That’s the question that at least one missionary kid (‘MK’) care coordinator is asking of Brigada today. Suppose a TCK/MK has spent his or her entire life overseas. When he/she gets ready to head or college, is there a resource or website or service that helps connect prospective college students with scholarship money? … or must these blessed children, who have already sacrificed so much being away from family and friends, also now sacrifice when attending university back in their homeland? Sadness. If you have insights… or if you have navigated those difficult waters, please click to the web version of this item and give your best advice in the Comments. Thanks in advance if you can help! (And thanks, Penny, for the question!)
Great question. Back in the day, when we were MKs, not TCKs, some schools were quite generous in supporting or aiding MKs. Just as an example, I was able to graduate from college (Ouachita Baptist University, Arkadelphia, AR) with no debt by working on the side and aid from the school (and living frugally). Sometimes the sending agency or a church auxiliary organization might also have some assistance available. Admittedly my experience is a long time ago and things change, but it can’t hurt to ask the school (if it’s a Christian or denominational institution.)
Some other possibilities:
http://ismk.org/adult-mks/college/scholarships.html
http://www.christianmissionaryscholarship.org/
http://www.aaintl.com/scholarships.cfm
of search “scholarships for MKs” or similar.
I homeschooled our three children on the mission field. Our sons had good SAT/ACT scores and both received full scholarships (tuition, room, board, books, and fees) from state universities. they also received Pell Grants which went into their bank account for other expenses.
In high school, we registered our daughter as a homeschooler in our home state. We were open about the fact that we lived overseas and maintained our state residence with driver’s licenses, votor registrations, and by filing state taxes yearly. Based on her SAT scores and GPA, she was awarded a state scholarship that covered tuition with a stipend of $400. She also received other smaller scholarships from the state university and a Pell grant. Her sophomore year, she began to work as a dorm assistant and that gave her a free private room as well as a paycheck.
Many missionaries look at the Christian colleges and see 50% tuition off as their best option. Look at all your options. Check out the schools in the state where you have a driver’s license and are registered to vote. Look at the scholarship requirements.
Our three young adult children have thrived in sate universities. The oldest was in Intervarsity and the other two are on leadership at the Baptist Student Center. They not only have a good group of Christian friend, they are involved in outreach to nonchristian students and in discipling others.
As already noted in the posts above, there are, thankfully, options out there. As someone who married and MK then raised four MK’s I appreciate your having this discussion on Brigada. I currently work at Cincinnati Christian University. At CCU we offer an MK scholarship that covers room and board charges, and may be combined with other scholarships that we offer toward tuition charges (see http://www.ccuniversity.edu/catalog/college-scholarship-grants-awards/). Taking into consideration these scholarships, Pell grants, and other scholarships outside the school that might be available to the student, this should go a long way toward covering the cost of college. Other Christian colleges and universities offer scholarships as well. I strongly recommend researching a variety of schools and finding not just the best scholarship offer, but the best fit for the student. Take the time to do campus visits if at all possible. It might take a discussion with the admissions office to find all the scholarships for which your student qualifies, so don’t be discouraged if your initial web search doesn’t yield all that you need. If you like the quality of the school, and it’s a good fit for your student, take the time to talk with them before you make a decision.
We’re excited about having MKs at CCU–we usually have quite a few MK students on campus each year. They’re good students and a blessing to the campus community.
Are there any scholarships for children serving two years overseas that are not attending a Christian school as they cannot afford. My daughters served in China for two years and is attending a community school in Georgia. Thank you.