Scholarships

To fund your way into public service, you shouldn't have to face a mountain of debt before you even pull on your first pair of boots. This scholarship directory is your financial roadmap to the essential EMS and fire training grants available across the country, giving you the "jobtown" resources you need to pay for school and training with confidence. By breaking down exactly who qualifies and how much money is on the table, this page takes the guesswork out of the application process so you can focus on what matters—launching your career as a first responder.

Scholarship Websites

Bold.org

Scholarship360.org

Scholarships.com

Scholarship Name	Target Audience	Award Amount	Key Details
VFIS EMS and Fire Training Grant	Emergency service organizations and individual members	Varies	Sponsored by VFIS insurance to promote advanced risk management, emergency vehicle operations, and leadership safety.
Stryker EMS Innovation Award	Paramedic students demonstrating excellence in clinical technology	$2,000	Focuses on advanced patient handling, powered cot safety, and tech-driven field resuscitation protocols.
Natalie Joy Poremski Scholarship	Students pursuing emergency medical or nursing fields	Varies	Private memorial award targeting healthcare providers entering high-stress crisis settings.
NAEMT Foundation Initial EMT Scholarship	Individuals pursuing initial EMT-Basic certification	Up to $1,000	Covers tuition, books, and lab fees for entry-level EMS training cycles.
NAEMT Paramedic Transition Scholarship	Active EMTs advancing to Paramedic level	Up to $5,000	Designed to bridge the gap for practicing basics pursuing advanced life support certifications.
NAEMT Advanced EMS Degree Scholarship	Paramedics pursuing a Bachelor's or Master's degree	Up to $4,000	Funds higher education in EMS management, public health, or emergency administration.
Bound Tree Medical Legacy Scholarship	Children of active EMS professionals or firefighters	Varies ($1,000 - $2,500)	Prioritizes direct descendants of first responders entering the medical field.
Edward C. Kaufman Scholarship	Students explicitly enrolled in Paramedic tracks	Varies	Targeted academic award covering clinical manual costs and classroom fees.
Timothy L. Correll Foundation Memorial Scholarship	EMS and emergency medical service trainees	Varies	Dedicated to supporting regional healthcare rescue teams and volunteer training programs.
Platinum Educational Group EMS Scholarship	Students enrolled in accredited EMT/Paramedic programs	$1,000	Awarded annually based on essay responses and academic recommendation letters.

