Higher education is expensive. In the United States, the average total cost of a four-year degree is a staggering $122,000. As a result, over 45 million Americans share $1.6 trillion in unpaid student debt, a sum greater than the totality of credit card and auto loan debt, as well as the entire economy of Spain. Over half of students say they can’t afford the cost of their college tuition.

In order to help their employees and their families pay for their education, many businesses offer scholarships to the children and dependents of their employees. Scholarships such as these help thousands of working families pay their children’s education expenses every year.

Here are 10 companies that offer scholarships for their employees’ dependents.

1. Burger King Scholars Program

Established by the Burger King McLamore Foundation, the charitable arm of the Burger King fast food franchise, the Burger King Scholars program offers the children and family members of Burger King employees in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada the opportunity to apply for a scholarship to help fund their college education.

To apply, interested students must complete an online application. Applicants must submit a complete high school transcript, a CV listing work experience, community service, and school and extracurricular activities, and Burger King employee information for their parent or guardian.

Award: $1,000

Eligibility:

• Must be a citizen of the United States or Canada
• Must be a high school senior in the United States, Canada or Puerto Rico
• Must be applying as a full-time freshman to a four-year accredited college or university located in the United States or Canada and exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) under the Internal Revenue Code
• Must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale
• Must have a minimum ACT composite score of 25 or a minimum combined SAT score of 1220
• Must demonstrate an active leadership role in community service, athletics, and/or similar co-curricular activities, such as student government, team sports, fraternal life, etc.

2. ConocoPhillips Dependent Scholarship Program

Multinational energy corporation ConocoPhillips offers a scholarship for the dependent children of ConocoPhillips Employees and Retirees. These scholarships are worth $4,000 per year for up to four years for a total of $16,000. Up to 60 scholarships are awarded per year, and winners are selected based on their academic performance, financial need, and community service. 

To apply, students must complete the online application by the application deadline. Applicants are required to provide a complete high school transcript and financial information (including a copy of the U.S. federal tax Form 1040 or Canada Revenue Agency TI personal tax return). 

Award: $16,000 ($4,000 per year for up to four years)

Eligibility:

• Must be a dependent child of a full-time employee, employed with ConocoPhillips as of May 1 of the year in which the awards are made, or a dependent child of a former employee who retired from ConocoPhillips, having met retiree eligibility requirements under their applicable retirement plan, who are not actively employed full-time elsewhere, including self-employment, and are not eligible to participate in another company’s dependent scholarship program offered to employees or retirees
• Must be a high school senior
• Must plan to enroll in full-time undergraduate study at an accredited two- or four-year college or university for the entire academic year following the application period

3. CVS Health Foundation Scholarship Program

The CVS Health Foundation, a nonprofit philanthropy foundation created by the CVS pharmacy chain and healthcare company, offers a scholarship to the children of full-time employees who attend a two- or four-year college.

To apply, interested students must complete an online application. Applicants will need to submit a high school transcript and a college transcript (if applicable), SAT and/or ACT scores, a recommendation letter from a teacher or guidance counselor, a Student Aid Report from FAFSA, and a financial aid award letter from college (if applicable). As part of the application, students will also be required to submit an essay.

Award: Undisclosed

Eligibility:

• Must be a dependent child of a full-time CVS Health colleague
• Must be a high school senior or current undergraduate student who will be enrolled in a two- or four-year accredited college, junior college, or university during the upcoming academic year
• Student’s parent must be a full-time CVS Health colleague at the application deadline

4. Fred & Lena Meijer Scholarship

The Fred & Lena Meijer Scholarship is a scholarship available to the children of employees of the Meijer supermarket chain. Awards vary from $4,000 to $10,000 and may be applied to full-time undergraduate study at colleges, universities, or training schools within the United States.

To apply, interested students must submit an online application to the Grand Rapid Community Foundation by the application deadline. Applicants will need to list educational information (including GPA, SAT/ACT score, a high school transcript, and emancipated profession or career), their work history (if applicable), a CV listing extracurricular activities and accomplishments, verification of their parent’s employment, and financial information. Applicants will also need to submit a personal essay of 500 words or less.

