Scholars in the News
Reshma Tharani, 21, is part of a new breed of community college student
FAQs
GETTING READY TO APPLY
- When can I apply?
- What can I do to get ready to apply?
- Do I need to submit transcripts from all of the two-year and four-year colleges I attended, even if it was many years ago?
- If I studied abroad and one of my transcripts is in a language other than English, does it need to be translated?
- Who do I contact with questions?
ELIGIBILITY QUESTIONS
- Do I meet the minimum eligibility requirements for an Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship?
- I am a community-college student with credit for several courses. I am not sure if I will have sophomore status by January 2013. What constitutes sophomore status?
- Must I be a US citizen to be eligible?
- Are there age restrictions for applicants?
- What if I transfer and begin studies at the four-year institution in spring 2013? Am I still eligible?
- Am I eligible if I am already enrolled in a bachelor's degree program?
WORKING THROUGH THE NOMINATION PROCESS
- How do I get nominated?
- How many students can my two-year institution nominate?
- How does the faculty representative verify my information and submit the nomination?
- May I submit an application directly to the Foundation, without first being nominated by my community college or two-year institution?
- What should I do if my two-year institution has not yet appointed a faculty representative?
- How will I know if my community college or two-year institution is eligible?
- What happens if an application is incomplete or is submitted after the deadline?
- What happens if an institution misses the nomination deadline?
RECOMMENDATIONS AND RELATED ISSUES
- Tell me more about the required letters of recommendation.
- When will the recommenders know that it is time to submit their recommendation?
FINANCIAL INFORMATION FORMS AND RELATED QUESTIONS
- How does the Foundation determine unmet financial need?
- Why does the Foundation require financial information from my parents?
- I am an 30 years old or older. Do my parents still need to complete the financial information forms regardless of whether I receive support from them?
- Which financial forms do my parents need to complete?
- What documents can I submit if my parents are living abroad and do not file US taxes?
- Will I be liable for taxes on the scholarship?
online application procesS
SELECTION QUESTIONS
- Are there limits on the types of four-year colleges Scholars may attend or the areas of study Scholars may pursue?
- Are Scholars allowed to receive other grants or scholarships and still qualify for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship?
- Does the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship support study in non-degree programs?
- What are the chances of being awarded a scholarship?
- How much support does the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship provide?
MR. COOKE
APPLICATION DEADLINES AND KEY DATES
- What are the application deadlines?
- What are the key dates in the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship Program application and selection process?
GETTING READY TO APPLY
When can I apply?
Applicants will be able to access the online application at www.jkcf.org from September 17, 2012, to December 5, 2012. You must check with your Faculty Representative to find out if there is an internal deadline for your institution. Faculty representatives must submit their online nominations by December 5, 2012.
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What can I do to get ready to apply?
The following items are required for a complete application:
- The following forms must be completed online
- Application
- Parent Financial Forms (if required)
- Recommendations
2. The following items must be uploaded, according to the instructions on the online application
- Official high school transcripts, GED scores, or letter from home-school instructor.
- Official college transcripts for ALL college coursework.
- Applicant 2011 tax forms.
- Parent tax forms (required for students under the age of 30).
- Resume
Do I need to submit transcripts from all of the two-year and four-year 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 1997 or before).
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If I studied abroad and one of my transcripts is in a language other than English, does it need to be translated?
Yes, transcripts and all supporting documents must be in English or officially translated into English.
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Who do I contact with questions?
If after reviewing the FAQs and Nominee Guidelines you have additional questions, please email scholarships@jkcf.org. Please allow 48 hours to receive a response.
ELIGIBILITY QUESTIONS
Do I meet the minimum eligibility requirements for an Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship?
Jack Kent Cooke Scholars possess exceptional academic records and demonstrate unmet financial need. At a minimum, each candidate for the Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship must:
- Be nominated by his or her community college or other two-year institution for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship Program (the Foundation does not accept applications directly from students),
- Be a current student at an accredited US community college or two-year institution with sophomore status as of December 31, 2012, or a recent graduate (since spring 2008),
- Plan to enroll in a full-time baccalaureate program at an accredited college or university in the fall of 2013,
- Have a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.50 or better on a 4.0 scale (or the equivalent),
- Not have previously been nominated for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship.
- Have significant unmet financial need.
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I am a community-college student with credit for several courses. I am not sure if I will have sophomore status by January 2013. What constitutes sophomore status?
Please check with your community college for its official policy. Typically, colleges require students to complete 30 credit hours to complete freshman year. To be eligible, therefore, typical applicants will have successfully completed at least 30 credit hours, or the equivalent.