EMS Scholarships

Scholarship Name	Target Audience	Award Amount	Key Details
Women in Fire Training Scholarship	Female fire service applicants and active personnel	Up to $5,000	Provides financial backing for hands-on tactical academies, leadership symposiums, and text resources.
Black Chief Officers Association Scholarship	Minority fire fighters pursuing company officer or chief tracks	Varies	Promotes diversity in executive emergency leadership, public safety administration, and budgeting positions.
Carl Holmes Executive Development Institute (EDI) Stipend	African American fire officers climbing to executive ranks	Registration Value	Covers the program tuition for advanced, rigorous fire command and municipal leadership modules.
International Association of Wildland Fire Diversity Award	Underrepresented students entering wildland forestry management	$2,000	Encourages diverse research and field participation in global wildland mitigation and brush fire modeling.
Globe Manufacturing Firefighter Combat Challenge Scholarship	Active fire service personnel competing in physical rescue training	Varies	Encourages physical fitness and structural tactical excellence by backing advanced fitness training programs.
Lion First Responder PPE Scholarship	Outstanding fire academy recruits in financial need	Bunker Gear Value	Provides a full, custom set of advanced structural turnout gear directly to select academy graduates.
Pierce Manufacturing Placement Award	Students enrolled in heavy mechanical or fire apparatus maintenance tracks	$2,500	Supports technicians learning the maintenance, hydraulic architecture, and engineering of fire apparatus.
NFPA Arthur E. Cote Scholarship	Undergraduate fire protection engineering majors	Varies	Promotes excellence in structural design, blueprint review, and chemical hazard defenses.
NFPA David B. Gratz Scholarship	International or domestic fire safety students demonstrating leadership	Varies	Focuses on global safety optimization, uniform fire code deployment, and research.
NFPA John L. Jablonsky Scholarship	Graduate students in fire protection engineering	Varies	Prioritizes development of automated safety networks and fire prevention codes.
NFPA George D. Miller Scholarship	Students dedicated to community public safety education	Varies	Funds campaigns regarding residential prevention, smoke alarms, and escape routing.
SFPE Local Chapter Regional Grants	Engineering students backed by regional SFPE chapters	Varies	Localized chapter support to bolster student participation in national design symposiums.
NCNSFPE Brady-Williamson Scholarship	Fire protection and engineering technology students	Varies	Focuses on building material flame resistance ratings and industrial engineering tracks.
Durastak Traits of Tomorrow Scholarship	Physical science, architecture, or fire protection majors	Varies	Evaluates innovative ideas surrounding chimney, venting, and structural exhaustion physics.
Kim A. Borsavage and Pamela J. Stone Student Award	Outstanding senior-level fire engineering students at UMD	Varies	Recognizes exceptional performance in structural threat modeling and life safety design.
IAFC Motorola Future Leaders Scholarship	Current company officers or aspiring fire service leaders	Varies ($2,500 - $5,000)	Focuses on professional development, executive leadership, and modern command tactics.
IAFC Garry L. Briese Scholarship Award	Active lieutenants, captains, or apparatus operators	Varies	Aimed at mid-level officers pursuing advanced incident command and management degrees.
IAFC Heather Westphal Memorial Scholarship	Female first responders and fire service applicants	Varies	Dedicated to increasing diversity and supporting female leadership across North American departments.
National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) CSU Scholarship	Active volunteer fire/EMS personnel who are NVFC members	Full Tuition	Covers complete tuition for an online degree program in Fire Science or Emergency Management at CSU.
NVFC Junior Firefighter Program Pathway	Graduates of recognized junior firefighter or explorer programs	Varies	Provides early-career academic support for young adults transitioning to active service.
IAFF W. H. “Howie” McClennan Scholarship	Children of union fire fighters killed in the line of duty	Varies	Provides substantial multi-year higher education funding for surviving dependents.
IAFF Harvard Trade Union Program Scholarship	Active IAFF local union officers and leaders	Full Program Cost	Executive-level leadership, labor relations, and political advocacy training program at Harvard.
IAFF Labour College of Canada Scholarship	Canadian IAFF union members and local officers	Full Program Cost	Advanced labor leadership and collective bargaining strategies certificate program.
National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) Sarbanes Scholarship	Spouses, partners, and children of line-of-duty fallen responders	Varies	Comprehensive academic assistance honoring the legacy of fallen public safety personnel.
FAMA Phillip L. Turner Scholarship	Sophomore, junior, or senior fire science/engineering students	$5,000	Sponsored by the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers' Association for equipment design innovation.
International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) Academic Award	Personnel specializing in fire investigation or forensic science	Varies	Supports technical mastery in tracking origin and cause verification workflows.
IAWF Graduate Wildland Fire Scholarship (Award A)	Master's students conducting wildland fire research	$3,000	Supports academic data models targeting forestry fires and wildland mitigation strategies.
IAWF Graduate Wildland Fire Scholarship (Award B)	Ph.D. students conducting advanced wildland fire research	$3,000	Supports dissertation research targeting global climate trends and large-scale brush dynamics.
FSSA Educational Foundation Scholarship	Students focusing on fire suppression engineering or technology	Varies	Sponsored by the Fire Suppression Systems Association for industrial application tracks.
AFSA Bill Phair Design School Scholarship	Students pursuing automated water sprinkler design pathways	Varies	Promotes active system modeling, life safety code logic, and layout design skills.

