The mission of our Foundation is to provide financial support, mentorship, and resources to empower displaced youth in pursuing their academic goals and faclitate better access to quality undergraduate or professional education for them.

Each year, the Alexander Berdus Foundation for Education of Displaced Children (AB-FEDC) selects several students to receive a scholarship up to $5,000.00 to go towards tuition, books, and other educational expenses related to:

(i) pursuing an undergraduate degree at an accredited U.S. post-secondary educational institution, or 
(ii) taking a course of study leading to a certificate or helping to achieve a practical skill or prepare for standardized testing at an accredited U.S. educational program, vocational school, or online learning program. 

The award will be paid directly to a qualified U.S. educational institution or program.

While there is no GPA requirement, applicants’ academic standing and effort will be taken into account, as well as their financial need, community involvement, and other achievements, which can factor into the award decision by the Scholarship Committee. The applicants are expected to articulate the impact on their lives and educational journey from leaving the safety and comfort of their homes and experiencing forced relocation to a new environment.

Scholarship Eligibility Criteria:

For the 2025 AB-FEDC Scholarship program, applicants must:

• qualify as a displaced child (i.e., a person who at the age of 18 or younger was forced to leave a habitual place of residence in the United States or abroad and whose education process was disrupted due to displacement caused by unsafe home environments, domestic or social violence; war, armed conflicts, or political instability; natural disasters and environmental crises; persecution and human rights violations based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, social group, or other applicable criteria; or other humanitarian emergencies that led to forced migration);

• be currently enrolled high school students, high school graduates, or college students attending or planning to attend an accredited education institution or program in one of the 50 U.S. states or the District of Columbia;

• belong to one of the following qualifying applicant categories:
  (1) currently enrolled pursuing an undergraduate degree at an accredited U.S. post-secondary educational institution;
  (2) currently enrolled high school students or graduates planning to pursue an undergraduate degree at an accredited U.S. post-secondary educational institution and having or expecting to receive a high school diploma during the current academic year (2025-2026), or 
  (3) planning to take a course of study leading to a certificate or helping to achieve a practical skill or prepare for standardized testing at an accredited U.S. educational program, vocational school, or online learning program;

• be under the age of 21 (or older, under exceptional circumstances when older applicants need to complete their undergraduate studies); AND

• lawfully reside in the United States as U.S. Citizens, U.S. Nationals, U.S. Permanent Residents, Refugees, Asylees, Humanitarian Parolees, Temporary Protected Status Holders, or other “eligible noncitizens” (as such term is defined in the guidelines utilized by the U.S. Federal Government for Federal Financial Aid eligibility https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/eligibility/requirements).

Application Process and Deadline:

Applicants should submit their application and supporting documents no later than  December 1, 2025 (11:59 PM EST).

To apply, please complete the Scholarship application form below and upload the following supporting documents:

• Your latest available unofficial school transcript (or a high school diploma, if applicable);
• Up to two recommendation letters from a teacher, community leader, social worker, employer, school counselor, or any other mentor; and
• An up to two-page essay (double-space, standard 12-point font, up to 500 words) on how your forced relocation experience has altered your life, what your educational goals are, and how this scholarship can empower you to fulfill these goals and your other personal aspirations.

Please use this form to contact us with any additional questions you may have.