How to Apply

Am I Eligible?

If you are able to answer “yes” to these four questions, you are eligible to apply to the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Young Scholars Program:

1. Will you enter 8th grade in the fall of 2009?
2. Do you earn grades of all or mostly 'As' in school, with no 'Cs' or below in the past two years in your academic subjects?*
3. Does your family have demonstrated unmet financial need?**
4. Are you planning to attend a high school in the US?

*Exception: Students with unique talents or documented learning differences.
**While there is no formal cut-off, since inception, more than 90 percent of Young Scholars chosen come from families with Adjusted Gross Incomes (AGI) below $60,000. We take into consideration: high cost of living expenses in some areas, extraordinary medical expenses, number of dependents in college, number of dependents, and high cost of supporting children with learning differences.

Application

We are no longer accepting Young Scholars Program application materials for the 2008 application period. The receipt deadline was May 5, 2008. Please visit our site for the 2009 application materials when they become available in February 2009.

Before applying, please also review the Young Scholars Program Selection Criteria.

Timeline

• February: The Foundation makes application materials available to all 7th-grade students on the Foundation's website.
• First Monday in May: All applications to the Young Scholars Program must be received.
• May-September: The Foundation’s expert panel and program managers review all applications.
• October: The Foundation notifies all applicants in writing if they have been selected as a Young Scholar.  The Foundation's educational advisers contact all new Young Scholars and arrange an in-person visit to the Scholar's home.

Additional Information

For more information about the Young Scholars Program and the application procedure, please review our FAQs or contact the Regional Talent Center that conducts outreach in your state.