Fire Scholarships

Scholarship Name	Target Audience	Award Amount	Key Details
John Jay College of Criminal Justice Fire Science Endowment	Undergraduate students enrolled in Fire Science or Emergency Management	Varies	Institutional merit awards supporting urban risk mapping, structural resilience, and fire code research.
National Association of Hispanic Firefighters Academic Grant	Hispanic students pursuing degrees in Fire Science or EMS	$1,500	Aims to increase language capabilities and diverse representation across municipal urban fire departments.
First Responders Children's Foundation (FRCF) General Scholarship	Children of active, retired, or fallen first responders	Up to $5,000	National multi-year award tracking financial need, leadership, and community standing.
ESA Youth Scholarship Program	High school seniors who are children of active fire/police personnel	Up to $8,500	Sponsored by the Electronic Security Association to reward civic excellence and academic merit.
Officer Collin Rose Memorial Foundation Scholarship	Students pursuing civic-focused or public safety training	Varies	Memorial fund honoring fallen service members by building next-generation capabilities.
Public Safety Officers' Educational Assistance (PSOEA)	Spouses or children of federal/local responders killed in line of duty	Varies (Federal standard)	Managed via the DOJ BJA to offset all educational milestones up to age 27.
Sharon Oshatz Memorial Scholarship	Future EMS and fire service personnel	Varies	Needs-based memorial fund hosted via the Bold network for training program tuition.
Fire and EMS Academy Scholarship	Low-income or underrepresented public safety students	Varies	Aims to decrease financial barriers for urban or low-income recruits entering academies.

