Big Money Scholarships

Student Profile – Omar Dixon, Jr.

May 1, 2022

Student Profile

Jocelyne L. (St. Petersburg High School)

Hello, I’m Jocelyne. I serve on the youth leadership board with Omar, a high school junior from Paulding County, Georgia. Omar is the Social Media Manager for our program. He is an incredibly hard worker and is having an incredible college-bound journey. He joined the cohort program as a high school freshman after reading an article about Kimberly Hadaway, a College Planning Cohort alumni who graduated from his high school. He thought that it was amazing that she had been offered 6 full scholarships to some of the most prestigious colleges and universities in the country. However, what caught his eye in the article was that Kimberly, like himself, was a student of color from a single-parent, lower income family. He believed that if a student like him earn multiple full college scholarships, that he too, could seize the opportunity.

Kimberly’s story inspired him and her accomplishments motivated him to join the cohort and to commit himself to following all of the guidance offered by Mr. and Mrs. Wynn—after all, they were the experts who guided Kimberly. One of the first messages that resonated with him was that colleges are looking for more than just grades and test scores, so he committed himself to pursuing leadership opportunities and engaging in meaningful community service. He served as a College Planning Cohort intern and discussion group leader before applying for a position on the youth leadership board. He immediately had a community impact on the board through his mentorship of other first generation students and as a content creator for several video projects.

The projects that Omar has worked on have not only benefitted others and expanded the community outreach of the program, but have given him opportunities to, in his words,

Develop a ‘body of work’ to which I can refer in essays and interview that distinguish me from other applicants.” Clearly, the community impact that he has had through his leadership and service in our program has not gone unnoticed. He has been selected as a Yale Young Global Scholar, QuestBridge Scholar, and most recently, a LEDA Scholar. In his perspective: “It has been a mind blowing experience for me because it just shows that all the goals I set in 9th grade, and the pathway that I have taken due to the helpful, insightful, and crucial guidance from Mr. and Mrs. Wynn have come to fruition.”

Omar’s story is more than a success story, it is a story of believing that the example that Kimberly provided for him, that through his success, he can provide such an example from other students. Omar notes,

The cohort curriculum is full of the success stories of other students and provides a roadmap to the type of classes, grades, test scores, leadership, and service that can lead to full college scholarships. Rather than looking at these incredible students and saying, ‘I can’t be like them,’ everyone student should say, ‘Thank you for showing me the type of student that I should become if I want to be awarded a full college scholarship!

I believe that Omar has followed Kimberly’s example and that he is providing an example for others to follow. As Mr. and Mrs. Wynn frequently say, “Trust the Process.” I am inspired by how his incredible perseverance, and the cohort’s guidance, have driven him to be intentional in his actions to become a scholar in multiple prestigious programs. While Omar joined the program in hopes of being offered at least one full scholarship, he is now on a pathway to multiple full scholarship opportunities. We look forward to a followup article about Omar’s journey this time next year!

As a current 9th grader, I am looking forward to sharing my own college-bound story in 2024. However, as the president of the youth leadership board, I am looking forward to submitting articles about our many cohort students and their accomplishments. Like my older sister, I am not only grateful to be participating in a program that is guiding us along pathways to full college scholarships, but supporting and encouraging us to grow into leaders who seek to have a community impact.

Watch this space…I’m Jocelyne

On Her Way to Johns Hopkins

March 31, 2022

On Her Way to Johns Hopkins

Jocelyne L. (St. Petersburg High School)

Hello, I’m Jocelyne. I would like to tell you about my older sister, Joanne. My sister, a senior in the IB Program at St. Petersburg High School in St. Petersburg, Florida, has been offered admission, together with a full scholarship, to Johns Hopkins University. Johns Hopkins is one of the most selective schools in the US and is ranked #9 on the US News and World Reports National University Rankings (tied with Northwestern). Not only is Johns Hopkins her top choice school (where she will major in biology), but the scholarship is a huge blessing for our family. The only things not covered by her scholarship are indirect costs, such as travel expenses and personal expenses.

My sister became involved in the cohort in her sophomore year after hearing me go on and on about how wonderful the program was. At the time, I was in the 7th grade and had just completed the Pinellas County Schools College Planning Boot Camp for Middle School Students. As a seventh grader, I could not join a cohort, but she could—and she did!

In interviewing her for this article, she noted,

Through my participation in the cohort, I learned so many things that I would not have learned anywhere else such as the differences between liberal arts colleges and research universities, where I should apply Early Decision versus Regular Decision, and the financial aid policies of all of my top choice colleges. Knowing that Emory, Rice, Stanford, Duke, UPenn, and the University of Chicago would have all offered comparable institutional scholarships, there was no need to apply regular decision to ‘see if I could get in’ when I had a clear top choice—Johns Hopkins. So after being offered admission, via Early Decision to Johns Hopkins, I withdrew all of my other applications.

