UNICO Scholarship Program

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Welcome to the UNICO Foundation Scholarship Program page.

 

The UNICO National mission is to promote the image of Italian Americans along with Italian heritage and culture by supporting charitable, scientific, cultural, educational, and literary projects.

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The online application process is now open for online applications for 

academic year 2023-2024.

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​Important Information When Applying 

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• Deadline to apply is April 18, 2023 unless otherwise stated.  This is a firm deadline! Please remind your Academic Advisors, Guidance Counselors, or School Officials.

• ​​Applicant must reside in or have a UNICO Chapter/District sponsor from one of the following states: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, or Wisconsin.                                   Exception: The Maria and Paolo Alessio Southern Italy Scholarship is open to applicants        from all 50 states.​

• These scholarships are for applicants that will continue studies within academic year 2023-2024.

• Applicant must be a U.S. citizen.

• Each scholarship offering has a stand-alone application and specific requirements. You can apply to more than one if you meet eligibility. 

• Online degree programs are not eligible for UNICO scholarships.

• Applicants do not need to be members of UNICO to apply. However, UNICANS and their family members may be sponsored through their respective Chapters.

• Only recipients are notified after the judging process is completed in late June 2023. 

• Recipients may not apply for any other UNICO Foundation Scholarships while their award is still active.

• A candidate MUST initiate only one application for each appropriate scholarship. Duplicate entries will be excluded from consideration. An application may be edited, as often as necessary, prior to submission.

• Questions? Email uniconational@unico.org   

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The scholarships on this page are part of the UNICO Foundation national scholarship program. Candidates residing in a community with a UNICO Chapter may also qualify to apply for local scholarships. To find out if there are any local scholarships in your area,

contact the specific chapter by going to "Find a Chapter" on this website.

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Scholarship Offerings

 

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For High School Seniors Only: 

 

Undergraduate Awards - With this application you will be applying for all of the following scholarships: 

 

Major Don S. Gentile Scholarship

Alphonse A. Miele Scholarship

William C. Davini Scholarship

Theodore Mazza Scholarship

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The UNICO Foundation will grant four scholarships, each valued at $6,000, to high school seniors who will be attending, full-time, an accredited campus based college/university program in the United States; paid out at $1,500 per school year up to a maximum of 4 years.

A candidate must:

1.    Have a minimum grade point average of 3.5

2.    Be pursuing college study within the academic year of 2023-2024

3.    Be a high school senior at any public or private secondary school

4.    Be a United States citizen of Italian descent 

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For Students "Initiating" Graduate Studies: (Students Already Attending Grad School Do Not Qualify)

 

Sergeant John Basilone Memorial Graduate Scholarship 

The UNICO Foundation will grant two awards valued up to a maximum of $3,000 each, paid out at $1,500 per year, for graduate scholarships. 

The candidate must:

1.     A senior at any public or private college/university or a graduate thereof who is initiating graduate studies

2.     Attend full-time, an accredited campus-based college/university program in the United States

3.     Be pursuing graduate study within the academic year of 2023-2024

4.     Be a United States citizen of Italian descent

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For Students Pursuing a Medical Doctor or Doctor of Osteopathy Degree:

 

Dr. Benjamin Cottone Memorial Scholarship

The UNICO Foundation will grant a $5,000 scholarship, paid on award, to a senior at a campus based public or private college/university or hold a degree thereof who will be pursuing a medical doctor or doctor of osteopathy degree, or is currently enrolled in an accredited medical school within the United States

The candidate must:

1.      Be a United States citizen of Italian descent

2.     Pursue their study within the academic year 2023-2024

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For Students Currently Attending a Nursing Program: (High School Seniors Do Not Qualify)

 

Bernard and Carolyn Torraco Memorial Nursing Scholarships

The UNICO Foundation will provide up to ten grants, valued at $2,500 each, paid on award, to students attending accredited prelicensure or graduate nursing programs in the United States. Consideration is given to applicants demonstrating financial need.