Fire / EMS Scholarships

Scholarship Name	Target Audience	Award Amount	Key Details
Texas Texas EMS Conference Scholarship	Texas-based EMTs advancing to Paramedic training	$1,000	Funds tuition and registration packages for local training centers and the annual state EMS conference.
Pennsylvania standard EMS Training Waiver Fund	Active PA volunteers seeking basic EMT or AEMT certification	Full Certification Cost	State-administered reimbursement pool ensuring zero-cost training access for rural volunteer ambulance squads.
Ohio First Responder Recruitment Incentive	Ohio residents entering high-demand public safety academies	Up to $2,000	State workforce development grants applied directly to technical college paramedic and fire academy fees.
California Firefighter Joint Apprenticeship Committee (Cal-JAC) Support	Apprentices enrolled in participating California fire departments	Varies	Offsets classroom costs, physical agility test prep, and supplemental field manipulative skills books.
Minnesota EMS Regulatory Board Training Grant	Volunteer ambulance personnel in rural Minnesota sectors	Full Course Cost	Provides full course expense coverage directly to regional community colleges to combat local paramedic shortages.
Nate DeMarse Memorial Scholarship	Firefighter recruits attending recognized regional academies	$1,500	Honors the legacy of firefighter Nate DeMarse by funding fundamental bunker gear and academy tuition.
Siskiyou Community Foundation Wildland Fund	Students training for wildland handcrew and engine roles	Varies	Specifically supports seasonal wildland crews in the Pacific Northwest with equipment and textbook stipends.
Connecticut Fire Academy Student Stipend	Connecticut residents enrolled in the Recruit Firefighter Program	$1,000	Provides direct financial relief for academy fees, student materials, and structural uniforms.
Oklahoma City Community Foundation Firefighter Fund	Active volunteer responders in Oklahoma counties	Varies	Supports local workforce development by paying for technical structural or rescue certifications.
Community Foundation for Loudoun Rescue Grant	Loudoun County volunteer fire and EMS personnel	$2,500	Aims to boost regional recruitment and retention by financing advanced tactical rescue certifications.
Eastern Kentucky University Richard Washburn Scholarship	EKU Fire Science majors with field work proficiency	Varies	Recognizes students proving exemplary dedication in tactical training simulations.
Fire Family Foundation Scholarship	Children of active or fallen firefighters in California	$5,000	Highly selective award prioritizing community-minded young adults from responder lineages.
Meritus Legacy of Service Scholar Award	Children of first responders attending Arizona universities	$40,000 ($10k/yr)	Premier tier funding covering significant long-term academic degree costs.
Meritus Legacy of Service Skilled Pathway Award	Children of Arizona first responders entering vocational paths	$5,000	Tailored to back rapid certifications including EMT-B, paramedic school, or technical certificates.
Tennessee Dependent Children Scholarship Program	Children of Tennessee law enforcement or fire fighters killed/disabled	Up to $13,260	State administrative grant covering full baseline technical or undergraduate tuition.
UChicago Police and Fire Scholarship	Children of active Chicago police officers or firefighters	Full Tuition (4 Years)	Prestigious institutional award recognizing service families accepted into the University of Chicago.
Texarkana College Criminal Justice & First Responder Dependent Award	Dependents of localized regional first responders	Varies	Institutional fee waiver reducing textbook fees and lab costs for local agency families.
Chicago Police and Firefighter Training Academy Scholarship	Graduates of the CPFTA high school pipeline program	Varies	Provides immediate scholarship tracks into local city colleges for public safety degrees.
George and Donna Nigh Public Service Scholarship	Oklahoma residents pursuing public service or safety careers	$1,000	State-backed grant tracking student potential within municipal leadership and response fields.
NYS Memorial Scholarship	Dependents of deceased NY State public safety personnel	Up to Full State Tuition	Covers SUNY/CUNY equivalent undergraduate costs for children or spouses of fallen members.
FASNY Gerard J. Buckenmeyer Scholarship	High school seniors who are volunteer firefighters in NY State	$1,500	Rewards high school community involvement combined with volunteer department operations.
Association of Fire Districts of NY Ned Carter Scholarship (1)	Seniors pursuing fire service fields from an AFDNYS district	$1,500	Evaluates academic record, community service, and personal firefighter aspirations.
Association of Fire Districts of NY Ned Carter Scholarship (2)	Secondary eligible applicant from an AFDNYS district	$1,500	Tiered award helping offset baseline community college fire academy costs.
Association of Fire Districts of NY Ned Carter Scholarship (3)	Third competitive applicant within NY State fire districts	$1,500	Assists with baseline expenses including uniform purchases and field training text sets.
Association of Fire Districts of NY Ned Carter Scholarship (4)	Fourth regional volunteer incentive award winner	$1,500	Aimed at reinforcing retention among younger active volunteer staff in small communities.
Charles W. Riley Firefighter & EMS Scholarship (Maryland)	Active MD volunteer/career fire fighters or EMS clinicians	Full Tuition Coverage	Reimburses tuition for fire science or emergency medical technology at MD institutions.
MSFA Delmarva Power Scholarship Award	Maryland State Firemen's Association active members	$4,500	Sponsored award targeting grid safety, electrical line management, and safety protocols.
MSFA Floyd B. Heimer Memorial Scholarship	Active MD volunteer emergency service personnel	Varies	Provides regional training grants to update critical personal certifications and field competencies.
MSFA Dr. John Bryan Scholarship Award	MD students pursuing degrees in fire prevention or safety instruction	Varies	Honors educational advocacy, public reporting safety development, and technical code tracks.
Missouri Public Safety Officer Child Survivor Grant	Children of fallen or permanently disabled MO public safety officers	Full Tuition	Covers tuition at participating Missouri public postsecondary institutions.
New Mexico Fire Fighters and Peace Officers Survivors Benefit	Spouses or children of fallen NM fire fighters	Full Ride	Provides complete tuition, room, and board waivers at any state-funded college.
North Carolina State Firefighters' Association (NCSFA) Scholarship	Active members of NCSFA and their immediate dependents	$2,000 - $4,000	Supports both technical community college certifications and traditional four-year degrees.
Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company F. Michael Sacca Scholarship	Active members or family of the OCVFC network	Varies	Localized coastal scholarship designed to support career development for area responders.
GRCF Harry J. Morris, Jr. Emergency Services Scholarship	Grand Rapids region first responder candidates	Varies	Community foundation grant supporting foundational fire and paramedic credentials.
Florida Firefighter EMS Scholarship	Florida-based fire/EMS academy students	Varies	Donor-backed regional fund covering textbook and gear packages for local trainees.

