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 2010?
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. Do you reside in the United States or a US Territory and plan to attend a high school in the US?

*Exception: Students with unique talents or documented learning differences.
**While there is no formal financial cut-off, since the Program's inception, over 90 percent of selected Young Scholars have 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 now accepting applications for the 2010 Young Scholars Program application period.  Please review the Application Guidelines before beginning the application to ensure you meet all eligibility requirements. [The Application Guidelines will soon be available in Chinese, Korean, Russian and Spanish.]

Click here for a copy of the 2010 Young Scholars Program application.  The application receipt deadline is April 26, 2010.

If you have a disability that prevents you from completing the Student portion of the application by hand, please click here for a Microsoft Word copy of the Student application.

If you are self-employed [or have business and/or farm equity], please click here for the Supplemental Self-Employment form.

TIMELINE

• February: The Foundation makes application materials available to all 7th-grade students on the Foundation's website.
• Last Monday in April: All applications to the Young Scholars Program must be received (April 26, 2010).
• May-September: The Foundation’s expert panel and program managers review all applications.
• November: 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.