This scholarship is available to children of workers who were seriously injured or died in a work-related accident covered and compensated by workers' compensation. A serious injury is one that led to a paid settlement or judicial award and is verified with information from the Missouri Division of Workers' Compensation.

The MDHEWD partners with Kids' Chance, Inc. of Missouri, an organization that offers a similar, private scholarship, to identify eligible students. If you do not receive the state Kids' Chance scholarship, you may be able to receive the private Kids' Chance scholarship. The information below pertains only to the state scholarship. For information about the private scholarship visit www.mokidschance.org.

Am I eligible?

To be eligible for a state Kids' Chance award, you must meet the following requirements at the time of application and throughout the period in which you receive the award.

All Students

  • Be a United States citizen, permanent resident, or otherwise lawfully present in the United States.
  • Be a Missouri resident.
  • Be a child between the ages of 17 and 22 years of age of an employee who was seriously injured or died in a work related accident or from an occupational disease covered and compensated by Workers' Compensation.
  • Be enrolled at least half-time at a participating Missouri school.
  • Have a FAFSA® and a Kids' Chance Scholarship application on file by April 30, 2023.
  • Have an expected family contribution (EFC) of $12,000 or less as calculated by the United States Department of Education from information provided on the FAFSA®.
  • Not be pursuing a degree or certificate in theology or divinity.

Renewal Students

  • Continue to meet the eligibility requirements for initial students.
  • Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5.
  • Otherwise maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined by your school.

How much can I receive?

The maximum state scholarship you will be able to receive is the lesser of:

  • The actual amount of tuition and/or incidental fees your school charges you as a Missouri resident for the number of credit hours in which you are enrolled for the semester, or
  • The amount of tuition the University of Missouri charges a Missouri resident enrolled in the same number of credit hours, or
  • The maximum private scholarship amount available to students through Kids' Chance, Inc. of Missouri ($6,500 for the 2023-2024 academic year).

Your award may have to be reduced if your financial aid package is more than your school's cost of attendance, resulting in an overaward. Your financial aid office will not include student loans and aid based entirely on your academic performance (such as the Bright Flight scholarship) when determining if your aid has exceeded your cost of attendance.

The MDHEWD will notify Kids' Chance, Inc. of Missouri of eligible students who were not able to be paid because of limited state funding. These students may be able to receive a private Kids' Chance scholarship. If a state scholarship award is less than the maximum private scholarship award, the gap may be able to be closed with private scholarship funds. All private scholarship award determinations are made by Kids' Chance, Inc. of Missouri and the MDHEWD cannot guarantee eligibility or awards in these instances.

How can I apply?

  • Complete your FAFSA® by April 30 each year. The MDHEWD receives electronic FAFSA® records for Missouri residents directly from the federal government.
  • Submit the Kids' Chance Scholarship application by April 30 each year. Applications are available from your high school counselor or Kids' Chance, Inc. of Missouri's website (www.mokidschance.org). You must submit the completed application to:
    Kids' Chance, Inc. of Missouri
    Scholarship Committee
    PO Box 410384
    St. Louis, MO 63141

There is only one application that covers both the state and private scholarship. The MDHEWD will obtain the applications for students eligible for the state scholarship from Kids' Chance, Inc. of Missouri.

If you have any questions about the Kids' Chance application, please call Kids' Chance, Inc. of Missouri at (314) 997-3390.

If you are otherwise eligible, you may add a school choice to your application until September 30, 2023 by contacting the MDHEWD at 800-473-6757, option 4.

How will I know if I am eligible?

If you are eligible for a state scholarship, you will receive an approval letter from the MDHEWD. A copy of the approval letter will be sent to your school.

How will I receive my award?

At the beginning of each semester your school will certify that you are enrolled at least half-time and meet the other eligibility requirements. The certification process will typically take about three weeks. If your school verifies you are eligible, the MDHEWD will send your award to your school and they will deliver it to you. Generally, you should receive your fall payment by mid-September and your spring payment by mid-February.

If you do not receive an award because you do not have the required 2.5 cumulative grade point average or have not met your school's satisfactory academic progress policy, you will not be eligible to receive the scholarship again until the semester after you have once again met the standard. Some schools check these requirements at the end of each semester, some only check it once a year.

How long can I renew my award?

The scholarship may be renewed annually through the end of the semester in which you turn 22.

How do I transfer my scholarship?

If you choose to transfer to a different participating Missouri institution, either between academic years or semesters, you must contact the MDHEWD at (800) 473-6757, option 4. Since your award amount is based on your school's tuition, it may change as a result of your transfer.