My sister also mentioned that the information regarding financial aid, The Net Price Calculator, and how different colleges had different financial aid policies, provided clear guidance as to the colleges with the best financial aid policies for students from lower income families. As she researched and learned, she was able to create a plan personalized for her that helped with the next steps when applying for the college of her choice. Not only did the information provided through the online curriculum greatly expand her understanding of the college admission and financial aid processes, but she received amazing support from fellow cohort members, advisors, mentors, and alumni. Some of the college interns—Sydney Soskin (University of Chicago), Peyton Wilson (George Washington), and Loren Tsang (Williams College—to name a few, supported her in the process as they helped her understand the college admissions process and figure out if the college of her choice was a good balance between her aspirations and the educational opportunities offered. With their advice and answers to her questions, my sister was able to discover that Johns Hopkins was truly the college meant for her. However, prior to arriving at this realization, she had to figure out what type of college she wanted to pursue. The cohort provided insight into the nuances between liberal arts colleges and research universities, and which type of school provided the best fit to her body of work and benefited her the most with their opportunities. When she opened the email, “Congratulations, we are pleased to offer you admission to the Johns Hopkins University Class of 2026”my sister’s friends and our family were delighted to hear the great news. Although, we were not surprised, we were incredibly proud and amazed with the scholarship of $280,000 over four years!

I asked my sister what she would say to Mr. and Mrs. Wynn, the creators of the College Planning Cohort Program, and to Dr. Lewis Brinson, the Pinellas County Schools Minority Achievement Officer who brought the program to our school district:

Thank you so very much, your help has been a huge part of my college planning process and I would not have made it this far without you. Not only did you help me apply to college, but you helped me grow as a person!

Watch this space…I’m Jocelyne

The Coolidge Scholarship

February 1, 2018

Primary Criterion: Academic Excellence

Above all, Coolidge scholars must possess a distinguished academic record. Competitive candidates will have pursued and succeeded in the most rigorous course of study available to them. Awardees will demonstrate an uncommon academic depth and intellectual curiosity. In the case of the Coolidge Scholarship, depth matters as much as breadth. Coolidge winners’ interest in scholarly and intellectual pursuits goes beyond the classroom. Mere credential collection is not a defining trait of a Coolidge Scholar. Jonas Salk, the father of the polio vaccine, provides a good example. Salk so excelled in school that he skipped grades. However, he was also intellectually curious, writing: “As a child I was not interested in science. I was merely interested in things human.”

Secondary Criterion: Interest in Public Policy and Appreciation for Coolidge Values

From his boyhood days in Plymouth Notch through his years in the White House Coolidge studied public policy. This scholarship therefore seeks young citizens who exhibit an interest in policy. Candidates also should demonstrate an awareness of and appreciation for the values President Coolidge championed throughout his life. Some such values include: civility, restraint in government, respect for teachers, thrift, and respect for the presidency. The award is not restricted to candidates planning to pursue degrees in fields such as public policy or government. To the contrary, all academic disciplines are valued by this award. Like the president, Coolidge Scholars will engage in the pressing issues of their time. Like Coolidge, Coolidge Scholars are at all times civil, valuing respectful debate over partisan attack. Candidates will be asked to prepare an 800-word application essay on Coolidge values.

Secondary Criterion: Humility and Service

Humility is a hallmark quality of leaders in the Coolidge tradition. In his autobiography, Coolidge wrote: “It is a great advantage to a President, and a major source of safety to the country, for him to know that he is not a great man.” The Coolidge Scholarship seeks young people who display a sense of service and care for the well-being of others.

Other prizes are awarded to young people for accumulating leadership credentials in high school. This prize focuses rather on high school achievement that gives young people the potential to lead later in life. A young person who tends to work alone, but demonstrates potential to conduct breakthrough research, for example, is a strong candidate. Introverts can win this prize.

The Coolidge Scholarship is non-partisan and is awarded on merit regardless of race, gender, or background.

Eligibility Requirements

2017-18 Coolidge Scholarship applicants must intend to enroll full-time at an accredited U.S. college or university as an undergraduate for the first time in fall 2019. That is to say, students in their junior year of high school, or the equivalent if home schooled, are eligible to apply. (Students who are currently high school juniors but take some courses at a local college are indeed eligible to apply for the Coolidge Scholarship.)

2017-18 Coolidge Scholarship applicants must be citizens or legal permanent residents of the United States of America at the time of application.

2017-18 Coolidge Scholarship applicants cannot be the immediate family member of any current employee or trustee of the Coolidge Scholars Program or the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation.

Eligibility FAQ

I’m an international student, am I eligible to apply for the Coolidge Scholarship? The Coolidge Scholarship is only open to U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents. U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents currently attending high school abroad are indeed eligible to apply.

I currently am a high school junior, but take some courses at a local college, am I still eligible to apply? Yes, indeed! You must simply confirm that you intend to enroll full-time at an accredited U.S. college or university for the first time in fall 2019.