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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 two-year 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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What if I transfer and begin studies at the four-year institution in spring 2013? Am I still eligible?
No. Students are only eligible if they will transfer and begin studies in fall 2013.
Am I eligible if I am already enrolled in a bachelor's degree program?
No. Only transfer students who are not already enrolled in a four-year undergraduate institution are eligible.
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WORKING THROUGH THE NOMINATION PROCESS
How do I get nominated?
If you meet the minimum eligibility requirements, review the selection criteria in the 2013 Nominee Guidelines - Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship Program. If you meet these criteria also, contact the designated Faculty Representative at your two-year college to inquire about the institution's internal nomination process and deadline. Faculty Representatives verify the applicant's eligibility and academic status, and are responsible for the complete and timely submission of the online nomination and all supporting documents by the deadline.
Applicants are requested to submit an online application which includes uploaded materials of supporting documents. The applicants and Faculty Representative should coordinate their efforts to ensure that the complete nomination is submitted no later than December 5, 2012. Only the Foundation's Faculty Representative at your two-year institution can nominate students.
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How many students can my two-year institution nominate?
Each two-year institution can nominate between two and four students for the Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship as designated below. The number of nominees for each institution is determined by the number of students enrolled in degree programs at the two-year institution.
Here are the guidelines the Foundation will use in determining how many applicants your two-year institution may nominate:
| Number of Students Enrolled in Degree Programs | Number of Nominations |
| Up to 2,000 | 2 |
| 2,001 to 10,000 | 3 |
| 10,000 and above | 4 |
How does the faculty representative verify my information and submit the nomination?
The application process is conducted online. Faculty representatives will login to review the applications of students from their institution. The faculty representative will then be able to designate their institution's nominees online.
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May I submit an application directly to the Foundation, without first being nominated by my community college or two-year institution?
No. The Foundation will only consider applicants who have applied online and 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 two-year institution has not yet appointed a faculty representative?
Every year, the Foundation invites every licensed and accredited two-year institution in the US to appoint a faculty representative to nominate students and recent alumni for the scholarship. If your school has not yet appointed a representative, we recommend that you contact the president's office at your community college to urge the president to designate a representative so that you may be considered. The president may call 1-855-509-5253 or contact us to appoint a representative. You may also call 1-855-509-5253 or contact us to request assistance with the designation of a representative.
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How will I know if my community college or two-year institution is eligible?
Licensed and accredited community colleges and two-year institutions in the US are listed in two locations:
- The Higher Education Directory, published by Higher Education Publications, Inc., and available at most libraries.
- The US Department of Education's Website.
What happens if an application is incomplete or is submitted after the deadline?
Applications are completed online and must meet both the deadline set by your two-year institution and the one established by the Foundation. Be sure to meet all deadlines established by your institution. Incomplete applications and those submitted to the Foundation after the deadline will not be considered.
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What happens if an institution misses the nomination deadline?
Faculty representatives must complete and submit nominations online no later than 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, December 5, 2012. There is no grace period after the deadline has passed. Faculty representatives are responsible for submitting the online nomination(s) on or before the December 5 deadline.
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RECOMMENDATIONS 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. One or both should be from a professor or teacher.
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When will the recommenders know that it is time to submit their recommendation?
Recommenders will receive an email with instructions immediately after the applicant enters their email addresses on the "Nominate Section" page of his or her application. The email message will provide a link to the recommender submission page. It is the applicant’s responsibility to monitor the status of their recommendations and to follow up with their recommenders to be sure they have received the instructions and completed the recommendation prior to the deadline set by the two-year institution.
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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:
- Education costs that are appreciably greater than the total amount of other scholarships or grant awards.
- Insufficient student and family income to meet educational costs.
Factors relevant to this determination include:
- Students receiving full funding for their four-year degree will not be competitive for this scholarship, as they have no unmet financial need.
- One indicator that candidates have financial need is that they were eligible for need-based aid while attending a two-year 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.
Why does the Foundation require financial information from my parents?
The Foundation requires parent financial information from students younger than 30 years of age. We do so for many reasons. One reason is that research shows that students from lower-income backgrounds are less likely to complete a college degree or assume educational debt, and therefore may need greater assistance than others.
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I am 30 years old or older. Do my parents still need to complete the financial information forms regardless of whether I receive support from them?
No. If you are 30 years old or older (by the application deadline), your parents do not need to submit their financial information.
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Which financial forms do my parents need to complete?
If you are under the age of 30 (by the application deadline), your parents will need to complete online a Parent Household Form and a Parent Financial Form. Both of the applicant’s natural or adoptive parents must complete the proper forms.
- If the applicant’s parents (natural or adoptive) are both living and married to each other, they must complete Parent Household Form A and Parent Financial Form A.
