FAQs

GETTING READY TO APPLY

ELIGIBILITY QUESTIONS

WORKING THROUGH THE NOMINATION PROCESS

RECOMMENDATIONS AND RELATED ISSUES

FINANCIAL INFORMATION FORMS AND RELATED QUESTIONS

ONLINE APPLICATION PROCESS

SELECTION QUESTIONS

MR. COOKE

APPLICATION DEADLINES AND KEY DATES

GETTING READY TO APPLY

When can I apply?

The online application and Parent Financial Information Forms will be available at www.jkcf.org from early November 2008 to March 10, 2009.

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What can I do to get ready to apply?

To apply for a scholarship, you are required to complete and submit an online application. In addition, the following items must be provided to your Faculty Representative:

  • Official college transcripts for ALL undergraduate coursework.
  • Applicant tax forms.
  • Parent financial information forms (available for download from the Foundation's Website).
  • Parent tax forms.
  • Portfolio for applicants in the arts.

Start collecting all the supporting documentation as soon as possible, to allow you enough time to meet your school’s internal deadline.  Also, if your parents are living abroad they may need more time to collect the required financial information. Please refer to the 2009 Nominee Guidelines - Graduate Scholarship Program for further instructions on parents living abroad.

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Do I need to submit transcripts from all of the colleges I attended, even if it was many years ago?

Applicants must submit transcripts from all colleges attended.  An application that does not include transcripts from all colleges will be considered incomplete (the only exception is for transcripts from before 1993).

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If I studied abroad and one of my transcripts is in a language other than English, do I need to translate it?

Yes, transcripts and all supporting documents must be in English or officially translated into English.

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As part of my application, am I required to submit a portfolio, recording, or other demonstration of my abilities in the arts?

Students planning to attend graduate school in the arts (visual art, dance, design, drama/theater arts, fine arts, architecture, industrial design, music, and other performance and studio arts) are required to submit recordings, portfolios, or other demonstrations of their work.  Portfolios should not be submitted by students in other areas of study and, if submitted, they will not be reviewed.  Please see the Art Portfolio Instructions in the online application and the Arts Portfolio Guidelines for submission instructions.

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Do I need to submit my acceptance and financial aid award letters to the Foundation?

Applicants must submit copies of all acceptance and financial award letters to the Foundation as soon as they become available.  Please fax them to: (319) 337-1204.

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ELIGIBILITY QUESTIONS

Am I eligible for a Graduate Scholarship?

Jack Kent Cooke Scholars possess exceptional academic records and demonstrate unmet financial need.  At a minimum, each candidate for the Graduate Scholarship must

  • be nominated by his or her US undergraduate college or university for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Graduate Scholarship Program (the Foundation does not accept applications directly from students).
  • be a current student at an accredited US college or university with senior status by December 31, 2008, or be a recent graduate (since the spring of 2004).
  • plan to attend a full-time graduate degree program to begin his or her first graduate or professional degree program in the fall of 2009.
  • plan to pursue a graduate degree for the first time.
  • have a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.5 or better on a 4.0 scale (or the equivalent).  
  • not have previously been nominated for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Graduate Scholarship.

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Must I be a US citizen to be eligible?

US citizenship is not required. Candidates, however, must have attended and be nominated by an accredited undergraduate institution in the United States.

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Are there age restrictions for applicants?

No. This program has no age restrictions.

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Am I eligible if I am already enrolled in graduate school?

No. Only individuals who have not already enrolled in graduate school or earned a graduate degree are eligible.

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WORKING THROUGH THE NOMINATION PROCESS

How do I get nominated?

If you meet the minimum eligibility requirements, please review the selection criteria in the Nominee Guidelines.  If you meet these criteria also, you should contact the designated Faculty Representative at your undergraduate college or university to inquire about the institution's internal nomination process and deadline.  Faculty Representatives verify the nominee's eligibility and academic status, and are responsible for the complete and timely submission of the online nomination and all supporting documents by the March 16th deadline.

Applicants are requested to submit an online application plus the required number of copies of supporting documents. The applicant and Faculty Representative should coordinate their efforts to ensure that the complete nomination is submitted and supporting documents are received no later than March 16, 2009.  Faculty Representatives must submit supporting documents in one packet, directly to the Foundation's processing center.


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How does the Faculty Representative verify my information and submit the nomination?

The application process is conducted online. The Faculty Representative will receive by email a username and password that will allow them to review the applications of students from their institution. The Faculty Representative will then be able to submit online the completed applications of their institution’s nominees.

