Upward Bound

Program Eligibility

An individual is eligible to participate in USF Upward Bound or USF Upward Bound Math & Science if the individual meets all of the following requirements:

1. Attends one of the following target schools:

Upward Bound Program

  • Armwood High School
  • Blake High School
  • Chamberlain High School
  • Hillsborough High School
  • King High School
  • Middleton High School

Upward Bound Math & Science

  • Brandon High School
  • Jefferson High School
  • Leto High School

2. (a) Is---
(1) A citizen or national of the United States.
(2) A permanent resident of the United States.
(3) In the United States for other than a temporary purpose and provides evidence from the Immigration and Naturalization Service of his or her intent to become a permanent resident.

(b) Is—
(1) A potential first-generation college student;
(2) A low-income individual; or
(3) An individual who has a high risk for academic failure (Upward Bound Pogram only).

(c) Has a need for academic support, as determined by the grantee, in order to pursue
successfully a program of education beyond high school.

(d) At the time of initial selection, has completed the eighth grade and is at least 13 years old but
not older than 19, although the Secretary may waive the age requirement if the applicant
demonstrates that the limitation would defeat the purposes of the Upward Bound program.
However, a veteran as defined in §645.6, regardless of age, is eligible to participate in an
Upward Bound project if he or she satisfies the eligibility requirements in paragraphs (a), (b),
and (c) of this section.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a–11 and 1070a–13)
[60 FR 4748, Jan. 24, 1995, as amended at 75 FR 65784, Oct. 26, 2010]

Potential First Generation College Student

Potential first-generation college student means (1) An individual neither of whose natural or adoptive parents received a baccalaureate degree; or (2) A student who, prior to the age of 18, regularly resided with and received support from only one natural or adoptive parent and whose supporting parent did not receive a baccalaureate degree.

Individual who has a high risk for academic failure (regular Upward Bound participant) means an individual who—

(1) Has not achieved at the proficient level on State assessments in reading or language arts;
(2) Has not achieved at the proficient level on State assessments in math;
(3) Has not successfully completed pre-algebra or algebra by the beginning of the tenth grade; or
(4) Has a grade point average of 2.5 or less (on a 4.0 scale) for the most recent school year for which grade point averages are available.

Low Income

Low-income individual means an individual whose family taxable income (after deductions) did not exceed 150 percent of the poverty level amount in the calendar year preceding the year in which the individual initially participates in the project. The poverty level amount is determined by using criteria of poverty established by the Bureau of the Census of the U.S.

See