accepted to) a college or university program as an undergraduate or graduate student. (High school seniors, and others, may apply pending acceptance.) Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 2.7 on a scale of 4.0 (or similar grade assessment) and must also have citizenship in either the United States or Canada.
Deadline: November, 2012
Award: $3,000

Massachusetts Restaurant Association Scholarship
Eligibility: Minimum GPA of 2.75, Minimum restaurant/foodservice work experience: High school students - 250 hours. Must be accepted as a full-time or substantial part-time student in a restaurant or foodservice related post-secondary program. Letter of recommendation from a current/previous employer in the restaurant or foodservice industry.
Deadline: April 15, 2011
Award: $2,000

A note from Toni Elka, Founder and Executive Director of Future Chefs: January 2009 The current economic downturn is affecting us all, and like you, Future Chefs is determined to come through it intact and ready for better times. In our first year we were fortunate to gain the support of a major, primary funder and assumed that our good work would be enough to ensure the continuation of that support. When the Paul and Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation decided not to renew our funding on Sept 30th, citing the need to hunker down and protect their assets in this uncertain time, we were faced with an urgent and immediate challenge - to match the balance in our bank account through private gifts and grassroots fundraising efforts. Your contribution, large or small, will make all the difference to the young people we serve. In addition to the 56 deserving high school students in our pipeline, there are 30 “Future Chefs” currently enrolled in college and/or working in jobs in our community; your support is not a one way street, all of our alums mentor younger students, or volunteer at our events or with celebrity chefs at other local fundraisers in the community to keep our network vital and committed. We need to raise $250K in 2009. Our immediate goal is $100K by June and so far we’ve successfully raised $27K from individuals in our community. We are encouraged, yet recognize that we’ve got a long way to go. A contribution to Future Chefs will effectively make a difference in the lives of local, low income families whose children need the opportunities we provide. 2009 is sure to be a transformative and promising year for Future Chefs and the world we live in. Thanks for supporting our efforts to make a difference in our small corner of the planet.