2013 Nominee Guidelines - Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship Program

The Foundation will award approximately 60 scholarships to outstanding students to begin studies in fall 2013. Each award will cover a portion of educational expenses, including tuition, living expenses, and other required fees, and books for the final two to three years of the baccalaureate degree. Every scholarship varies, depending on the cost of attendance and other scholarships or grants received. 

The maximum award available per student is $30,000 per year. Scholars may use the award to attend any accredited college or university in the US in pursuit of a baccalaureate degree. The Foundation renews awards annually, provided the Jack Kent Cooke Scholar has maintained high academic performance, exhibited good conduct, made significant progress toward a degree, and complied with the Foundation’s administrative requirements and requests.
 
 

New this year 

  1. New Online Application System – We have moved to a new online application system

  2. Selection Criteria have changed – We have made significant changes to our selection criteria. Please review the selection criteria section carefully.

     

Deadlines

  1. Application Deadline is December 5, 2012 (Closes at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time)
     
  2. Faculty Representative Nomination Deadline is December 5, 2012 (Closes at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time)
To be eligible, applications must be submitted online by December 5, 2012.  Letters of recommendation and Parent Financial Forms must be submitted online by December 5, 2012, as well.  Faculty Representatives must submit the online nomination by December 5, 2012.  
 
Most community colleges establish earlier campus deadlines for their receipt of applications. Students should check with the faculty representative for their campus to determine their campus deadline.


 
Minimum Eligibility

Please review the Minimum Eligibility Requirements section of the Selection & Eligibility page to ascertain whether you are eligible to compete in the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship Program.
 
Keep in mind that competitive candidates exceed the Foundation and campus eligibility requirements.

Most two-year institutions will apply additional eligibility requirements. Your faculty representative can provide details.
 
The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, creed, color, sex, age, physical or mental disabilities, sexual orientation, or national origin. Foundation staff, board members, and their families are not eligible to apply.
 

General Information

Selected Scholars agree to comply with Foundation requirements and requests for the duration of the scholarship. Some key requirements and terms are:
  1. Scholars must pursue a full-time course of study in a baccalaureate degree program at an approved accredited institution, beginning with the fall 2013 term.
  2. Scholars must apply for federal and institutional financial assistance each year of study. The Foundation determines individual scholarship awards after reviewing each recipient’s other assistance offers.
  3. Scholars must attend the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholars Weekend, August 1-4, 2013. The Foundation will provide travel expenses, lodging, and meals.
 

Selection Criteria
 

With the assistance of a panel of national experts, the Foundation will select Scholars using these criteria:
 
  • Achievement and academic ability
  • Unmet financial need*
  • Desire to engage in and contribute to the world
  • Self-confidence
  • Resilience
* Unmet financial need has two components: (i) education costs that exceed to an appreciable degree other grant awards and (ii) insufficient student and family income to meet educational costs. Students receiving full funding for their four-year degree will not be competitive for this scholarship. One possible indicator of financial need is that the applicant received need-based aid while in college. A portion of family income is considered for all applicants under the age of 30 as of the application deadline. Parents must be willing to complete the financial information forms regardless of status of the applicant.  Students 30 years old or older are not required to submit parent financial information.

To ensure a fair and objective review process, the Foundation does not comment on the review panel’s deliberations. The Foundation also does not comment on or reconsider applications after making award decisions. All applications and supporting documents become the property of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation and, as such, will not be returned. By submitting an application, the applicant accepts the conditions stated in this document, the 2013 Nominee Guidelines – Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship Program.

 

Nomination Procedures

Accredited US community colleges appoint a faculty representative to lead the nomination process. 

Appointed faculty representatives

  • Publicize the scholarship program and identify candidates,
  • Determine and apply the institutional nomination criteria,
  • Lead the internal selection process to nominate their designated number of applicants, and
  • Submit their online nominations by December 5, 2012 (Closes at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time).

Number of Nominees: The number of nominees for each institution is determined by the number of students enrolled in degree granting programs. 

  • Institutions with up to 2,000 enrolled students may nominate up to 2 students
  • Institutions with 2,001-10,000 enrolled students may nominate up to 3 students
  • Institutions with more than 10,000 enrolled students may nominate up to 4 students

Application Instructions

The online application must be submitted along with all supporting documentation uploaded, no later than December 5, 2012 (by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time). Institutions usually establish earlier internal campus deadlines, so check with your faculty representative about your campus' deadline. 

Before submitting an online application and supporting documents, applicants should ensure that they meet all Foundation and campus eligibility and submittal requirements. Applicants should follow directions carefully and complete all appropriate application sections. 

Parents of applicants under the age of 30 by the application deadline must complete the appropriate Parent Financial Information forms according to the directions online. Students 30 years of age or older are not required to submit parent financial information. 

Faculty representatives review applications and nominate between two and four candidates from their campus. 

Please note:

  • Applications not in compliance with any details specified in this document or the application may be disqualified. (Failure to upload supporting documentation will make an application incomplete.)
  • Supporting documents must be uploaded in one of the formats specified within the application. The Foundation will not consider faxed or emailed documents. If required documents cannot be obtained, the applicant must upload a letter of explanation in its place. 
  • Parents of applicants under the age of 30 must complete the appropriate online Parent Financial Information Form and Parent Household Form online.
  • The application must be written in English, and all supporting documents must be in English or translated into English. Translations must bear an original (not photocopied) mark of certification or official signature that the translation is true and complete.
  • The Foundation does not accept additions to an application after the submission deadline. 


Submitting Your Application

The nominee(s) and faculty representative should coordinate their efforts to ensure that the complete online application is submitted by December 5, 2012 (Closes at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time) and the school's nomination is submitted no later than December 5, 2012 (Closes at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time).  Supporting documents or letters of explanation must be uploaded to the application in one of the formats specified only.  


Application Components Checklist

Each complete nomination will include the following:
 
Electronic Application

1. Application
  • Completed by applicant including:
    - Identification of recommenders
    - Applicant financial information*
    - Supporting financial documentation
    - Official transcripts, original (front and back) must be uploaded  
2. Two letters of Recommendation
  • Completed online by recommenders  
3. Institution Nomination
  • Completed online by faculty representative including:
    - Institution Nomination Rationale
    - Community College Profile 
4. Parent Financial Information Form and Household Form
  • Parent Forms are required for all students who are under the age of 30.

* Applicants and/or parents living abroad and not filing US taxes for 2011 must complete the forms as thoroughly as possible and attach a statement (in English or a certified translation into English) from the employer(s) listing all income and benefits for 2011. 

Supporting Documentation - All of the materials listed below must be uploaded within the online application
Foreign language supporting documents must be officially translated into English.  Translations must bear an original (not photocopied) mark of certification or official signature that the translation is true and complete.
 
1. Official College Transcript(s) for ALL undergraduate coursework
  • one original (front and back) uploaded for each institution attended
2. High School Transcript(s), GED Scores, or Letter from Home-school Instructor
  • one original (front and back) uploaded for each institution attended

3. Applicant Tax Forms

  • including applicable W-2 forms, schedules, and attachments
4. Parent Tax Forms (required for applicants under the age of 30 only)
  • including applicable W-2 forms, schedules, and attachments

Follow-up information on some applications may require the submission of the Student Aid Report (SAR) from the 2013-14FAFSA.  We recommend that all applicants complete the FAFSA when it becomes available in January 2013.

Contact Information

For further information about the scholarship, please call 1-855-509-5253 or contact us.