Start a Family Scholarship: A Legacy Your Children Can Carry Forward

Every family has values it hopes to pass on – hard work, kindness, respect for learning. Most families pass them on through stories and example. Some go a step further and build something their children and grandchildren can carry forward: a family scholarship. It is a way of saying, as a family, "this is what we stand for".

What is a family scholarship?

A family scholarship is a named scholarship funded and guided by a family. It might carry the family name, the name of a grandparent, or the name of the village the family comes from. On Kind Circle, this is called a Family Kind Circle – a personal, family-named initiative that creates a lasting legacy through education.

Why families choose to do this

• To build a legacy. A scholarship can continue for decades, across generations.
• To teach children by doing. Children learn generosity best when they take part in it.
• To bring the family together. Siblings, cousins and relatives in different cities or countries share one purpose.
• To honour elders. Many family scholarships are named after parents or grandparents.
• To give with structure. Instead of occasional donations, the family supports chosen students every year.

Involving your children

A family scholarship is one of the best ways to raise kind, grounded children. Some ideas:

• Let children help choose the cause – girls' education, students in your hometown, future doctors or engineers.
• Read the scholars' stories together and talk about them.
• Encourage children to contribute part of their pocket money, prize money or earnings.
• As they grow older, let them help review scholar updates and, one day, take over the scholarship.

Aadya Sharma started her own scholarship at just 8 years old, with her family's support. Read Aadya's story.

Families already doing this on Kind Circle

• The R.M.V. Raman Scholarship Kind Circle was set up by Mr. R.M.V. Raman's wife, children and family to support IIT engineering students. Read their story.
• The KVS & Geetha Scholarship Kind Circle was created by children to honour their parents' love of learning.
• The Sinha Family Scholarship was established in loving memory of Kamlesh Kumar Sinha.

How to start a family scholarship

1. Talk as a family. Agree on a name, a purpose and roughly how much you want to give each year.
2. Share your interest through the Start a Scholarship form.
3. Design the scholarship with the Kind Circle team – who it supports, eligibility, amount and number of scholars.
4. Get your family's page on kindcircle.org, with your story and photographs.
5. Invite family members to contribute, wherever they live. Each donor receives an official receipt.
6. Select scholars together. Students are verified by the Kind Circle team; your family approves the final scholars.

You do not need to register a trust. The scholarship runs under Buddy4Study India Foundation. Read how to start a scholarship without registering a trust or NGO.

Passing it on

One of the most beautiful parts of a family scholarship is that it can be handed down. The lead role – called the Karta – can be transferred to a son, daughter or another family member when the time comes. The scholarship carries on, and so do the family's values. Read what a Karta does.

How much does it take?

You can start small – even one school student a year – and grow over time. See how much it costs to sponsor a student in India and the plans on our pricing page.

Choosing a name and purpose

The name of your scholarship is the first thing people will see, so choose one with meaning – a grandparent's name, your family name, or the name of your ancestral village. Then write a short purpose statement together as a family, for example: "To help girls from our district finish school" or "To support first-generation students studying medicine." A clear purpose makes decisions easier every year and helps future generations understand why the scholarship exists.

Frequently asked questions

Can family members abroad contribute?
Yes. Family members in India and abroad can all give to the same circle through the right route for their citizenship.

Can we meet the students we support?
Yes, if you wish – at a felicitation or on a video call, in a safe and structured way.

Begin your family's legacy

The best inheritance is not only what you leave for your children, but what you teach them to give. Start your family scholarship or write to kind@buddy4study.com.