I am a current high school junior intending to take a gap year after high school, and therefore plan to begin college in fall 2020. Am I eligible? No, only current high school juniors intending to enroll as full-time undergraduates for the first time in fall 2019 are eligible to apply for the 2017-18 scholarship.

I am a current high school senior, am I eligible to apply? No, only current high school juniors intending to enroll as undergraduates full-time for the first time in fall 2019 are eligible to apply for the 2017-18 scholarship. No exceptions to this rule can be made.

I am a current high school senior intending to take a gap year before beginning college, am I eligible to apply? No, only current high school juniors are eligible to apply. No exceptions to this rule can be made.

October 2017: Application opens for the 2017-18 Coolidge Scholarship. Note: only current high school juniors (i.e. students who intend to enroll in college full-time for the first time in fall of 2019) are eligible to apply.

Thursday, January 25, 2018, 5:00 PM eastern standard time: Application deadline. (Note: the deadline was previously January 24, 2018 at 5:00 PM EST, but has been extended. The deadline is now Thursday, January 25, 2018 at 5:00 PM EST.) Please note that only applications submitted by the application deadline, with accompanying letters of recommendation, can be considered. Please take special note of the time zone.

Spring 2018: All students will be notified of the final outcome of their application. Applicants who are named finalists will be contacted directly by phone and invited to Finalist Interview Weekend, which takes place in Woodstock, Vermont and historic Plymouth Notch, Vermont. The Coolidge Foundation will cover the travel and lodging costs for finalists and one parent to attend Finalist Weekend.

Summer 2018: Newly selected Coolidge Scholars will spend an orientation week at the Coolidge Foundation in Plymouth Notch, Vermont.

Davidson Fellows Scholarship

January 16, 2018

More than $7.1 million has been awarded to 306 brilliant young people through the Davidson Fellows Scholarship.

The Davidson Fellows Scholarship awards $50,000, $25,000 and $10,000 scholarships to extraordinary young people, 18 and under, who have completed a significant piece of work.

Application categories are Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Literature, Music, Philosophy and Outside the Box. Davidson Fellows are honored every year in Washington, D.C. with Congressional meetings and a special reception.

Davidson Fellows named as one of “The 10 Biggest Scholarships in the World” by TheBestColleges.org and one of “7 Prestigious Undergrad Scholarships” in U.S. News & World Report.

Deadline & Eligibility

Deadline: February 14, 2018, 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.
How to Apply
Frequently Asked Questions
Past Scholarship Recipients
Fellows Press Room

Visit the How to Apply page to review category requirements. If you have any questions, please email DavidsonFellows@DavidsonGifted.org.

Step 1: Eligibility

To be eligible for consideration as a Davidson Fellow, applicants must:

Be 18 or younger as of Oct. 1, 2018.
Be a U.S. citizen residing in the United States, or a Permanent Resident of the United States residing in the United States, or be stationed overseas due to active U. S. military duty.
There is no minimum age for eligibility.

The Davidson Institute is looking for students whose projects are at, or close to, the college graduate level with a depth of knowledge in their particular area of study. This scholarship is not geared toward students at the novice level. See specific Category Requirements below.

Davidson Fellows must be available to attend, with one parent or guardian, the awards reception and other recognition events to be held in September in Washington, D.C. (Travel expenses and lodging will be provided by the Institute.)

Step 2: Review Category Requirements and Project Criteria

Category Requirements

STEM Categories – Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics

Humanities Categories – Literature, Music, Philosophy

Outside the Box

Project Criteria

Scholarships are awarded on the basis of significant work. Significant work is an accomplishment that experts in the field recognize as meaningful and has the potential to make a positive contribution to society. Such work may be:

an exceptionally creative application of existing knowledge
a new idea with high impact
an innovative solution with broad-range implications
an important advancement that can be replicated and built upon
an interdisciplinary discovery
a prodigious performance
another demonstration of extraordinary accomplishment

Step 3: Complete Application

Access our Application System to complete the application. If you have applied for any other Davidson Institute programs using the Application System, you may use the same login information to apply for the Davidson Fellows Scholarship.

Please save your username, password and security answer. You will need your username and password to log back into the system. If you forget your password, you can click on “Forgot Your Password?” from the login screen, but you must know your username and security answer in order to recover your password. If you forget your user name, please email davidsonfellows@davidsongifted.org;do not create a new account.

Note: If you are logged into the Application System and there is no new information submitted within a 60 minute timeframe, your session will time out and you will receive a server error. Your information may not be saved. The system saves information when you click on the top arrow buttons. If you have not clicked on the top arrow button, it will not save the information you have input on that specific screen. If you receive a server error, you will need to close out of the system and log back in. Therefore, we recommend typing and saving your responses to open-ended questions in another program before pasting the text into the Application System.

In order to minimize the chance of email sent by the application system and the Applications Team being classified as spam by your email provider, please add @davidsongifted.org to your safe sender list and notify your Nominator and all parent/guardians to do the same. Please note the email address used by the application system is an unmonitored mailbox and emails sent to that address will not be read. For further details on adding an email domain to your safe sender list, please search online or see our FAQ: “Q. Will I be receiving any email notifications after I apply through the Online Application System?”.