Award: Varies ($4,000 to $10,000)

Eligibility:

• Must be a dependent child (natural, legally adopted, or step-child) of a current full-time or part-time Meijer team member with an employment date starting on or before the application deadline OR a dependent child of a former Meijer team member who worked full-time or part-time for Meijer for at least one year, but whose employment was terminated due to death, retirement, or total and permanent disability
• Must be enrolled, or scheduled to enroll in an undergraduate program at a U.S. college, university, or technical school for the coming academic year
• Must be a full-time student

5. Home Depot Orange Scholars Program

The Home Depot Orange Scholars Program is a scholarship fund that provides financial aid for students whose parents are hourly employees at The Home Depot hardware chain. Since the scholarship was first awarded in 2006, over 13,000 students have received scholarships totaling more than $32 million. 

To apply, students must submit an online application through the Home Depot Orange Scholars application portal. Applicants will be required to provide an official high school transcript and college transcript (if applicable), as well as financial information.

Award: $2,500 in the United States and Canada, $1,000 in Mexico

Eligibility:

• Must be a dependent of a full- or part-time hourly associate of The Home Depot and its subsidiaries, The Home Depot Canada or The Home Depot Mexico, at the time of application
• Must be a current high school senior or a current college freshman, sophomore, or junior planning to enroll as a full-time undergraduate student in the upcoming academic year
• Must attend an accredited, non-profit two- or four-year college or university in the United States, Canada, or Mexico
• Applicant’s parent/legal guardian must be a Home Depot associate for at least one year as of November 1, 2019 and must be a Home Depot associate at the time the scholarship is awarded

6. Intel Andy Grove Scholarship for Employees’ Children

Multinational computer technology company Intel offers nearly 400 scholarships each year to the children of Intel employees. Scholarships are available to students in 28 different countries who are pursuing two- or four-year degrees at an institution of higher education. Awards are worth $4,000 each and can be used to fund tuition, books, and fees.

To apply, interested students must complete an online application. Applicants are required to submit supporting documents in English, including a list of work experience and involvement in school and extracurricular activities and a complete transcript of grades. Applicants must also provide employment information for their parent or guardian, including WWID #, work location, and email address, as well as their parent’s or guardian’s financial information.

Award: $4,000

Eligibility:

• All applicants must be enrolled in at least 9 credits per term
• U.S. applicants must be children or permanent legal dependents, age 24 and under, of eligible full-time or part-time Intel employees
• U.S. applicants must be high school seniors or high school graduates who plan to enroll or students who are already enrolled in undergraduate studies at an accredited two- or four-year college, university or vocational-technical school for the upcoming academic year
• International applicants must be children or permanent legal dependents, age 26 and under, of eligible full-time or part-time Intel employees from the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Egypt, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, the Philippines, Poland, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, the UK, or Vietnam
• International applicants must be in their final year of upper secondary school or secondary school graduates who plan to enroll or students who are already enrolled full-time in accredited or bona fide college, university, polytechnic, vocational, or trade school studies for the upcoming academic year
• International applicants must be eligible to receive funding through the Office of Foreign Assets Control
• In order for a parent or guardian Intel employee to be defined as eligible, they must be an intel active blue-badge general full-time (GFT) or part-time employee (PTE) who is directly paid by Intel at the time of the award announcement; an Intel retired blue-badge GFT or PTE who met Intel’s retirement eligible criteria and has retired directly from Intel; or an Intel blue-badge GFT or PTE paid directly by Intel, who died in active service for Intel or after retiring directly from Intel.

7. PepsiCo ExCEL Awards

Food and beverage corporation PepsiCo offers a scholarship for the dependent children of PepsiCo employees. Awards vary and may total up to $5,000 per year, and may be used to fund study at colleges, universities, and vocational-technical schools in any country around the world. 

To apply, students must complete the online application by the application deadline. Applicants will have to submit family financial information and PepsiCo employment information for their parent sponsor. Applicants also must provide a transcript for high school and college (if applicable). U.S. students must also provide English translations for all non-English language documents.