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May I submit an application directly to the Foundation, without first being nominated by my university?

No. The Foundation will only consider applicants who have been nominated by their institution's designated Faculty Representative.  Other applications will not be considered.

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What should I do if my college or university has not yet appointed a Faculty Representative?

Every year, the Foundation invites each accredited college and university in the United States to reconfirm its existing Faculty Representative or name a new one.  If your school has not yet appointed a representative, we recommend that you contact your college’s president's office to urge the president to designate a representative so that you may be considered.  The president may call 800-498-6478 or Contact Us to appoint a representative.  You may also call 800-498-6478 to request assistance with the designation of a Faculty Representative.

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What happens if an application is incomplete or arrives after the deadline?

Applicants must meet deadlines set by both your undergraduate institution and the Foundation. The online nomination must be submitted by the Faculty Representative no later than 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time, March 16, 2009. There is no grace period after the deadline has passed. Faculty Representatives are responsible for submitting the online nomination(s) and mailing the corresponding supporting documents so that they arrive before the March 16th deadline.

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As part of my application, I see I am asked to upload documents, what does this involve?

In the online application, you have the option to upload your resume, tax documents, parent financial forms, and parent tax documents in PDF format.  If you choose this option, simply scan documents and convert them to PDF format.  Click on the "Browse" button in the online application and select the PDF version of the document you wish to upload.  NOTE:  Official transcripts must be forwarded to your faculty representative in a sealed envelope.  If you are nominated, the faculty representative will mail to the Iowa City office, your official transcript(s) plus three legible copies of each.  Transcripts cannot be uploaded to the online application.

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What if I am unable to upload my supporting documents to the online application?

You have the option to submit your supporting documents to your faculty representative who will mail them to the Iowa City address for receipt by March 16, 2009. For each supporting document, you must select in the appropriate section of the online application which action you will take. You may upload the document to your online application in PDF format, mail the documents to the Iowa City address, upload a letter of explanation, or select the "does not apply to me" option. If you have questions as to which action to take concerning a supporting document, please contact your faculty representative.

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RECOMMENDATION AND RELATED ISSUES

Tell me more about the required letters of recommendation.

As part of the online application, applicants must identify two people who will be asked to submit recommendations online.

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When will the recommenders know that it is time to submit their recommendation?

Within 24 hours of the time the student enters the recommender's contact information, the recommender should receive an email from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation with instructions for completing the online recommendation.  It is the applicant’s responsibility to follow up with their recommenders to be sure they have completed the recommendations prior to the internal campus deadline.

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FINANCIAL INFORMATION FORMS AND RELATED QUESTIONS

How does the Foundation determine unmet financial need?

The Foundation considers academic excellence first in evaluating candidates. However, to be competitive, nominees must also show unmet financial need, which has two components:

  1. Education costs that are appreciably greater than the total amount of other grants or scholarships the Scholar receives.
  2. Insufficient student and family income to meet educational costs.

Factors relevant to this determination include:

  • Students receiving full funding for their proposed graduate programs will not be competitive for this scholarship, as they will have no unmet need.  
  • One possible indicator that candidates have financial need is that they received need-based aid while in college.
  • Non-US citizens may be eligible for the Foundation’s scholarships if they demonstrate unmet financial need, regardless of their eligibility for other types of federal and institutional financial aid.

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Why does the Foundation require financial information from my parents?

The Foundation requires both student and parent financial information for many reasons.  One reason is that students from low-income backgrounds are less likely to complete a graduate degree and therefore may need greater assistance than others.

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I am an independent student. Do my parents still need to complete the financial information forms regardless of whether I receive support from them?

The parents of all applicants must complete financial information forms.  Even for financially independent applicants, the Foundation considers parental information when assessing need.  However, when applicants are financially independent from their parents, we consider parental income as being less significant in the financial need calculation.

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What documents can I submit if my parents are living abroad and do not file US taxes?

Applicants and/or parents living abroad and not filing US tax returns in 2007 must complete the forms to the best of their ability and attach a statement (in English or a certified translation into English) from their employer(s) listing all income and benefits for the prior year.

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Will I be liable for taxes on the scholarship?

A portion of each scholarship award may be considered taxable by the US Internal Revenue Service.  Scholars are responsible for ascertaining tax liability for the scholarship and for reporting the taxable portions of their scholarship as income.  See publication 970 on the IRS Website for details.

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ONLINE APPLICATION PROCESS

Where do I go to get started?

The Application Materials section of the Foundation's website has two links:

  • One for applicants who are creating an account and beginning a new application.
  • Another for applicants who are returning to an application already in progress.