Click here for FAQs about the Davidson Institute’s Application System.

Step 4: Application Submission & Deadline

Please submit the initial portion of the application as soon as possible. This initial portion will ask you for your project title and description, as well as your nominators’ names and email addresses, if you leave any of these items blank, your application will be sent back to you for completion.

Once the initial portion of the application has been submitted, your project will be held for review. When your project is approved, you will receive an email notification, and automatic emails will be sent to your nominators with the Nominating Form link. When the Nominating Form is completed, an email will be sent to the nominator and applicant confirming receipt by the Davidson Fellows program.

When you have submitted all of your application materials, the Parent Form email will be automatically sent to your parent(s).

Please note that the deadline for receipt of all application materials including nominating and parent forms is February 14, 2018, 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.

SAMPLE Nominating Form (PDF)

Step 5: Review Process and Notification

Each submission is examined for completeness and accuracy. Qualified entries are then sorted by category and evaluated by an independent team of judges comprised of professionals with expertise in related domain areas. The team of judges may, at their sole discretion, consult with additional experts to assist in evaluating the merits of each submission.

The independent team of judges will identify which applicants will be named Davidson Fellows and decide whether they will receive a $10,000, $25,000 or $50,000 scholarship. Judges’ Project Selection Scale (PDF)

All applicants are notified on or before July 15 each year.

Read the Scholarship Rules and Regulations. If you have any questions, please email DavidsonFellows@DavidsonGifted.org.

The Davidson Fellows Scholarship Program does not discriminate based on race, gender, religion, ethnicity or disability.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Davidson Fellows Scholarship

Horatio Alger Association Scholarships

January 16, 2018

National Scholarships

106 scholarships at $25,000 each

As one of the nation’s largest college financial aid programs in the country, the Horatio Alger National Scholarship Program is one of the major scholarship programs nationally that specifically assists high school students who have faced and overcome great obstacles in their young lives. The scholarships are funded by Horatio Alger Members who, like the Scholars, have experienced challenges but ultimately overcame them to become successful business and civic leaders.

The National Scholarship is awarded to eligible students in all fifty states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. National Scholars receive an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C., during the spring of their senior year to participate in the National Scholars Conference. Recipients must attend the National Scholars Conference to receive the award.

To be eligible to apply for the Horatio Alger National Scholarship, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Be enrolled full time as a high school senior in the United States; be progressing normally toward graduation in spring/summer of 2018 with plans to enter a college in the United States no later than the fall following graduation
Exhibit a strong commitment to pursue and complete a bachelor’s degree at an accredited non-profit public or private institution in the United States (students may start their studies at a two-year institution and then transfer to a four-year institution)
Demonstrate critical financial need ($55,000 or lower adjusted gross family income is required)
Be involved in co-curricular and community service activities
Display integrity and perseverance in overcoming adversity
Maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0; and
Be a United States citizen

The application will be available August 1 – October 25.

State Scholarships

Scholarships valued at up to $10,000 each

State scholarships are awarded to eligible students in all fifty states and the District of Columbia. The program specifically assists high school students who have faced and overcome great obstacles in their young lives. The scholarships are funded by Horatio Alger Members who, like the Scholars, have experienced challenges but ultimately overcame them to become successful business and civic leaders. For a full listing of Horatio Alger Scholarship Programs and their funders, please click here.

To be eligible to apply for a Horatio Alger State Scholarship, applicants must meet the following criteria*:

Be enrolled full time as a high school senior in the United States; be progressing normally toward graduation in spring/summer of 2018 with plans to enter a college in the United States no later than the fall following graduation
Exhibit a strong commitment to pursue and complete a bachelor’s degree at an accredited non-profit public or private institution in the United States (students may start their studies at a two-year institution and then transfer to a four-year institution)
Demonstrate critical financial need ($55,000 or lower adjusted gross family income is required)
Be involved in co-curricular and community service activities
Display integrity and perseverance in overcoming adversity
Maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0; and
Be a United States citizen

*applicants for the Montana state scholarships must meet additional eligibility criteria.

The application will be available August 1 – October 25.

Career & Technical Scholarships

1020 scholarships up to $2,500 each

The Career & Technical Scholarship Program is funded through the Horatio Alger Endowment Fund and the generosity of Association Chairman Emeritus and Endowment Fund President Walter Scott, Jr. Scholarships are awarded to students who have faced and overcome great obstacles in their lives who wish to pursue a career or technical education at an accredited non-profit post-secondary institution in the United States.

Eligibility Criteria:

Have completed high school (or earned a high school equivalency credential)
Will be enrolled in eligible program in Fall 2017
Exhibit a strong commitment to pursue and complete a career or technical program (up to 2 years) at an accredited non-profit post-secondary institution in the United States
Demonstrated critical financial need (must be eligible to receive the Federal Pell grant as determined by completion of the FAFSA)
Demonstrated perseverance in overcoming adversity
Be under the age of 30
Be a United States citizen

Funds may be used for tuition, fees, books and supplies. All scholarship funds are paid directly to the institution on behalf of the recipient.

