STAGE 4. FUND THE FUTURE · HELPING KIDS GET DEGREES

College debt should not be the next thing they fight.

Excellence In Character Scholarships for STEAM-bound students who faced healthcare adversity as minors. Jayla survived discoid lupus and studies pharmacy. Courtney survived spinal fusion and studies medicine. Samuel is legally blind and studies biomedical sciences. 300+ scholarships awarded since 2020.

Apply for a Scholarship →
See How It Works

⭐ #1 Rated Gaming Charity on Charity Navigator|🏆 Platinum GuideStar|✅ 501(c)(3) Verified|🎓 300+ Scholars

PROGRAM ECOSYSTEM. YOU ARE HERE

Stage 4. Launch funding. Kids who learned to code now need help paying for college.

Kids don’t age out. The loop closes when survivors become sponsors.

GFL Scholarships of Excellence is the higher-education funding program of Games For Love. Established to support STEAM-bound students aged 18+ who faced healthcare adversity, hospitalization, or chronic illness as minors. 300+ scholarships have been awarded since 2020, with 32 winners selected in August/September 2021 alone. Awards are typically ~$500 per scholarship and stackable with any other financial aid. Awarded scholars are nominated by Caregivers, Universities, Colleges, or other Charities. Recipients are pursuing degrees in pharmacy, medicine, microbiology and genetics, biomedical sciences, civil engineering, visual and performing arts, computer science, education, and business. Featured scholars include Jayla (University of Houston, pharmacy major, survived discoid lupus erythematosus diagnosed freshman year of high school), Courtney Scott (Montana State University, microbiology and genetics, medical school bound, survived spinal fusion at age 11), and Samuel Lillywhite (UC Irvine, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, legally blind in his right eye since childhood, pursuing environmental conservation). Recipients enter the GFL Program Ecosystem with access to Interns International placements, League of Pros mentorship, and lifelong community support.

THE PROBLEM

A kid beats cancer at 12. Now at 18 they should take on $40K of debt to study computer science?

No. Excellence in Character means we look at the whole human. What they survived. What they are building. Who they are becoming. Not just an SAT score.

$1.7T

Total US student loan debt

Kids from hardship cannot add this on top of what they already carry.

300+

Scholarships awarded since 2020

32 winners selected in August/September 2021 alone. Multiple graduating classes supported through to degrees.

~$500

Per scholarship. Stackable.

Stackable awards. We do not replace Pell or state aid. We add to it.

HOW SCHOLARSHIPS WORK

Three steps. Real students. Real awards.

No 12-page applications. No SAT score requirements. We look at character.

Apply.

One application. Tell us what you survived, what you are studying, what you are building. Nominated by Caregivers, College Staff, or other Charities. We read every word.

Award.

~$500+ scholarships awarded by our committee. Stackable with any other aid. Paid directly to your school.

Mentor.

You enter our Program Ecosystem. Access to Interns International (paid internships), League of Pros (mentor network), and lifelong community support.

REAL SCHOLARS. REAL DEGREES.

Jayla. Courtney. Samuel.

These are the kids your dollar puts through college. All three are real GFL Scholarship of Excellence recipients featured publicly on GFL.

Jayla. University of Houston. Pharmacy

DLE diagnosis at 14. Studying pharmacy. Building an online pharmacy app.

Diagnosed with discoid lupus erythematosus during her freshman year. Before DLE: French Horn, dance, swim. After: avoid the sun, hide behind long sleeves and cardigans.

“During outings, due to unwanted attention and questions, I hide behind long sleeve tops, jackets, and cardigans.” Her career goal: open an online pharmacy app so people like her can fill prescriptions through a website.

Read Jayla’s story →

Courtney. Montana State. Med school bound

Severe scoliosis at 11. Spinal fusion. Now studies medicine.

Diagnosed at 11. Spinal fusion before middle school. No sports for a year. Started middle school knowing no one, needing accommodations, terrified. Found her people with the teachers, playing card games.

“I learned to not be ashamed of what I went through.” Now studying microbiology and genetics at Montana State, planning for medical school or PA school.

Read Courtney’s story →

Samuel. UC Irvine. Biomedical Sciences

Legally blind since childhood. Studying biomedical sciences.

Legally blind in his right eye since childhood. Struggled to see the classroom board. Navigated sports with impaired depth perception. Pursuing a Bachelor’s in Biological and Biomedical Sciences.

