SDEF Empower Scholarship Program
Offered by Swami Dayanand Education Foundation
About this scholarship
The SDEF Empower Scholarship Program provides ten Fort Bend County, Texas, students with renewable undergraduate funding. Five awards follow a merit pathway and five follow a means-based pathway. Each scholarship is worth up to $5,000 per academic year and up to $20,000 over four years, with funds paid directly to the college or university. Applicants must be Fort Bend County residents, be high school juniors or seniors, hold at least a 3.0 GPA, and plan to enroll full time in an undergraduate program at an accredited U.S. institution. Online-only programs and part-time study are not eligible. Merit applicants are evaluated on academic performance, leadership, and community service and may apply at any income level. Means-based applicants must have family income below $160,000 and submit the FAFSA Student Aid Report. GED and home-schooled students may apply with acceptable documentation, and students can apply before receiving final admission. The official Jotform requires a high-school transcript, two recommendations, state ID, resume, and parents’ latest federal tax returns; means-based applicants also upload FAFSA documentation. Recipients must maintain a 3.0 GPA, remain full time, provide annual transcripts, and finish within four years. Applications opened February 12 and close September 30, 2026.
Eligibility
- Be a resident of Fort Bend County, Texas
- Be a high school junior or senior, including an eligible GED or home-schooled student
- Maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA
- Plan to enroll full time in an in-person undergraduate program at an accredited United States college or university
- Demonstrate community-service commitment and apply through either the merit or means-based pathway
- For the means-based pathway, have family income below $160,000 and submit a FAFSA Student Aid Report
- Upload the transcript, two recommendations, state ID, resume, tax documents, and any pathway-specific materials
- Submit the complete online application by September 30, 2026