To print a poster announcing this scholarship program please visit our School Officials page.

The 2017 application process is now closed. The application will open online March 15 for students enrolling in Fall 2018.

Targeted Scholarships

The Association offers several scholarship programs that either require an applicant to pursue a specific degree or attend a specific university. These specialized programs are funded through the generosity of individual Horatio Alger Members. Please scroll down to see if any of these programs line up with your choices.

General Eligibility

The following criteria applies to all programs below:

Critical financial need ($55,000 or less adjusted gross income per family is required)
Integrity and perseverance in overcoming adversity
United States citizenship

For more specific eligibility criteria please refer to the program listings below:

Boise State University Scholarship (7 awards at $10,000 each)

The Boise State University Scholarship Program was established in 2012 and is funded by Association Board Member Robert G. Miller, CEO of the Albertsons Companies, Inc.

Current freshmen who are entering their sophomore year in the fall of the application year at Boise State University
Resident of Idaho
Minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0
See the flyer!

Application available January 15 – March 15

Doré Scholarship (25 awards at $10,500 each)

The Doré Scholarship is funded by Association Member William J. Doré, Chairman and CEO of Global Industries, Ltd.

High school senior planning to attend McNeese State University or University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Resident of Louisiana
Minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0

Application available January 15 – March 15

Honeywell Scholarship (10 awards at $10,000 each)

The Honeywell Scholarship Program is funded by Association Member Dave Cote, Executive Chairman of Honeywell and Honeywell Hometown Solutions.

Pursuit of a degree in a STEM field
Current college freshman
Academic achievement (minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0)
Attendance at a Honeywell Partner School or Horatio Alger Collegiate Partner institution
See the flyer!
Read the Frequently Asked Questions

Application available January 15 – March 15

Mel Klein Scholarship (5 awards at $10,000 each)

The Mel Klein Scholarship Program was established in 2016 and is funded by Association Member Mel Klein, founder of Melvyn N. Klein Interests.

High school senior
Academic achievement (minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.5)
Planning to pursue a degree at Colgate University, Columbia University, Stanford University, or Tulane University
Applying for this scholarship will also make you eligible for national/state scholarship awards

Santa Clara University – Schott Family Scholarship (4 awards at $50,000 each – amount matched by school)

The Santa Clara University – Schott Family Scholarship Program was established in 2016 and is funded by Association Member Stephen Schott, Owner and CEO of S.C.S Development Co. / Award Homes.

High school senior planning to attend Santa Clara University
Minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.4

Trott Family Scholarship (21 awards at $30,000-$60,000 each)

The Trott Family Scholarship was established in 2015 and is funded by Association President Byron Trott, Chairman and CEO of BDT & Company.

DEADLINE TO APPLY: SEPTEMBER 25

High school senior planning to attend Ohio State University, University of Chicago or Vanderbilt University
Will submit an application for early decision/early action (by Nov. 1)
Academic achievement (minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.5)
Applying for this scholarship will also make you eligible for national/state scholarship awards

NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program

January 10, 2018

UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP) offers competitive scholarships to students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are committed to careers in biomedical, behavioral, and social science health-related research. The program offers:

Scholarship support
Paid research training at the NIH during the summer
Paid employment and training at the NIH after graduation

In order to determine if you meet the financial need eligibility guidelines, the UGSP encourages all students to complete the Exceptional Financial Need (EFN) form and submit it to your financial aid office. This form can be filed prior to completion of the online application. Since your eligibility will have to be updated with your 2017 financial aid application data, completion and submission of this form is for informational purposes only. If you choose to submit the form prior to application, please notify the UGSP at ugsp@od.nih.gov, and we will contact you after your university has indicated your eligibility. However, if you do not receive notification of eligibility prior to the application opening date, we encourage you to go ahead and begin the application process.

SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT

The NIH UGSP will pay up to $20,000 per academic year in tuition, educational expenses, and reasonable living expenses to scholarship recipients. Scholarships are awarded for 1 year, and can be renewed up to 4 years.

RESEARCH TRAINING AT THE NIH

For each full or partial scholarship year, you are committed to two NIH service obligations. The obligations are actually benefits of the UGSP, providing you with invaluable research training and experience at the NIH.

10-week Summer Laboratory Experience. After each year of scholarship support, you will train for 10 weeks as a paid summer research employee in an NIH research laboratory. This employment occurs after the receipt of the scholarship award. Each scholar will work directly with an NIH Principle Investigator or an NIH postdoctoral fellow, who will serve as mentors.
Employment at the NIH after Graduation. After graduation, you will continue your training as a full-time employee in an NIH research laboratory. You must serve 1 year of full-time employment for each year of scholarship.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

You must meet all of these requirements in order to be eligible for admission into the UGSP. Please take a moment to use our Eligibility Wizard.