A candidate must:

1.      Be a United States citizen. This program is open to applicants of all ethnicities.

2.      Be currently attending an accredited campus-based nursing degree program in the United States, completing core nursing courses, at one of the following: An Associate Degree School of Nursing; A Collegiate School of Nursing; A Diploma School of Nursing

3.      Have a minimum grade point average of 3.0

4.      Continue their study within the academic year 2023-2024

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For Students Currently in College and/or Graduate School (Please check individual scholarships for academic status requirement):

 

Ella T. Grasso Literary Scholarship

The UNICO Foundation will provide two literary scholarships, valued at $1,000 each to matriculated college students submitting an original short story or essay celebrating their Italian heritage.

A candidate must:

1.      Be a United States citizen of Italian descent

2.      Be currently attending, full time, an accredited campus-based college or university in the United States

3.      Continue their study within the academic year 2023-2024

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DiMattio Celli Family Study Abroad Scholarship  Deadline March 1*

The UNICO Foundation will grant two scholarships, valued at $1,250 each, for study in Italy. Candidates must be currently attending, full-time, an accredited college or university in the United States, pursuing a degree. The study abroad program must be eligible for credit by the student’s college/university. An applicant must be a United States citizen of Italian descent.

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Guglielmo Marconi Engineering Scholarship

The UNICO Foundation will grant a scholarship valued at $1,250 paid on award to a student pursuing an Engineering Degree in one of the following areas: electrical, mechanical, industrial, biomedical, chemical, manufacturing, aerospace, or computer.

The candidate must:

1.      Be a United States citizen of Italian descent

2.      Be a student currently attending, full-time, an accredited campus-based undergraduate college/university program in the United States

3.      Have a minimum grade point average of 3.0

4.      Continue their study within the academic year 2023-2024

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Robert J. Tarte Scholarship for Italian Studies

The UNICO Foundation will provide a scholarship, valued at $1,000, to a student pursuing a major or minor in Italian Studies or Italian Language.

A candidate must:

1.      Be a United States citizen. This program is open to applicants of all ethnicities.

2.      Be a student currently attending, full-time, an accredited campus-based undergraduate college/university program in the United States

3.      Have a minimum grade point average of 3.0

4.      Continue their study within the academic year 2023-2024

 

Ralph J. Torraco Scholarship

The UNICO Foundation will grant two scholarships, valued at $2,500 each, to students currently pursuing a degree.

A candidate must:

1. Be a United States citizen. This program is open to applicants of all ethnicities.

2. Be a student currently attending, full-time, an accredited campus-based college/university program in the United States

3. Have a minimum grade point average of 3.0

4. Continue their study within the academic year 2023-2024

5. Open to Freshman through Seniors and Graduate students. 

6. If you are applying as a graduate student, you must be currently attending the graduate program. 

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Ralph J. Torraco Scholarship for Special Education

The UNICO Foundation will grant two scholarships, valued at $2,500 each, to students currently pursuing a degree in the field of Special Education.  This includes students with dyslexia, learning difficulties, physical disabilities, behavioral problems, or with disabilities as defined under the Rehabilitation Act.

A candidate must:

1. Be a United States citizen. This program is open to applicants of all ethnicities.

2. Be a student currently attending, full-time, an accredited campus-based college/university program in the United States

3. Have a minimum grade point average of 3.0

4. Continue their study within the academic year 2023-2024

 

Ralph J. Torraco Scholarship for Therapy Sciences 

The UNICO Foundation will grant two scholarships, valued at $2,500 each, to students currently pursuing a degree in the field of  Therapy Sciences including students in the sciences of physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT), audiology, and speech-language pathology therapy.

A candidate must:

1. Be a United States citizen. This program is open to applicants of all ethnicities.

2. Be a student currently attending, full-time, an accredited campus-based college/university program in the United States

3. Have a minimum grade point average of 3.0

4. Continue their study within the academic year 2023-2024

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Louise Torraco Memorial Scholarship for Science

The UNICO Foundation will grant two scholarships, valued at $2,500 each, to students currently pursuing a degree in the Physical Sciences including but not limited to Agro-Sciences, Astronomy, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, and Physics; or in the Life Sciences including but not limited to Anatomy, Biochemistry, Biology, Botany, Microbiology and Zoology.