Location Specific Scholarships

Scholarship Name	Target Audience	Award Amount	Key Details
Anna Maria College Emergency Management Grant	Online or on-campus fire science and paramedic degree seekers	Up to $3,000	Departmental financial aid tracking leadership potential in regional public health and command settings.
Columbia Southern University Hero Grant	Active first responders, spouses, and dependents	Partial Tuition Cover	Provides recurring tuition discounts and text fee waivers across all emergency administration degrees.
Waldorf University Public Safety Scholarship	Active personnel or family seeking an Occupational Safety degree	Varies	Supports advanced studies in industrial fire prevention, OSHA standards, and hazard compliance mapping.
University of New Haven Fire Science Memorial Fund	UNH students focusing on arson investigation or fire protection	Varies	Honors programmatic alumni by reducing laboratory, chemistry, and field-investigation analysis fees.
Eastern Kentucky University Arthur Glatfelter Scholarship	EKU students focused on safety management and insurance loss control	Varies	Combines risk mitigation analytics with core structural fire science tracks.
Lake Superior State University Steve Bell Memorial Scholarship	Fire Science sophomores showing practical leadership traits	Varies	Endowed fund providing direct programmatic fee reliefs for operational equipment.
Portland Community College Frank McVitty, Jr. Scholarship	PCC students who have completed at least 18 fire science credits	Varies	Designed for mid-track students finalizing their practical fire certifications.
Portland Community College Albert E. Jones Memorial Award	PCC students focusing on Pacific Northwest emergency protocols	Varies	Supports regional fire defense tactics and public education models.
Portland Community College W.H. Cravens Fire Science Scholarship	PCC students beginning their entry-tier safety training tracks	Varies	Assists incoming freshmen in acquiring specialized personal safety structural gear packs.
Colorado State University Edwin W. Mogren Annual Scholarship	CSU students specializing in forestry and wildland fire paths	Varies	Supports field tracking, tree structure fire mapping, and seasonal fuel payload analytics.
Virginia Tech Forestry & Wildland Protection Scholarship Fund	VT students focusing on natural resource fire tracking	Varies ($1,000 - $5,000)	Finances precision mapping, brush safety engineering, and wilderness rescue tracks.
Michigan State University Fire/Forestry Major Institutional Grants	MSU students enrolled in advanced forestry fire dynamics	Up to $5,000 per student	Substantial general endowment program reducing overall laboratory and field excursion fees.
Seneca College Fire Protection Programs Bursaries	Seneca students enrolled in technical fire engineering courses	Varies	Provides rapid assistance bursaries for students confronting emergency housing or gear expenses.
Greater Milwaukee Foundation New Berlin VFD Award	Fire/EMS track students at Waukesha County Technical College	Varies	Regional endowment optimizing pipeline development for regional department vacancies.
Golden Valley Crime Prevention Fund Scholarship	Hennepin Technical College fire protection students	Varies	Localized Minnesota funding supporting certification and safety engineering paths.
UMD Fire Protection Engineering Scholarship Fund	University of Maryland Fire Protection Engineering students	Varies	Institutional scholarship pool supporting one of the premier FPE programs in the US.
Oklahoma State University Fire Protection Technology Endowment	OSU students enrolled in Fire Protection & Safety Engineering Tech	Varies	Departmental aid evaluating academic excellence and hands-on lab proficiency.

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