“I felt like I didn’t belong anywhere, and it was extremely lonely.” Now turning not-belonging into commitment to belong to the planet. Environmental conservation is his dream job.

Read Samuel’s story →

YOUR DOLLAR. THEIR DEGREE.

Pick what you can give. See what it funds.

~$500 per scholarship is the typical award. Champion tier funds full-ride sponsorships.

$25

Textbooks for one class

Engineering textbook? Lab manual? Often more than tuition for the class itself.

$100

Lab fees for a semester

Biomedical labs, chemistry, microbiology. Real costs scholars carry on top of tuition.

Most Impact

$500

A full GFL Scholarship

One scholar, one award. Stackable with their other aid. Paid to their school directly.

Champion

$1,000+

Champion. Named scholarship

Full-ride sponsorship in your name. Recipient writes to you. Tax-deductible CSR-grade impact.

Award amounts and named scholarship terms vary. Corporate named scholarships start at $10K. Email [email protected].

WE’RE GIVING. SCHOLAR CAMPAIGNS

For students, donors, and corporate sponsors.

Three paths. Pick the one that is you.

Student. Apply
OPEN

Apply for a GFL Scholarship

Pursuing a STEAM degree? Overcame serious illness, trauma, or adversity as a minor? Apply. No SAT requirement.

Start application →

Donor. Fund a Scholar
COMING SOON

Fund a scholarship

$500 = one scholarship. Or sponsor a full year ($2,500). Champion tier ($10K) names a scholarship in your honor with recipient correspondence.

Fund a scholar →

Corporate. Sponsor
OPEN

Create a named corporate scholarship

Your company name on the scholarship. Tax-deductible. CSR-reportable. Real impact on a real student’s degree.

Talk to us →

Applications open annually. Field-of-study breakdown across 300+ scholars: pharmacy, microbiology and genetics, biomedical sciences, civil engineering, performing arts, computer science, education, business. Fund the general scholarship pool.

WHY YOU CAN TRUST US

Top 0.1% of charities. Every dollar tracked. Every kid named.

A 2022 meta-analysis showed gaming therapy delivers 43% pain reduction and 61% anxiety reduction for hospitalized kids. We use what works.

Rated charity in gaming

On Charity Navigator + Platinum GuideStar

86%

Direct to Programs

14% covers admin + fundraising

$1.50

= 1 life touched

Updated from $1 in 2018

100M

Kids in 10 Years

Our north-star vision

A scholar started their application yesterday. You can be the reason they finish.

Fund a scholar. Apply yourself. Or sponsor a named scholarship. Every dollar goes directly to tuition.

Fund a Scholar →
Apply for Scholarship
Create Corporate Scholarship

🎉 THE 1 DAY MOVEMENT

Birthday. Anniversary. Survival day. Working day. Claim ONE day. Turn it into a hospital room.

Claim Your Day →

Helping Kids For Life.

QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASK

FAQ. GFL Scholarships

What is the GFL Scholarship of Excellence?

An Excellence In Character award for STEAM-bound students who faced healthcare adversity as minors. Awards are stackable with other aid, paid directly to the recipient’s school. 300+ scholars funded since 2020.

How do I apply for a GFL Scholarship?

Apply at gamesforlove.org/skillroles. The application asks about what you overcame, what you are studying, and who you are becoming. No SAT requirement. Nominations accepted from Caregivers, College Staff, or other Charities.

Who is eligible for a GFL Scholarship?

Young people 18+ pursuing STEAM degrees who overcame serious adversity as minors. Chronic illness, hospitalization, trauma, homelessness, family loss, or similar. Featured recipients include Jayla (pharmacy, lupus survivor), Courtney Scott (medicine-bound, scoliosis survivor), Samuel Lillywhite (biomedical sciences, legally blind).

How much is a GFL Scholarship?

Awards are typically ~$500 per scholarship. Multiple awards possible across multiple years. Stackable with any other financial aid. We do not replace Pell or state aid. We add to it.

Where does my donation actually go?

86% direct to programs (scholarships, support, mentorship). 14% admin and fundraising. #1 rated charity in gaming on Charity Navigator. $1.50 = 1 life touched.

Can I create a named scholarship for my company?

Yes. Corporate named scholarships start at $10K. Your company name on the scholarship, selection criteria honored within our guidelines, full impact reporting. Email [email protected].

What happens after I receive a GFL Scholarship?