Young Scholars Program
Teachers, counselors, and other community leaders who work with 7th grade students can read, watch, and share the Young Scholars Program resources below.
The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Young Scholars Program is a competitive pre-college scholarship that provides educational support for high-achieving students with financial need. From 8th to 12th grade, Cooke Young Scholars receive funding for academic and extracurricular activities, as well as individualized educational advising.
To be considered for the Young Scholars Program, the applicant must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Grade level: Currently in 7th grade and/or entering 8th grade in the fall of 2025.
- Academics: Earned all As and Bs in core academic subjects since beginning of 6th grade.
- Financial Need – Demonstrate unmet financial need. We will consider applicants with family income up to $95,000. During the selection process, the Foundation will conduct a full financial review which will take into account all income and assets of the student and the student’s parents. The median family income of last year’s entering cohort of Cooke Young Scholars was approximately $34,000.
- Location: Currently attending middle school in the U.S. and planning to attend high school in the U.S.
If you are a faculty or staff member working with 7th grade students, please sign up to receive our Counselor Newsletter. You’ll receive updates on Cooke Scholarship applications and deadlines, along with resources and tips for counselors, educators, and student-serving organizations.
The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Young Scholars Program is a competitive pre-college scholarship that provides educational support for high-achieving students with financial need. From 8th to 12th grade, Cooke Young Scholars receive funding for academic and extracurricular activities, as well as individualized educational advising.
To be considered for the Young Scholars Program, the applicant must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Grade level: Currently in 7th grade and/or entering 8th grade in the fall of 2025.
- Academics: Earned all As and Bs in core academic subjects since beginning of 6th grade.
- Financial Need – Demonstrate unmet financial need. We will consider applicants with family income up to $95,000. During the selection process, the Foundation will conduct a full financial review which will take into account all income and assets of the student and the student’s parents. The median family income of last year’s entering cohort of Cooke Young Scholars was approximately $34,000.
- Location: Currently attending middle school in the U.S. and planning to attend high school in the U.S.
If you are a faculty or staff member working with 7th grade students, please sign up to receive our Counselor Newsletter. You’ll receive updates on Cooke Scholarship applications and deadlines, along with resources and tips for counselors, educators, and student-serving organizations.
The application for the Cooke Young Scholars Program is currently closed. It will open on February 6, 2025.
If you have any questions regarding your application, please email us at scholarships@jkcf.org.