Scholarships/Financial Aid
Scholarships for Children of the Incarcerated:
PFEF awards scholarships and financial aid to qualified applicants who have a parent incarcerated or on parole, assisting with enrollment cost for colleges and trade schools nationwide.
The children of incarcerated scholarships are awarded in the United States only and the school must be an accredited undergraduate college or trade school.
PFEF only support those student applicants who are excepted and enrolled in a full-time academic college or trade school in the United States and online courses are not usually permitted.
Applications will be on a first come first served basis.
Deadline: Applications may be submitted continuously throughout the year. There is a deadline for applying for a Pell Grant. (Go to www.pellgrants.gov)
Provide evidence of Federal Pell Grant eligibility by submitting a copy of your most recent Student Aid Report resulting from your filing of the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Assistance).
Parent/Legal Guardian currently incarcerated or paroled. (Proof of verification is needed).
Must be enrolled full-time or admitted into an accredited college, university, or technical institution.
Is the Scholarship Renewable? Students that receive a PFEF scholarship or financial aid can re-apply each year for additional assistance if they remain in good standing with the school and funding is available. The Awards Committee will review the request and notify the applicant of its decision.
Apply for Pell Grant (FAFSA):
The FAFSA on the Web Worksheet provides a preview of the questions that you may be asked while completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSASM) online.
You must complete and submit a FAFSA application to apply for federal student aid. You must be qualified for the Pell Grant (FAFSA), in order to receive a Scholarship from PFEF. Once the FAFSA application is completed, you click on the submit button. When you are notified of approval, send documentation with your PFEF application to our office.
There is a deadline for completing the FAFSA each year. Federal deadline: June 30th State deadline: Varies depending on the State you apply in.
To view the FAFSA Worksheet on the Web, right click on the link below and select open hyperlink or copy and paste in your web browser. The worksheet explains in detail how to complete the Pell grant application. https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa
PFEF Scholarship Application: The following documents must be submitted to complete your application:
- Complete the PFEF Application Form.
- Need a copy of your most recent Student Aid Report resulting from your filing of the FAFSA. (Free Application for Federal Student Assistance).
- Answer responses to the essay questions (guidelines provided at the end of the application).
- Copy of High School Diploma/GED documentation.
- Need a copy of your most recent transcripts (must be mailed directly to the Scholarship Committee by the institution).
- Need a Letter of Acceptance from the educational institution that you are applying to.
- Need three (3) Letters of Recommendation. These letters can be from a member of a church, a previous teacher or professor, a representative, i.e., principal or guidance counselor.
- All Recommendation Letters must be mailed directly to the Scholarship Committee at 6545 Calder Ave, Beaumont, Texas 77706).
Student completed application packet must include all pertinent documents mentioned above,
be signed by the applicant and mailed in a large envelope (Do Not Fold), to the following address:
Deadline: Applications may be submitted continuously throughout the year.
Mail to: Pitzer Family Education Foundation
6545 Calder Ave, Beaumont, Texas 77706 (409) 861-2536
Note: To complete the PFEF Application Form, click on the APPLICATION TAB at the top of our Home Page on this Website.
Financial Aid for parolees at ABC Training Academy Nederland, Texas
As funding permits, PFEF provides tuition assistance for ex-offenders to enroll in ABC Training Academy to obtain a trade certificate in welding 6 semesters (1 1/2 years), electrical 12 semesters (3 years), pipefitting 12 semesters (3 years), industrial carpentry 3 semesters (3/4 year), instrumentation 12 semesters (3 years), scaffold builder 1 semester (10 weeks) and core safety 1 semester (10 weeks).
THIS PROGRAM IS NOT FUNDED WITH OFFENDER DONATIONS, IT’S FUNDED BY A GRANT SOURCE!
Applicants can fill out the ABC application and Letter of Commitment forms at our office or download from this website, then report to the office first then report to the ABC Training Academy in Nederland Texas to complete the enrollment process.
Trade Courses Offered – All qualified applicants have an opportunity to obtain a trade certificate in welding, core safety, instrumentation, scaffold builder, industrial carpentry, electrical and pipefitting.
Welding – welding 1yr and a half, 2 days a week Monday & Wednesday or Tuesday & Friday.
Scaffold Builder/Core Safety – 20 weeks, 4 days a week Monday through Thursday. You must take the core to get the certificates in scaffold Builder.
Industrial Carpentry/ Core Safety – 9 months, 4 days a week Monday through Thursday {includes weekends / holidays}.
Electrical – 3 years, Monday & Wednesday, or Tuesday & Thursday.
Pipefitting – 3 years, Monday & Wednesday, or Tuesday & Thursday.
Instrumentation – 3 years, Monday & Wednesday, or Tuesday & Thursday.
Qualifications – applicants must be on probation or parole, misdemeanor or felony charge and were incarcerated in a county jail, state, or federal prison and over the age of 18 years of age.
Students must maintain a 70% percent average on grades and attendance to remain on a trade course at the ABC Training Academy. If a student does not maintain the required 70%, they will be dropped from the course.
Each semester, students are required to contact PFEF staff stating they are re-registering for the upcoming semester to receive continued tuition assistance support from PFEF.
Course Requirements – to enroll in a trade course at ABC Training Academy, all applicants must pay an application processing fee of $75.00 dollars (which will be refunded upon trade course graduation), applicants do not have to possess a GED or high school diploma to apply. Official picture identification (i.e., driver’s license, student ID, jail ID), is required for school registration and enrollment, and they must possess a social security number.
The $75.00 dollar application fee will be paid via money order and contain the following information on it:
Money orders will be made out to Pitzer Family Education Foundation, have the applicants home address and signature on it.
How to Apply for PFEF Tuition Assistance – Applicants who are released from prison and on probation/parole, can apply (in person), at our office: 6545 Calder Ave, Beaumont, Texas 77706.
Applicants must pay via money order $75.00 dollars for the application processing fee (refundable upon graduation).
Possess a valid official picture ID and have a social security number.
Fill out an ABC Training Academy enrollment application and sign an PFEF Letter of commitment form.
Report to ABC Training Academy facility at 2700 N. Twin City, Nederland, Texas 77627, and complete the enrollment process.
ABC Training Academy staff will notify the applicant if they qualify to take one of the trade courses and once approved for enrollment, PFEF will provide tuition assistance for the course.
PFEF 6545 Calder Ave, Beaumont, Texas 77706 (409) 861-2536 contact: Marsha Pitzer-Rivera.
ABC Training Academy – 2700 North Twin City Highway, Nederland, Texas 77627 (409) 724-7886 contact: Kenneth Wahl.