List of Scholarships for College Applicants

Questbridge National College Match 

Timeline:

Opens: August-September

Due: September 26, 2024 11:59 P.T. 

What is it?

Full four-year scholarship: Be considered for a full four-year scholarship that covers tuition, housing and food, and other expenses

Eligibility

• High school seniors, regardless of citizenship, currently attending high school in the U.S. and planning to attend college the fall after graduation, and U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents living abroad
• Earning primarily A’s in the most challenging courses offered
• Demonstrating strong writing skills and intellectual curiosity, plus resilience, integrity, and motivation to succeed
• Typically from a household earning less than $65,000 annually with minimal assets (for a household of four members).

Questbridge College Prep Scholars 

Timeline:

Opens: Sometime in January-February 

Due: Mid-Late March 

What is it?

If you are a high-achieving high school junior from a low-income background, the College Prep Scholars Program can equip you with knowledge, confidence, and resources to connect with the nation’s most sought-after colleges.

Eligibility:

• High school juniors, regardless of citizenship, currently attending high school in the U.S., and U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents living abroad
• Earning primarily A’s in the most challenging courses offered
• Demonstrating strong writing skills and intellectual curiosity, plus resilience, integrity, and motivation to succeed
• Typically from a household earning less than $65,000 annually with minimal assets (for a household of four members) 

Jack Kent Cooke College Scholarship Program 

Timeline:

• Mid-Late August: Application Opens. Apply online in the Common App.
• November – Application Submission Deadline
• January – Semi Finalists are announced. All applicants will be notified of their status via email.
• March – Scholarship recipients are announced

What is it?

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation College Scholarship Program is an undergraduate scholarship program available to high-achieving high school seniors with financial need who seek to attend the nation’s best four-year colleges and universities. 

Each award is intended to cover a significant share of the student’s educational experience – including tuition, living expenses, books and required fees. Awards vary by individual, based on the cost of tuition as well as other grants or scholarships they may receive. This highly competitive scholarship includes:

• The opportunity to graduate with as little debt as possible. The award, which is last dollar funding after all institutional aid, can provide as much as $55,000 per year to pursue a bachelor’s degree at any accredited undergraduate institution.
• Ability to pursue any area of study.
• Personal advising about selecting a college and navigating financial aid.
• Multifaceted advising about how to transition to college and maximize the student experience.

Eligibility:

• Senior standing – Complete four years of high school in the U.S., a U.S territory or on a U.S. military base and plan to graduate in spring 2025
• Fall College Enrollment – Intend to enroll in an accredited four-year college beginning in fall 2025 
• GPA – Earn a minimum, cumulative unweighted GPA of 3.75 or above
• Demonstrate Unmet Financial Need- They will consider applicants with family annual gross income up to $95,000. During the selection process, the Foundation will conduct a full financial review which will take into account all income and assets of the student and the student’s parents

What do you need to apply?

• Two Academic Recommendations: A complete application includes two academic recommendations which will be submitted through Common App. One recommendation must be from an 11th grade teacher in a core academic subject (English/language arts, mathematics, social studies/history, science, or foreign language). A second recommendation can come from another core subject teacher or professor who has worked with you any time since ninth grade. Both recommenders should be well-acquainted with your academic performance and character, and should be able to discuss your progress through class curriculum, challenges you faced, how you overcame them, and your overall academic engagement.
• One Counselor Recommendation: In addition to your academic recommendations, you are required to submit one counselor recommendation from your high school counselor through the Common App. If there is no Counselor at your school, you may list your principal or other school official, international or domestic, who has overseen your academic progress. You will also be required to invite this person to complete the School Report on the Recommenders and FERPA section located on the My Colleges tab.
• School Report: A School Report or School Profile is a document from your school, usually from the school counselor’s or registrar’s office, that includes information about the student body, the types of classes offered by your school, and other important data on the offerings available there. In Common App, the application requires that you invite your school counselor to submit this document to your application portal.
• Transcripts: You must submit unofficial transcripts and self-report your courses/grades accurately in Common App. If you are chosen as a semifinalist, they may request an official copy of your transcript later in the review process.

