How to Apply
The Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship is a highly selective scholarship for the nation’s top community college students seeking to complete their bachelor’s degrees at four-year colleges or universities.
Each award is intended to cover a significant share of the student’s educational expenses – including tuition, living expenses, books and required fees – for the final two to three years necessary to achieve a bachelor’s degree. 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 complete a bachelor’s degree at any accredited undergraduate institution.
- Ability to pursue any area of study.
- Multifaceted advising on transitioning to a four-year college and maximizing the student experience.
- Career and graduate school preparation – including the opportunity to apply for internship stipends, conference stipends, and the Cooke Graduate Scholarship.
- Opportunity to apply for the Internship Stipend program, Conference and Travel Stipend, and Graduate Scholarship.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, at a minimum, applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Sophomore Status – Be a current student at an accredited U.S. community college or two-year institution with sophomore status by January 1, 2025, or a recent graduate (since spring 2020).
- Fall College Enrollment– Plan to enroll full-time in a baccalaureate program at an accredited college or university in fall 2025.
- GPA– Have a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.50 or better on a 4.0 scale (or the equivalent).
-
Demonstrate unmet financial need –We will consider applicants with a maximum annual gross income of $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.
- No previous enrollment or attendance at a four-year institution – Students who have attended a four-year institution in the past are not eligible for this scholarship.
- If you started at a four-year institution, but did not complete a semester of full-time study, then you may be eligible. Please contact us to verify your eligibility.
- Students who have already transferred to a four-year institution or plan to transfer to start during the spring 2025 semester are also not eligible for this scholarship.
Selection Criteria
The selection process for these awards is rigorous and highly competitive with approximately 45 scholarships awarded each year out of thousands of applicants. A review panel of distinguished college admissions professionals and faculty judge the applicants using criteria including:
- High academic ability and achievement: Strong academic record, academic awards and honors, and substantive assessments by educators providing confidential recommendations. In addition to GPA, we consider participation in available advanced courses, commitment to learning, and intellectual curiosity.
- Unmet financial need: Demonstrate unmet financial need. We will consider applicants with family 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.
- Persistence: Determination and perseverance in the face of challenges, ability to set and remain focused on goals and to put in the effort needed to meet those goals in the face of obstacles.
- Leadership: Ability to organize and positively influence others in and out of school.
- Service to Others: Purposeful and meaningful commitment to others which may be evidenced by participation in volunteer/community service activities.
Campus Representatives are faculty and staff members on your community college campus that can assist you with your application to the Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. Though not all campuses have a representative, over 400 community colleges around the country have active Cooke Campus Representatives.
Each award is intended to cover a significant share of the student’s educational expenses – including tuition, living expenses, books and required fees – for the final two to three years necessary to achieve a bachelor’s degree. 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 complete a bachelor’s degree at any accredited undergraduate institution.
- Ability to pursue any area of study.
- Multifaceted advising on transitioning to a four-year college and maximizing the student experience.
- Career and graduate school preparation – including the opportunity to apply for internship stipends, conference stipends, and the Cooke Graduate Scholarship.
- Opportunity to apply for the Internship Stipend program, Conference and Travel Stipend, and Graduate Scholarship.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, at a minimum, applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Sophomore Status – Be a current student at an accredited U.S. community college or two-year institution with sophomore status by January 1, 2025, or a recent graduate (since spring 2020).
- Fall College Enrollment– Plan to enroll full-time in a baccalaureate program at an accredited college or university in fall 2025.
- GPA– Have a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.50 or better on a 4.0 scale (or the equivalent).
-
Demonstrate unmet financial need –We will consider applicants with a maximum annual gross income of $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.
- No previous enrollment or attendance at a four-year institution – Students who have attended a four-year institution in the past are not eligible for this scholarship.
- If you started at a four-year institution, but did not complete a semester of full-time study, then you may be eligible. Please contact us to verify your eligibility.
- Students who have already transferred to a four-year institution or plan to transfer to start during the spring 2025 semester are also not eligible for this scholarship.
Selection Criteria
The selection process for these awards is rigorous and highly competitive with approximately 45 scholarships awarded each year out of thousands of applicants. A review panel of distinguished college admissions professionals and faculty judge the applicants using criteria including:
- High academic ability and achievement: Strong academic record, academic awards and honors, and substantive assessments by educators providing confidential recommendations. In addition to GPA, we consider participation in available advanced courses, commitment to learning, and intellectual curiosity.
- Unmet financial need: Demonstrate unmet financial need. We will consider applicants with family 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.
- Persistence: Determination and perseverance in the face of challenges, ability to set and remain focused on goals and to put in the effort needed to meet those goals in the face of obstacles.
- Leadership: Ability to organize and positively influence others in and out of school.
- Service to Others: Purposeful and meaningful commitment to others which may be evidenced by participation in volunteer/community service activities.
Campus Representatives are faculty and staff members on your community college campus that can assist you with your application to the Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. Though not all campuses have a representative, over 400 community colleges around the country have active Cooke Campus Representatives.
Program Webinar
Learn more about the Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship in this presentation with Phi Theta Kappa.
Resources
FAQs
How much support does the Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship provide?
Are there age restrictions for applicants?
Contact Us
The Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship application is currently open. The deadline is January 9, 2025.
Please direct questions about your application or the program to scholarships@jkcf.org.