How to Apply

The Cooke Foundation College Scholarship Program is the largest 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. In addition to the monetary award, Cooke Scholars receive comprehensive educational advising, significant cohort-based programming, and graduate school funding, as well as a thriving network of nearly 3,200 fellow Cooke Scholars and Alumni.

Each award is intended to cover a significant share of the student’s educational expenses – 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 he or she 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 college student experience

Eligibility Requirements:

Applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• 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 – We 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.

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, we may request an official copy of your transcript later in the review process.