Award: Varies (maximum $5,000)

Eligibility:

• Must be a dependent child, age 24 and under, of a regular, full-time or part-time hourly or salaried employee of PepsiCo Inc. Eligible employees must be actively employed in good standing, or on an approved leave of absence during the verification process
• Must be a high school senior or current college undergraduate who will be enrolled in full-time study at an accredited college, university, or vocational-technical school in the coming academic year

8. Siemens Foundation Merit Scholarship

The Siemens Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the industrial manufacturing and energy conglomerate Siemens, offers college scholarships for high school students who are children of active, full-time Siemens employees. The program is administered by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) and applicants must take the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) in order to qualify for the program. Winners receive awards totaling $4,000 and are selected based on their academic achievement, PSAT/NMSQT scores, school recommendations, contributions to their school and community, and a statement of goals and interests.

To apply, students must first submit a Siemens Scholarship Program Entry Form by the deadline. They must also take the PSAT/NMSQT on their school’s scheduled test date. After PSAT/NMSQT scores are processed and indexed, entrants with qualifying scores will be contacted by the NMSC and receive further information about the application process. Qualifying applicants will be required to submit their academic transcript, written recommendations, and an application essay.

Award: $4,000 ($1,000 per year for up to four years)

Eligibility:

• Must be a high school student
• Must take the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) 
• Parent must be a full-time active employee of one of the following Siemens companies: Digital Industries, Dresser Rand, Financial Services, Gas and Power, Global Business Services, Healthineers, Mobility, Siemens Corporate Technology, Siemens Corporation, Siemens Energy, Siemens Government Technologies, Siemens Postal Parcel and Airport Logistics, Siemens Real Estate, Smart Infrastructure, Portfolio Companies, Large Drives Applications, Mentor Graphics, Subsea, Electric Commercial Vehicles (EVC), or Postal, Parcel, and Airport Logistics

9. Thermo Fisher Scientific Children of Employees Scholarship

Thermo Fisher Scientific, a manufacturer and provisioner of scientific instruments and products, offers a merit scholarship for the children of full-time employees. The program offers winners a renewable scholarship for up to four years of undergraduate study at an accredited institution in the United States or the UK.

To apply, interested students must complete an online application. Students will be awarded based on academic achievement, extracurricular activities, community service, and demonstrated leadership skills. Applicants must also submit a statement of goals and aspirations. Application requirements vary for U.S. and UK applicants.

Award: Varies (up to $5,000 per academic year in the United States; up to $3,000 in the UK)

Eligibility:

• Must be a dependent child of a full-time employee of Thermo Fisher
• Must be pursuing or planning to pursue a bachelor’s degree or equivalent at an accredited undergraduate college or university in the United States or the UK
• Must be scheduled to enroll, or already enrolled, full-time in the college or university for the upcoming academic year.
• Student’s parent must be an active, full-time employee of Thermo Fisher as of the date of the scholarship award
• Student’s parent must have been employed full-time by Thermo Fisher for six consecutive months prior to the application deadline
• Children of employees in career band 13 are not eligible for scholarships

10. Wells Fargo Team Members Dependent Children Scholarship Program

Wells Fargo offers a scholarship open to the dependent children of Wells Fargo team members. Awards range from $1,000 to $3,000 and are awarded based on academic record, leadership, community involvement, extracurricular activities, financial need, and unusual personal or family circumstances. Students may renew their scholarship for up to six years.

To apply, interested students must complete an online application. Applicants are required to provide a complete transcript of grades, a CV listing their community service and extracurricular activities, and financial information. Students will also be required to submit a short written statement.

Award: Varies ($1,000 to $3,000)

Eligibility:

• Must be a dependent child of a regular or part-time Team Member (or their domestic partner) of Wells Fargo or its affiliates, working in the United States
• Must be 26 years of age or younger
• Must be a high school senior, undergraduate, or graduate student who is planning to enroll, or already enrolled, at an accredited two- or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical school for the full upcoming academic year
• Student’s parent must have been employed by Wells Fargo for at least one year as of the application deadline

For more scholarships, check TUN’s scholarship engine.