U.S.A. citizen or U.S.A. permanent resident
Enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a full-time student at an accredited 4-year undergraduate institution located in the United States of America
Undergraduate University Grade Point Average of 3.3 or higher on a 4.0-point scale or within the top 5 percent of your class
Having ‘Exceptional Financial Need’ as certified by your undergraduate institution financial aid office – see table below (updated 8 November 2017).

Persons in Family (Includes Only Dependents Listed on Federal Income Tax Forms)	Family Income Level (Adjusted Gross Income for Tax Year 2016) Federal Register: Volume 81, Number 15, 25 January 2016, Page 4036	Family Income Level (Adjusted Gross Income for Tax Year 2017) Federal Register: Volume 82, Number 19, 31 January 2017, Page 8831
1	$23,780.00	$24,120.00
2	$32,040.00	$32,480.00
3	$40,320.00	$40,840.00
4	$48,600.00	$49,200.00
5	$56,880.00	$57,560.00
6	$65,160.00	$65,920.00
7	$73,460.00	$74,280.00
8	$81,780.00	$82,640.00
More than 8 Persons	$8,320.00 for Each Additional Person	$8,360.00 for Each Additional Person

You are not eligible for the UGSP if any one of the following items pertains to you:

You are a high school senior
You have been awarded an undergraduate degree
You are enrolled in an advanced degree program, such as a master’s degree
You are unable to fulfill the payback requirements

APPLICATION INFORMATION

The Application for the 2018-2019 academic year is now open. To learn more about the application process and requirements, review the videos “How to Apply to the NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program” and “How to Find an NIH Mentor“. Your university must also determine whether you meet the required exceptional financial need (EFN) criteria. To do so, download the EFN form, complete the top section and submit it to the financial aid office at the university you will attend during the 2018-2019 academic year. Your university will determine your eligibility and forward the form to us. We strongly advise you to complete the application while waiting for your university to determine your eligibility.

KEY DATES FOR ADMISSION CONSIDERATION IN FALL 2017-2018 ACADEMIC YEAR

(Dates updated 1 November 2017)

January 2, 2018 – Application Opens
March 15, 2018 – Application Deadline
March 30, 2018 – Letter of Recommendation Deadline
May 11, 2018 – EFN Form with 2016 Tax Year Information Deadline
Mid-June 2018 – Invitations to Phone Interview Distributed
Mid-July 2018 – Phone Interviews for Admission
Late-July 2018 – Selection of Scholars

This program is administered without discrimination on the basis of age, race, culture, gender, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status, or other nonmerit factors.

NIH is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from underrepresented minorities, women, and individuals with disabilities. NIH is dedicated to building a diverse community in its training and employment programs.

100 Scholarships for Minority Students

January 10, 2018

100 Scholarships for Minority Students

Compiled by Diversity & Inclusion

These websites are subject to change without our knowledge so please report broken links to diversity@unc.edu

The Simpson Promise

November 13, 2017

If you thought attending Simpson was out of reach, we’ve got great news for you!

The Simpson Promise offers you the chance to obtain the excellent educational benefits and life-changing campus experience of Simpson College at a price you can afford.

The Simpson Promise covers the full cost of tuition (inclusive of Simpson, federal and state gift assistance) for qualified students from Iowa families with a 2016 family adjusted gross income at or below $60,000.

A lot of people talk about making college affordable. Simpson is doing something about it with this bold new initiative.

Don’t qualify for The Simpson Promise? We have something else for you! click here

To be eligible for The Simpson Promise, you must:

Be an Iowa resident – 2018 graduate of an Iowa high school
Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) no later than July 1, 2018, and be eligible for federal aid
Reside on campus
Have a 2016 family adjusted gross income at or below $60,000
Be a full-time, accepted, incoming first-year student

Simpson is committed to providing the grant/scholarship amount awarded to the student in their first year, for all four years at Simpson, provided they are in good academic standing and complete the FAFSA. Students are responsible for the costs of room, board, and fees.

The Simpson Promise represents our dedication to the success of our students. It is, in fact, the heart of our mission, and it has been that way since we were founded 157 years ago.

Northeastern University Torch Scholars Program

November 1, 2017

Torch Scholars have the power to change the world.

Continuing Northeastern’s century-old commitment to educational opportunity, the Torch Scholars Program is a bold and innovative initiative that provides students with the opportunity to explore their passions and expand their global horizons. The program’s nomination and holistic review process identifies bright students from across the country  who have already succeeded against the odds, but who have not yet reached their full academic potential.

Torch is dedicated to supporting these talented, first-generation college students through an extensive full-scholarship program that includes:

a comprehensive summer immersion program,
intensive academic planning and assessments,
in-depth peer and professional mentoring,
and a wide array of social events that foster group identity and camaraderie.

The program is simply unparalleled in its support for first-generation students from diverse backgrounds. Much more than a scholarship, Torch is a comprehensive model for access, retention, and achievement.

