HistoryMakers Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by Ancestry

Ancestry is dedicated to fostering education and nurturing the future generation of history creators. We are thrilled to announce our sponsorship of the 2025 HistoryMakers Scholarship Fund. This initiative is aimed at supporting undergraduate and graduate students who will be studying full-time from the Fall 2025 semester through the Spring 2026 semester at universities involved in the HistoryMakers Tour.

By investing in the future leaders, we are actively contributing to the development of young individuals, enabling them to realize their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible members of society. Let's create history together.

The program is managed by Scholarship America®, the country's leading creator and administrator of scholarships and other educational support programs for corporations, foundations, associations, and individuals. The sponsor solely determines eligibility for individual programs, and Scholarship America’s evaluation team reviews eligible applications.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants for the Ancestry’s HistoryMakers Scholarship Program must meet the following criteria:

• Be a high school senior/graduate (beginning undergraduate study Fall 2025), or a current college undergraduate or graduate student
• Be enrolled full-time in undergraduate or graduate study at one of the specified United States (U.S.) or United Kingdom (U.K.) universities from Fall 2025 semester through Spring 2026 semester:
  • United States Universities
    • Bowie State University (U.S.)
    • California State University, Sacramento (U.S.)
    • Florida International University (U.S.)
    • Tennessee State University (U.S.)
  • United Kingdom Universities
    • Queen Mary University (U.K.)
    • University of Westminster (U.K.)
    • City, University of London (U.K.)
    • University of Greenwich (U.K.)
• Maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale, or its equivalent

Preference will be given to students pursuing a degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Data Science, Machine Learning, Mathematics, Statistics, Life Sciences, Marketing, Finance, Business Economics, Business Management, Cybersecurity, or User Experience.

Ancestry employees and their immediate family members (spouses, children, and grandchildren) are not eligible to apply.

Scholarship Awards

If chosen as a recipient, the student will receive a $2,500 award. A maximum of ten (10) awards will be given.

Assuming there are qualified applicants, recipients will be selected as follows:

• United States Universities
  • Bowie State University will receive 2 awards of $2,500 each
  • Florida International University will receive 2 awards of $2,500 each
  • Tennessee State University will receive 1 award of $2,500
  • California State University, Sacramento will receive 1 award of $2,500
• United Kingdom Universities
  • Queen Mary University will receive 1 award of $2,500
  • University of Westminster will receive 1 award of $2,500
  • City, University of London will receive 1 award of $2,500
  • University of Greenwich will receive 1 award of $2,500

If a school does not have enough qualified applications to distribute all the awards, those awards may be given to another eligible school.

The award amounts are in U.S. dollars (USD), and the award payments will be made in USD. Recipients have the option to receive award payments in their local currency when available.

While the awards are not renewable, students can reapply to the program each year they meet the eligibility criteria.

The awards are for undergraduate and graduate study, and recipients may be offered internships during their degree pursuit and/or career opportunities with Ancestry upon graduation.

Selection Process

The selection of scholarship recipients is based on:

• Academic performance
• Demonstrated leadership and participation in school and community activities
• Work experience
• Unusual personal or family circumstances
• A 1,000-character essay answering: What does being a ‘history maker’ mean to you and how will your education contribute to the history you create?

Financial need will not be a factor in the selection process.

Scholarship America makes the selection of recipients. No officer or employee of Ancestry is involved in the selection process.

Not all applicants will be selected as recipients. All applicants agree to accept the decision as final.

Notification

All applicants will be notified in December.

Disbursement of Scholarships

Scholarship America handles the scholarship payments on behalf of Ancestry. The payment will be made by January 2026.

Required Documents

You must upload the following as part of your application:

• A current, complete transcript of grades. Grade reports are not accepted. Transcripts must display:
  • Student name
  • School name
  • Grades
  • Credit hours for each course and term in which each course was taken.

Your application will not be considered complete unless all required materials are submitted electronically.