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While creating my registration account, I was told that the account already exists. I have never tried to log in before. How can that be?

During registration you must select a unique User ID - something that no one else in the system has ever used before. If you get this message, you likely have chosen a User ID already in use by another applicant, and you will have to try a different User ID.  Keep track of the User ID that works successfully and save it until the March deadline has passed.  Once you have registered successfully, a confirmation email will be sent to you to help you remember your User ID.

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How do I change my password or User ID?

If you are the applicant, you will be able to change your password. If you attempted to log in and were unsuccessful, click on the button on the log-in page to have your password sent to your email account. If this option does not work or you continue to have trouble logging into your account, please call 800-498-6478 or Contact Us to request assistance.

Your User ID is a unique identifier created when you first filled out the registration section of the online application. You may not change your User ID, but if you have forgotten it, you can Contact Us.  You will be asked questions to verify your identity based on information you provided when you set up your user account.


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I am locked out of my account. What do I do now?

If you have tried multiple times to log in and continue to receive a message that your User ID or password is not correct, your account will be disabled automatically. Please call 800-498-6478 or Contact Us to request that your password be reset.

Note: When contacting us for assistance, whether by phone or by email, please provide

  • The applicant’s first and last name.
  • The name of the undergraduate institution.
  • The city and state where that institution is located.

This information will enable us to locate your records quickly and serve you more efficiently.

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SELECTION QUESTIONS

Are there limits on the types of graduate degrees or universities the Foundation will consider or the areas of study Scholars may pursue?

Scholars may use the award to attend any accredited graduate school in the US or abroad to pursue any graduate or professional degree, in fields from fine arts to medicine to history.  For examples, see the list of Jack Kent Cooke Scholars and the graduate degrees they are pursuing.

Does the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Graduate Scholarship support study in non-degree programs?

No.  Only students pursuing advanced degree programs at accredited universities are eligible for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Graduate Scholarship Program.

Are Scholars allowed to receive other grants or scholarships and still qualify for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Graduate Scholarship?

With few restrictions, the Foundation permits Scholars to receive other awards.  In fact, Scholars must apply for financial aid from their graduate school each year, and most receive other forms of aid in addition to the Foundation's award.

What are the chances of being awarded a scholarship?

The Foundation expects to receive more than 1,000 applications and will award approximately 30 Graduate Scholarships in 2009.  Each accredited undergraduate college and university in the US may nominate up to two students each year.

How much support does the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Graduate Scholarship provide?

Each award will fund a portion of educational costs, including tuition, room and board, books, and other required fees for the normal period of time required to complete the graduate degree program, up to six years.  The amount and duration of awards vary by student, based on the cost of attendance and the length of the program, as well as other scholarships or grants received.  The maximum available per student is $50,000 per year.  Most awards are for fewer than six years and less than $50,000 per year.


MR. COOKE

Who was Jack Kent Cooke?

Mr. Cooke was a philanthropist, businessman, and devotee of learning and the arts who left the bulk of his estate to establish the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation to help students of exceptional promise reach their full potential through education.  Learn more about Mr. Cooke.



APPLICATION DEADLINES AND KEY DATES

What are the application deadlines?

Each college or university will designate an internal deadline several weeks prior to the Foundation's deadline.  Contact the designated Faculty Representative at your school to inquire about the internal deadline.  The Foundation's deadline for submission of the online application, including uploaded supporting documents, is by 3:00 p.m. eastern time on March 10, 2009.  The deadline for receipt of faculty representative online nominations and online letters of recommendation is March 16, 2009, but 3:00 p.m. eastern time.  Supporting documents that are not uploaded to the online application should be sent in one packet and must reach the Iowa City processing center on or before March 16, 2009.

What are the key dates in the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Graduate Scholarship Program application and selection process?

Application materials are mailed to designated Faculty Representatives and made available on the Foundation's Website in November.

Campus Deadline
Many schools set internal deadlines that are several weeks earlier than the Foundation's deadline.  Please check with your Faculty Representative for details.

March 10, 2009
Deadline for submission of nominees' online application and uploaded supporting documents.

March 16, 2009
Deadline for letters of recommendation, mailed supporting documents, and receipt of nominations from faculty representatives for the 2009 Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Graduate Scholarship competition.

May 2009
Send in copies of acceptance and award letters.

June 2009
Notification of award status mailed to all applicants mid-month.

July 30 - August 2, 2009
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation annual Scholars Weekend.

August/September 2009
First scholarship checks mailed to institutions.

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