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McDonalds HACER National Scholarship

Timeline: 

Open: Fall 2024 

Semi-finalist Selection: April

Winner Selection: June

What is it?

To date, more than $33 million in McDonald’s HACER® National Scholarships have been awarded to Hispanic students across the country. The McDonald’s HACER® National Scholarship Program offers scholarships up to 30 outstanding Hispanic students from all over the country, and continues to provide educational opportunities to help narrow the gap that exists for Hispanic college-bound students, further reinforcing McDonald’s long-standing commitment to feeding and fostering the diverse communities it serves.

There are three tiers of funds, aimed to help recipients finance their college tuition. Tier 1 recipients are awarded up to $100,000. Tier 2 recipients receive $20,000 or $10,000 and Tier 3 recipients receive $5,000. Recipients are selected based on their academic achievement, community involvement, personal statement and financial need.

Eligibility:

• High school senior
• Must be a legal U.S. Resident, U.S. Citizen or a DREAMER/DACA recipient
• You’re under 21 years old
• You carry a minimum 2.8 GPA
• You’re eligible to attend a two- or four-year college, university or vocational/technical school with a full-time course of study
• You’ll disclose other scholarship programs that you’ve applied for
• You’ll enroll and attend an accredited institution in the academic year after your selection (verification needed, as scholarship funds are paid directly to the schools)
• You have at least one parent of Hispanic/Latino heritage

What you need to apply:

• No essay is needed.
• Transcript
• Personal statement
• Letter of recommendation to be submitted online
• List of community service projects
• Due to FAFSA delays, the FAFSA Student Aid Index (SAI) is no longer required during the initial application process. If you are selected as a semi-finalist, you will be required to provide your FAFSA Submission Summary. In preparation for semi-finalist decisions, complete your FAFSA Application
• Please note: If you were unable to submit your initial scholarship application due to the FAFSA Student Aid Index (SAI), your application has been submitted by ISTS on your behalf. It is your responsibility to check your ISTS Home Page to ensure the application is marked ‘Complete.’

How are scholarship winners selected?

• Academic achievement
• Financial need
• Community involvement
• Personal statement
• Personal qualities and strengths as portrayed in a personal interview, either in-person or by phone

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Hispanic Scholarship Fund 

Timeline:

Open: January 

Deadline: February 

Finalist Phase: March 

Selection: June 

Documents Due: June – November 

Awards: December 

What is it?

As an HSF Scholar, you will have access to HSF’s invaluable Scholar Support Services and be eligible to receive a scholarship, depending on available funds.    

• Every year, HSF selects 10,000 outstanding students as HSF Scholars from a broad and talented pool of applicants
• HSF Scholars have access to a full range of invaluable Scholar Support Services, including career services, mentorship, leadership development, knowledge building, and wellness training
• Career services include access to select internship and job opportunities with HSF corporate partners
• HSF Scholars are eligible to apply for all Scholar Conferences including, the STEM Summit, Finance Conference, Media & Entertainment Summit, Entrepreneurship Summit, and Healthcare Summit
• Exclusive access to the HSF Insider which shares invaluable information and career opportunities
• Finally, and importantly, HSF awards more than $30 million in Scholarships annually and, depending upon available funds, HSF Scholars may also be eligible to receive a scholarship, which range from $500-$5,000 and are awarded directly to students

Award:

Scholars are selected based on merit. Award amounts range from $500 – $5,000, based on relative need.

Eligibility:

• Must be of Hispanic heritage
• U.S. citizen, permanent legal resident, or DACA 
• Minimum of 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) for high school students; minimum of 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) for college and graduate students
• Plan to enroll full-time in an accredited, public or not-for-profit, four-year university, or graduate school, in the US, for the 2024-2025 academic year
• Submit the FAFSA or state-based financial aid forms (if applicable)

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