- If the applicant’s parents (natural or adoptive) are single, divorced, separated, or remarried,
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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 for 2011 must complete the online forms to the best of their ability and upload a statement (in English or a certified translation into English) from their employer(s) listing all income and benefits for 2011.
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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 publications 520 and 970 on the IRS website for details.
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Online Application Process
How do I change my password or LoginID?
If you have forgotten your password, click on the “Forgot Password?” link on the login page. Enter the email address you used to create the account and click “Submit” to have the instructions to reset the password emailed to you. After you reset your password, another email will be sent asking you to confirm the reset password. If you would like to change the email connected with your account, you may do so by clicking on the “View/Edit Profile" link at that top of your dashboard.
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How does the recommender verify and submit a recommendation?
Recommenders will receive an email with a link to the online recommendation form immediately after the applicant submits the recommender's email address on the 'Nominate Section’ page of the online application. The email message will provide the recommender with a link to the online recommendation form. The recommender must click 'Submit' in order to certify that their recommendation is complete.
How long does the recommender have to submit their recommendation form?
Recommenders have until the December 5 deadline to submit the recommendation on behalf of the student. We encourage recommenders to submit the form well before this deadline in order for the faculty representatives to view the recommendations when making the decision to nominate. We encourage the applicants to monitor the status of their recommendations and communicate with their recommenders to make sure they successfully submit the form on time.
How do I submit my supporting documents and when are they due?
Upload all required documents into your online application according to the directions in the application. If you do not follow the instructions, your application may not be considered. The online application, including all required supporting documents, must be submitted by December 5, 2012 (11:59 p.m. Eastern Time).
How do I know if my application is complete?
The online application system will not allow you to submit an incomplete application. Please check the progress bar under each section of the application to determine if the section is 100% complete before clicking on the “Submit Application” link on your dashboard. The documents you upload to the application must be verified by the Foundation before the application is considered complete. If an uploaded supplemental document is not approved, the Foundation will contact you in order to submit the correct document.
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SELECTION QUESTIONS
Are there limits on the types of four-year colleges Scholars may attend or the areas of study Scholars may pursue?
Scholars may use the award to attend accredited four-year undergraduate schools in the US to pursue a bachelor's degree in any area of study. For examples, see the list of Jack Kent Cooke Scholars and the colleges they attend.
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Are Scholars allowed to receive other grants or scholarships and still qualify for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship?
With few restrictions, the Foundation permits Scholars to receive other awards. In fact, Scholars must apply for financial aid from their four-year institution each year and most receive other forms of aid in addition to the Foundation's award.
Does the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship support study in non-degree programs?
No. Only students who will pursue baccalaureate degree programs at accredited colleges or universities are eligible for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship Program.
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What are the chances of being awarded a scholarship?
The Foundation expects to receive approximately 800 applications and will award approximately 60 Undergraduate Transfer Scholarships in 2013. Each licensed and accredited community college and two-year institution in the US with a designated Faculty Representative may nominate between two and four students each year.
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How much support does the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship provide?
Each award will fund a portion of educational costs, including tuition, room and board, books, and other required fees for the period required to complete the undergraduate degree program, generally two or two-and-a-half years. The amount and duration of awards varies by student, based on the cost of attendance and length of the program as well as the amount of other scholarships or grants the Scholar receives. The maximum amount of the Foundation’s scholarship is $30,000 per year.
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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
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APPLICATION DEADLINES AND KEY DATES
What are the application deadlines?
Your two-year college may designate an internal deadline several weeks prior to the Foundation's deadline. Contact the designated faculty representative at your two-year college to inquire about the internal deadline for your school. The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation deadline for the online application with uploaded supplemental documentation and faculty representative nomination is December 5, 2012.
What are the key dates in the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship Program application and selection process?
September 17, 2012
Application materials are posted on the Foundation's website and program materials are mailed to designated Faculty Representatives
Date set by your school
Your two-year institution may set an internal campus deadline for submission of application materials - contact your Faculty Representative for details
December 5, 2012 (closes 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time)
- Jack Kent Cooke Foundation deadline for applicants to submit the online application and supplemental documentation; and for letters of recommendation.
- Jack Kent Cooke Foundation deadline for receipt of online nominations from Faculty Representatives
February 2013
Applications reviewed by scholarship review panels
Early April 2013
Scholarship recipients notified
April 2013
Notification of award status is emailed to all applicants
August 1 - 4, 2013
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholars Weekend
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Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship Quicklinks
How to Apply
The Transfer Process
Selection & Eligibility
Faculty Representatives for the Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship
Undergraduate Transfer Scholars in the Press