Torch Scholars have a drive to succeed—for their families and for themselves—and exhibit a universal commitment to giving back, completing 100 hours of service each academic year. Our scholars possess the ability and the will to succeed—Torch transforms them into leaders by empowering them to put those qualities into action.

EACH YEAR, NEARLY 500 NOMINEES FROM ACROSS THE UNITED STATES VIE FOR 10 TORCH SCHOLARSHIPS.

Torch looks to guidance counselors, teachers, mentors, clergy, and community workers to find deserving Torch Scholars.

Torch Nominators are non-family members—adults and professionals in or out of the school setting who know the student on a personal  level. Nominators should be prepared to answer questions about the candidate’s family obligations, motivation, and emotional readiness  for college. Please take a moment to think about the promising young people in your life who might benefit from the Torch Scholars Program. You may nominate more than one student in the same academic year.

We’re glad that you are considering nominating a student for Torch. You can nominate a student here.

If you have any questions, please email torch@northeastern.edu.

NOMINATION DEADLINES

January 1		Northeastern University Regular Decision application deadline (all Torch applicants must complete the Common Application.) All application materials, including your nomination form, will be considered by the Torch Scholars Selection Committee.

January 15		Torch Scholars nomination deadline. (Access our nomination form here)

We will waive the application fee for Torch nominees. To request a fee waiver, you must select “Other” as the fee waiver type in the payment section when submitting the Common Application and Northeastern Supplement. We will grant the fee waiver after verifying that a student has been nominated for the Torch Scholars Program. If you have questions about having your application fee waived, please contact us at 617.373.7204 or torch@neu.edu.


February 1		Priority deadline for financial aid paperwork. Students should complete the FAFSA and CSS Profile in order to be considered for the Torch Scholars program as well as other federal and institutional financial assistance.

February		Finalists will be notified and asked to complete a non-cognitive assessment and complete three additional essays prior to their interview day.

March		Torch Scholars Program decisions are announced. Due to the unique nature of this program, students selected as Torch finalists will not receive their admissions decisions from Northeastern until after scholarship recipients are announced.

Click Here to View the Torch Scholars Brochure…

Bridging the Dream Scholarship Program

September 3, 2017

Contest begins in August and ends in September, or until One Thousand (1,000) eligible Entries are received (“Contest Period”).

