Leg Up Scholarship

FOR SENIORS

We are thrilled to announce a scholarship opportunity for students from Chelsea, East Boston, Revere, Lynn, or Medford Massachusetts. The Leg Up Scholarship program is seeking students who have demonstrated academic excellence and are planning to attend competitive four-year colleges as freshmen in the fall of 2025. It is a unique scholarship program that provides flexible and individualized financial and social support to students to help them maximize their academic and social experiences in college and to achieve their long-term goals. Leg Up Scholars graduate from college prepared to take on life’s challenges and opportunities and do so with limited to no student debt.

The Leg Up Scholarship is funded by Doreen Portnoy Bilezikian, born in Chelsea MA, and administered by The Philanthropic Initiative (TPI).

Leg Up Scholarship is an annual award that may be renewed for four years. We are committed to helping students graduate in 4 years and to maximize their college experience by supporting their personal and career goals. Many students are deserving of this type of support during college, but this program seeks to support and encourage students who meet the following eligibility requirements:

  • S. citizen and current resident of Chelsea, East Boston, Revere, Lynn, or Medford Massachusetts.
  • High school senior or recent high school graduate enrolling as a first-year student in a competitive four-year degree program, at an accredited, not-for-profit, private or public college or university in the U.S. full-time in 2025-2026.
  • Superior academic record in high school, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.4 (based upon a max 4.0 or equivalent).
  • Excellent financial aid award package at the college/university with $5,000 or less in loans per year or $20,000 over their college career.
  • Motivated to excel in college and make a difference in their community, and in society overall.
  • Involved in a balance of community, school, and work activities.

We invite you to share the Leg Up Scholarship guidelines with students who will be entering college in fall 2025 and who meet the program criteria. 

Information about the scholarship, including guidelines and application instructions can be found here.

Applications must be submitted online here. Once you create an account and log in, there should be an opportunity to enter an Access Code at the top of the page. Please enter: LEGUP

Hard copies will not be accepted.

Applications must be completed online by May 15, 2025 at 5 PM EST. 

Please direct any questions to Elaines Peña at legupscholars@tpi.org.