A candidate must:

1. Be a United States citizen. This program is open to applicants of all ethnicities.

2. Be a student currently attending, full-time, an accredited campus-based college/university program in the United States

3. Have a minimum grade point average of 3.0

4. Continue their study within the academic year 2023-2024

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Ralph J. Torraco Fine Arts Scholarship

The UNICO Foundation will grant two scholarships, valued at $2,500 each, to students currently pursuing a degree in the Fine Arts including the Performing Arts, Visual Arts or Technical Arts. ​

A candidate must:

1. Be a United States citizen. This program is open to applicants of all ethnicities.

2. Be a student currently attending, full-time, an accredited campus-based college/university program in the United States

3. Have a minimum grade point average of 3.0

4. Continue their study within the academic year 2023-2024

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Ralph J. Torraco Scholarship for Veterinary Studies 

UNICO Foundation will grant two scholarships valued at $2,500 each to students initiating studies at, or currently attending, full time, an accredited campus based college/university in the United States pursuing a degree in the field of Veterinary Studies.

A candidate must:

1. Be a United States citizen. This program is open to applicants of all ethnicities.

2. Be a student initiating studies at, or currently attending, full-time, an accredited campus-based college/university program in the United States

3. Have a minimum grade point average of 3.0

4. A candidate must be at least 18 years of age.

5. Continue their study within the academic year 2023-2024

 

Maria and Paolo Alessio Southern Italy Scholarship*Open to all 50 states

The UNICO Foundation will provide a scholarship, valued at $2,500 to a student currently pursuing a degree.

A candidate must:

1. Be a United States citizen of Southern Italian descent, having at least one parent originating from the region of: Abruzzo, Basilicata, Campania, Calabria, Latium, Molise, Puglia, Sardinia, or Sicily.

2. Be a student currently attending, full-time, an accredited campus-based college/university program in the United States

3. Have a minimum grade point average of 2.7

4. Continue their study within the academic year 2023-2024

5. Open to only college Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors

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Inserra Scholarships

The UNICO Foundation will grant two scholarships valued at $2,500 each to students pursuing a degree.

The candidate must:

1.      Be a United States citizen of Italian descent

2.      Be a student currently attending, full-time, an accredited campus-based college/university program in the United States

3.      Have a minimum grade point average of 3.0

4.      Continue their study within the academic year 2023-2024

5.      Open to Freshman through Seniors and Graduate students. 

6.      If you are applying as a graduate student, you must be currently attending the graduate program. 

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​Eleanor and Anthony DeFrancis Scholarship Fund for Natural Sciences 

 

UNICO Foundation, Inc. will grant scholarships valued in the range of $2,500 to $10,000 to a fully-matriculating student currently attending full time, one of the following:
California Institute of Technology
Columbia University
Duke University
Harvard University
Johns Hopkins University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
New York University
Northwestern University
Princeton University
Stanford University
University of Arizona, Tucson
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, San Francisco
University of California, Santa Cruz
University of Colorado, Boulder
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
University of Washington

 

Majoring in the Natural Sciences, i.e., physics, chemistry, biology, archeology, meteorology, mathematics, astronomy, or geology. Pre-medical studies do not qualify. An applicant may be an undergraduate, or a post graduate candidate for a masters or doctorate degree. 

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The candidate must:

1. Be at least eighteen years of age and a natural born United States citizen of Italian ancestry, having at least one parent of Italian descent.

2. Be a student currently attending, full-time, an accredited campus-based college/university program in the United States

3. Have a minimum grade point average of 3.0

4. Continue their study within the academic year 2023-2024

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Ralph J. Torraco Scholarship for Seminarian Studies

Four scholarships, valued at $1,000 each will be granted, to students currently enrolled as seminarians, attending full time an accredited Catholic Seminary in the United States.

1. Must be a United States citizen and at least eighteen years of age.

2. This program is open to applicants of all ethnicities.

3. Preference is given to applicants demonstrating financial need.

4. Continue their study within the academic year 2023-2024