The New England Society in the City of New York (NES) awards scholarships each year to deserving New York City high school students who will be attending a college or university in New England.

Selection Criteria

To qualify for consideration, the candidate must:

  • be an incoming freshman to an eligible New England college or university as described below (in the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, or Vermont),

  • live and attend high school in one of the five boroughs of New York City, and

  • have a demonstrated need of financial aid.

Many factors are taken into consideration when selecting scholarship award recipients, but need, community service and merit are paramount. See a sample application form here.

Eligible Institutions

New England Society scholarships are sent directly to the recipient’s college or university to be utilized solely for the benefit of the student to reduce his or her financial burden. NES scholarships cannot be used to displace other grants or aid packages awarded by the institution. They are only available to supplement, not displace, grants from the college and university. For this reason, applications will not be considered from students who will be attending schools with financial aid policies under which they meet full demonstrated financial need without using loans (i.e., “no loan” schools). It is the responsibility of each student to become thoroughly familiar with the policies and guidelines of their institution. Questions relating to eligible institutions should be directed to the NES office.

Scholarship Applicants

  • Application deadline: 2025 application to be posted soon, check back for details. Application Portal is currently closed.

  • End of July: Finalists will be contacted to schedule personal interviews.

  • Early August: Scholarship recipients selected.

Program Background

The New England Society in the City of New York (NES) has a long, distinguished history of philanthropic outreach dating back to its founding in 1805. The organization's eleemosynary initiatives have varied over the years, from distributing firewood to needy families and supporting cultural institutions to providing relief to victims of natural disasters in New England. In 1945, NES decided to focus its philanthropic outreach on education, and the organization launched its College Students' Loaning Fund which provided emergency loans to students at New England colleges and universities. Over 75,000 students received loans during the program's 45-year period. In 1953, NES expanded its educational outreach and launched the NES Scholarship Program to provide financial help to New York City students attending colleges and universities in the New England states - Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Since the Program’s launch, NES has funded over 100 scholarships. With the average college tuition, fees, room and board of our applicants reaching well over $60,000 annually, the need to ensure access to higher education for students from limited means is critical. NES offers scholarships of up to $25,000 per student over a four-year period. These scholarships reduce student loan liability, and they lend confidence and provide a sense of achievement to these young scholars.

The NES Scholarship Program is administered by a Scholarship Committee who reviews the applications and then contacts candidates for an interview with the Committee. Students are notified with a decision once all applicants have been interviewed. Scholarship funds are issued directly to the college or university each semester. Recent scholarship award recipients have attended Bates College, Brown University, Bowdoin College, Harvard University, MIT, Middlebury College, Northeastern, Trinity College, Wellesley College, Williams College, and Wheaton College.

Support Our Scholars

The NES Scholarship Program is funded through contributions from members, annual dues and fundraising events. Additional funding comes from private foundations and corporations, primarily through matching gift programs. NES is a 501(c)(3) organization and contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

The continued success of the NES Scholarship Program is due to the solid foundation of a membership committed to the support of its scholars. By helping bright and talented students access higher education, NES helps these young scholars achieve their full potential for independence and productivity, and by funding education, NES also invests in the future of the community at large. To learn more about about our current scholarship recipients, click here to “Meet Our Scholars.” There are many ways that you can contribute to the success of the NES Scholarship Program.

For more information about the NES Scholarship Program, please contact the New England Society Office by phone at (929) 357-0170 or by email at nes@nesnyc.org. All inquiries and materials received will remain confidential.