ELIGIBILITY: The Sallie Mae Bridging the Dream Scholarship Contest (“Contest”) is open only to the first One Thousand (1,000) legal residents of the fifty (50) United States, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia who (i) are currently enrolled as a high school junior or senior; (ii) plan to enroll in full-time undergraduate study at an accredited two- or four-year college, university or vocational-technical school within one year of high school graduation; (iii) are under the age of 18; and (iv) are nominated by a high school counselor, school official or community organization leader with personal knowledge of the student (each, a “Nominator”) in accordance with these official Rules (each, an “Entrant”). Employees of Sallie Mae Bank (“Sponsor”), Scholarship America (“Administrator”) and their respective parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising, promotion and fulfillment agencies (collectively, “Related Entities”) and members of their immediate family or household of each are not eligible. Void where prohibited by law. This Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations.
SPONSOR: The Sponsor of this Contest is Sallie Mae Bank, 300 Continental Drive, Newark, DE 19713.
HOW TO ENTER: Nominators go to https://www.scholarsapply.org/bridgingthedream to submit a nomination. Nominators must provide entries (each, an “Entry”), consisting of (i) personal information including student name, phone number, email address, postal address, grade level, (ii) two (2) written statements consisting of no more than two hundred (200) words each which address the evaluation criteria (as set forth in Section 4 hereof), including academics, community service, personal achievement, and financial need. Limit of one (1) Entry per Nominator during the Contest Period. Total limit of one thousand (1,000) Entries during the Contest Period. Administrator’s computer system shall be the official time-keeping device for the Contest. Sponsor is not responsible for Entries that are lost, late, misdirected, illegible and/or incomplete due to computer or electronic malfunction or other error. Use of robotic, automatic, or macro devices is not valid for Entry. Any Entry that is submitted with the use of a robotic, automated or macro device will be void. All Entries become the property of the Sponsor upon submission and will not be acknowledged or returned and the Sponsor and/or Administrator has the right to dispose of the Entries at Sponsor’s discretion. By submitting an Entry, each entrant agrees to abide by the terms of these Official Rules and the Scholarship America Privacy Policy. Unreadable, inaccurate, unintelligible, or Entries which otherwise do not comply with these Official Rules will be disqualified.
By submitting an Entry, each Nominator consents to receive from the Sponsor and/or Administrator an email notifying such Nominator that his/her Entrant is a potential Scholarship winner. Nominators, by entering this Contest, and Entrants, by accepting a Scholarship, acknowledge that Entries may be posted at Sponsor’s website or social media platforms, including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter or SallieMae.com at Sponsor’s sole discretion. Sponsor has no obligation to use or post any Entry submitted. The use of all or a part of any Entry content by Sponsor or any Related Entity does not have any effect on the winner selection process. Entries posted are the views/opinions of the individual Nominator and do not reflect the views of Sponsor in any manner. Nominators, by entering this Contest, and Entrants, by accepting a Scholarship, grant Sponsor and the Related Entities a worldwide, irrevocable, exclusive, assignable, transferable, unqualified, unrestricted, royalty-free license and right to edit, modify, publish, use, reuse, distribute, display, copy and otherwise exploit the Entry content or any part thereof (with or without the Entrant’s name and city/state), and any materials based thereon or derived from, in any manner and in any media (whether now known or later developed), for any lawful purposes whatsoever (noncommercial or commercial), including, without limitation, for use in the commercial packaging and point-of-sale materials, or for promotion, marketing or advertising of Sponsor, or any Related Entity, each of their respective brands and/or products in any medium (whether now or hereafter known) throughout the world in perpetuity without further permission, notification, consideration, or payment to the Entrant, except where prohibited by law. In addition, Nominators, by entering this Contest, and Entrants, by accepting a Scholarship, forever waive in favor of Sponsor all rights of “Droit Moral” or “Moral Rights of Authors” or any similar rights or principles of law that may preclude the use of an Entry (or any part thereof) as granted herein, or require Nominator or Entrant’s permission to use the Entry (or any part thereof) for the purposes stated herein.
JUDGING CRITERIA: Five (5) Winners will be selected on or about the month of October from all Entries received during the Contest Period, one from each of the following four regions: Region 1: Indiana, Michigan, Kansas, South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia and Wisconsin; Region 2: Puerto Rico, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, District of Columbia, New York, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Vermont. Region 3: Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. Region 4: Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Alaska, Montana, Washington, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, California, Nevada, Hawaii, Oregon and Idaho. The fifth Winner will be selected from among the eligible Entries whose nominated student resides in one of the five following counties in Utah: Davis County, Salt Lake County, Tooele County, Utah County, or Weber County. All Entries that are in compliance with all terms and conditions of these Rules will be judged on the basis of the following criteria (based on information provided by the Nominator):
1. Academics (25%): Students who excel academically and demonstrate commitment and determination to achieve academic success.
2. Community Service (25%): Commitment to the community and/or helping others in school or in the community.
3. Personal Achievement (25%): Having faced challenge or adversity and overcome it.
4. Financial Need (25%): A funding gap that may prevent them from attending.The Winners will be determined by judges from the Administrator’s staff who will rank each eligible Entry on the basis of a composite score based on equal weighting of the criteria (the Entrants nominated in the highest-scoring Entries in each of the five geographic regions shall each be a “Winner”). In the event of a tie, the Entry that receives the higher score for “Academics” will be declared the Winner. In the event of a further tie, the Entry that receives the higher score for “Community Service” will be declared the Winner. In the event of a further tie, the Entry that receives the higher score for “Personal Achievement” will be declared a Finalist. In the event of a further tie, the Entry that receives the higher score for “Financial Need” will be declared a Finalist. In the event of a further tie, Administrator in its sole discretion shall choose a Winner based on an evaluation of which Entry is superior overall taking all categories into consideration. The Contest contains no elements based on chance. The standards applied during the judging process focuses on assessing each entry’s properties. By the mere submission of an Entry by a Nominator, an Entrant acquires no automatic right to be awarded a Scholarship, nor any other right except for the right to have such Entry reviewed and evaluated subject to these Official Rules. The decisions of Administrator shall be final. Neither Sponsor nor Administrator will correspond with Nominators or Entrants about the determination of the winner other than as expressly provided in these Rules.
FIVE (5) SCHOLARSHIPS: Five (5) Scholarship Winners will receive Twenty Five Thousand Dollar scholarships ($25,000.00) each. Scholarship awards are payable in equal disbursements to the Winner’s school for up to eight (8) semesters, to cover the cost of qualified tuition, fees, books and supplies. Scholarship awards may not exceed the total of such qualified costs. Scholarship awards are for undergraduate study only, unless the Winner’s undergraduate tuition costs are fully funded, in which case the Winner may request to have the Scholarship applied to qualified graduate school expenses. ALL EXPENSES, FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL TAXES AND COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ACCEPTANCE AND USE OF SCHOLARSHIP NOT SET FORTH IN THESE RULES ARE THE OBLIGATION OF EACH GRAND SCHOLARSHIP WINNER. No assignment, transfer or substitution of any Scholarship is permitted by a Scholarship Winner. Entrants agree that if a Scholarship Winner is found to have violated these Official Rules, or otherwise does not meet the eligibility criteria, such Scholarship will be forfeited and awarded to an alternate Scholarship Winner from among all remaining eligible Entries, based on the judging criteria set forth herein. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute any Scholarship for a different Scholarship of equal or greater value, in its sole discretion. Sponsor is solely responsible for providing the Scholarships. Limit one (1) Scholarship per household. Total value of all Scholarships: $125,000.00.